The Female Bodybuilder Bodyweight Workout for Beginners

Hack Beast Mode What are bodyweight exercises? Why are bodyweight workouts effective? The benefits of bodyweight workouts for female bodybuilders VIDEO: The best bodyweight workout for beginners The bodyweight video exercises explained Why YouTube videos are great for free expert workouts

So you're familiar with the gym, and maybe even dabbled in some bodybuilding strength training.

Maybe you're looking for a way for a full-body workout in the comfort of your home after you've hit your weekly gym quota.

Well, we’ve got good news—you can have an epic workout by using something free and available at all times—your own body!

Bodyweight exercises are a brilliant way to improve your mobility and balance while increasing your muscle mass and body tone. Oh, and they’re great for a cardio workout, too.

Here, we’ll guide you through the perfect beginner female bodyweight workout using a targeted female bodybuilding workout video as a body-boosting guide.

Here's to your new home workout routine that will level up your muscle-building efforts and enhance all that hard work you already put in.

Ready? Let’s go.

What are bodyweight exercises?

These are exercises that use the weight of your own body as resistance, without the need for extra weights or equipment.

Bodyweight exercises rely on the controlled movement of your body to build strength, flexibility, and endurance.

You can perform these dynamic bodyweight movements anywhere, making them a convenient workout for beginners (or any level for that matter).

Why are bodyweight workouts effective?

Bodyweight workouts are a great way of learning about the body, including muscle groups, getting fit and feeling confident doing so. It's like a biology and fitness lesson all in one.

But how do we know they work?

These types of exercises have been widely studied and proven to be effective in improving strength, muscle tone, and overall fitness levels.

Research has shown that these exercises work multiple muscles at once, meaning they’re more useful and practical than exercise machines that isolate one muscle.

A study published in the Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness found that bodyweight workouts can significantly improve muscular strength, cardiovascular fitness, and overall body composition—wins all round.

The benefits of bodyweight workouts for female bodybuilders

You know what you're doing with your muscles, but do you know just how brilliant bodyweight training can be for your overall fitness?

It's the bodybuilder's workout companion as so many of the specific exercises actually complement bodybuilding workouts.

Here’s why…

Improved body composition

Bodyweight workouts can help female bodybuilders increase muscle mass while reducing body fat, leading to a leaner, more sculpted physique.

Reduced risk of injury

Bodyweight exercises are generally low-impact and you can adapt them to suit your specific fitness, reducing the risk of injury and overuse.

Convenience

You can perform bodyweight exercises anywhere, making them a convenient option for busy female bodybuilders who may not have access to a gym or equipment.

Improved bone density

Bodyweight exercises can promote increased bone density, helping to prevent osteoporosis and related injuries.

Increased insulin sensitivity

Studies show that bodyweight workouts can improve insulin sensitivity in women, which can help regulate blood sugar levels and prevent metabolic disorders like diabetes.

Through improved overall strength and conditioning, bodyweight workouts can help female bodybuilders improve speed, power, and agility on the field or in the gym.

The best bodyweight workout for beginners

Okay, so we know you're sold on using only your body for a workout. But where do you begin?

Guess what? We've put together a Beginner Female Bodybuilder Bodyweight Workout Video featuring personal trainer and Crazy Bulk athlete Teia Blackwood with the only routine you need to get started.

Take a look at the video, try it for yourself and then read about how beneficial all of these epic exercises in the routine are.

As Teia says, try for three to five rounds of each body movement. Start off with the recommended amount of reps but next time you do the routine—you can customize the number of reps according to your fitness level.

Start your beginner's bodyweight workout in 3...2...1…

The bodyweight video exercises explained

Here’s the lowdown on every body-boosting exercise in this epic exercise routine. Prepare to be pumped.

10x Walkouts

Walkouts are ideal bodyweight training exercises that target the core muscles, including the abs, lower back, and obliques—you'll feel the burn in these muscles as you take on this exercise.

Walkouts also involve the upper parts of the body, specifically the shoulders, chest, and triceps, which might start to get fatigued as a result of the pushing movement involved in the exercise. But it's all good stuff.

