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30 Moves to Make the Most of Your At-Home Workout

If the idea of a home workout makes you yawn, think again!

When executed correctly, using just your body weight can give you a run for your money.

So, whether the gym isn’t your thing or you’re short on time, clear out a space in the living room and prepare to sweat.

The 30 bodyweight moves we’ve detailed below can be scaled for beginner, intermediate, and advanced exercisers, so start where you feel ready and progress from there.

Beginner routine

Our 10 picks for beginner bodyweight exercises will provide a full-body workout.

Complete 2 sets of 10 to 15 reps of each exercise, with 30 seconds to 1 minute of rest between each move.

This circuit should take about 15-20 minutes — a great beginner routine.

Activate your core and posterior chain (a fancy term for the backside of your body) with a bridge. This is a great exercise to use as a warmup.

Directions:

Chair squat

Squat to strengthen your legs and core, which will make everyday movements easier. Starting with a chair underneath you will help you master proper form.

Knee pushup

A beginner-style pushup, this move will help you build strength before attempting a standard pushup.

Stationary lunge

Hit your quads, hamstrings, and glutes with a stationary lunge.

Plank to Downward Dog

This move will test your upper body, especially your shoulders. Who says you need weights for a shoulder workout?

Straight-leg donkey kick

Build those glutes with donkey kicks.

A full-body move that requires balance and stability, the Bird Dog pose is easily scalable to your ability level. Start with this version if you’re a beginner.

Forearm plank

A full-body exercise that requires strength and balance, planks put the core into overdrive.

Side-lying hip abduction

You may not think about strengthening your hip muscles until they start to bother you, but please reconsider!

This is especially the case if you sit all day. Counteracting that with hip-targeting movements will be very beneficial.

Bicycle crunch

Although you’ll work your core with almost all of these strength exercises, a targeted ab move doesn’t hurt.

Intermediate routine

If you’ve mastered the beginner routine, you’re ready to take on these intermediate moves.

Complete 2 sets of 10 to 15 reps of each exercise below, then move on to the next after 1 minute of rest.

An alternative, more advanced approach is to complete timed rounds. For instance, complete 1 minute of each exercise and repeat the circuit twice.

Compete against yourself to get just 1 or 2 more reps each time you complete the routine.

Single-leg bridge

Any time you take an exercise to a single leg, you’ll automatically make it harder.

Here, follow the steps for a bridge, but lift one foot off the ground while keeping your leg bent for an intermediate challenge.

Complete the same number of reps on each side.

Taking out the chair allows you to master the form of a regular bodyweight squat.

The same motion is still applicable here, though. Imagine you’re sitting down in a chair by hinging at the hips and pushing your bottom back.

A standard pushup is the more challenging version of a knee pushup. Assume a high plank position and complete the pushup in the same way, allowing your elbows to flare out at a 45-degree angle.

Walking lunge

By traveling instead of staying stationary in a lunge, you’ll add aspects of stability, mobility, and balance.

Start with your feet together and step forward, lunging with your right leg. Stand up, then repeat with your left leg.

Pike pushups

Adding a pushup to your pike will target those shoulders even more. The movement here is all in the arms, so keep the rest of your body stable.

To perform, assume a pike position and bend at the elbows — allowing them to flare out to the sides — directing the top of your head toward the ground.

Get-up squat

Get-up squats are great for time under tension, or keeping your legs and glutes under continuous work, which adds to the burn.

Work your lower back — and the whole backside of your body — with a superman. Go as slowly as you can here to really reap the benefits of this move.

Plank with alternating leg lift

Adding a leg lift to a regular plank makes you unstable, requiring your core to work in overdrive and your three limbs to support more weight.

Lift one leg up, hold for 5 seconds, and return it to the ground. Repeat with the other leg.

Kneeling side plank with hip abduction

Holding your body up with your knee and your extended arm during a hip abduction makes this move an upper body exercise, too. Plus, it recruits the core even more.

To perform, assume a kneeling side plank, then lift the free leg up, pause, and lower it back down. Repeat on both sides.

Activate those deep core muscles with a dead bug.

Advanced routine

When the intermediate routine becomes a breeze, take a stab at these advanced moves.

Bridge with leg extended

Lifting the foot then extending the leg straight out will make a single-leg bridge even more difficult.

Keep your foot flexed throughout the movement. Complete the same number of reps on both legs.

Overhead squat

Extending your arms overhead will challenge your mobility and range of motion in your upper body, as well as give your lower body the benefits of a squat.

To perform, complete a squat with your arms extended overhead throughout.

One-legged pushup

Lifting one leg will again put more weight into your other three limbs, thus creating more of a challenge.

To get it done, assume a pushup position and lift one leg off the ground, then complete the pushup.

Jumping lunges

Jumping exercises — often known as plyometrics — require you to give it your max effort for a short interval of time.

Because of the power and strength they require, you’ll feel the burn quickly.

Add a jump to your lunge, really exploding up in each rep, to challenge yourself.

Elevated pike pushups

Elevating your feet in a pike pushup will make this version the hardest.

Put your feet on an elevated surface, like a bench or a step, and complete an elevated pike pushup.

The higher the surface, the more challenging it will be.

Get-up squat with jump

Instead of stepping your feet back up from kneeling, jump them. You’ll need lots of power and strength for this move.

Advanced Bird Dog

Get into a high plank position, then complete a Bird Dog, lifting one arm and the opposite leg simultaneously.

As with all advanced exercises, maintaining a straight spine is key here.

One-leg or one-arm plank

Lifting one arm or one leg — and holding it there — will take a plank up a notch. Hold for as many seconds as you can, then switch sides.

One leg will be more challenging than one arm, so choose the right version for you.

Side plank with hip abduction

Plank off your foot instead of your knee for a full-body challenge in this hip abduction.

To perform, assume a side plank, then perform a leg lift. Repeat on both sides.

Hollow hold to jackknife

This move requires you to contract your abs throughout.

The bottom line

Bodyweight exercises will make your at-home workout challenging no matter your fitness level. Start with our beginner routine, and in just a matter of months, you could be well on your way to mastering the advanced routine. Earn that sweat equity today!

Nicole Davis is a writer based in Madison, WI, a personal trainer, and a group fitness instructor whose goal is to help women live stronger, healthier, happier lives. When she’s not working out with her husband or chasing around her young daughter, she’s watching crime TV shows or making sourdough bread from scratch. Find her on Instagram for fitness tidbits, #momlife and more.

Last medically reviewed on September 24, 2019

How we reviewed this article:

Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available.

Medically Reviewed By

Gregory Minnis, DPT

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The 8 Best At-Home Workout Routines: The Ultimate Guide for Training Without a Gym

So you want to start working out, but you don’t want to leave the house?

No problem!

Our online coaches specialize in helping people get fit from home.

If you’re in a hurry, sign-up for our free weekly newsletter and we’ll send you PDFs of our “Work Out at Home” guides!

Download our Free Home Workout Guides!

Let’s go over the 8 Best At-Home Workouts so you can start training today: no gym or equipment required!

Home Workout #2: Advanced Bodyweight

Home workout #3: the 20-min hotel routine, home workout #4: high-intensity interval training, home workout #5: attack of the angry birds, home workout #6: train like batman, home workout #7: the plp progression, home workout #8: the star wars workout, bonus no-equipment workout: the playground circuit.

Let’s jump right in!

At Home Warm-ups and stretching routines

No matter which at-home workout you pick, I want you to start with one important thing:

I cover why you should always warm up in an article found right here. It doesn’t have to be much though, give it about five minutes to get your muscles active and your heart rate up.

This will help you do exercises properly and help prevent injury. You can run in place, do air punches and kicks, or some jumping jacks.

Here is NF Senior Coach Staci (you might know her incredible story ) showing you many beginner options you can use to warm up as well:

If you’re curious, here’s my personal (advanced) warm-up:

Advanced Warm-up Routine:

Our goal isn’t to tire you out, instead we want to warm you up.

That’s step one.

Completing your chosen at-home workout would be step two.

Below, you’ll find 8 sequences you can follow along with!

Home Workout #1: Beginner Bodyweight

This at-home routine, as we lay out in our Beginner Bodyweight Workout article, is as follows:

We also turned it into a fun infographic with superheroes, because that’s how we roll:

This infographic will show you the 6 exercises needed to complete our Beginner Bodyweight Workout.

The above is what we call “ circuit training ,” with the objective being to run through the workout sequence once, then again, then again.

Note: Not a milk drinker?

If you don’t have milk in the house for the rows, find something of roughly the same weight with a good handle.

Also, if you want to download this Beginner Bodyweight Workout as a worksheet, you can do so when you sign up in the box below:

It’ll help you track your progress as you begin your training.

If the beginner at-home workout above is too easy for you, move on to our Advanced Bodyweight Workout .

The Advanced Bodyweight Workout:

Not familiar with these moves? Check out the 21 Best Advanced Bodyweight Exercises for a full breakdown.

I warn you, the above sequence will hurt… in a good way. You should be proud if you can get through this three times.

Do you want to get as strong as possible so this workout ain’t no thang?

Sign up in the box below to grab our guide, Strength Training 101: Everything You Need to Know . It’ll teach you all of these advanced bodyweight exercises!

Is there anyway to work out in this hotel room?

Sometimes, you just plain find yourself stuck in a hotel room. Maybe you can find the hotel gym, but I bet it’s terrible! It probably has 2 machines, a broken treadmill, and no free weights.

Instead, how about a 20-min workout you can do in the room itself! Utilize the furniture to its full potential.

Hotel Workout Level 1:

Hotel Workout Level 2:

Set the alarm clock to 15 minutes from now and see how many circuits you can do!

Check out our full post on hotel circuits if you want Level 3 !

We have a LOT of business travelers throughout the Rebellion! Learn how they stay fit on the road with the Nerd Fitness Starter Kit !

You don’t have to head to the gym to do High-Intensity Interval Training . You can do a complete routine right in your own home!

HIIT is just following a specific regimen where you vary your speeds and intensity throughout a shorter run, swim, bike, or row.

Unless you have a giant backyard, running at home might be tough.

But you know what doesn’t require a lot of room?

To complete a burpee:

Check out our full guide on How to Start Interval Training for some more ideas on HIIT workouts.

You can also check out our post “ The 20-Min HIIT Workout for Home ” for another living-room-friendly interval routine!

The Angry Birds Workout is designed to be done when you have 5 or 10 minutes to kill.

Sort of like playing Angry Birds…

Here’s how The Angry Birds Workout Plan works: it’s deceptively simple – only four major movements.

If you don’t have time to run through the whole sequence, no problem!

Depending on how much time you have during the day, you can do your whole workout at once, or break up your training into four different sessions throughout the day (with each session being ONE of the exercises).

Here’s a sample day for your No-Equipment Workout:

You could even split it up over two days if needed, but the goal would be to do it the whole sequence at once.

