3 bodyweight exercises that will get you fat-burning results

If you’re looking for the best bodyweight exercises for weight loss, you’ve come to the right place. Centr Unleashed is the hugely popular 6-week all-bodyweight training program available from Chris Hemsworth’s Centr.

You’ve probably heard that word “bodyweight” a lot, but what’s it all about? And how can bodyweight training help you lose body fat, get lean and toned, and boost your cardio fitness?

Bodyweight training removes the need for equipment or a gym by using your own weight as resistance against gravity. Think exercises such as burpees, lunges, running on the spot, and push-ups. It’s all about pushing, pulling, squatting, twisting, bracing, and balancing to build strength, power, speed, endurance, and flexibility.

Oh, and did we mention you can do bodyweight training absolutely anywhere?

Bodyweight training for fat loss with Centr Unleashed

Over 6 weeks of Centr Unleashed, trainers Luke Zocchi and Ashley Joi will coach you through bodyweight exercises in HIIT and HILIT style workouts.

HIIT is high-intensity interval training, which uses short, sharp work/rest phases to get you working at your maximum intensity. HILIT follows the same high-intensity work/rest formula but incorporates low-impact movements to take the stress off your joints.

When performed in high-intensity intervals, these bodyweight exercises for fat loss can deliver BIG results.

Whether you’re busting out explosive plyometric moves or keeping it low-impact, with Centr Unleashed you’ll be spiking your heart rate to boost cardio fitness, maximize fat burn and build a lean and functional body. It’s a feel-good challenge in the form of a bodyweight burn program – no equipment required.

Ready to try it? Here are 3 must-know moves from Centr Unleashed.

1. Sprawl

Borrowed from mixed martial arts, the sprawl is like a mini burpee – and works those larger lower-body muscles (hamstrings, glutes, hips) in a big way while delivering a cardio kick. Keep that core tight and remember it’s about extending your hips, NOT arching your back.

If you’re struggling to get the hang of the sprawl, or jumping your legs backward puts too much stress on your joints, follow Ashley in this video for the HILIT modification.

2. Switches

Switches are a dynamic bodyweight movement that improves agility and speed by increasing your rotational strength, working your core, and building mobility in your hips. Moving into switches from a squat starting position also pumps up your quad and glute strength.

Need a HILIT modification to lower the impact? Follow Luke and twist out the move while keeping your feet on the ground.

3. Rocking Chair

This exercise takes a leg-burning, core-stabilizing quad hold and adds a consistent rocking motion to really turn up the fire. Don’t jerk the movement, keep it steady and controlled as you shift your body weight from your toes to your palms.

If you loved getting it done without equipment, start your free trial with Centr now to take on the full Centr Unleashed program.

Your bodyweight exercise for weight loss FAQ

Still have questions about maximizing your fat burn – no equipment required? We have answers.

Can you lose weight with just bodyweight exercises?

Yes, a regular bodyweight workout for weight loss can contribute to your results. But it’s important to remember that losing excess body fat ultimately comes down to calories in vs calories out.

Calories in: the calories you consume in the form of food and drink
Calories out: the calories you burn through exercise, regular movement and simply existing.

To lose weight, you need to burn off more calories than you consume – this is called being in a calorie deficit.

If you’re focused on only one form of exercise for weight loss, for instance running, it can help to change up your training routine to include bodyweight cardio and strength training. By building more lean muscle mass, your body will have to increase the amount of energy it uses to simply function – so you'll be burning calories during your workout and when you're going about your day.

Nailing all the elements required to lose or maintain weight can be tough. Our nutrition expert Angie is here to help with 5 key mindset hacks.

What bodyweight exercise burns the most fat?

There’s no one exercise that is going to max your fat burn. It’s the intensity and consistency of your training overall – in combination with your diet – that is going to get results.

Increasing the intensity of your training doesn’t have to mean spending hours on the workout mat. For instance, to intensify HIIT-style bodyweight workouts, you can simply increase your work periods and decrease your rest periods. For example, you may intensify from 35 seconds on and 25 seconds off, to 50 seconds on and 10 seconds off.

If you take on the Centr Unleashed, your trainers will take care of this for you – upping the intensity throughout the 6-week program, so you continue to push the limits.

If you have trouble staying consistent when it comes to exercise, the structure of a program can also help. Commit to the full 6 weeks to see just how much progress you can make.

What is the best bodyweight exercise to lose belly fat?

We’re sorry to break it to you, but there are no specific bodyweight exercises for belly fat. In fact, you can’t spot-reduce fat anywhere on the body – it’s just not how fat loss works. But that doesn’t mean you can’t get results.

In order to burn fat, your body must break it down and send it off into your bloodstream to be used as energy. No matter what type of exercise you’re doing, the fat you burn can come from anywhere in the body.

If shifting excess fat (from any part of your body) is your goal, there’s one rule you need to know: you need to burn more calories than you consume. The balance between these numbers comes down to diet and exercise.

So while bodyweight exercises can play a part in your fat-loss journey, they alone won’t get you to where you want to be.

We recommend you dial in on your meal plan, prioritize strength training (this can include bodyweight exercises) and stay consistent. That doesn’t mean you should neglect your target area: regular core exercises will help to strengthen your belly and make it firmer.

More focused on firming your butt? Try these bodyweight glute-shaping moves.

What are the downsides of bodyweight exercises?

No-equipment workouts you can do at home or literally everywhere… What’s not to love? Bodyweight exercises make starting – and sticking with – a fitness routine easy and ultra convenient.

However, if you’ve been doing bodyweight workouts for a while, there are some things you should keep an eye on.

Is your technique still on point? Just because an exercise doesn’t require equipment, doesn’t mean it’s easy. If you try to go too fast, or you lose focus, your form is the first thing to slip. Be deliberate with each exercise, go through the full range of motion – even if it means slowing down the pace a little. Taking shortcuts will compromise your results, and could even result in injury.

Check out the 5 most common bodyweight training mistakes.

Are you progressing your workouts? Putting the progressive overload principle into action with weight training is simple: when the exercise is no longer challenging, you increase weights. But how do you make bodyweight exercises tougher to keep challenging your muscles?

Follow our tips to take your home bodyweight workouts to the next level. And when you’re ready for an advanced bodyweight challenge, Bobby Holland Hanton has broken out his toughest plyometric moves.