A Quick Bodyweight Workout You Can Do Anywhere

Sometimes leaving the house for a workout can seem daunting, for any number of reasons—terrible weather, long to-do list, you name it. That’s why I designed this workout you can do any time in your living room with no equipment. These exercises don’t require much more than your own bodyweight!

Whether you’re a stay-at-home mom, need to fit a quickie workout in and don't have time to hit the gym, or you're just hibernating for the winter, get ready for an effective workout.

Here are three simple moves, each with beginner, intermediate and advanced variations, that you can do without leaving the house!

1A. Bodyweight Squat (Beginner)

• Begin by standing with feet parallel, hip width apart, arms resting at your sides
• Bend your knees while pushing your butt and hips back as if you were going to sit on a chair
• Raise your arms, keep your chest lifted and make sure your heels stay down
• Ideally you should work towards a deep enough squat where your hamstrings rest against your calves
• Pause at the bottom and then stand up straight, with hips fully extended
• Do 2 sets of 20 reps.

1B. Chair Pistol (Intermediate)

• Stand in front of a chair and extend one leg forward, using your other leg to slowly lower yourself onto the seat
• Without using momentum, stand up again and repeat on the other leg
• Initially it may be difficult not to plop down, but with practice you will learn to control the descent
• Try breathing in as you lower down to brace your abdomen and exhale forcefully to stand up powerfully!
• You can progress this move by finding a lower seat or object to squat on
• Do 2-3 sets of 5 reps on each leg.

1C. Pistol Squat (Advanced)

• Stand with a slightly narrower stance then you would a regular squat, reach your arms forward and extend one leg
• Flex the foot of the extended leg as you squat into the standing leg, breathing in as you lower down to the bottom position
• Exhale and brace your core, leaning slightly forward as you stand
• Try to pause at the bottom of each rep, using little to no momentum to rise back up
• Squeezing the palms together can also help prevent any energy leaks (Pistol hands are optional!)
• Do 2-3 sets of 5 reps on each leg.

2A. Knees-Down Push-up (Beginner)

• Start by placing your hands shoulder-width apart on the ground
• Your thumbs should be aligned beneath your armpits with elbows locked at the top position
• Inhale as you lower your chest to the ground, bending your elbows back
• Make sure you keep your back straight and maintain a neutral pelvis
• Pause at the bottom and exhale as you press yourself away from the ground and return to the top position
• Do 2-3 sets of 10 reps.

2B. Standard Push-up (Intermediate)

• Place your hands on the ground, shoulder-width apart with straight elbows
• Your gaze should be a few inches in front of your hands to keep your neck long and neutral
• Walk your feet back so you are on your toes and your body is a straight line from top to bottom
• Inhale as you lower your chest to the ground, keeping tension throughout your entire body by squeezing your belly button in towards your spine
• Attempt to lower for a count of 2 seconds and pause at the bottom position
• Exhale forcefully as you press away the earth and return to the top
• Do 2 sets of 15 reps.

2C. Archer Push-up (Advanced)

• Start with your hands wider than you would in a standard push-up, fingers pointed away from your body
• Lean towards one side, bending into that elbow as your opposite arm assists by extending outward
• Push up back to center as you repeat in the opposite direction
• You can regress this move by placing your feet wide to even out your center of gravity
• Do 2 sets of 10 reps.

3A. Short Bridge (Beginner)

• Lie on your back and walk your heels in towards your butt, pointing the knees towards the ceiling
• Actively press down through the soles of your feet and the palms of your hands as you lift the hips and back off the ground
• Tuck the chin in towards the chest, roll each shoulder underneath the body and interlace your fingers while squeezing your palms together to generate tension
• Relax and breathe
• Do 2 sets of 30 second holds.

3B. Full Bridge (Intermediate)

• Start in the Short Bridge position, lying on your back, knees bent, feet flat on the floor
• Place your hands with fingers pointing towards your shoulders by your ears and palms as flat as you can make them
• Press into your hands and feet, lifting your body off the ground
• Attempt to press the chest forward as you lock the elbows
• You can start on your toes and gradually work towards flattening the feet
• Do 2 sets of 30 second holds.

3C. Wall Walks (Advanced)

• Face away from a wall and begin to bend your knees as you push your hips forward, reaching your hands behind you
• Slowly walk your hands down the wall towards the ground as you walk forward
• You should be in a full bridge at the bottom position
• Pause and then begin to walk your hands back up the wall until you are standing again
• Do 3-5 sets with holds.

If you enjoyed this article and would like additional guidance with your training program, we can help!