The main Angry Birds Workout article describes in detail Levels 1-6, but here’s Level 3 for you:

Once you’ve done the complete routine, you have my permission to whip out your phone and play the actual game!

Lego minifigures standing in rows. In first row - Batman, The Jo

We love the Caped Crusader here at Nerd Fitness, so naturally we have The Batman Bodyweight Workout for you to try!

Bonus points if you somehow do this no-equipment workout in a cave, as that’s how Bruce Wayne would roll. [1]

This workout is separated into two days for you.

Here’s a video for the first day:

Batman No-Equipment Workout Day 1:

Here’s a video for the second day:

Batman No-Equipment Workout Day 2:

This is a relatively advanced workout already, but if you want to progress to the next level, check out the main Batman Bodyweight Workout for tips on how to do just that.

At Nerd Fitness we encourage everyone to get to their first pull-up!

The PLP is a progressive program in which you complete one additional rep of three exercises – Pull-Ups , Lunges, and Push-Ups – every day, for two months.

NOTE: This is NOT a beginner program, and should not be attempted unless you have been training consistently and can do multiple repetitions of pull-ups and push-ups with great form.

Like this perfect push-up:

And this perfect pull-up:

Here’s how the PLP Progression works:

How long do you keep doing this?

As originally envisioned by Chad Waterbury, the PLP Workout lasts 60 days. [3]

Yeah…by the end of it you’ll be doing more than 50 pull-ups.

There are two versions:

Complete your required reps each day in as many sets as you need, whenever you need to. The goal is to do it in as few sets as possible, but enough so that you can complete each rep with proper form.

Want to learn more? Check out my results on the PLP Workout .

Do you have access to a hallway that you can commandeer for a bit?

Then you can do our Star Wars Workout !

It’s designed to be done in a very small space, like your home’s hallway…or an escape pod.

The “Padawan” Level of this workout is:

If you want to advance to the Jedi Knight or Master Levels, check out The Star Wars Workout, which will also offer you a full description of each move.

Do you have a nearby playground? Why not work out there! If you have kids, you can do it together. Or let them ignore you.

I’ll give you a Level One workout, and a Level Two. Check out The 20-Minute Playground Workout for some Level Three exercises.

Playground Workout Level One:

Playground Workout Level Two:

After you’ve gone through a complete set three times, go down the slide!

Working out doesn’t have to suck...we know how to make it fun! Join the Rebellion to become part of our community!

Can Home Workouts Build Muscle or Help With Weight Loss?

Throughout our Online Coaching Program , we get two common questions for those wanting to train at home:

The answer to both of these: yep !

Let’s tackle them one by one.

#1) Can working out at home help me build muscle?

You can 100% build muscle mass at home.

Just ask out friend Jimmy here:

Jimmy before and after he did bodyweight training

The trick is to follow a progressive overload strategy, as Coach Jim outlines in this video:

With progressive overload, we want to make our workouts more and more challenging, thus putting additional strain on our muscles.

So to build muscle with home workouts, focus on:

That will help you build strength and muscle from your casa.

#2) Can working out at home help me lose weight?

You can totally train at home for a successful weight loss strategy.

Again, we have a great example with one of our Online Coaching Clients , Sarah the Supermom:

This picture shows Sarah's transformation

The trick here is to couple your home workouts with adjustments to your nutrition.

We’re big believers that you can’t outrun your fork, so any successful weight loss plan will include a focus on building a healthy plate.

That will look something like this:

A plate that that contains a portion of protein, healthy carb, veggies/fruit, and unsweetened drink.

If you want some help on adjusting your nutrition, I’ve got two great resources for you:

You don’t need to do this alone. Learn how we can help.

How to Build Your Own At-Home Workout

You can workout in a home just like this!

We just went over 8 workouts you can do at home ( plus a workout you can do in a park ).

You don’t have to stick to these though!

I have two resources to help you design your own no-equipment workout:

That should get you going on building a workout you can do in the comfort of your own home.

Want more? Alright, eager beaver, I got you.

We built THREE options for people just like you:

1) If you want step-by-step guidance, a custom workout program that levels up as you get stronger, and a coach to keep you accountable, check out our killer 1-on-1 coaching program :

Your NF Coach can help you lose weight and get healthy!

2) If you want a daily prompt for doing workouts at home, check out NF Journey. Our fun habit-building app helps you exercise more frequently, eat healthier, and level up your life (literally).

Try your free trial right here:

3) Join the Rebellion! We need good people like you in our community, the Nerd Fitness Rebellion.

Sign up in the box below to enlist and get our guide, Strength Training 101: Everything You Need to Know . It’ll help you start incorporating these bodyweight moves into your training.

Alright, your turn: I’d love to hear how your home training is going!

Which workout above did you try? Did you make one of your own?

Leave a comment below with your results or any questions you have on working out at home.

For the Rebellion!

PS: If you were going to buy one piece of equipment to utilize in your home, a kettlebell would offer you a lot of versatility:

Photo Sources: Home Sweet Home 2 , good dog , The minifigures of this series are really beautiful , it’s a rap , my friend:) , Ekaterina Minaeva © 123RF.com, Hotel Room , af8images © 123RF.com, Tithi Luadthong © 123RF.com, Vintage House Bicycle ,

Classic Posts

The 12 Best At-Home Workouts You Can Do Without Any Equipment

By Christa Sgobba, C.P.T.

The best at-home workouts don’t necessarily require a ton of equipment—or any equipment—other than your own bodyweight. That’s good news for many exercisers who may not have dumbbells , kettlebells , resistance bands, or other equipment at home, especially after the closures of gyms and fitness studios (and the recommendations to practice social distancing ) due to the new coronavirus .

If you don’t have a lot of equipment, at-home bodyweight workouts are clutch and allow you to keep up your fitness routine. You might think your options are limited if you don’t have a whole rack of equipment at your disposal, but that’s definitely not the case. You can use bodyweight exercises to work nearly every muscle in your body, from your quads (squats) to your butt (glute bridges, anyone?) to your chest (yes, you can do a push-up!) to your core ( plank variations for the win!).

They’re not just great for building strength, though: Bodyweight workouts can double as a cardio routine, especially when you choose moves that are easy to ramp up in intensity and perform them in such a way—usually circuit-style, with limited rest—that challenges you cardiovascularly.

Plus, there are a ton of bodyweight exercises out there, meaning the possibilities for bodyweight workouts are nearly endless, and we’ve rounded up a bunch of them for you here. Want to really home in on your lower body? Workout #1 may be for you. Looking to get just as sweaty as when you run? Try #6. And if you’re looking for a way to strengthen your shoulders and arms, #11 may be one to try.

Whatever your intended goal of the workout, the list below of the best at-home workouts that require only your bodyweight has you covered. Try a bunch of these workouts from SELF to figure out your favorites!

Image may contain Human Person Sport Sports Serena Williams and Stretch

A Lower-Body Workout With Cardio Burnout

This isn’t your regular old leg workout—there are a few exercises in here that we bet you haven’t tried yet, like the runner’s-lunge-to-balance (great for speed and agility) and the corkscrew (a dynamic plank variation that’ll seriously test your core strength). Created by Amy Eisinger, C.P.T., this workout will test your endurance all the way through. And then just when you think you’re done, there’s a cardio burnout at the end that’ll give you one last challenge. You can make it easier or harder by tweaking the amount of rest you take between exercises in the circuit.

Try the workout .

This image may contain Human Person Clothing Apparel Pants and Sleeve

A 20-Minute HIIT Workout That’s Kinder on Your Joints

Lots of at-home HIIT workouts are chock-full of plyometric moves (read “lots of jumping”), which is great for some people, but not the best choice for those who may have some problems with their joints. This HIIT workout, which was created by Equinox group fitness instructor Colleen Conlon , is kinder on the joints than most HIIT workouts, since it includes lower-impact moves like side kick throughs and crab toe touches. There still are some moves that are a little higher impact, like skater hops, so if you’re not sure if this workout would be safe for you, talk to your doctor or physical therapist first.

Image may contain Human Person Fitness Sport Sports Exercise Working Out Gym Clothing Apparel Footwear and Shoe

A Full-Body Cardio Challenge

Want an at-home cardio workout that works your whole body? Then you’ll have to give this routine, created by Eisinger, a try. The circuit will cycle through five moves, which work everything from your legs (squat pulse), core (tuck-up), and shoulders (frogger). Once you complete the circuit for your chosen number of rounds, you’ll finish with a AMRAP (as many reps as possible) finisher.

Image may contain Human Person Fitness Exercise Sport Sports Working Out Yoga and Stretch

A Plank-Based Workout to Light Up Your Core

Yes, you can work your arms with just your bodyweight. And a great way to do that is through variations of the plank, where your shoulders and triceps really put in the work. Created by certified trainer Lita Lewis , this workout will start with skaters to get your blood pumping, and then take you to the floor for the next three plank-based moves: push-up, shoulder tap, and plank forearm reach. The second circuit is heavy on the plank variations too, with the plank jack and forearm plank. You’ll be tasked with holding the plank for a good chunk of time with these moves (since they’re back-to-back-to-back), so if it’s too hard to maintain with good form, drop to your knees to make it a bit easier.

There Are No Burpees or Mountain Climbers in This Routine

Not a fan of burpees or mountain climbers? Then this HIIT workout is the routine for you. Created by Conlon, this total-body bodyweight workout gets you moving in multiple planes of motion to work all your different muscle groups. The exercises she chose—moves like the lateral shuffle and explosive crab reach—allow you to move at a pace where you can really ramp up the intensity, which is vital for HIIT workouts. Hint: Try performing each move 10 times on its own at a comfortable intensity before moving into the workout, so you are familiar with any new exercises.

By Sara Coughlin

Close up view of couple embracing in bed

By Gabrielle Kassel

Illustration of a book holding up an umbrella for a grieving person

By Rachel Wilkerson Miller

A 4-Move 30-Minute Cardio Workout

With this full-body at-home cardio workout, which was created by Eisinger, the goal is to move through three moves—froggers, bird-dog crunches, and a three-point toe touch—as quickly as possible. This 30-minute workout doubles as a cardio routine (no running required), so give it a shot if you are looking to get sweaty. You can choose rest-work periods based off your fitness level, so it’s a great workout for those who are just getting started.

This image may contain Clothing Apparel Human Person Footwear and Shoe

An Abs Workout That’s Done in 8 Minutes

The good thing about abs workouts is that they’re pretty easy to do at home without any equipment. The not-so-good part? Abs workouts can be superhard, which is why we’re all for one that’s over in eight minutes. With this at-home workout, which was created by Amy Marturana Winderl, C.P.T., you’ll spend 30 seconds on five separate exercises, including dead bug, forearm plank rock, and plank up-down, taking no rest between the moves until the circuit is complete. After three rounds, your abs will definitely be burning.

Try the workout.

