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 BODYWEIGHT EXERCISE
ALTERNATIVES FOR ALL OF YOUR
FAVORITE GYM EXERCISES
Why would you want to replace your current weight-based exercises
with calisthenics?

Simple.

There are many benefits to calisthenics which I lay out here. But in short, when
you know bodyweight exercise alternatives to common gym exercises, it gives
you freedom.

You can work out anywhere and know exactly how to target a certain muscle
group.

You can travel the world and not worry about if you’ll be able to find a gym.

Simply put…

Yes, bodyweight training truly does give you freedom.

If you are making the transition from weight-based training (or you’d like to
incorporate more bodyweight exercises into your current weight-routine) this
article will help.

Below, I’ve listed out 45 common weight-based exercises. There are exercises
for every body part. Right next to it, I’ve listed the calisthenics alternative.

The bodyweight variations target the same muscle groups.

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Many of the exercises will be completely new to you. That’s why I’ve included
links back to Youtube so you can learn the techniques.

Now, Weight-based training and Bodyweight training are not COMPLETELY the
same.

Its not quite like comparing apples to apples.

It takes a bit more creativity to target certain muscle groups when using
bodyweight training.

Sometimes, you have to invert yourself on a pull up bar, or stretch your arms
out far while your laying on the ground, or use everyday household objects.

Yes, it takes more creativity… but its so much more fun.

Of course, I’ve laid it out for you so all you need to do is apply the bodyweight
alternatives to your own routine.

Before we get into the exercise variations, let’s cover some basics.

WHEN SHOULD I APPLY THESE BODYWEIGHT ALTERNATIVES?

I am a big believer in variation.

The late, great Jack Lalanne once said that he completely changed up his
routine every 30 days.

30 days is a bit much for most people but the point is that you need to switch up
your routine in order to avoid plateau.

If you’ve been using weights for awhile and aren’t seeing results, switch a few of
your current exercises to these bodyweight alternatives.
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They work the same muscle group but target them in a slightly different way.

An additional benefit is that most of these exercises build whole body strength.
The synergistic muscles will be targeted along with the major ones.

If you are someone that loves both bodyweight training AND weights than I
recommend incorporating both into your training. The heavy weight lifting will
help increase growth hormone (if you are going very heavy), among other
benefits, and the bodyweight training will help improve overall functional
strength.

WHEN NOT TO USE THESE ALTERNATIVES?

If your only goal is to get as big as possible.. yeah, I mean SUPER big like
Arnold then its best to stay with the weight-based exercises. The greatest
benefit of weights as it relates to building mass is the increase in growth
hormones and how simple it is to overload the muscle (add more weight).

Bodyweight training CAN help build muscle and an incredible physique,

however. If you are looking for that ox-like look of today’s top bodybuilders, stick
to weights.

If you are looking for a muscular, ripped, strong physique then bodyweight
training is an effective alternative.

45 BODYWEIGHT ALTERNATIVES TO POPULAR

GYM EXERCISES

I’ve listed out calisthenics alternatives to 45 popular gym exercises below

(Yeah, I know my last article was a list of 45 bodyweight arm exercises. This

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was totally random that I ended up with the exact number. :)). You’ll find
exercise alternatives for every body part. I’ve broken the sections down based
on body part.

Here they are…

CHEST EXERCISE REPLACEMENTS

Bench Press Traditional Push Up

The traditional push up will

The bench press is used to target the exact same areas of
strengthen then middle portion of the chest and shoulder
the chest muscle group. muscles.

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 Incline Bench Press Decline Push Up

The Decline Push Up is the

When you switch to an incline bodyweight alternative. It will
bench press you target the upper strengthen your upper chest
portion of your chest muscle group. muscle fibers.

Decline Bench Press Incline Push Up

When you lower the bench you The Incline Push Up can be
target the lower portion of your done on any elevated surface.
chest muscle fibers. The advantage The higher the surface the
of the Decline Bench Press easier it will be to it. If you are
variation is that you can continue to looking to strengthen the lower
add more weight as you get muscle fibers with a difficult
stronger. exercise, than try ring dips.

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 Dumbbell Flies Wide Push Up

Dumbbell Flies target the Pec Wide Push Ups will target the
Minor portion of your chest same area, however, not
muscles. The wider you keep the necessarily in the same way.
weights the harder the exercise will Another alternative is to grab a
be. Just bring the weight close in to pair of circular weights and roll
make it easier. them in while doing a push up.

Weighted Dips Bodyweight Dips

When you keep your elbows I’m a huge fan of dips. When I
outward they target more of the didn’t have rings I used chairs
chest. When you keep them in they like the guy above. This is a
target more of the tricep. fantastic exercise.

