One of the best things about exercising is the multitude of ways you can choose to do it. There is no one single method that gets you in the best shape, and you can choose to get fit in the way that suits you best.
For this plan, you’ll learn all about effective no equipment workouts. Having several workouts to do that require no equipment at all can have a lot of benefits.
Calisthenics (exercise via a person’s own body weight) can be used to help treat various health conditions, from obesity, physical fitness to COPD. (1,2)
Some of the biggest perks to no equipment workouts are as follows:
When you're ready to give this workout a try, you’ll need to prepare a comfortable space for training. Find a place in your home that has some room for you to move and make sure that you have any equipment you’ll require handy.
You don’t need any equipment at all to do our workout routine, but here are some items that may be helpful if you want to increase resistance or comfort:
We’ve provided 3 beginner level workouts and 3 advanced level workouts. First, you’ll find the patterns of the workouts with exercise descriptions. Then, you’ll find a recommended 1-week plan to implement these workouts into your weekly routine and see the most gains. Remember you can always look up videos of exercises if you do not fully understand how to do them.
Each exercise 45 seconds each, 15 seconds rest
In & out planks
Start in a high plank position with hands and toes on the floor and back straight. Tap one foot out to the side and back in before repeating on the other side. Switch back and forth between feet tapping out and back in.
Plank hip dips
From a low plank position with elbows and toes on the ground, lower one hip to the side and toward the floor. Rotate through the hips up and around to lower the other hip toward the floor.
Spiderman Pushups
Begin in high plank position. As you perform a pushup, bring one knee up toward the elbow on the same side of your body. With each pushup, switch which knee is raised. You can do these from knee pushups for an easier level.
Side plank
With one elbow on the ground and either both feet or one foot and one knee on the ground, open your chest toward a wall and press your hip toward the ceiling. You can use your bottom leg like a “kick stand” to aid in balance.
Each exercise 45 seconds and 15 seconds rest
Caterpillar walk/inch worm
Begin standing. Lower your hands to the floor infront of your feet and walk them away from your feet until you are in a plank position. Then, walk your hands back toward your feet as you fold at the hip and return to standing.
Pushups
Start in a high plank position with hands and toes on the floor. If necessary, you can do knee pushups with knees on the floor instead. Lower your chest toward the ground by bending your elbows before pushing back up into high plank position.
Russian twist
From a seated position, recline your top half backwards until your abs are engaged to keep you upright. You can press your feet into the floor or lift them slightly off. Twist your hands from hip to hip making a rainbow arch across your body with each twist.
Reverse plank
Begin seated with legs extended in front of you. Press your palms into the floor behind your hips with fingers facing forward. Press your hips up toward the ceiling trying to make your body into a straight line. Hold this position.
Circuit 1
45 seconds each 15 seconds rest
Squat
Begin standing. Drop your butt and hips back behind you as if you are going to sit on a small stool. Ensure that your knees do not bend forward and keep your back straight. You should be able to see your toes the whole time.
Reverse lunge
Begin standing. Slide one foot straight back behind you as you lower your body toward the floor. Both knees should wind up bent to as close as 90 degree angles as your flexibility allows. Repeat on the other side.
Glute bridge
From a back lying position, press your feet into the floor with knees fully bent directly above your feet. Press your hips upward toward the ceiling until you feel your glutes and hamstrings fully flex.
Mountain climber
From a high plank position, bring one knee in toward your chest underneath of you. Repeat with the other knee alternating each time. You can do these slowly or fast depending on your goal. Fast is more cardio while slow will burn the abs more.
45 seconds each 15 seconds rest
Push up
Start in a high plank position with hands and toes on the floor. If necessary, you can do knee pushups with knees on the floor instead. Lower your chest toward the ground by bending your elbows before pushing back up into high plank position.
Reverse plank
Begin seated with legs extended in front of you. Press your palms into the floor behind your hips with fingers facing forward. Press your hips up toward the ceiling trying to make your body into a straight line. Hold this position.
Plank taps
Get set in a high plank position. Without rotating your hips, bring one hand up to tap the opposite shoulder. Switch hands each time.