A 5-Minute Plank Workout That Challenges More Than Your Core

Planks are known for working your abs, but if you do them right, you’ll seriously challenge your shoulders, legs, and butt too. Created by Marturana Winderl, this bodyweight workout uses five variations of the plank, including plank up-downs (which light up your shoulders and triceps) and plank jacks (to give a cardio element). Check out these tips to make a plank more effective before you get started, so you can make sure you are making the most of every exercise.

This image may contain Human Person JoJo and Leisure Activities

The 4-Move Bodyweight Workout That’ll Seriously Work Your Butt

Sure, there are some kinds of equipment that work really well for butt exercises—we’re looking at you, mini-bands —but you actually don’t need anything at all (besides your bodyweight) to get your glutes working. This four-move workout, which was created by Cori Lefkowith, NASM-certified personal trainer and owner of Redefining Strength in Costa Mesa, California, proves you don’t need any equipment for a good butt workout. Moves like frog bridges and straight-leg fire hydrant ensure you are working your gluteus maximus, medius, and minimus.

3Point Toe Touch Exercise 2020 SELF New Year's Challenge Week 1

A 3-Move Cardio Workout for Beginners

There are only three simple moves in this workout created by Eisinger—the skater, three-point toe touch, and flutter kick—but it’s a great way for you to get the moves down and ease into at-home workouts. If you’re just getting started, try each move for 30 seconds with 30 seconds of rest. As you get more comfortable with exercising, you can increase your work time and decrease your rest for more of a cardio challenge.

This image may contain Human Person Sport Sports Exercise Working Out Fitness and Yoga

A Core Workout That’s Great for Your Arms

This workout, created by TruFusion trainer Alyssa West, primarily works your core, but thanks to exercises like the push-up, plank-to-dolphin, and diamond push-up, your arms will get a serious workout too. There are nine exercises in the workout, which seems like a lot, but it only takes 15 minutes to finish. Your shoulders and triceps will totally be feeling it by the time you’re done.

Image may contain Human Person Stretch Exercise Sport Sports Working Out Fitness Bobby Womack Clothing and Apparel

A 10-Minute Pilates Workout for Your Butt and Core

To really home in on specific muscles, sometimes small, controlled movements are key. That’s one of the biggest benefits of Pilates-based workouts, and this routine, which was created by Manuela Sanchez , certified Pilates instructor at Club Pilates in Brooklyn, uses that to its full advantage. You can do this circuit once or twice as its own workout, but it’s also great to really get your glutes muscles warmed up for a more leg-intensive workout.

11 Best Leg Workouts to Kick Up Your Lower-Body Routine

20 Arm Exercises Without Weights You Can Do at Home

13 At-Home Leg Exercises That Require No Equipment

SELF does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Any information published on this website or by this brand is not intended as a substitute for medical advice, and you should not take any action before consulting with a healthcare professional.

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33 of the Best Beginner Exercises to Sweat Through During Home Workouts

You don't need weights to build the body you want. You just need this guide

young black man exercising in his house gym, doing push ups, side view, free space

Let's get straight to the point: you can exercise at home – and get a good workout in – using your bodyweight or simple pieces of kit such as dumbbells , kettlebells or a suspension trainer. Even as you grow stronger and fitter, by increasing your reps, or simply slowing down – or speeding up – the tempo of your exercises (which is easier said than done btw), you can progress your workouts and the effectiveness of them.

We know what you are thinking – bodyweight workouts can't build muscle. Well, they can. A recent study looked at the effectiveness of the press-up as a muscle-building tool. Published in Journal of Exercise Science & Fitness, o ver the course of an 8-week training period, the researchers found that, when compared with a similar load to 40%1RM (rep max) bench press, the press-up was as effective for muscle hypertrophy and strength gain.

Your own bodyweight is great for cardio, too. In-fact, according to researchers at the University of Pristina, it makes no difference to your overall health whether you embark on a routine of jogging or bodyweight exercises. The scientists split a number of students into three groups: one did endurance training, another took part in strength-based circuits, and the third did nothing. The results showed that the groups who exercised lost weight and had lower body fat measurements at the end. However, what was remarkable was how similar the results were, with the researchers concluding that both kinds of exercise were equally beneficial for your cardiovascular system.

The bottom line is this: you don't need a gym membership to get fit. Fitness is free. And with MH 's help, taking your first steps towards fitness needn't be daunting.

Below is our collection of the best beginner exercises to try at home, coupled with an explanation of what makes that move useful. If you're struggling to put these moves into a workout routine, don't worry. We've also included a selection of the best workouts for you to try.

How to do it: Get down into a press-up position with your hands placed shoulder-width apart and back flat, so a straight line forms from your head to heels, via your glutes. Lower your body until your chest is an inch from the ground then explosively drive up by fully extending your arms. That's on rep.

Why: This move uses multiple muscle groups for maximum growth and strengthens your shoulder joints. Easily done as an exercise at home, this prepares you for progression to the more demanding shoulder exercises you'll face in a gym, like the incline bench press.

Dumbbell standing shoulder press

How to do it: Stand holding two dumbbells at shoulder height with an overhand grip – palms facing forwards. Ensure your elbows are in front of the bar and don't flare out to the sides. Press the weights up above your head until your arms are fully extended. Return slowly to the start position.

Why: This is a safer shoulder-sculptor than lifting from behind your neck. As a beginner the aim should be to keep strain off your joints and protect against an injury called shoulder impingement syndrome. Missed sessions this early in your lifting career are especially costly.

How to do it : Grab the rope at both ends. Use your wrists to flick it round your body, jumping to clear the rope as it hits the ground. Make the move more intense with double unders – letting the rope pass round your twice for every jump

Why: The ultimate no-nonsense workout, jumping rope could be the most efficient form of cardio. A study that found just 10 minutes a day with the rope was similar to 30 minutes of jogging

Dumbbell squat

How to do it: Holding a dumbbell in each hand, position your legs shoulder width apart. Keeping your head up and back straight, sit back into the squat until the dumbbells are an inch from the floor. Focus on keeping your knees over your toes and chest out – don't arch your back or lean forward as you drop down. Exhale, straighten your legs and return to the starting position.

Why: Squats are an excellent all-round exercise and one of the best moves for building overall strength . Dumbbells let you concentrate on technique and work on your range of movement at low weight. Only advance to barbell squats in the gym once you've got this nailed.

Farmer’s walk

How to do it: Grab a heavy dumbbell in each hand – think half your bodyweight – and hold them at your sides. Stand up tall with your shoulders back and walk forward as quickly as you can using short steps.

Why: Super simple with no need to worry about technique, this move hits your shoulder stabilisers, upper traps and front deltoids. It also supercharges your grip strength , which will transfer strength to your other lifts too.

Lateral raise

How to do it: Stand holding a light dumbbell in each hand. Slowly lift the dumbbells out to the side until they reach shoulder height – no higher – and resist the urge to cheat by swinging the weight. Pause, then lower back to your sides, slowly – you'll build more muscle fighting gravity than letting it do the work for you.

Why: If you're doing exercise at home, this is the best move for visible shoulder development. The lateral raise isolates your medial deltoid, the middle of three shoulder muscles, helping to develop your shoulder width and mass . Perfect for creating the V-shape that you covet.

How to do it: From a standing position squat down until your thighs are parallel to the floor and place your palms on the floor. From there kick your feet back as far as you can while keeping your arms extended. As soon as your feet land jump them back in towards your hands, then jump up into the air. Land and immediately squat down to go into the next rep.

Why: When it comes to burning fat at home, few moves can do better then the burpee. Perfect for frying fat with zero equipment, work these into your home workout routine to ramp up your heart rate or set yourself daily challenges.

Plyometric, Jumping Lunges

How to do it: Lunge forward until your rear knee is almost touching the ground. Jump into the air, bringing your rear foot forward and the front foot back. Land in a lunge and repeat. Land on both feet simultaneously to cushion the impact on your joints.

Why: Just like burpees, these are perfect for building up your cardiovascular system, but will also help you build faster, more powerful quadriceps. Ideal if your leg day has taken a hit.

Dumbbell calf raise

How to do it: Stand holding a dumbbell in each hand with the balls of your feet on a step with your heels touching the floor. Raise your heels off the floor and hold at the top of the contraction. Slowly lower yourself to the starting position and repeat.

Why: Too many beginners are prone to skipping calves when it comes to leg day. Some guys are even getting surgery to fix it. Work this move into your workout to guarantee you're hitting as many leg muscles as you would in the gym when it comes to exercise at home.

Spiderman Press-Up

How to do it: Get into a traditional press-up position. Lower yourself toward the floor and bring your right knee to your right elbow, keeping it off the ground. Press back up and return your leg to the starting position. Repeat with the alternate leg.

Why: Perfect if you're looking to get some mobility in before a workout or just want to switch up your chest routine , Spiderman press-ups are the perfect alternative if you're looking to scale things up.

How to do it: Stand with a dumbbell in each hand and, keeping your upper arms stationary, curl the weights until the dumbbells are at shoulder level. Focus on keeping your elbows still – only your lower arm should move. Squeeze your bicep at the top of the contraction then lower slowly and repeat.

Why: This is the perfect move for developing those mirror muscles you crave. By keeping your upper arm stationary you hit the whole bicep for maximum growth.

Dumbbell step-up

How to do it: Stand in front of bench with a dumbbell in each hand. Place your right foot onto the bench, push up through your heel to lift your whole body up. Step down with your left foot and repeat on the opposite side.

Why: By activating all of your upper leg muscles (glutes, quads and hamstrings) it's an entire leg day in one move. Plus, it's low-impact, which is means you avoid the knee injuries associated with more explosive exercises.

How to do it: Get in a press-up position, but rest on your forearms rather than your hands. Make sure your back is straight and tense your abs and glutes. Hold without allowing your hips to sag.

Why: Endless crunches put pressure on your spine and, when done incorrectly, can give you a set of weird, distended abs. Planks are perfect for working your core in a way that keeps you injury-free and builds the flat six-pack you're after.

How to do it: Lie on your back with hands above you and feet up so your knees are at 90 degrees. Straighten your leg until your heel is an inch from the floor and then return to the start position. Repeat with the other leg.

Why: By extending your legs and hovering your heels you work on your core stabilisers, not just your abs. That means you're building muscle you can use on the sports field, not just see in the mirror.

How to do it: Lie on your left side with your legs straight and prop yourself onto your elbow. Brace your core and raise your hips until your body forms a straight line. Hold this position while breathing deeply. Roll over and repeat on the other side.

Why: Excellent for targeting a small muscle in your lower back, the quadratus lumborum. Strengthening it is crucial for spine health and will help you avoid the notorious beginner's back pain . Diamond-cut obliques are a bonus.

Dumbbell floor press

How to do it: Lie down on the floor with a dumbbell in each hand. Bend at the elbows and hold the weights above you. Press up and straighten your arms before pausing at the top of the rep and lowering slowly to the start position.

