Photo: francescacastorr on Instagram
For many newbies who are just settling into a fitness regimen, the thought of using the equipment at the gym can certainly be daunting. However, all you really need is your body and some open space to achieve an effective, fat-burning workout. Bodyweight exercises can be done in the comfort of your home without any equipment at all. One benefit of utilizing your own body weight as a tool is that you end up getting a full body workout. For those of you who are just starting your fitness journey or do not have access to machines , here are some easy and effective equipment-free workouts.
Crunches: All you need is the floor for a stronger core. Lie on your back with your knees bent. Place your hands behind your head, chin slightly tucked into your chest, and lift your shoulders and head off the ground. Hold this position briefly to engage your core muscles and then repeat.
Push-Ups: Push-ups are an easy and effective way to strengthen and tone your arms. There are a couple variations to do push-up: straight from a plank or with knees slightly bent and touching the ground. The latter is slightly easier but a push-up from plank will also challenge your core. In each position, lower your arms and bring your chest to the ground then push back up into your starting position. Repeat in sets of 15.
Burpies: You don’t need a treadmill to get your daily dose of cardio in. Burpees are a full-body exercise that helps build endurance and cardio. Starting in a low squat position with hands on the ground, kick your feet back into a push-up position or plank. From there, do one push-up before returning to the starting squat position. Before going into the next plan/push-up jump as high as you can with arms lifted. Repeat in sets of 8-10.
Squats: This move will strengthen your legs and have your glutes burning for days. Start with your feet either parallel or, if more comfortable, slightly turned out. Begin to crouch slowly as if you’re going to sit down into a chair with your thighs parallel to the ground. Make sure your back is straight and press through your heels and legs to rise back up into your starting position. Repeat in sets of 10-12.
Wall-Sits: If you thought squats were easy, try wall-sits for a challenge. Stand against a wall and slowly slide your back down until your thighs are parallel to the ground. Your torso and your legs will meet at a 90 degree angle. Try holding this position for 60 seconds in order to strengthen your thighs.
