List of functional exercises (body weight)

Importance

Functional exercises using body weight are an effective and accessible way to improve strength, flexibility, and endurance without the need for expensive equipment or a gym. These exercises use your own body weight to challenge different muscle groups, promoting a full-body workout that can be done anywhere. Below, we present an extensive list of functional exercises, divided by muscle groups, to help you build a balanced and effective workout routine. Each exercise comes with a detailed description to ensure you can perform them correctly and achieve the best results. Get ready to transform your fitness with this variety of dynamic and challenging movements.

You can also find here the list of crossfit exercises.

Upper Body

1. Push-up
• Description: Lie face down with your hands aligned with your shoulders. Push your body up until your arms are straight, keeping your body straight. Lower yourself until your chest almost touches the floor and repeat.
2. Diamond Push-up
• Description: Place your hands together under your chest, forming a diamond with your thumbs and index fingers. Perform the push-up while maintaining this position.
3. Incline Push-up
• Description: Place your hands on an elevated surface (such as a bench or a table). Perform the push-up while keeping your body straight.
4. Decline Push-up
• Description: Place your feet on an elevated surface and your hands on the floor. Perform the push-up while keeping your body straight.
5. Clap Push-up
• Description: Perform an explosive push-up, lifting your hands off the floor and clapping before returning to the starting position.
6. Hindu Push-up
• Description: Start in the downward-facing dog position, then lower your body, sliding your chest close to the floor, and push up to the cobra position.
7. Archer Push-up
• Description: With your arms wide apart, lower your body to one side while the other arm remains straight, alternating sides.
8. One-arm Push-up
• Description: Perform a push-up supporting yourself with only one arm, keeping your body straight and your feet wider apart for balance.
9. Elevated Surface Tricep Dips
• Description: Sit on an elevated surface, with your hands beside your body. Move your body forward, lowering and raising yourself with your arms.
10. Plank Shoulder Tap
• Description: In a high plank position, touch your left shoulder with your right hand, alternating sides.
11. High Plank
• Description: Hold the push-up position with your arms straight and your body straight.
12. Side Plank
• Description: Support yourself on one forearm and the side of your foot, keeping your body straight and aligned.
13. T-Plank
• Description: In a high plank position, turn your body to one side, raising one arm toward the ceiling to form a “T”.

Lower Body

1. Squat
• Description: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Squat as if sitting in a chair, keeping the weight on your heels and your chest up. Return to the starting position by pushing through your heels.
2. Pistol Squat
• Description: Stand on one leg, extending the other leg in front of you. Squat on the supporting leg, keeping the extended leg off the floor and your arms out in front for balance. Return to the starting position and repeat with the other leg.
3. Bulgarian Split Squat
• Description: Place your back foot on an elevated surface, such as a bench. Squat on your front leg until the knee of your back leg almost touches the floor.
4. Jump Squat
• Description: Perform a squat and, as you stand up, explode into a jump, landing softly and immediately going into the next squat.
5. Lunge
• Description: Step forward with one leg, lowering your body until both knees are at a 90-degree angle. Your back knee should almost touch the floor. Return to the starting position and switch legs.
6. Reverse Lunge
• Description: Step backward with one leg, lowering your body until both knees are at a 90-degree angle. Your back knee should almost touch the floor. Return to the starting position and switch legs.
7. Side Lunge
• Description: Take a wide step to the side, squatting on the moving leg while the other leg remains straight.
8. Elevated Surface Step-up
• Description: Step up onto an elevated surface, such as a bench, alternating legs. Keep your chest up and push through the heel of your supporting leg.
9. Bridge
• Description: Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet on the floor. Raise your hips until your shoulders, hips, and knees form a straight line, squeezing your glutes at the top of the movement.
10. Hip Thrust
• Description: Lie on your back with your shoulders supported on an elevated surface and your feet on the floor. Raise your hips until your shoulders, hips, and knees form a straight line, squeezing your glutes at the top of the movement.
11. Single Leg Deadlift
• Description: Stand on one leg, hinge forward at the waist, extending the free leg behind you and keeping your body straight. Return to the starting position and repeat with the other leg.
12. Calf Raises
• Description: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and raise your heels, coming up onto your toes. Lower your heels back to the floor and repeat.
13. Sumo Squat
• Description: Stand with your feet wide apart and your toes pointing outward. Squat while keeping your chest up and the weight on your heels, then return to the starting position.

Core

1. Plank
• Description: Lie face down and raise your body, supporting yourself on your forearms and toes. Keep your body in a straight line from your shoulders to your ankles, contracting your abdominal muscles.
2. Side Plank
• Description: Support yourself on one forearm and the side of your foot, keeping your body straight and aligned.
3. Plank Knee to Elbow
• Description: In a high plank position, bring one knee toward the elbow on the same side, alternating sides.
4. Sit-up
• Description: Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet on the floor. Raise your torso until you are sitting up, touching your feet with your hands, and return to the starting position.
5. Crunch
• Description: Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet on the floor. Raise your shoulders off the floor by contracting your abdominal muscles and return to the starting position.
6. Bicycle Crunch
• Description: Lie on your back and perform pedaling motions in the air, alternating the twist of your torso to touch your elbow to the opposite knee.
7. Russian Twist
• Description: Sit on the floor with your knees bent and your feet slightly raised off the floor. Lean back slightly, keeping your spine straight. Twist your torso to the right and then to the left, touching the floor beside each hip.
8. Leg Raises
• Description: Lie on your back with your legs extended. Raise your legs until they form a 90-degree angle with your body, then lower them slowly without touching the floor.
9. Hollow Body Hold
• Description: Lie on your back and lift your legs and shoulders off the floor, keeping your arms extended above your head and your body in a banana shape.
10. V-Up Abdominal Exercise
• Description: Lie on your back and simultaneously lift your legs and torso, touching your feet with your hands in a "V" shape.