Why: By restricting your range of movement this moves helps you build a bigger chest, minus the risk of shoulder injury from over extension. Consider this your stepping stone to being a bench bro in the gym.

How to do it: Stand facing away from a bench, grab it with both hands at shoulder-width. Extend your legs out in front of you. Slowly lower your body by flexing at the elbows until your arm at forearm create a 90 degree angle. Using your triceps lift yourself back to the starting position.

Why: This is easy to do on a chair, stair or coffee table. It works the arms, chest and shoulders and is great if you want people to notice that you've started working out as it builds triceps effectively.

How to do it: Lie flat on your back with your knees bent at a 90-degree angle. Place your hands on either side of your head. Push your lower back into the floor as you lift your shoulders a few inches off the floor – make sure your lower back stays in contact with the ground at all times. Tense your abs hard at the top point of the movement, then return under control to the start position.

Why: The first port of call for any abs workout this is a must-do. By lifting your legs you place extra weight on the stomach muscles and reduce the momentum that could make this easier.

Lower back curl

How to do it: Lie down flat with your arms by your sides. Slowly raise your chest upwards, with your arms down. Keep your head up during the move. Once you've reached the furthest point up, lower yourself back down.

Why: People often forget the importance of back workouts , but they're vital to develop all other muscle groups. This curl is great as it works the whole back and also alleviates back pain from days at the desk .

Calf raises

How to do it: Stand upright holding the barbell, two dumbbells by your sides, or unweighted. With your toes pointing forwards, raise your heels off the floor and contract your calves. Slowly return to the starting position.

Why: Isolating the calves for a workout can benefit overall leg definition. It also helps hamstring and glute stength . Different foot positions target different muscles. Toes pointing in hits the outer head harder, toes out works the inner head.

Bear Crawls

How to do it:

Why: Touted by Hollywood legend Chris Hemsworth, bear crawls smoke your core, shoulders and quads. It can also be used as a mobility aide or part of your warm-up. Win-win.

Arm, Leg, Human leg, Elbow, Shoulder, Wrist, Joint, Waist, Physical fitness, Knee,

Two-Point Plank (Two-Point Bridge)

How: Get in a press-up position, with your hands beneath your shoulders and core locked to ensure a straight line from head to heels. Tense your abs and fight the urge to raise your hips as you lift your left foot and right arm until they're parallel to the ground. Slowly lower and repeat on the opposite side. That's one rep.

Why: Finding a plank too easy? Fire-up your core, shoulders and stabilising muscles with this devilish move. It'll test your co-ordination, core strength and more.

Pike Push-Up

How: Get into a press-up position with your hands wider than shoulder width apart. Bend at the waist and lift your heels off the floor, keeping your back straight, so your body forms an upside down V-shape. Bend at your elbows to lower your head towards the floor. Then push back explosively to the start position.

Why: Not ready for handstands, but want to build bigger shoulders without weights? The pike push-up will test your shoulder pushing strength while also giving your hamstrings and glutes a stretch. A tip: It's OK to come up on your toes, but if you can't keep your legs and back straight then you should focus on flexibility work.

Bodyweight Glute Bridge

How: Lie flat on the floor with your legs bent. Drive through your heels to push your hips upwards as far as you can go, before pausing and returning to the start position.

Why: Whether you need to warm-up fora run or want to keep your glute strength ticking over, the bodyweight glute bridge is the easiest way to get a stronger, firmer behind that'll boost strength across the board, from a heavier squat to a more stable bench press.

Diamond Press-Ups

How: Get in a press-up position and place your hands together so your index fingers and thumbs form a diamond. Keep your back straight as you lower until your chest almost touches the floor then push back up to the start position.

Why: If standard press-ups are feeling too easy, try this. It'll smoke your triceps and chest and challenge your form. A tip: Keep your core locked to avoid sagging at the hips and putting stress on the lower back.

How: Hold two kettlebells or dumbbells by their handles but so the weight is resting on the back of your shoulder. Slightly bend your knees and squat down, keeping your legs in line with your shoulders. Drive through your legs and straighten them, extending your arms as you do so to raise the kettlebells above your head. Squat down and repeat.

Why: There are few exercises more humbling then thrusters. Not only will they redline your heart rate, but you'll build stronger glutes, quads and shoulders with a cobblestone core to boot. Plus, they can be done with barbells, kettlebells, or dumbbells. Or anything, in fact.

Shadow boxing

How to do it: Adopt a fighting stance and bounce on your toes as you shadow box. Dip and weave to your heart's content.

Why: This can help consolidate the rest of your workout as it benefits cardio strength , legs, core and arms. Jog on the spot between low- and high-intensity punching for a HIIT style cardio workout .

leg, human body, trousers, shoulder, standing, joint, waist, style, barechested, muscle,

Hammer Curls

How to do it: Hold a dumbbell in each hand at your sides, palms facing your hips. Curl the weights up until your thumbs are near your shoulders, then lower.

Why: You've mastered bicep curls, but for even bigger arms, switch to a 'hammer' grip. You'll hit your brachialis – the muscle that makes your arms look thicker.

How: From a press-up position, walk your palms and toes out and away from your body until they form an x-shape. Brace your core to keep a flat line from your head to your hips and toes. Hold for the required time then walk back to a normal press-up position.

Why: Planks too boring? Hit a star plank for added core tension.

home back workouts, dumbbells, bodyweight

Prone Back Extension

How: Lie flat on the floor with your palms facing upwards and your toes touching the ground. Slowly raise yourself off the ground by pulling your shoulders back and lifting your legs up as far as they can go. Look straight ahead throughout the move. Return to starting position and repeat.

Why: Back extension exercises are ideal for building strength in the lower-back muscles, also hitting your glutes, hips and shoulders. If you suffer from back pain, throw a few of these into your weekly routine.

'Sniff the Floor' Press-Up

How : Drop down to your hands and feet before lifting your hips and backside to create a V-shape. Move your head down towards the floor, shifting your weight forward. Continue moving your bodyweight forward until your chest is over your hands. Push up and back into the V-shape starting position.

Why: Smoke your shoulders, chest and core with the 'Sniff the Floor' press-up, which is a challenging progression on the standard press-up.

Lateral Bounds

How: Start in a half squat position. Jump off your outward facing leg as far as possible before landing. Immediately return to the other side.

Why: Lateral bounds ramp up your heart rate, test your stability and build explosive lower-body strength.

standing, muscle, arm, joint, leg, recreation, physical fitness,

How: Set yourself a comfortable distance from the box with feet shoulder-width apart. Drop quickly into a quarter squat, swing your arms and explode upwards to jump onto the box. Land as softly as possible. Now step backwards off the box under control.

Why: You don't need a box for this one — any raised surface will do. You'll redline your heart rate, burn calories and build explosive strength. That you don't need any kit is a welcome bonus.

The Best Home Workouts for Beginners

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30-Minute Full Body Workout You Can Do at Home

Grab a few sets of dumbbells and get started

Heather Black, CPT is a NASM-certified personal trainer and owner of Heather Black Fitness & Nutrition where she offers remote and in-person training and nutrition coaching.

Verywell / Ben Goldstein

Safety and Precautions

Full body workout, chest press, one-arm row, overhead press, hammer curl.

This total body home workout is perfect for working the entire body with no muss, no fuss. It includes all the classic exercises and can be done in a short period of time.

All you need are a few sets of dumbbells and these basic exercises. These moves hit all the major muscles of your body, including the chest, back, shoulders, arms, legs, and abs. This is a great workout option when you are crunched for time, but still want to get the job done.

See your doctor before trying this workout if you have any injuries, illnesses or other medical conditions that affect your ability to exercise. Substitute or skip any exercises that cause pain or discomfort. You will need dumbbells in a few sizes and a bench or step (you can use the floor if you don't have one).

We've tried, tested, and reviewed the best dumbbells . If you're in the market for dumbbells, explore which option may be best for you.

Warm up with 5 minutes of light cardio or warm-up versions of each exercise, performing dynamic movements and bodyweight exercises like squats, lunges, wall push-ups, and hinges.

To perform a full body workout, choose two upper body exercises, two lower body exercises, and perform the bicycle crunches. You can switch up your exercises each time to form new routines. Aim to complete 2 to 3 full body workouts each week. Below you will find benefits and instructions for the following exercises:

Your total body workout begins with the chest press, one of the best ways to work your chest . While the move primarily targets the chest muscles, it also works the shoulders and triceps, making it a great compound move. The chest is a larger muscle group, so you can usually go a little heavier with your weight for this exercise, depending on how much experience you've had doing it.

How to: Lie on a bench or step and hold dumbbells up over your chest. Bend the elbows and lower the weights until your elbows are at about 90-degree angles; they should look like goal posts at the bottom of the movement. Press the weights back up and repeat.

The next big upper-body muscle group is the back . The one-arm row works the lats, the big muscles on either side of your back. As a bonus, you'll also get plenty of biceps work with this move.

How to: Place the left foot on a step or platform and rest the left hand or forearm on the upper thigh. Hold a weight in the right hand. Tip forward, keeping the back flat and the abs in, and hang the weight down towards the floor. Bend the elbow and pull it up in a rowing motion until it is level with the torso or just above it. At the top of the movement, squeeze the back. Lower; do all reps before switching sides.

The lats are a large muscle group and can usually handle heavier weight. Choose a weight that really challenges you for this exercise, usually between about 8 and 20 pounds for women and 15 and 35 pounds for men.

Next in your total body workout is your shoulders , which may already be a little warm from the chest presses you did earlier. Overhead presses target both the mid and front deltoids, making it a great overall move for the shoulders.

How to: Stand with feet about hip-distance apart, holding weights at ear level with the elbows bent (like goal posts). Press the weights up and overhead while keeping the abs braced and avoiding arching the back. Lower and repeat.

Avoid lowering the arms way down past the shoulders because it takes the emphasis off the shoulders. Watch yourself in a mirror and make sure you're keeping that goal-post shape every time.

Hammer curls work the biceps.

How to: Hold weights in both hands, palms facing in. Now, curl the weights up towards the shoulders, palms still facing in, squeezing the biceps. Lower and repeat.

Avoid swinging the weights, which adds momentum to the exercise. Instead, make the move slow and controlled so you're using all your muscle fibers to lift the weight.

While chest presses target the triceps , the area at the back of the arms, adding an accessory exercise like the kickback can add more volume to this area for increased results. You can move one arm at a time or with both arms, adding core work. Ensure you bend the knees and brace the abs to support your lower back.

How to: Hold a weight in each hand. Bend at the waist, keeping the back flat and the abs engaged. Pull the elbows up to the torso. Holding that position, straighten the arms and squeeze the triceps muscles. Lower and repeat.

If you feel discomfort in your back, bend your knees or prop one knee on a bench and do this move one arm at a time. Keep the elbow next to the torso the entire time and don't let it drift down as you get tired. Pretend like you're holding an envelope in your armpit.

