FAQ & Guide
Everything you need to know about the Bodyweight Library
The Bodyweight Library is more than just a collection of exercises. It's a tool that helps you discover the diversity of bodyweight training and find exercises that match your training goals. This guide explains how the Library works, what categories exist, and how to use it optimally.
What is the Bodyweight Library?
The Bodyweight Library is a searchable database with 1,960 categorized bodyweight exercises. Each exercise comes with video tutorial, explanation, and careful categorization.
The Library works on all devices: Desktop, tablet, and mobile – so you always have your exercise collection with you!
Four ways to find exercises:
- Search – When you know a specific exercise (in English)
- Filter – When you want to search by criteria (movement patterns, difficulty, equipment)
- Sort – Ascending, descending, by difficulty, or the cool shuffle (random display)
- Browse – When you want to discover new exercises
Understanding the Categories
Movement Patterns
What are Movement Patterns?
Movement Patterns are fundamental movement patterns that we repeatedly use in sports and everyday life. Instead of isolating individual muscles, you train along natural movement sequences.
Why does this category exist?
Training along Movement Patterns:
- Promotes functional movement sequences
- Improves athletic and everyday movement
- Reduces imbalances through balanced training
Note on categorization:
The classic Movement Pattern categorization consists of 6 or 7 categories (depending on the source). I deliberately expanded the Library with Mobility and Full Body to better represent the diversity of bodyweight training.
The 11 Movement Patterns:
| Pattern | What it means | Example Exercises |
|---|---|---|
| Push | Pushing movement away from you | Push-Up, Dips, Handstand Push-Up |
| Pull | Pulling movement toward you | Pull-Up, Inverted Row, Dead Hang |
| Squat | Bilateral leg movement | Bodyweight Squat, Jump Squat, Wall Sit |
| Hinge | Hip-dominant movement | Glute Bridge, Hip Thrust, Nordic Curl |
| Lunge | Unilateral leg movement | Forward Lunge, Bulgarian Split Squat |
| Core | Core stability | Plank, Hollow Body Hold, Dead Bug |
| Rotation | Rotational movement | Russian Twist, Wood Chop, Bicycle Crunch |
| Locomotion | Rhythmic locomotion | Bear Crawl, Jumping Jacks, High Knees |
| Carry | Carrying under load | Farmer's Walk, Overhead Carry |
| Mobility | Mobility | Cat-Cow, Hip Circles, World's Greatest Stretch |
| Full Body | Combines multiple patterns | Burpee, Mountain Climber, Turkish Get-Up |
💡 Tip: Train from as many Movement Patterns as possible each week. This ensures you train your whole body in a balanced way.
Focus (Training Focus)
Focus describes the primary goal of the exercise. The same movement can have different focuses depending on execution.
The 4 Focus Categories:
| Focus | What it means | Example Exercises |
|---|---|---|
| Strength | Building strength and muscle growth | Pull-Up, Pistol Squat, Planche Progressions |
| Conditioning | Endurance and metabolic training | Burpee, Mountain Climber, Jumping Jacks |
| Mobility | Flexibility and joint health | Cossack Squat, Cat-Cow, 90/90 Hip Stretch |
| Warm-Up & Activation | Preparation for training | Inchworm, Arm Circles, Leg Swings |
The Focus describes the primary training goal, not all possible aspects of an exercise.
Example:
- A Clock Lunge is coordinatively demanding but is primarily trained for Strength
- An Inchworm can be used as Warm-Up or as a Conditioning exercise
Level (Difficulty)
Level indicates how demanding an exercise is. Important: This is an assessment – your individual experience may vary.
The 3 Levels:
Exercises for beginners or as an entry into a new movement. Often with support or reduced range of motion.
Standard bodyweight exercises. The main area for most trainees.
Technically demanding or very strength-intensive. Often progressions of the intermediate variant.
Equipment
Equipment shows you what tools you need for an exercise. Most exercises require very little or no equipment at all.
Bodyweight (no equipment needed) – This is the main category.
Beyond that, there are exercises with:
- Pull-Up Bar
- Dumbbell/Kettlebell/Barbell
- Resistance Band
- Box
- Gymnastic Rings
- Parallettes
- ... and many more
💡 With the Equipment filter, you can specifically search for exercises that match your available equipment.
Body Positions
Each exercise is assigned a primary starting position. This helps you filter exercises based on your current situation — for example, if you only want standing exercises, or specifically want to train on the floor.
The eight positions:
For exercises with position changes — for example a Reverse Lunge followed by a Knee Raise — the starting position is used as the primary position.
The Different Views
The Library offers four different views, depending on how you prefer to browse:
Grid View
- Clear with images
- Fast visual browsing
- Ideal for discovery
List View
- Compact with the most important info
- Quick overview
- Space-saving
Table View
- All details at a glance
- Ideal for sorting and comparing
- Shows all categories per exercise
Detail View
- In-depth information
- Video tutorial
- Explanation
- Trained muscles
- Source of the exercise
Tips & Tricks
Combine filters: You can use multiple filters simultaneously. Example: Select "Push" + "Intermediate" + "None" to find intermediate push exercises without equipment.
Use the random button: Try the shuffle (random display) to discover new exercises you wouldn't have found otherwise!
Create favorites: Create a free account and save your favorite exercises. You'll always have them at hand.
Watch video tutorials: Almost every exercise has a video. Use it to learn the correct execution.
Search alternative names: Many exercises have multiple names. The search finds them anyway!
Discover similar exercises: On the detail page of each exercise, you'll find similar exercises – perfect for progressions or variations.
Use mobile: The Library is mobile-optimized. You can use it directly during training!
Lists and organization: Use lists to group your favorites thematically – perfect for different training days or specific goals. With color labels, you keep track even with many lists.
Frequently Asked Questions
Video Overview
In this short video, I'll show you the most important features of the Bodyweight Library:
Video not available? Watch directly on YouTubeAll Features at a Glance
Favorites, lists, notes, workout builder and more — learn what you can do with a free account.
View all features →New to bodyweight training?
Follow our structured 4-week plan with three short sessions per week — no equipment, all home-friendly.
Open the 4-Week Beginner PlanGetting Started!
You're ready to use the Bodyweight Library. Here's your quick start:
- Choose a Movement Pattern you want to train today
- Choose your difficulty level
- Filter by equipment you have available
- Discover new exercises and incorporate them into your training!