Ngo Okafor<\/a>, a celebrity trainer and founder of Iconoclast Fitness<\/a>, suggests four bodyweight exercises that are a good starting point.<\/p>\n Latest Videos From They are perfect for beginners and once you have mastered proper form, you can easily scale them up to increase the challenge.<\/p>\n A single set of this series of exercises also makes a great full-body warm-up to get your body ready to lift weights.<\/p>\n You may like<\/p>\n Here, Okafor takes Fit&Well back to basics with his choice of four bodyweight exercises.<\/p>\n No-equipment strength exercises every beginner should masterSquatStraight arm crunchLeg raisePush-up<\/p>\n Once you have mastered the move, you can level up the difficulty by adding resistance.<\/p>\n This can be done by holding a weight for exercises like squats and crunches. Adding ankle weights or holding a dumbbell between your feet for the leg raise.<\/p>\n You can also increase the number of reps to make the exercise more challenging.<\/p>\n Complete three sets of each exercise and you\u2019ve got yourself a great strength workout.<\/p>\n What to read next<\/p>\n Here\u2019s how to do each exercise correctly.<\/p>\n 1. Squat <\/p>\n Sets: 3 Reps: 10<\/p>\n Muscles targeted: quadriceps<\/a>, glutes<\/a>, core<\/a>, hamstrings<\/a><\/p>\n How to do it:<\/p>\n Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.Engage your core<\/a>.Push your hips back and bend your knees to lower.Pause when your thighs are parallel to the floor, or as close as your mobility allows.Push through your heels to return to standing.<\/p>\n Okafor says: \u201cSquats are one of the best functional lower-body exercises because they strengthen the legs, glutes and core simultaneously, while improving balance, mobility and overall athleticism.\u201d<\/p>\n 2. Straight arm crunch<\/p>\n Sets: 3 Reps: 10<\/p>\n Muscles targeted: upper abdominals<\/a>, deep core muscles<\/a><\/p>\n How to do it:<\/p>\n Lie on your back with your arms extended overhead, your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor.Press your lower back into the floor to engage your core.Reach toward the ceiling, lifting your shoulder blades off the floor.Lower slowly with control.<\/p>\n Okafor says: \u201cThis movement strengthens the core while encouraging spinal control and abdominal engagement.\u201d<\/p>\n 3. Leg raise<\/p>\n Sets: 3 Reps: 10<\/p>\n Muscles targeted: lower abdominals, hip flexors<\/a>, core stabilizers<\/p>\n How to do it:<\/p>\n Lie flat on your back with your legs extended and together.Press your lower back into the floor to engage your core.Lift your legs as high as your mobility allows.Slowly lower your legs to the floor without arching your lower back.<\/p>\n Okafor says: \u201cLeg raises strengthen the lower abdominal region and improve core control and stability.\u201d<\/p>\n 4. Push-up<\/p>\n Sets: 3 Reps: 10<\/p>\n Muscles targeted: chest shoulders<\/a>, triceps<\/a>, core<\/p>\n How to do it:<\/p>\n Get on your hands and knees, then step each foot back so your body is in a straight line from head to heels and your hands are slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.Engage your core.Bend your elbows to lower your body.Keeping your core tight and body aligned, slowly lower your chest toward the floor (don’t let your elbows flare out).Push back up with power.<\/p>\n Tip: Adjust the difficulty to suit your ability with one of these push-up modifications<\/a>.<\/p>\n Okafor says: \u201cPush-ups develop upper-body pushing strength and core stability using bodyweight resistance.\u201d<\/p>\n Social Links Navigation<\/p>\n <\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a>Personal trainer and founder of Iconoclast Fitness<\/p>\n Ngo Okafor is a qualified personal trainer and the founder of Iconoclast Fitness, a private training facility on Manhattan\u2019s Fifth Avenue. It is frequented by celebrities such as Jennifer Lopez and Brooke Shields.<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/flexiimages\/7uepuckkxv1645106070.svg\")
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Ngo Okafor<\/p>\n