Deadlifts are challenging to learn to do correctly, but they make an excellent transition into the lower body portion of the workout. Not only does this exercise target the glutes and hamstrings, it also works the lower back. It is a complement to the one-arm row exercise from earlier in the workout.

How to: Stand with feet hip-width apart and hold weights in front of thighs. Tip from the hips and lower weights towards the floor, back flat, and shoulders back. Return to start and repeat.

Keep the shoulders back throughout the entire exercise. It's tempting to round your back with this move, which puts your lower back at risk for injury.

Squats are probably one of the most important exercises in any strength routine, especially a total body workout. This functional exercise helps you work on all the muscles you use each day to sit, stand, and walk.

How to: Hold weights in each hand and stand with feet about hip-distance apart. Bend the knees and lower into a squat, knees behind the toes and squatting as low as you can. Push back to start and repeat.

Think of sending your butt back behind you when you squat, putting the emphasis on your glutes and thighs instead of on the knees.

Lunges work multiple muscle groups, which means you work your body with fewer exercises, thus saving time and getting more out of your workout. If they hurt your knees, try one of these alternatives to lunges .

How to : Start with your feet about hip width distance apart. Step one foot back and drop your knee low to the ground. Lift back up and repeat before switching sides.

If you want to really target your abs, the bicycle crunch is the way to go. This move works every muscle of the abs, like the traditional crunch, with an emphasis on the obliques. If you find bicycles a bit tough, try a bicycle modification .

How To: Lie on the floor and bring the knees into the chest. Straighten the right leg as you twist the body, bringing the right elbow towards the left knee. Repeat on the other side in a cycling motion.

Solstad TE, Andersen V, Shaw M, Hoel EM, Vonheim A, Saeterbakken AH. A Comparison of Muscle Activation between Barbell Bench Press and Dumbbell Flyes in Resistance-Trained Males . J Sports Sci Med . 2020;19(4):645-651.

Campos YAC, Vianna JM, Guimarães MP, et al. Different Shoulder Exercises Affect the Activation of Deltoid Portions in Resistance-Trained Individuals . J Hum Kinet . 2020;75:5-14. doi:10.2478/hukin-2020-0033

Martín-Fuentes I, Oliva-Lozano JM, Muyor JM. Electromyographic activity in deadlift exercise and its variants. A systematic review . PLoS One . 2020;15(2):e0229507. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0229507

Thoreson O, Ekström L, Hansson HA, et al. The effect of repetitive flexion and extension fatigue loading on the young porcine lumbar spine, a feasibility study of MRI and histological analyses . J EXP ORTOP. 2017;4(1):16.

Vecchio LD. The health and performance benefits of the squat, deadlift, and bench press . MOJ Yoga & Physical Therapy . 2018;3(2). doi:10.15406/mojypt.2018.03.00042.

Marchetti PH, Guiselini MA, da Silva JJ, Tucker R, Behm DG, Brown LE. Balance and Lower Limb Muscle Activation between In-Line and Traditional Lunge Exercises . J Hum Kinet . 2018;62:15-22. doi:10.1515/hukin-2017-0174

American Council on Exercise. Abs! Abs! Abs!

By Paige Waehner, CPT Paige Waehner is a certified personal trainer, author of the "Guide to Become a Personal Trainer," and co-author of "The Buzz on Exercise & Fitness."

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Everything You Need to Know About Working Out at Home

Working out at home has its benefits: It’s convenient, it’s time-efficient (compared with traveling to a gym or fitness studio), and it’s cost-effective.

No matter your fitness levels, exercise history, or at-home equipment set-up, home workouts can help you meet specific exercise goals (like improving strength or boosting cardiovascular fitness ) and can improve boost overall health.

Plus, they’re infinitely customizable. Here are some tips on how to create an effective home workout schedule, what equipment you might need, and how to get started.

First Things First: How to Train at Home Safely

Exercising at home doesn’t necessarily pose any greater risk of injury than you’d run into training somewhere outside the home. But if you’re working out in an exercise class or with a trainer elsewhere, there may be someone watching you and correcting you if your form is off or you appear to be training in a potentially harmful way. At home, you’re on your own.

Injuries happen when you don’t use proper form or you overstress any one muscle group (or overdo it with any one type of exercise), which can contribute to muscle imbalances and overuse injuries, says Prentiss Rhodes , a master instructor and manager of live events with the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM), who is based in Scottsdale, Arizona.

To keep risks to a minimum, it’s important to dial in and focus just like you would if you were in the gym or working out under the watchful eye of a personal trainer, says Cordelia Carter, MD , director of the Pediatric Sports Medicine Center at NYU Langone in New York City.

For instance, before beginning any new exercise, Dr. Carter recommends watching instructional videos from qualified trainers. The YouTube channels of certifying fitness organizations such as the American Council on Exercise , NASM , and National Strength and Conditioning Association are great resources for mastering exercise technique.

Working with an online trainer — a certified expert who can design customized workouts and help you improve your form by watching you and coaching you via video — can be another great move for reducing the risk of injury. Virtual trainers can also help you modify exercises to take into account existing aches, pains, injuries, or other limitations you may have. (Tip: Before reaching out to any online trainers that you find via Google, social media, or YouTube, run their name through the U.S. Registry of Exercise Professionals to verify they are certified by a respected organization.)

An added benefit of choosing online workouts is that you could review the workout before doing it and research a move that you may not be familiar with in order to get more familiar with its proper form. This can also save time, as you will know exactly what equipment is needed, can set it out ahead of time, and make any adjustments, such as substituting for equipment that you don’t have with something that you do have in your home. Also, researching alternate exercises that may hit the same muscle ahead of time can make the workout go smoothly.

One of the most important components of exercising safely at home is creating a training routine that’s right for your unique body and not someone else’s.

Make modifications if you’re following an online workout or class to make the workout appropriate for you, just like an instructor would have you do in a live class. For instance, if you’re new to strength training, substitute plyometric and jumping exercises for nonexplosive variations, recommends Caroline Juster , a personal trainer certified by NASM, who is based in Chicago.

If you experience knee pain with lunges, split squats or single-leg glute bridges might be more comfortable for training your quads, she says.

Once you have your program ready, give it your best shot, and give it your full attention. “The main reason I see people get injured from at-home training is because they don’t concentrate on what they’re doing,” Rhodes says. Resist the urge to multitask with chores, other at-home tasks, or conversations. “Let your family members know to respect your workout time,” he says. “For example, my daughter knows when I go into my space that she is to let me train.”

You can also consider scheduling workouts for times when interruptions or distractions are less likely, such as before other family members are up or when they are out of the house.

To evaluate and constantly improve your form, consider setting up your phone to record you doing a few reps; it’s a great way to check and improve your form from various angles, Carter says.

How to Design an At-Home Workout Routine

Variety not only keeps things interesting, but when it comes to fitness, a variety of types of workouts and muscle groups targeted makes you stronger and helps prevent injury. How much variety do you need? The foundation of any well-rounded workout routine includes both aerobic and strength training. Start with the guidelines for physical activity for Americans.

Getting outside is another way to incorporate variety into your workouts, assuming the weather is cooperative.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that all adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity each week, in addition to two days per week of total-body muscle-strengthening activities. After building a foundation, increasing your total exercise time or intensity comes with even greater health benefits.

Aerobic exercise includes, but isn’t limited to, activities like walking, running, and cycling.

If you’re stuck at home and don’t have any cardio equipment at your disposal, a great option to train your body aerobically is to perform various low-intensity exercises back to back with minimal rest, explains Rhodes. Do the exercise for a minute, rest for 30 seconds, and then do it again for up to 15 or 30 minutes. (You can tweak the length of your work and rest bouts based on the exercises you’re performing and how they feel.) This allows you to sustain an elevated heart rate and focus on developing cardiovascular over muscular strengths.

Some body weight exercises to try it with include:

Glute bridges

For strength training , prioritize squats, lunges, hip hinge exercises (like deadlifts and hip thrusts), pushing exercises (like chest and shoulder presses), and pulling exercises (like rows and pull-ups), Rhodes says. These compound exercises focus on strengthening the human body’s basic movement patterns, so they’ll provide the most benefit to the muscles that tend to get a lot of wear and tear. Plus, all of these movements work multiple muscle groups simultaneously, making them time-effective moves, too.

Whether you’re exercising with dumbbells, resistance bands, or your own body weight, to get the most out of a strength workout, it’s important to push your muscles to fatigue — that point when you feel your muscles burning and might only have a couple good-quality reps left. You can either up the intensity by increasing weights and resistance levels if you’ve got the equipment, Juster says. Or you can up the challenge on body weight exercises by increasing your reps and sets, slowing down your movements, or trying an advanced exercise variation. (If you usually perform body weight squats, you could progress to a single-leg variation, for example.)

And do give yourself a day or two in any week for rest and recovery ! Everyone will need to factor a different amount of recovery days into their fitness routine, largely based on how long and how intense your workouts are, Juster says. The harder and longer your workouts, the more time you will need to recover between them. Rest days can range from pure do-nothing days to opportunities to engage in low-intensity exercise like walking, yoga , foam rolling, or stretching.

RELATED: Does Yoga Count as Exercise?

Kelsey Wells X Everyday Health: 5-Minute Strength Workout

Balance Trying Out New Workouts and Consistency for the Most Fitness Benefit

Trying new workouts keeps exercise fun. And for people exercising at home, online workouts — available through streaming websites and apps — are really useful for getting acquainted with new forms of exercise, too.

“Novelty is the sexy side of fitness,” Juster says. “Everyone loves to try new things, and many of us actively scroll Instagram looking for newer, better, and more exciting workouts.”

Performing different types of workouts throughout your weekly routine is important for keeping things interesting, preventing workout ruts, optimizing results (you want to be doing a mix of different types of movement), and preventing injury, Carter adds.

However, don’t let novelty get in the way of your results.

If you are training for a specific goal — like getting stronger at certain exercises or maximizing your body composition (muscle gain or fat loss) pursuits — progressive overload (practicing, getting stronger, and then gradually making your existing workouts harder) is what triggers fitness gains, Juster says.

“To balance consistency and novelty, I recommend repeating the same set of workouts for four to six weeks at a time,” she says. “Then, when training starts to get stale or progress slows, you can switch things up with small progressions.” Examples of such small progressions include: changing your reps and sets, increasing workout intensity, or adding exercise variations. For example, if you’ve done standard squats for a month or longer, you could switch to performing a split squat or overhead squat .

If your training goals are less specific, do switch up your workouts as much as you want — even on a daily basis.

Staying Motivated and Enjoying Your Workouts

When working out at home, there’s no such thing as gym closures, class cancellations, or inclement weather (if you’re working out inside) to throw off your workout schedule. But there’s also less accountability to show up because only you’ll know if you skip it.

And yes, it’s important to leave some room for flexibility in your workouts for unforeseen conflicts or obstacles. However, the reality is that some days, you may need to expend a bit more mental fortitude to stick with your movement goals and stick to your movement plan than others. So how do you stay dedicated to your at-home training plan without that exercise buddy or gym instructor to hold you accountable?

