13 Bodyweight Exercises That Keep Me Strong After 10 Years as a Competitive Gymnast

Updated on 2/5/2019 at 3:05 PM

I did gymnastics for 15 years growing up and competed for 10. To quote Stick It, "The things gymnasts do make Navy SEALs look like wusses. And we do them without a gun!" Don't get me wrong, I was no Simone Biles or Katelyn Ohashi, but I had abs of steel and a love for the sport.

I never wanted to let go of striving to compete on the collegiate level, but when I realized my body couldn't handle the strain, I had to change my perspective and find another way to stay in shape. That's when I became a gym rat (and yes, I was that girl who did splits in the corner during my cooldowns).

Before the end of every gymnastics practice, we'd do half-hour sessions of conditioning. This included a lot of bodyweight exercises that kept our arms, abs, and quads strong so that, after flying through the air, we'd land on our feet safely. Here are the moves I still incorporate into my sweat sessions today. Add a few — some of which you'll recognize — to your next workout for an extra challenge.

V-up

V-ups were probably the ab workout we did the most at the end of practice. I love them and you will too once you feel your core burn.

Lie face up with arms and legs extended and resting on the floor.
Keep abs tight and lift hands and feet to meet over torso.
Lower your arms and legs toward the floor to complete one rep.

Superman Lift

Supermans are a great way to tone your glutes and lower back. Plus, you'll feel some heat in your shoulders as well.

Lie face down on your stomach with arms and legs extended. Keep your neck in a neutral position.
Keeping your arms and legs straight (but not locked) and torso stationary, simultaneously lift your arms and legs up toward the ceiling to form an elongated "U" shape with your body — back arches and arms and legs lift several inches off the floor.
Hold for two to five seconds, and lower back down to complete one rep.

Wall Sit

Whenever my high school gymnastics coach would assign wall sits, the whole team would have the same reaction: pure panic (probably because we did them for five minutes straight).

Stand with your back against a wall, placing your feet about two feet in front of you. Feet should be hip-distance apart.
Bending your knees, slide your back down the wall until your knees are at 90-degree angles. Your knee joints should be over your ankle joints, so you may need to inch your feet farther from the wall to create proper alignment. Don't let your knees fall into the midline of your body or sway outward.
Hold.

Heel Raises

If these are too easy for you, try doing them with your heels hanging off a stair.

Position your feet hip-width apart.
Slowly raise your heels until you're on your tiptoes, then slowly lower back down to the ground. Take three slow counts to raise and lower your heels.

Handstand Facing the Wall

I would check out more beginner moves if you've never tried handstands before, but this variation facing the wall is easy on your shoulders (just make sure you're still engaging your core).

Start in an L-stand, with the hips over the shoulders and the legs parallel to the floor.
Walk your hands in toward the wall until you are in the handstand position, with your toes pressing against the wall.
Hold.

Hanging Leg Raises

We called these "leg lifts" and would do them hanging from the high bar.

Start by hanging on a pull-up bar with palms facing out, or use the ab straps and hang with your arms inside of them. Do use a box or bench if you need help reaching the bar.
Pull your shoulder blades down your back to keep your shoulders away from your ears.
Engage your abs as you fully extend both legs, lifting them up simultaneously with control.
Lower the legs down slowly and return to the starting position. This completes one rep.
Avoid swinging during this move to ensure that you're really working your abs.

Flutter Kicks

Flutter kicks are harder than they look (trust me).

Lie flat on your back on a mat with your legs straight and your arms extended alongside your hips, palms flat on the mat.
Lift your legs about six inches off the ground.
Begin the movement by lifting one leg higher than the other. As you are lowering that leg to starting position (six inches off the floor), raise the other. This should be a fluid fluttering (or up and down) motion. Your feet should never touch the floor. This keeps tension in your core.

Elbow Plank

At gymnastics practice, we did planks until our whole bodies shook. It was brutal.

Start face down on the floor resting on your forearms and knees.
Push off the floor, raising up off your knees onto your toes and resting mainly on your elbows.
Contract your abdominals to keep yourself up and prevent your booty from sticking up.
Keep your back flat — don't let it droop or you'll be defeating the purpose. Picture your body as a long straight board, or plank.
Hold.

Hollow Hold

Hollow holds were (and still are) absolutely killer.

Begin on your back with your legs straight and your arms extended overhead.
Actively press your lower back into the floor and draw your belly button into your spine.
Inhale to slowly lift your shoulders, arms, and legs off the floor. Keep your hands and heels as low to the ground as possible, while still pressing your lower back into the floor. Maintain tight abs and glutes. It's OK to bend your knees if straight legs are too challenging.
Hold for five to 30 seconds to complete one rep.

Ball Pike to Plank

I used to have a love-hate relationship with these.

Start in a plank position with your hands directly under your shoulders and your shins on the ball.
Do not allow your lower back to arch. Keep your feet, pelvis, and shoulders in one long line.
On an exhale, pull your abs deeply to your spine and use your abs to fold your body in half, pulling the ball forward toward your hands as your pelvis moves up in the air.
Your toes will move onto top of ball and your back will become perpendicular to the floor like a handstand. Allow your head to fall between your arms, keeping your neck long and in line with your spine.
Lower yourself back into a plank position and do not allow your pelvis to sag below your shoulders. This is one rep.

Banded Assisted Pull-Up

We did pull-ups without assistance (even though sometimes my coach would help us out if she was feeling nice), but I highly recommend starting with a resistance band.

Place a large resistance band securely around a pull-up bar. A band with more resistance will provide you with more assistance/momentum to pull yourself up.
Stand on a stable object (a bench will work), and grip the pull-up bar. With one hand, place the band around the arch of your shoe. Fully extend the banded leg.
With a neutral spine and your abs engaged, pull yourself up. The band will provide you with momentum to lift your body up. Lower back down to the starting position. This counts as one rep.

Superman to Hollow Hold

For an extra challenge, try adding in V-ups to the end of these hollow holds.

Begin on the floor on your belly and raise your arms and legs into the Superman Hold. Hold here for a solid three seconds, actively engaging the glutes and hamstrings.
Without using your hands or feet for help, roll to the right side and onto your back, coming into a hollow hold. Make sure you're actively pressing your lower back into the floor and drawing your belly button into your spine. Keep your arms and legs as low to the ground as possible while still keeping your lower back pressed into the floor.
Roll to the left, coming back into Superman Hold for one rep.

Feet on Medicine Ball Push-Up

We did a lot of elevated push-ups during gymnastics practice. Putting your feet on a medicine ball — or even the end of your bed — adds intensity to the regular push-up.

Begin in plank position with the toes resting on a medicine ball.
Keeping the core engaged, bend and straighten your arms to complete a push-up.