Is it possible to get a great workout without any equipment?
ABsolutely! If it comes down to it, you literally need only your body to exercise efficiently and effectively. Each week, I’ve been giving my clients a mini-workout to try on their own, and most often, those exercises are body weight only. You can do them anywhere. So, when you are on vacation, or stuck at home, these are always a great option. Keep reading for just a few ideas of exercises you can do with no equipment necessary.
10 Body Weight Exercises You Can Do Anywhere-No Equipment Necessary!
- Inchworm: Stand up tall with the legs straight, and bring the hands down to the floor. Walk out with the hands until you are in a plank position, and then walk the legs back in to meet the hands. Start with 5-10 of these buggy exercises.
- Tuck Jump: Standing with the knees slightly bent, jump up as high as possible and bring the knees in toward the chest while extending the arms straight out. Land with the knees slightly bent and quickly jump again!
- Bear Crawl: Embrace that inner grizzly. Starting on the hands and knees, rise up onto the toes, tighten the core, and slowly reach forward with the right arm and right knee, followed by the left side. Continue the crawl for 8-10 reps.
- Plyometric Push-Up: Ready to catch some air? Start on a well-padded surface and complete a traditional push-up. Then, in an explosive move, push up hard enough to come off the floor (and hang ten for a second!). Once back on solid ground, immediately head into the next repetition.
- Stair Climb: Turn those stairs into a cardio machine — no magic wand necessary. Briskly walk up and down the stairway. Start with 2 up and down, and progress to 10.
- Mountain Climber: Starting on your hands and knees, bring the left foot forward directly under the chest while straightening the right leg. Keeping the hands on the ground and core tight, jump and switch legs. The left leg should now be extended behind the body with the right knee forward.
- Prone Walkout: Beginning on all fours with the core engaged, slowly walk out with your hands staying on the toes but not moving them forward. Next, gradually walk the hands backwards to the starting position, maintain stability and balance.
- Burpees: One of the most effective full-body exercises around, this one starts out in a low squat position with hands on the floor. Next, jump the feet back to a push-up position, complete one push-up, then immediately return the feet to the squat position. Leap up as high as possible before squatting and moving back into the push-up portion of the show.
- Plank: Nope, we’re (thankfully) not walking the plank. Lie face down with forearms on the floor and hands clasped. Extend the legs behind the body and rise up on the toes. Keeping the back straight, tighten the core and hold the position for 30-60 seconds (or as long as you can hang).
- Plank-to-Push-Up: Starting in a plank position, place down one hand at a time to lift up to push up position, with the back straight and the core engaged. Then move one arm at a time back into the plank position (forearms on the ground). Repeat, alternating the arm that makes the first move.
While at the club, Melissa steps up her body weight exercise routine using the TRX system. It’s still all about “using your body as the machine” but modifying the exercise at various angles to add an extra challenge. The Gravity Training System is also anther piece of equipment that incorporates a similar concept. So, go ahead and try the above body weight exercises at home, on the road, or even on the gym floor; then talk to a trainer about how equipment can aid or add to that routine!
Set up a Free Fitness ConsultationBy Melissa Abramovich, Certified Personal Trainer at Elite Sports Club-River Glen