Two common reasons why people say they don’t exercise are lack of time and the expense associated with joining a gym. Fortunately, performing home-based workouts that don’t require equipment can help you overcome both of those obstacles by eliminating gym fees, avoiding the need to purchase workout machines and saving you the time of commuting to and from the facility.
Better yet, when you can integrate the workout into your current routine, such as performing a quick resistance-training circuit during your lunch break and walking every night after dinner, you’re more likely to develop healthy, sustainable habits.
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Cardiorespiratory Exercise
Start your home workout routine by getting creative with your cardiorespiratory exercise.
Many people mistakenly believe that heart-healthy cardiorespiratory exercise only “counts” if it involves expensive equipment or high-intensity effort. That could not be further from the truth. Any movement that increases your heart rate and breathing rate will result in health- and fitness-related benefits. For example, try:
— Taking a brisk walk around the neighborhood
— Playing a game of tag in the yard with your kids
— Completing an obstacle course in a local park
— Dancing to music in your kitchen
Calisthenics, such as jumping jacks, burpees and mountain climbers, are also a great way to raise your heart rate.
Additionally, home workout videos and virtual fitness classes can be a great way to incorporate cardiorespiratory exercise at home while having fun. Try searching for your favorite music genre and “at-home workout,” and you’re likely to find a fitness instructor online offering a video-guided class.
If you want to improve your fitness or sports performance, you may need to complete more intense workouts, but if you’re focused on overall wellness and leading a more active lifestyle, home-based workouts might be a perfect fit.
[READ: Best and Worst Exercises for Older Adults for Balance, Strength and Longevity]
Resistance Exercise
The notion of resistance training without equipment may seem counterintuitive at first. After all, “resistance” often conjures images of heavy barbells, dumbbells, squat racks and weight stack machines. However, using your own body weight as resistance by lifting against the pull of gravity can encourage gains in muscular strength, endurance and even power. And, as anyone who has ever tried to hold a plank position knows, it doesn’t take complex movements to challenge yourself.
All you need to reap the benefits of a resistance workout at home is a motivational mindset, a little space to move and a selection of exercises that combine to form a full-body workout.
It’s vital that you target all major muscle groups, though you don’t necessarily have to do so within each individual workout. For example, you can alternate upper- and lower-body workouts to create a balanced program. What you want to avoid is doing chest exercises without also doing back exercises, for example, as this can create imbalances that can potentially lead to injury.
Some effective body weight exercises include:
— Planks
— Pushups (of countless varieties, including bent-knee, incline and decline)
— Curl-ups
— Squats
— Lunges in various directions
— Bear crawls
— Glute bridges
There are plenty of “no equipment” bodyweight exercises you can perform virtually anywhere. Start with a number of each exercise that feels manageable, say 6 to 8 at a time. Then, try to do a couple of sets of each exercise. When that starts to feel easy, increase the number of repetitions to safely increase the difficulty of your workouts.
[READ: What Is the HIIT Exercise Program?]
Circuit Training
Want to save time and boost results? Try circuit training, which blends cardio and resistance exercises in one time-efficient session.
Circuit training involves moving through a series of exercises with minimal rest in between, which keeps your breathing rate and heart rate elevated more so than a typical resistance-training workout. Circuit training can emphasize muscular endurance, aerobic conditioning, muscular strength or a combination of all three.
Circuit training sample workout
To enhance the cardio component, alternate resistance exercises with dynamic movements, such as jumping jacks, mountain climbers or high-knee marches. For example:
— 10 incline push-ups
— 30 seconds of jumping jacks
— 15 body weight squats
— 30 seconds of mountain climbers
Repeat the circuit four times for a complete workout plan.
Expert Tips to Improve Your Home Workout
Finally, consider the following tips to optimize the results of your in-home training:
— Mix it up. Be sure to continually challenge yourself and try new things. Gyms offer a great variety of weight machines and equipment, but you can still maintain your motivation at home by occasionally varying your routine.
— Find a workout partner. Whether it’s a friend, family member or colleague from work, having a workout partner can help boost accountability and make exercising more enjoyable.
— Stick to a schedule.Incorporating exercise into your schedule emphasizes its importance and will help you stay on track. Try to adopt an attitude that considers exercise as important as anything else on your calendar.
— Set meaningful goals.Setting realistic health goals is vital. “I want to lose 30 pounds” may not be as motivating as “I will complete three circuit-trainings sessions on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday and go for a walk after dinner Monday through Friday.” This type of “process goal,” which provides small wins that can help keep you motivated, will help you stay on track long enough to achieve your longer-term objectives.
— Remember the power of play. Playing tag, shooting hoops and kicking the soccer ball around are great forms of exercise. Don’t forget, exercise doesn’t have to be regimentedto be worthwhile and effective.
Home workouts without equipment are surprisingly versatile. From balancing training and yoga to sport-specific exercise and high-intensity interval training, equipment-less cardio and resistance training can provide you with the ability to progress your workouts as your fitness improves. Also, be sure to incorporate stretching into your routine, as flexibility plays a key role in maintaining joint mobility, overall mobility and optimal functional performance.
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How to Build a Home Workout Routine Without Equipment originally appeared on usnews.com
Update 07/16/25: This story was previously published at an earlier date and has been updated with new information.