No Exercise Equipment? No Problem!

Posted by Chad Anderson CSCS on February 13, 2008 under Core Training, Exercise Library, General Fitness, Strength Training, Weight Loss | 2 Comments to Read

Want to exercise but don’t have any equipment? Here is a brief list of exercises (with descriptions) that only require your body!

Push-Ups

1. Lie prone (facing down) on the ground with your hands slightly wider than shoulder width apart.
2. With your back flat and body rigid and using the toes and the pivot point, press upward from the ground, fully extending the elbows to the starting position.
3. While maintaining a straight body, (back straight, head up) allow yourself to slowly lower to the floor until the chin makes contact with the floor/mat. Inhale during the downward movement.
4. Reverse the movement and press your body up to the starting position, again maintaining a flat back with the head up. Exhale during the movement.

Burpees

1. Starting position: Standing up right with your feet hip width apart, arms by your side.
2. Quickly squat down and put your hands on the floor in front of you.
3. Kick your legs out behind you, ending in a push-up position.
4. Quickly bring your legs back to the squatting position and stand up and jump into the air. Repeat. Breathe normally.

T Push-Up

1. Starting position: Assume the starting position of a push-up; toes on the floor, hands on the floor a little wider than shoulder width apart, hips parallel to the ground.
2. Perform a regular push-up (see description for Push-Up). Exhale through the movement.
3. At the top of the push-up position (or starting position), keep your left arm straight and rotate your body so the left arm points straight up into the air.
4. Bring your left leg over on top of the right leg so it is resting directly on top of the right leg. Your only contact points with the ground will be your right hand and right foot. Be sure to keep your hips high and do not let them slouch. This will form the “T.”
5. Under control, lower yourself back down to the starting/end position of the push-up and repeat the push-up and T with the opposite side.
Note: To make it more difficult, do your push-ups with dumbbells in your hands and use them when forming the T.

Bows & Toes (Plank)

1. Starting position: Kneel down on the floor with your elbows on the floor and knees touching down.
2. Lift yourself up to assume a push-up position with your elbows on the floor. Hold this position for the specified amount of time. Breathe normally.

Split Squat

1. Starting position: Standing upright with one foot in front of the other (take an exaggerated step forward like you are doing a lunge), weight distributed on the front leg. The heel of the back leg should be off the ground.
2. From the starting position, lower your body straight down until the thigh of the forward leg is about parallel to the floor.
3. Extend the front leg, bringing yourself back to the starting position. Be sure not to push back as you extend upward. The back heel should remain off the floor, putting emphasis on the front leg. Exhale through the movement. Perform all repetitions on one side before switching to the other leg.

Split Squat Jump

1. Starting in the same position as the split squat, you extend the leg and jump into the air. Cycle the legs so that you land with the opposite leg forward and immediately jump up into the air again. Cycle the legs on each repetition.

Squat

1. Starting Position:
a. Feet slightly wider than hip width apart
b. Toes pointed slightly outward
c. Eyes focused straight ahead or slightly upward
2. Descent: Slowly flex as the knees and hips, allowing the hips to travel back. (As if sitting down in a chair) Back should remain flat or slightly arched, with the chest up and out. Focus on keeping as upright as possible without allowing your knees to travel in front of the toes. Weight should be distributed between the heel and arch of the feet. Do not allow the weight to shift to the balls of the feet. Inhale while lowering.
3. Continue the downward movement until the thighs are parallel to the floor, or if not able to reach parallel, the lowest achievable depth.
4. Upward Movement: Extend the hips and knees, again maintaining a flat back posture, or slightly arched, with the eyes focused straight ahead or slightly upward, and the weight balanced between the heels and arches of the feet. Keep as upright as possible. Do not allow the knees to extend faster than the hips. Do not allow the knees to shift inward or outward. Exhale during the upward movement.
5. Continue extension of knees and hips until the starting position has been reached.