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 Dumbbell Presses Deep Push Up on Chairs

Deep push ups will help target

Dumbell Presses strengthen the
the same muscles as Dumbbell
middle portion of your chest like the
Presses. Make sure you have
bench press. However, this
your feet on a chair too so you
exercise allows you to get more
work the middle portion of your
range of motion.
chest.

BACK EXERCISE REPLACEMENTS

Lat Pull Down Traditional Pull Up

The Lat Pull Down is a great exercise

The Pull Up is an equally
to target the lat muscle in the back. effective exercise. Make sure to
When doing it, lean back to target the think about using your back
lat. muscles as you pull up.

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 Bent Over Barbell Rows Front Lever Pull Up

The Front Lever Pull Up is a very

This exercise will target the middle difficult exercise but targets the
portion of your traps and rhomboids in same muscles. In addition it also
your back very effectively. strengthens your core.

Seated Cable Rows Horizontal Bodyweight Rows

The Horizontal Bodyweight Row

When you are doing a seated cable row is a comparable exercise to the
make sure you keep your back straight Seated Row. However, make
and pull from the back muscles. Keep sure you have your elbows
your biceps as loose as you can. tucked close to your sides.

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 Barbell/Dumbbell Shrugs Inverted Pull Ups

The Inverted Pull Up aka Batman

This exercise is great for strengthening Pull Up, will target the same
the muscles in your upper traps. You muscle groups. The more
can use a barbell, easy curl bar or elevated your feet are the more
dumbbells for this exercise. emphasis on the upper traps.

T Bar Rows Towel Pull Ups

I just found this exercise. Kind of

cool although its quite easy. You
T Bar Rows are another fantastic
can drop your body lower to
exercise for strengthening the middle
make it harder.
portion of the back muscles.

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SHOULDER EXERCISE REPLACEMENTS

Seated Overhead Dumbbell Press Handstand Push Up

This exercise will strengthen and The handstand push up is the

build muscle on the front part of the equivalent exercise. You don’t need
shoulder. These are seated overhead to do a freestanding handstand
presses but you can also do these push up. You can place your feet on
standing. the wall to maintain balance.

Arnold Press Deep Handstand Push Up

Yes, I realize that the video is in This is one of my favorite channels

another language. Yet, it shows the on Youtube. The guy is sick. This
form of the Arnold Press very well. will take some practice for sure.

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 “The Elevator” aka Reverse
Barbell/Dumbbell Upright Rows
Muscle Up

The Upright Row is another exercise The Elevator is an advanced

that will strengthen both your gymnastic exercise that will target
shoulders and upper traps very the same muscle groups along with
effectively. many, many more.

Dumbbell/Cable Lateral Raises Modified or Full Iron Cross

The bodyweight alternative is the

The Lateral Raise targets the middle
Iron Cross and is a much more
portion of your shoulder muscle.
challenging exercise.

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 Dumbbell/Cable Front Raises “Close to Impossible” Exercise

The Cable Front Raise is a great This exercise will work for more
exercise strengthen the front part of muscles than the shoulders. Keep
the deltoid. You can use a cable or just one foot on the bar to make it
dumbbells. harder.

Dumbbell/Machine Rear Delt Rows One Arm Bodyweight Row

The Rear Delt Row will strengthen The One Arm Bodyweight Row is a
the back part of your shoulder fantastic alternative to target the
muscle. back of the shoulder.

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 QUAD EXERCISE REPLACEMENTS
Barbell/Dumbbell Squat Bodyweight Squat

The Barbell Squat is a fantastic The Bodyweight Squat works the

exercise to develop the quads and exact muscles however you won’t be
the glutes. The benefit is that you get able to load the muscles like with
to add weight. weights.

Smith Machine Squat Wall Sits (1 or 2 legged)

In the Smith Machine you sit further Wall Sits are great replacements.
back targetting a different portion of You can even lift up one leg to make
your quads. it harder.

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 Barbell/Dumbbell Split Squat Stationary Lunge

The Split Squat will hit the quads The Stationary Lunge is a non-
and glutes. weight replacement.

Barbell/Dumbbell Lunges Walking Lunges

The advantage of walking lunges

The Bodyweight Walking Lunge is a
over stationary lunges is that it
fantastic alternative to using weights.
engages more of the glute.

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 Barbell/Dumbbell Step Ups Bodyweight Step Ups

Steps Ups will engage both the glute When doing this exercise make sure
and quad muscles of the working you don’t hop or bounce to perform
leg. the movement.

Leg Press Bear Squat

The Leg Press is target the quad as I made up this alternative a while
well as the glute. ago and its killer.

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 Leg Extension Kneeling Back Bend

This might be the most popular quad Here is an exercise that will target
exercise. the quads as well.