How to do walkouts correctly

Your starting position: standing. Next, you bend over to touch the ground with your hands then walk them forward into a press-up position.

You want to maintain proper form keeping your back straight and engaging your core and glutes in this exercise as well as keeping a neutral pelvis, not letting it drop to the floor.

Benefits of walkouts

• Walkouts are an effective exercise for strengthening and stabilizing the core muscles, namely the muscles throughout the torso, which make them the perfect bodyweight workout for core strengthening.
• The movements in a walkout are often performed in things you do throughout your day, like picking something up off the floor. By practicing this motion you can enhance your functional fitness and decrease risks of injury doing routine things.
• This bodyweight training exercise helps you engage multiple muscle groups simultaneously, including the upper parts of the body, lower body, and core.

The result? Enhanced full-body coordination and body awareness.

Pro Tips

1. Focus on the control and stability of the movement, avoiding any sway or arching of the back.
2. Modulate the difficulty by increasing or decreasing the distance you walk your hands out.
3. Keep a steady breathing pattern throughout the exercise to support stability and focus.
4. Avoid overarching or sinking your lower back and maintain proper alignment throughout the exercise.

20 x Squats

Squats are great exercises to activate the leg muscles. They target the muscles of the lower body, including the quadriceps (front of the thighs), hamstrings (back of the thighs), glutes (buttocks), and calves.

Haven't you heard? Squats are great for building muscle.

How to do squats correctly

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, toes pointing slightly outward. Keep your chest up, shoulders back, and engage your core muscles for stability.

Initiate the squat by bending your knees and hips, as if you’re sitting back into an imaginary chair.

Keep your weight balanced over your heels, and lower your body down while maintaining a straight back.

Aim to lower until your thighs are parallel to the ground or slightly below. when you go back up push through your heels and squeeze your glutes with a big exhale.

And there you have it—perfect bodyweight squat position form.

Benefits of squats

• Squats also engage the core muscles to stabilize the body and maintain proper form. You may feel a slight engagement and tightening of the abdominal and lower back muscles when you do them.
• Performing 20 squats in quick succession can increase your heart rate, providing a cardiovascular challenge and boosting blood circulation.
• The bodyweight squats muscles worked in this movement make it a compound exercise. This means compound multiple muscle groups are targeted simultaneously. Regularly adding squats to your routine can help strengthen and tone the leg muscles, leading to improved lower body strength and power.

Squats are a dynamic exercise that engages large muscle groups, increasing the amount of energy expended during the workout. This can contribute to calorie burning and assist in weight management or those trying to lose weight.

Pro Tips

1. Maintain good form throughout the exercise: chest up, knees tracking toes, and drive through your heels.
2. Try different foot positions to target different muscle groups.
3. Gradually increase weight and resistance to build strength over time.

20 x Glute Bridges

Glute lunges engage the gluteus maximus, which is the largest muscle in the glutes, the hamstrings, core, and lower back.

How to do glute bridges correctly

Start by lying on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Keep your arms relaxed by your sides.

Engage your core muscles and squeeze your glutes as you lift your hips off the ground until your body forms a straight and strong line from your knees to your shoulders.

Pause at the top for a moment, making sure to keep your glutes, core, and hamstrings engaged.

Slowly lower your hips back down to the starting position.

Benefits of glute bridges

• Glute bridges specifically target and activate the glute muscles, which help in improving their strength and power.
• By extending the hips during glute bridges, you engage the posterior chain muscles, which include the glutes, hamstrings, and lower back. This helps in improving hip stability and overall lower body strength.
• Glute bridges require core engagement to maintain a stable position during the exercise. This helps in strengthening the abdominal muscles and improving overall core stability.

Pro Tips

1. Maintain proper hip alignment and a neutral spine throughout the exercise.
2. Squeeze your glutes at the top of the movement for maximum activation.
3. Avoid hyperextending your lower back by keeping the movement controlled.
4. Experiment with foot placement to target different areas of your glutes.