High knees
From a standing position, drive one knee at a time up toward your chest like an exaggerated march. This can be done at a wide range of speeds. Choose the one that means you get a cardio workout without losing balance.
Each exercise 45 seconds and 15 seconds rest)
Toe touch kicks
From a standing position, raise one leg at a time out in front of your body keeping your leg straight. Meet your foot with the opposite hand out in front of you. Switch leg and arm positions for each rep.
Star Jumps
Start standing. Squat back to load your jump. While jumping straight upward, spread your legs and arms out into an “X” shape. Land back into a squatting position. To modify, leave one foot on the ground at all times, alternating which one. The other three limbs come out into a star.
Plank
Hold a standard plank position at the highest difficulty you can. You can do toes and hands, toes and elbows, knees and elbows, or knees and hands.
In & out squats
Lower yourself into a squat position. While maintaining a low squat, step one foot out to the side at a time and return it to its original position. You can do right out, right in, left out, left in. Or, you can do out, out, in, in.
Double pulse squat
Follow the directions for a standard squat. Once you reach the bottom of your squat, lift up about halfway to standing before pressing right back into your lowest position. Then come back up to standing before repeating.
Static lunge
Sink down into your low squat position. Hold it here.
Plank
Hold a standard plank position at the highest difficulty you can. You can do toes and hands, toes and elbows, knees and elbows, or knees and hands.
45 seconds and 15 seconds rest
Pushups
Start in a high plank position with hands and toes on the floor. If necessary, you can do knee pushups with knees on the floor instead. Lower your chest toward the ground by bending your elbows before pushing back up into high plank position.
Side lunge
From a standing position, step one foot wide out toward the side. Lunge toward that foot keeping your knee above your ankle. Your lunging leg should take your weight while your other leg should fully straighten. Switch sides.
In & out plank
Start in a high plank position with hands and toes on the floor and back straight. Tap one foot out to the side and back in before repeating on the other side. Switch back and forth between feet tapping out and back in.
Each exercise 45 seconds and 15 seconds rest
Reverse lunge
Begin standing. Slide one foot straight back behind you as you lower your body toward the floor. Both knees should wind up bent to as close as 90 degree angles as your flexibility allows. Repeat on the other side.
Glute bridge
From a back lying position, press your feet into the floor and lift your hips toward the ceiling. Hold this position.
Each exercise 45 seconds and 15 seconds rest
Plank shoulder tap
Get set in a high plank position. Without rotating your hips, bring one hand up to tap the opposite shoulder. Switch hands each time.
Reverse plank
Begin seated with legs extended in front of you. Press your palms into the floor behind your hips with fingers facing forward. Press your hips up toward the ceiling trying to make your body into a straight line. Hold this position.
Each exercise 30 seconds each 10 seconds rest straight through
Follow this guideline for a 1-week plan implementing each workout into your week. You can then repeat this program for subsequent weeks or switch up which workouts you do on different days.
For the week:
Do each workout separated by a rest day in between.
What this will look like:
MONDAY: Abs and Arms
Warm up for 5-10 minutes. Do the Abs and Arms circuit workout 2 times through. Cool down stretch.
Circuit 1 - Each exercise 45 seconds each, 15 seconds rest
Circuit 2
TUESDAY: Rest day. Try steady state cardio like walking or light jogging for about 30-45 min.
WEDNESDAY: Full Body Circuits
Warm up for 5-10 minutes. Do Full Body Circuits workout 1 time through. Choose a circuit to do a second time. Cool down stretch.
Circuit 1 - 45 seconds each 15 seconds rest
Circuit 2
Circuit 3
THURSDAY: Rest day. Walking or light jogging recommended for recovery and calorie burn.
FRIDAY: Full Body Bootcamp
Warm up for 5-10 minutes. Do the Full Body Bootcamp workout 1 time through. Cool down stretch.
Triset 1 (Each exercise 45 seconds and 15 seconds rest)
Triset 2
Superset 1
Superset 2
SATURDAY: Try a yoga class or similar stretching and toning style workout.
SUNDAY: Full rest. No more than some walking if desired.