HAMSTRING EXERCISE REPLACEMENTS

Barbell/Dumbbell Romanian
Wall Walks
Deadlifts

When doing the Romanian Deadlift Wall Walks is one of the best
make sure to have your knees slightly calisthenics for back and
bent. hamstring strength.

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 Barbell/Dumbbell Straight Leg
One Legged Deadlift
Deadlifts

This is just like the Romanian Deadlift I learned this exercise from Al
yet you will be keeping your legs Kavadlo. Lift up one leg and do
straight. the normal deadlift motion.

Full Back Bridge with Wide

Barbell/Dumbbell Sumo Deadlifts
Feet

When doing the Back Bridge for

The Sumo Deadlift is where you have hamstring strength make sure
your legs wider. Elliott does a great job you keep your feet out wider than
of explaining the difference. shoulder width.

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 Glute-Ham Raises with Weight Bodyweight Gute-Ham Raises

In this variation of the Glute-Ham Raise I just found this DIY variation of
you add a weight. It’s definitely the Glute-Ham Raise. Definitely
challenging. going to try this!

Reverse Hyperextension Elbow

Hyperextensions with Weight
Lever

When doing the Hyperextension with Here’s my boy Mike Fitch doing
(or without) weight make sure to don’t a wicked Elbow Lever variation
lift up too far. that targets the same muscles.

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 Double or Single Leg Bridge
Cable Pull-Throughs
Raise

When I do Bridge Raises I

When doing this exercise make sure to perform singles because they
thrust your hips forward to take full increase the difficulty of the
advantage of the movement. exercise like the above.

Good-Mornings Bodyweight Good-Mornings

Good mornings will strengthen the The Bodyweight Good-Mornings

erector spinae muscle in the back as variation is just like the weighted
well as the hamstrings. variation and is still effective.

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 Leg Curls Standing Hamstring Curl

This Standing Hamstring Curl is

The classic exercise: leg curls work effective even though there is no
great for strengthening the hamstrings. weight.

BICEP EXERCISE REPLACEMENTS

Standing Barbell/Dumbbell Curls Chin Ups

The classic “go-to” exercise for working The Chin Up is the best
your biceps. alternative for the biceps.

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 Barbell/Dumbell Preacher Curls Upside Down Chin Up

The Preacher Curl flexes the humerous The Upside Down Chin Up
which puts your bicep in a slightly exercise is a bodyweight
different position then the traditional alternative that targets the bicep
curl. in a similar way.

Concentration Curls Back Lever Pull Ups

The Back Lever Pull Up, although

Concentration curls are a great exercise
difficult, can load the bicep in a
to add extra load to the bicep.
similar way.

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 Hammer Curls TRX Bicep Curls

Hammer Curls are super effective for You can use TRX bands or
strengthening the biceps. simple a bar to curl up instead.

TRICEP EXERCISE REPLACEMENTS

Dips with Weight Bodyweight Dips

You can use weight or just

Dips target the triceps very effectively. bodyweight.

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 Flat Close Grip Bench Press Close Grip Push Ups

Here’s a weighted exercise that will When you place your hands close
to the body you’ll achieve the
help load the triceps muscles very well. same effect.

Incline Close Grip Bench Press Decline Close Grip Push Ups

In order to perform the

By elevating your body you work the bodyweight alternative, place
triceps muscles from a different angle. your feet on a bench.

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 Laying Barbell/Dumbbell Triceps Bodyweight Triceps

Extensions Extensions

Tricep Extensions will isolate the triceps You can do many variations using
as you work them. just your own bodyweight.

Skull Crushers Tigerbend Push Ups

Tiger bend push ups are a great

Skull Crushers help to pace the replacement. Place your elbows
emphasis in a slightly different angle. down to make it harder.

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 Bench Dips with Weight Bodyweight Bench Dips

A classic exercise to help strengthen No need for weight, just stay in

the triceps. good form.

CALF EXERCISE REPLACEMENTS

Machine Calf Raise Calf Raise Without Weight

Keep just toes on the platform to Here is a great bodyweight

strengthen the calves. replacement.

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 One-Legged Dumbbell Calf Raise One-Legged Calf Raise

Switch up to just one leg and you’ll Of course, no need for weights
really be feeling the burn. with this great exercise.

Seated Calf Raise Squatted Calf Raise

When doing seated calf raises you’ll be Here’s a unique variation that will
targetting the muscle from a slightly put your body in a similar position
different angle. as the seated calf raise.

The different variations of bodyweight exercises are endless.

Our bodies truly are beautiful creations that can move in an endless variety of
patterns.
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The above list is just scratching the surface of ways our bodies can move.

Hope you learned something from this list of bodyweight alternatives. Next time
you are traveling and don’t have access to a gym, create abodyweight
workout routine based off of these alternatives.

You’ll find your functional strength go through the roof!

To your bodyweight success!

-Bodyweight Todd

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