Here are a few tips:

At-Home Workout Equipment 101

“Although you can spend a lot of money building a fancy home gym, you can also get a high return on a small investment if you have limited funds or space,” Rhodes says, noting that the only equipment you really need is yourself.

Investing in equipment, however, can help to fill two gaps that easily pop up in at-home workout routines (types of movement that tougher to do without equipment):

In the end, when it comes to any piece of at-home fitness equipment, Rhodes recommends asking yourself the following questions:

“If you can answer yes to all of these, then you should buy the piece of equipment,” he says.

If you answered no, but still want to do a workout that requires it, try these smart at-home workout equipment swaps:

Learn More About How to Choose the Best At-Home Fitness Equipment

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5 At-Home Workouts for Strength, Muscle Growth, Power, and More

Stuck at home or don't have access to a gym no sweat. actually, yes sweat, because these workouts will help you hit your goals..

Regardless of your goals or experience level, you don’t need fancy gym equipment to get in a solid workout. Sure, it can be nice to have fun toys to play with . But all you need to gain strength, build muscle, get your heart rate up , or dip your toes into exercise is your own body.

Working out at home can be a formidable weapon, mainly if you utilize strategies like tempo training to increase your time under tension . Getting stronger in your own living space will involve disciplining your mind as much as your body, so consider meditating or doing some deep breathing before your home training session. These five home workouts can help you crush your fitness goals, whether you want to get stronger , build muscle, develop power, improve your cardio, or find a home workout for beginners.

Best Home Workouts

Best Home Workout for Strength

If you want to get stronger , it’s normal for your instinct to reach the heaviest weights possible. Heavy lifting, if your goal is to be strong, is going to be part of your training routine . That said, it’s completely possible to develop strength outside of a barbel-laden gym. This home workout for strength will help you reduce weak spots in your movement and make you a lot stronger at the same time.

The Workout

Depending on your training experience, you can perform this workout up to three or even four times a week. Just make sure you’re sleeping enough and make recovery a priority . Rest for two minutes between sets to maximize each effort. In this case, it’s better to rest a little longer so you can eke out more efficient reps than to rest shorter and ultimately complete fewer reps.

*Literally load up a sturdy suitcase as heavy as you’d like, and perform these lifts with a firm grasp on the side handle

If you’re unsure on how to utilize tempo training, check out this handy guide .

Best Home Workout for Muscle Growth

When you think about what it takes to build muscle , your mind probably flows to images of people curling dumbbells and pressing kettlebells overhead. But free weights aren’t a requirement for packing on mass. When it comes to packing mass onto your frame, progressive overload is the most important factor. Weights are beneficial because it’s easier to simply pick up a heavier dumbbell than you used the week before. However, you can add additional stress to your muscles by adjusting your lifting tempo, shortening your rest time between sets , and increasing the number of reps you do each week.

Perform this workout two or three times a week. You might be able to increase that number to four if you are accustomed to a higher training frequency. Rest for at least 90 seconds between sets. Use that time to take long, slow breaths. This will help you remember the importance of breathing during tempo training.

Best Home Workout for Power

Barbell lifts and other weighted exercises are tremendously effective for developing power . But you can indeed develop pow e r with just your body weight . As with all plyometric exercises , the goal is to land as softly as you can, with bent elbows and knees, to take it as easy as possible on your joints.

Even if you’re landing softly, power workouts don’t tend to be the quietest. If you live above neighbors, you can modify these exercises to not make such a bang on their ceiling. With the jump squat, for example, sink into the deepest part of the squat as slowly as possible. Then, explode up with a lot of force, but only allow your heels to actually leave the ground. Keep your knees on the ground with plyo push-ups so you can land softer with your hands. Of course, you can also take this workout outside (weather permitting).

You’ll still build power, just with less of a bang. You might want to double the rep schemes to compensate for the more constrained movements. Regardless of any modifications, rest as needed between sets.

Best Home Workout for Beginners

You don’t need lifting experience to become a successful athlete. You just need the willingness to take things slow, pay strict attention to your form, and listen to your body. If you can’t do a full push-up, there’s absolutely no shame in that — take your time and build up to it . Everyone’s body is different, and your job while working out at home is to learn more about your own body’s needs.

The keys to any workout are proper form and listening to your body. Those are really the only two things you need to get started with this beginner home workout. If once a week is what feels best for you, then perform this once a week. If you’d like to commit to two or even three times per week, then go for it.

The trick is to commit to something you can stick to so that you can spend more time being proud of yourself for accomplishing what you set out to instead of beating yourself up for getting temporarily off course. Rest as needed between sets, but try to time yourself if that feels okay just to keep track of how you’re doing.

* Perform these with your hands braced against a wall or on the ground from your knees.

**Find a low, stable chair or stool and position yourself to sit back on it. Just when your butt is low enough to barely graze the chair, push yourself back to standing.

Best Home Workout for Cardio

No traditional cardio equipment at home ? No problem. Home workouts can be excellent ways of getting in your cardio training without even having to dig out your running shoes . You won’t need any equipment, but this is still a high-intensity workout . So make sure you’re listening to your body and drinking plenty of water .

You can perform this workout between two and four times a week, depending on your experience level and the quality of your recovery . Rest as needed between sets, but try to keep track of your rest time. Your goal, over the weeks, will be to gradually and naturally reduce the amount of time you feel you need to continue with quality reps. That will help you measure how much your endurance is improving.

Benefits of Home Workouts

You might typically think of home workouts as paltry replacements for getting to the gym. But working out at home is a pretty powerful training tool in its own right. It’ll force you out of your lifting comfort zone and bring benefits to your gains that will serve you well when you do decide to pick up a barbell again .

Convenience

First and foremost, working out at home is convenient. You don’t need to commute to the gym or remember to pack your gear in your work bag. No more strategizing for how you can get the least sweaty so you can avoid gym showers on your way to the office . With your own shower a few feet away, you can work as hard as you’d like at home — and still be in time for your next meeting.

Fortify Mental Discipline

Although it might seem oxymoronic, it takes many lifters more mental discipline to train at home than it does to train in a gym. There’s a ritual of going to the gym, and many athletes find it comforting. But when you’re at home, it’s easier to be overcome by momentum and a lack of separation between relaxation and training time.

Because of this, it’s often easier for athletes to skimp on training when at home. But if you can create a routine and a dedicated space — it doesn’t have to be big — for working out at home, you’ll train your mind to believe that you can perform well any time, anywhere. That training mentality will serve you very well on the platform when it’s time to put on your lifting face.

Improve Coordination and Kinesthetic Awareness

When you’re training with only what you have around the home you’re bound to become more aware of your body. The chair you’re using for dips is stable, yes, but it’s also slightly tilted to one side. The suitcase you’re using for deadlifts is so bulky that you need to engage all your stabilizers to keep it from scraping your leg.

By training with uneven implements, you’ll be taking a leaf out of the Strongman book and truly engaging your whole body — and mind — in each exercise. You’ll have to figure out the best approaches for each lift, and it’s bound to improve your kinesthetic awareness and overall coordination. That will help when you’re back on the platform because the more coordinated and aware of your body you are, the cleaner your lifts will be. And cleaner lifts mean moving more weight.

How to Warm Up for Home Workouts

You’ll mostly be relying on your body weight for resistance during home workouts. It’s therefore pretty easy to dismiss the need for a thorough warm-up . “It’s not like I’m tossing three plates on the bar ,” you may tell yourself. But just because you’re working out with your body weight doesn’t mean you’re not doing rigorous work — and you need to warm up accordingly.

You’ll help make your body more resilient against injury by warming up, and you’ll give yourself a more effective workout. For example, when you’re looking to go all-out with push-ups , activating your shoulders , waking up your lats , and pre-engaging your chest will all lubricate the movement to make you more efficient. And when you’re more efficient, you’re stronger and an overall better athlete.

Home Workout Warm-Up

Wrapping Up

Whether you’re working out while traveling for the holidays or just trying to keep your program as simple and commute-free as possible, there are home workouts for you. Assess your goals and starting point, then get after it — because even if you’re used to hauling heavy weights, you have nothing to lose and everything to gain from training at home.

Featured Image: Maridav/Shutterstock

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51 Home Workouts to Sweat, Stream & Save for Later + How to Stay Fit at Home

From Pilates to HIIT, there's something for everyone.

However, even if an extended period away from your usual gym workout didn't convert you to a home workout, let us convince you that your TV, laptop or phone can become your go-to home workout resource. With home workouts ranging from HIIT to low impact, yoga , strength training , Barre , boxing, boot camps and Pilates home workouts , there's something for everyone. Promise.

If you're still sceptical about whether home workouts and the best home exercises are actually effective, perhaps it's time to take a little look at your exercise motivations .

Any workout, when done with purpose and intensity can be beneficial, even when you're working without any home gym equipment . The key is to give it your all and really commit to the session.

Remember, the best workout is the one you do. If you're struggling, take your expectations down a notch and try to do a shorter workout at maximum effort. From online studios (keep scrolling for 20 of the best) to training plans to YouTube workout videos, this is where to access the best home workouts, all you need to do is scroll on.

If you're looking for cardio home workouts , bodyweight workouts , kettlebell workouts , or HIIT workouts at home , we've got you covered. Or, if you're just getting going, learning the best exercises for beginners might be the place to start, instead.

23 best YouTube home workouts to try

On the days when impulse strikes and you need to stream a workout before your motivation dissipates, there's YouTube .

Best 25 minute home workout

Trainer: FIIT trainers Gede and Adrienne

Best for: Short on space, but big on full-body sweat sessions? This workout is for you.

Duration: 25 minutes

Equipment: Yoga/exercise mat

Best speedy ab circuit home workout

Trainer : Brittne Babe

Best for: Work your core double-quick with this mega-speedy challenge from Brittne. Tag it on to the end of a workout or repeat for extra burn. Player's choice!

Duration: 3 minutes

Equipment : A chair

Best low-impact cardio class

Trainer : Talilla Henchoz

Best for: A speedy sweat that doesn't include any jumping to keep your joints (and neighbours) happy.

Duration: 15 minutes

Equipment : Exercise mat

Best quick at-home workout

Trainer: Kayla Itsines

Best for: If you're short on time, this fast and intense leg day session will target your lower body while also giving you an energy boost.

Duration: 7 minutes

Equipment: Yoga mat

Best beginner home workout

Trainer: Team Body Project

Best for: A full-body workout that strengthens muscles and improves form for *actual* beginner. No crazy combos or unachievable moves here.

Duration: 30 minutes

Equipment: Yoga mat, 2 light hand weights optional

Best upper body strength home workout

Trainer: Sophie Butler

Best for: Sophie Butler will show you how to hit all the muscles in your upper body in a focused dumbbell session, she'll also show wheelchair users how to adapt their training.