Pistols

1. Starting position: Standing upright on one leg with the other extended in front of you (not touching the floor), arms straight out in front of you.
2. Similar to a squat, start by pushing the hips back while bending at the knee. Be sure to keep your opposite leg extended in front of you without touching it to the ground.
3. Bend down as far as possible without losing your balance. The goal is to go all the way down until you reach the floor. However, do not go to this point if you feel you can not get back up.
4. Stand back up until you reach the starting position. Exhale through the movement.

Supine Hip Extension

1. Starting position: Lying supine (face up) on the floor, knees bent to 90 degrees, arms straight out to the side.
2. Slowly raise your hips off the ground by applying force through the heels of your feet. Raise the hips until your body is in a straight line (your upper back will act as the pivot point). Exhale through the movement.
3. Slowly lower yourself back down to the starting point.

Bicycle Crunch

1. Starting position: Lying flat on the floor with left leg extended and the right knee brought up towards the chest, hands behind the head (not interlocked).
2. Initiate the movement by bringing the right elbow to the left knee and extending the right leg. For each repetition, rotate right elbow – left knee with left elbow – right knee. The movement is complete when the shoulder blades come off the floor. Exhale through each curling movement.

Mt. Climbers

1. Starting position: Hands on the floor about shoulder width apart, one leg flexed with the knee close to the chest and the other leg fully extended.
2. Rotate legs, bringing the opposite leg in towards the chest and extending the other leg out. Continue rotating in rhythmic fashion for the specified amount time or number of repetitions. Breathe normally.

Inch Worm

1. Starting position: Standing up right with your feet hip width apart, arms by your side.
2. Reach down and put your hands on the floor in front of you while keeping your legs extended (minimize bending at the knee).
3. Slowly walk yourself out with your arms, taking “mini” steps.
4. Repeat these “mini” steps with your feet until you reach the starting position. Repeat. Breathe normally.

Squat Thrust

1. Starting position: Standing up right with your feet hip width apart, arms by your side.
2. Quickly squat down and put your hands on the floor in front of you.
3. Kick your legs out behind you, ending in a push-up position.
4. Quickly bring your legs back to the squatting position and stand up. Repeat. Breathe normally.

Supermans

1. Starting position: Lying face down on the floor with your arms extended in front of you.
2. Simultaneously raise your upper body and lower body off the floor, creating a “crunch” with the low back. Exhale at the top of the movement.
3. Return to the starting position.

Side Bridge

1. Starting position: Lying on your side with your elbow directly under your shoulder, body in a straight line, with knees bent to 90 degrees.
2. Slowly lift your hips off the floor as far as you can, pivoting at the knee. Do not allow the shoulder to slouch. Exhale through the movement.
3. Slowly return to the starting position.
Note: To make the exercise more difficult, pivot from the feet instead of the knees.

Wipers

1. Starting position: Lying supine on the floor with your legs bent to 90 degrees, feet flat on the floor, and arms beside you.
2. Initiate movement by reaching to one side and touching the heel of the foot. Alternate between the two sides. Exhale as you reach.
Note: To make the exercise more difficult, extend your legs to increase the distance you have to reach in order to touch the heel.

Suitcase Sit-Ups

1. Starting position: Lying on the floor with arms by your side and legs extended.
2. Simultaneously bring your trunk off the floor (as in a sit-up) and your knees in towards your chest. Exhale through the movement.
3. Slowly return back to the starting position.

Russian Twist

1. Starting position: Sitting on the floor with knees bent to 90 degrees, heels on the floor, and upper body leaned back to 45 degrees.
2. Holding your hands straight out in front of you, slowly rotate your torso to one side then the other, careful to keep the back as flat as possible. Have your head follow your shoulders to facilitate a full range of motion. Exhale on each rotation.

Related posts:

1. Exercise: Side Bridge
2. Exercise: Dumbbell Squat
3. Swiss Ball Core Routine
4. Exercise: Flat Bench Dumbbell Chest Press
5. Quick Home Workout Sure To Make You Sweat