40 x Alternating Lunges (20 reps on each leg)

Alternating lunges are a dynamic exercise that targets multiple muscles in the lower body and are a great addition to your beginner bodyweight exercise routine. They engage the quadriceps, hamstrings, and gluteal muscles.

How to do glute alternating lunges correctly

Start by standing tall with your feet hip-width apart, take a step forward with your right foot, landing on the heel first and rolling through to the toes.

Bend both knees to a 90-degree angle, keeping your torso upright and your core engaged. Push through your right heel and return to the starting position. Repeat the above steps with your opposite leg.

Benefits of alternating lunges

• Alternating lunges primarily engage the quadriceps, hamstrings, and gluteal muscles. These muscles work together to provide stability, power, and strength during the exercise.
• Since alternating lunges involve moving one of your legs forward while keeping the other leg stationary, they require balance and coordination. This helps improve stability and overall lower body control.
• Lunges closely mimic movements we perform in everyday life, such as walking and climbing stairs meaning daily activities can be performed with more strength and efficiency.

Pro tips

1. Keep your front knee aligned with your ankle and avoid letting it exceed your toes.
2. Keep your back knee close to, but not touching, the ground.
3. Maintain an upright posture throughout the movement, with your chest lifted and shoulders back.
4. You don't need to do a deep lunge especially as a beginner- you will get the benefits with a stable and strong lunge.

30 x single-leg glute bridge (15 reps on each leg)

Single-leg glute bridges are a challenging variation of the glute bridge exercise that specifically targets the gluteal muscles and improves hip stability.

How to do single-leg glute bridges correctly

Start by lying on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart. Extend one of your legs straight out in front of you, keeping it in line with your other thigh.

Engage your core and glute muscles and lift your hips off the ground, pushing through the heel of your planted foot.

Keep your extended leg straight and in line with your body, avoiding any outward rotation of the hip.

Pause at the top for a moment, making sure to keep your core, glutes, and hamstrings engaged. Slowly lower your hips back down to the starting position.

Benefits of single-leg glute bridges

• Single-leg glute bridges isolate and intensify the activation of the glute muscles. This helps in improving glute strength, stability, and overall lower body power.
• By performing the exercise on one leg, single-leg glute bridges require increased hip stability and balance. This helps in strengthening the smaller stabilizing muscles of the hips and improving overall balance and coordination.
• Single-leg glute bridges also engage the core muscles to maintain stability and control during the movement. This further enhances core strength and stability.

Pro Tips

1. Avoid excessive arching of the lower back by engaging your core and maintaining a neutral spine throughout the movement.
2. Keep your non-working leg straight and in line with your body without allowing it to drop or rotate outward.
3. Focus on driving through the heel of your planted foot to activate the glutes effectively.

15 - 20 x push ups

Push-ups are a classic bodyweight exercise that targets multiple muscles and their groups in the upper body.

How to do push-ups correctly

Start in a plank position with your hands shoulder-width apart and your feet together. Keep your core engaged and lower your body by bending your elbows, keeping them close to your body. Lower your body until your chest is a few inches from the ground.

Keep your body straight and prevent your hips from sagging or arching. Push yourself back up to the start position, fully extending your elbows at the top.

Benefits of push-ups

• Push-ups primarily engage the chest muscles, triceps, and shoulders, which work together to provide strength and stability during the exercise.
• Push-ups also engage the core muscles to maintain a strong line from your head to heels during the movement. This helps in improving overall core strength and stability.

Pro Tips

1. Keep your elbows tight to your body to properly engage the chest and triceps muscles.
2. Maintain a strong line from your head to your heels throughout the push-up.
3. Keep your core engaged to provide stability and support for your upper body.
4. If you are struggling, modify the exercise by doing knee push-ups. Knee push ups are a great beginner exercise for bodyweight training first-timers.
   

15 - 20 x tricep dips

Tricep dips are a bodyweight exercise that primarily targets the triceps, making for stronger and more toned arms.

How to do tricep dips correctly

Start by sitting on the edge of a sturdy chair, bench, or step with your palms resting securely on the edge, fingers pointing forward.