Duration: 45 minutes

Equipment: Pair of dumbbells

Best bum workout at home

Trainer: The BKBooty Fitness

Best for: A simple, no-equipment routine that works your lower body to build bigger, stronger glutes.

Duration: 10 minutes

Equipment: None

Best cardio and core home workout

Trainer: Gauri Chopra

Best for: Beginner HIIT calss

Duration: 20 minutes

Best boxing home workout

Trainer: Natalie Jill Fitness

Best for: OK, so it's not traditional boxing exactly, but give this a go if you want to build up your arm strength in order to throw some serious punches. And it'll be done in no time.

Duration: 6 minutes

Best functional fitness home workout

Trainer: Michelle Griffith-Robinson and Matthew Robinson

Best for: Learning the basics of functional training, helping you perfect your form and get functionally fit.

Equipment: Sturdy chair

Best yoga home workout for neck and shoulder pain

Trainer: Ania Tippkemper

Duration: 40 minutes

Best for: People with niggly shoulders and backs from hunching over desks and working from home

Best full-body Barre class

Trainer: Britany Williams

Best for: If you want a low-impact, full-body sculpting class

Equipment: Yoga mat, light dumbbells

Best standing core and cardio workout

Trainer: Koboko Fitness a.k.a. Kola Olaosebikan

Best for: This standing workout is perfect for anyone who likes to workout without coming down to the mat. We see you, overachievers! Burn fat with high-intensity work intervals and shorter breaks to recover. As Kola says, make sure to warm up first!

Duration: 11 minutes

Equipment: No equipment

Best home workout to build muscle

Trainer: BodyFit by Amy

Best for: While many home workouts focus on cardio this one proves you don't need to head to the weights section to build muscle .

Equipment: Dumbbells, yoga mat

Best home workout for abs

Trainer: Livestrong Woman

Best for: This super-speedy core workout will give you a tummy of steel in no time. Crunchy stuff.

Best at home back workout

Best for: This standing workout back workout targets all the muscles you can't see but form a key part of strengthening your core and upper body. The moves come in quick succession so make sure to watch Kola. As always, go at your own pace to make sure you're performing the moves with the correct form.

Best 30-minute workout at home

Trainer: HASfit

Best for: Tick those cardio boxes with a routine that requires absolutely no equipment. Oh, and it actually works your whole body rather than just your legs and glutes. Sorted.

Equipment: None, add dumbbells for extra resistance

Best 10-minute workout at home

Trainer: Joe Wicks

Best for: The Body Coach's short - but effective - workout can be done while the BBQ is grilling. Ready? Set? Tuck jump.

Best cardio sculpt home workout

Trainer: Tiffany Rothe

Best for: This is a challenging workout that Tiffany does live with you – demonstrating the cardio moves that'll help you burn fat and torch cals. Try to keep up as best you can but if you're struggling, take a beat out before tagging back in. Also – water is a must! Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate, people!

Duration: 49 minutes

Best HIIT home workout

Trainer: Heather Robertson

Best for: Try this routine for a high-intensity session that'll build up an appetite for the ice cream van. That's what summer is for, right?

Best CrossFit home workout

Trainer: Carly Rowena

Best for: If you fancy giving CrossFit a go (and read Laura 'Biceps' Hoggin's story to convince you that you should), this is an excellent introduction to the fundamentals of the popular form of strength training.

Equipment: Box, plate, kettlebell and barbell

Best full body workout at home

Trainer: Shona Vertue

Best for: If you're looking for a half-an-hour challenge, the Aussie yogi-PT will help you target those glutes , arms and abs. She also talks you through a drill that will help you master a handstand once and for all. Om yes.

Duration: 35 minutes

Best dumbbell workout at home

Best for: The Body Coach promises you can burn fat and build muscle in this half-an-hour sweat session.

20 best home workouts from studios & gyms to stream, save and sweat to

We've rounded up all the studios you love, keeping the good endorphins going from wherever you're located.

Low impact immersive studio Fly Ldn offers a range of classes from Yoga to Barre and Pilates as well as sweatier sessions, too. And now there's now an entire online portal to get your Fly fix from. Our suggestion? Anything Chiara Becuti (Head of Pilates and Barre) is teaching. Her warm, no-nonsense attitude means you won't skip a single rep. Trust us – WH digital fitness writer Morgan Fargo swears by Becuti's 'quickie' sessions (12 – 18 minute classes focusing on glutes, core and thighs).

GO TO @FLY_LDN

2. Barry's Bootcamp

Not one to let a little distance make the difference, Barry's are still challenging people at home with daily classes as part of their ' Survival Membership '. Designed to keep their regulars going at home, the membership is £35 + VAT and you'll receive access to two pre-recorded 30-minute workouts per day, cycling through muscle groups the same as you would in the Red Room. If you're more of a runner, there are 35-minute interval-based runs that can be done on the tread, or outside. Whatever you have access to. Or, if none of that sounds good to you, get around their ' At Home ' offering featuring all your favourite BB classics, from weight training to band work.

GO TO @BARRYSUK

3. Body by Ciara

One of the true heroes of 2020/2021 lockdowns, 'Ciara London' as she's affectionately known has been keeping swathes of exercisers fit from home. Her accessible workouts feature banging music and a proper 'we can do it' energy. Whether you're just looking for killer live workouts or want a nutrition plan too, Ciara's got it. Plus, you'll gain access to her online squad which is basically what motivational dreams are made of, no?

GO TO @BODYBYCIARA

London based studios, 1Rebel , are known for their challenging strength and conditioning classes and self-isolation doesn't have to change that. The boutique brand has over 300 streamable workouts through an on-demand content hub of over 300 classes, updated weekly. Live or whenever you want, 1Rebel have you sorted – we suggest you take advantage of the 5-day free trial. Try before you buy and all that good stuff.

GO TO 1REBELUK

5. Core Collective

Another London favourite, Core Collective has filmed a series of workouts for their on-demand streamable service: CCTV. A paid platform, you can choose to pay £12.99 per month (or the equivalent of £9.99 if you pay a year upfront) to access the strength, conditioning, low-impact, yoga and barre classes they're so loved for. Stock up on home gym equipment and hop to the Circuit/Strength classes for some serious gains.

GO TO CORE COLLECTIVE

6. Psycle London

Spin and strength studio Psycle dropped their Psycle At Home section last year – unlimited home workouts including Barre, Ride, Strength and Yoga. With a 14 day free trial we suggest you move sharpish on such a mega deal. Classes range from 20 to 60 minutes and are led by their superstar instructors. If you like something a little more real-time, the studio is still streaming live classes, too – peep their full live timetable to find a class that suits you.

GO TO PSYCLE LONDON

7. Blok London

Blok (one of London's leading callisthenics , cardio and low-impact studios) has an online platform – BlokTV – to make training from home even easier. For £20 a month tune in for unlimited training – this goes down to £10 per month when you pay 12 months upfront. Whether you're after something high intensity, restorative, or low impact (amongst many, many others) there's something for all, including a 14-day free trial. Love that.

GO TO BLOK LONDON

8. Move Your Frame

The upbeat studio famed for making aerobics and 80's dance classes col again, Frame is offering a packed live stream schedule as well as on-demand classes, the latter coming in at only £10.99 a month: Mellow out in Yin , build core strength in Pilates or groove away in one of their dance classes. For the full whack – access to all on-demand and live-streamed workouts – pay a one-time fee of £45.

GO TO MOVE YOUR FRAME

9. The Foundry

Functional London gym, The Foundry, is making it work #homestyle, with online platform 'Where the Strong Belong'. Packed with both live and on-demand sessions, expect the trainers and workouts you love from the comfort of your own home, as well as a 7-day free trial. From their signature Combine class to other strength and cardio offerings, you can access the full whack for £19.99 per month following a free seven-day trial. Wanna get strong? This is where you belong. Geddit? (No, but seriously, it is.)

GO TO @FOUNDRYFIT

Beloved spin and exercise studio, Digme, fortunately, offer Digme at Home – live and on-demand workouts spanning from cycle classes to HIIT, strength, run, yoga and breathwork classes. With the option to rent or buy one of their spin bikes for home (from £69 per month if you rent, or £1,999 to buy – which includes an unlimited Digme at Home membership and free delivery in the UK) your normal workout routine doesn't need to change just because you can't make it into the studio.

GO TO @DIGMEATHOME

11. Peloton

You might know them for their signature at-home spin bikes or their ' Tread ' but Peloton is also an on-demand fitness service that streams both live and pre-recorded classes that don't require either! From yoga to strength training, running, cardio, meditation, Barre and stretching, you can get your whole routine sorted – all in one app. Our fav instructors? Alex Toussaint for his super high vibes, Robin Arzon (because if anyone's going to make you work it's her), and mega strong Jess Sims. TBH, they're all fab. With a 30-day free trial, all you need to do is jump in.

GO TO PELOTON

12. NRG Barre Body at Home

For just £4.50 a month, train with Nathalie Errandonea-Mewes, founder and owner of NRG barrebody. The classes are Barre based and trust us when we say they're good. From Nathalie's Signature-classes to shorter, targeted workouts, there's something for everyone at a majorly purse-friendly price. We love.

GO TO @NRGBARREBODYATHOME

13. ClassPass

Before COVID-19, ClassPass was the go-to app for those of us who like to switch up our workouts and where we do them. Now, through its live-streamed and on-demand platform, you can choose between audio or video workouts. The guided runs are a personal WH fav.

GO TO CLASS PASS

14. Barrecore

You can now get the infamous 'Barrecore Shake' – the point of a carefully choreographed Barrecore workout that brings your muscles to fatigue whilst building strength – all from home. Whether you want to dip into live-streamed classes or on-demand sessions, there's something to suit every schedule. Also offering private live streamed sessions (and private live-streamed group sessions), get your Barrecore fix however you want it.

GO TO BARRECORE

15. Flex Chelsea

Taking that small class vibe to the virtual world, Chelsea's FLEX studio is streaming yoga and strength sessions live. You can choose to keep your camera on for alignment cues and motivation or off if you prefer privacy. For £20 you'll have access to all of Flex's workouts for 14 days, after that you'll need to rebuy the next fortnight. All you need to do is book through their website or app 10 minutes before the class starts. Very doable, right?

GO TO FLEX CHELSEA

16. BXR London

If boxing was the thing keeping you sane pre-lockdown, get your one-two endorphin hit at home with London studio BXR – famous for their HIIT style boxing workouts. Jab and cross in real-time on their sweaty Zoom classes. We're feeling puffed just thinking about it.

17. Triyoga

There's nothing quite like doing yoga out at a Triyoga studio – calm, warm and peaceful their spaces are something to behold. Fortunately, you can now bring the Om into your own home with a daily timetable of various yoga classes, mat Pilates, Barre and meditation – all available via Zoom. Plus, you can now book online therapies too.