Firmly grip the edge and extend your legs out in front of you, keeping your heels in contact with the floor.

Lower your body by bending your elbows, keeping them close to your body. Continue lowering until your upper arms are parallel to the ground.

Push through your hands to raise your body back up to the starting position, fully extending your elbows.

The benefits of tricep dips

• Tricep dips isolate and target the triceps muscles, helping to increase strength and tone in this area.
• Tricep dips also engage the muscles in the shoulders, chest, and core to provide stability and control during the exercise.
• Tricep dips mimic movements we perform in everyday life, such as pushing ourselves up from a seated position. By weaving tricep dips into your workout, you can improve your ability to perform these daily activities with more strength and ease.

Pro Tips

1. Keep your shoulders down and back, avoiding shrugging or hunching.
2. Engage your core to maintain stability and control throughout the exercise.
3. Avoid letting your elbows flare out to the sides. Keep them pointing straight back.
4. If you're not able to fully extend your elbows at the top, you can adjust the range of motion to a comfortable level.

Plank Hold (45 - 60 seconds)

The plank is a core-strengthening exercise that targets multiple muscles in the body. It's a great exercise to increase in duration incrementally, as you improve.

How to do plank holds correctly

Start by getting into a push-up position with your hands directly under your shoulders and your toes on the ground.

Engage your core and glute muscles, while also keeping your body in a straight and strong line from your head to your heels.

Avoid arching or sagging your back. Hold this position for the desired amount of time, aiming for 45 to 60 seconds.

The benefits of plank holds

• Planks engage the deep core muscles, including the transverse abdominis and the muscles of the lower back and pelvis. Building core strength helps improve stability, posture, and overall functional movement.
• Planks also work the muscles in the shoulders, arms, and chest. Holding yourself in the plank position requires upper body strength and stability.
• Planks challenge your body's balance and coordination by requiring you to maintain a straight and strong line from your head to your heels. This improves overall body control and stability.

Pro Tips

1. Breathe steadily throughout the hold, focusing on contracting your abs and maintaining proper form.
2. Keep your shoulders away from your ears and maintain a neutral neck position to avoid straining your neck or upper back.
3. Squeeze your glutes to help stabilize your hips and maintain a straight and strong line through your body.

45 - 60 sec side plank hold (each side)

The side plank is a core-strengthening exercise that primarily targets the oblique muscles, along with several other muscles.

How to side plank hold correctly

Start by lying on your side with your legs extended and your feet stacked on top of each other. Prop yourself up on your forearm, placing it directly below your shoulder.

Engage your core and lift your hips off the ground, creating a straight line from your head to your heels.

Hold the position for the desired amount of time, aiming for 45 to 60 seconds on each side. Repeat the exercise on the opposite side.

The benefits of plank holds

Side planks specifically target the oblique muscles, which are essential for trunk stabilization and rotation. Strengthening these muscles can improve core stability and enhance your overall athletic performance.

Side planks engage the entire core, including the deep abdominal muscles, lower back muscles, and hip muscles.

This helps improve posture, balance, and coordination and, as a workout for beginners, is an important one.

This exercise also activates the muscles in the shoulder, arms, and legs, promoting overall strength and stability on the lateral side of the body.

Pro Tips

1. Keep your shoulder blades pulled back and down to maintain proper alignment.
2. Avoid sinking or hiking your hips. Make sure your body forms a straight line from your head to your heels.
3. Engage your glutes and thigh muscles to assist in stabilizing your body.
4. Breathe calmly throughout the exercise, focusing on maintaining proper form and muscle engagement.

Why YouTube videos are great for free expert workouts

Did you find our video a simple way to get expert advice on bodyweight exercises, form and technique?

YouTube videos are an awesome way to access free workout routines that work around your lifestyle—and goals.

We've also got more videos with Teia guiding you through an ab blast workout, and a glute workout as well as tons more expert tips and workouts on the Crazy Bulk Youtube Channel.

It doesn't get easier than clicking PLAY, so tune in and tone up today.