GO TO TRIYOGA

18. Bodyism

A studio that focuses on mindset, nutrition, movement and sleep, Bodyism Online is filled with on-demand classes that cover yoga and low impact workouts whilst also helping to create a healthy, balanced ecosystem for the rest of your life, too. Featuring access to 19 live classes per week as well as 180 on-demand sessions, an annual virtual membership will cost you £130 per month. To get involved all you need to do is email [email protected]

GO TO BODYISM

19. Les Mills

Les Mills is one of those names in the fitness industry that's just known. Their 'Bodypump' 'Bodyattack' and 'Bodycombat' classes are taught in gyms and leisure centres across the country – well, they were before social distancing and self-isolation came into full effect. Try one of their challenging cardio, strength or martial arts classes via their on-demand service. Expect to sweat. Buckets.

GO TO LES MILLS

If you like to work up a sweat with more rhythmic exercise than 10 burpees strung together – DAN'S, a Latin American dance studio, has on-demand and live-streamed dance classes to get your heart rate up and endorphins flowing. Try either for free for seven days before committing and get the good vibes going.

Best virtual training plans for women

If you feel like your workout schedule has been thrown up in the air and you're still scrambling to pick up the pieces – we really feel you. Even with gyms open, it's not the easiest thing to summon an entire plan out of nowhere.

So, for those of you after something more plan-like than one-off workouts, check out these home workout plans – guided, week-by-week structures to work through from the (dis)comfort of your own home.

Brassiere, Undergarment, Shoulder, Undergarment, Arm, Abdomen, Sports bra, Joint, Waist, Muscle,

Kayla Itsines' BBG

A genuine cult favourite, BBG is the go-to 12-week plan for those looking to get fit at home without any equipment. You'll do three 28-minute workouts per week as well as three low-intensity cardio sessions, all guided by the celebrity PT Kayla Itsines. You have the option of either downloading the OG PDFs or using Kayla's SWEAT app – designed to help guide you through the entire 12-week programme.

Easy to follow and with a whole community waiting for you on Instagram – just look at the #BBG – you'll be getting fit with a whole host of women in the same boat.

GO TO BBG / SWEAT

Fit Body by Anna Victoria

Anna Victoria , a.k.a the California-based fitness star, has devised an app featuring three different programmes (Shred, Tone and Sculpt) that users can cycle between.

Each program incorporates high intensity and strength training moves of varying degrees meaning you'll build muscle and burn fat – all from home. We love to see it.

GO TO FIT BODY

Tone and Sculpt by Krissy Cela

Krissy Cela gained genuine worldwide fame with her weight training YouTube gym videos. Now, with her programme 'Tone and Sculpt' keen exercisers can build their own personalised schedule of workouts – from three to five sessions per week. The beauty of this? They can all be done from home no matter your skill or ability level. That, to us, is a slam dunk.

GO TO TONE AND SCULPT

Make sure to check out the best home workout apps and fitness apps , too.

What equipment do I need for home workouts?

Well, it depends. For a dumbbell focused workout, you'll need one or two of the heavy things. For a bodyweight workout just turn up ready to get it done – preferably with a water bottle to hand. Most workouts will signpost what you need before the first exercise starts so listen out for any cues. Alternatively, save some space and plump for kit that can work. for many things, like:

What's the main difference between gym and home workouts?

Besides being in a gym, there doesn't have to be a ginormous discrepancy between what you're able to achieve at home vs. in the gym. Yes, your local Fitness First will have some equipment you don't (looking at the multiple gym benches , squat racks and treadmills ) but there's loads of home gym equipment you can kit your living room floor/patio out with.

From dumbbells , kettlebells , resistance bands , yoga mats , yoga blocks, wrist and ankle weights , there are loads of resistance training exercises you can do with home-friendly gym kit.

Remember, lots of your furniture can double for gym fodder. Use a step for step-ups , the edge of your sofa for incline push-ups and two tins of food or filled water bottles for substitutes for weights. The key is to do what you can with what you have!

When it comes to effort, though, there doesn't need to be a difference between your output in the gym and what you do at home. It can feel more difficult to motivate yourself without the environment of the gym but discipline (aka still putting your all into your home workouts) will help to train your brain to recognise your home workouts as just as important. Keep reading for how to make your home sessions just as effective as your gym workouts .

Top tips to make home workouts effective

We understand that a home workout can seem like it would be less intense or less effective than its gym-based counterpart but that just isn't true. Who's to say you can't work just as hard from your living room floor? No one, that's who!

But, to make sure you get in an awesome session, take note of these best practice tips :

Can I get results at home?

100%. You absolutely can. In fact, with your workout on your doorstep (like, literally) it's easier than ever to make sure you don't fob it off because you CBA to travel to the gym or get dressed in a going-out-in-public appropriate outfit. Want to work out in your favourite pyjama bottoms and a sports bra ? You can do that at home – it's allowed!

The fewer barriers to your workout, the more likely you are to a) get it done and b) stick with it – both key factors of seeing and feeling the results of your efforts. Remember, though, an awareness of your nutrition, sleep and stress management will also play into any results you may be chasing.

Advice, staff picks, mythbusting, and more. Let us help you.

A person does yoga while looked at a laptop screen on the ground in front of them

22 Free Workouts You Can Do at Home Right Now

Updated April 14, 2020

We’ve added a list of exercise videos for kids .

This post was originally published on March 24, 2020.

With gyms and fitness studios closing their doors in an effort to curb the spread of the coronavirus, many personal trainers, fitness instructors, and studios have shifted their offerings to virtual sessions—and some established online fitness programs have extended their trial periods or made select content available free of charge.

Heading outside for a walk, a run, or a bike ride is still permissible in most areas—and, in general, encouraged, with proper adherence to social-distancing protocol . (The physical and psychological benefits of sunshine, fresh air, and freedom can’t be oversold right now.) But if you find yourself eager to move while you’re displaced from your gym or otherwise stuck inside, free online workouts can be excellent stopgaps—whether you want to break a cardio sweat, strength-train, keep up a yoga practice, or just unspool yourself after working from home all day . Whatever you choose, be sure to pay attention to your form , listen to your body, and be kind to yourself. Even five or 10 minutes of exercise a day counts. Give yourself kudos for making it happen.

General fitness

Aaptiv (free Apple Podcast access; free seven-day trial period for $99 annual subscription; monthly subscription with no free trial, $15) The subscription-based audio-workout app Aaptiv has released a selection of its workouts and meditation sessions for free on Apple Podcasts . Expect circuit training, a few yoga flows, and sleep-focused meditation. Aaptiv is also offering 50 percent off its $99 annual subscription , though there is no free trial with that deal.

The Body Coach TV (free) The more than 250 workouts on The Body Coach TV, formulated by host Joe Wicks, are engaging and upbeat. (He’s relaxed enough to let his toddler daughter ham it up during one live session.) You can find a variety of 15- to 20-minute workouts, as well as a “7 Days of Sweat” challenge. Wicks also has a bunch of short, charming videos for kids that’ll get them moving.

Fitness Blender (free) Several Wirecutter staffers turn to Fitness Blender for its solid, no-frills, gimmick-free workouts. The channel has roughly 600 to choose from, including a lower-body set done with resistance bands and a no-equipment-required, high-intensity interval training (HIIT) cardio workout.

HASfit (free) This down-to-earth app (and YouTube channel) features a variety of scalable workouts that include HIIT, low-impact, and strength-training options. Wirecutter research editor Christina Colizza “appreciates that it’s real, and low-key.”

Heather Robertson (free) Christina also likes Heather Robertson’s large selection of low-impact, jump-free workouts, plus the sizable library of other options, including a 12-week plan. If you’re confident in your knowledge of exercises and don’t need a lot of instruction, this option could be for you. There are no warm-ups, cooldowns, or voiceover explanations here—just music, a label calling out each new exercise in a given sequence, and a countdown clock for each move, which matters when you’re doing timed workouts.

Nike Training Club (free) The Nike Training Club app is free—its premium option included—and the content is plentiful and varied. Erin Price, Wirecutter’s community lead, recently went back to this app after using it while she was living in a rural area with no gym.

Obé (free 30-day trial period; $27-a-month subscription fee) The colorful, high-energy Obé app has extended its seven-day free trial to 30 days (use the code ATHOME at checkout; the subscription price is $27 a month). Its cardio, strength, and yoga and meditation classes—both live and on-demand—include Obé’s signature 28-minute workouts and 10-minute express sessions. It also recently added workouts for kids (backed by Kidz Bop songs) to its library; the four 10-minute sessions are for little ones ages 3 to 10 and have a mix of fun dance moves (party jumps, anyone?) and exercises like squats and planks.

Peloton (free 90-day trial period; $13-a-month subscription fee) Normally free for 30 days, the Peloton app is now available to new users for 90 days free of charge. (The regular subscription price is $13 a month.) The app includes Peloton’s wildly popular indoor-cycling classes, for which you’ll need your own bike (we have a review of the Peloton ). But its large library of on-demand and live off-the-bike classes—including yoga, strength training, cardio high-intensity interval training, bootcamp, meditation, and stretching—are well done and wide-ranging.

Popsugar Fitness (free) From workouts for beginners to full-body bootcamps to equipment-free cardio sessions, Popsugar Fitness has a wide variety of programming and, often, a group-fitness feel—which class devotees may find comforting.

Specialty workouts

Johnson & Johnson Official 7-Minute Workout (free) The seven-minute high-intensity circuit training workout gained traction a few years ago for its efficiency and science-backed efficacy . It’s not quite as straightforward as it sounds—it takes several rounds of the seven minutes to reap the full benefits, and certain populations (those with high blood pressure, for instance) should consider an alternative. But the short, intense efforts followed by rest intervals, if done right, can get you moving and in the habit of regular exercise. This version has voice and video cues and a clear countdown clock.

Kit Rich (free) Staff writer Lauren Dragan likes the Pilates-inspired workouts by celebrity trainer Kit Rich and is a fan of her overall approach, which is “very body loving and encouraging without over-perkiness,” Lauren says. Rich (whose brand is called Kichgo ) recently began posting live daily workouts to her YouTube channel .

The New York Times’s 6-Minute Workouts (free, with a New York Times subscription ) The Well section of The New York Times highlights these three six-minute workouts for when time is short. (The Times is Wirecutter’s parent company.) Each workout includes an exercise for cardio, lower body, upper body, and core. You do each move for 30 seconds followed by 15 seconds of rest, and then you repeat the sequence. The goal is to do as many quality repetitions in the time frame as possible. Two rejuvenating yoga poses close out each session.

Reddit’s Bodyweight Fitness Community (free) Wirecutter editor Tim Barribeau plans to start following this Reddit community’s recommended routine for bodyweight-workout enthusiasts. It does require a few props, including a pullup bar and a sturdy spot to do rows (such as a hefty table or a low pullup bar). Its six basic exercises are done in pairs and include sets of three core exercises.

Strong by Zumba (free with Amazon Prime membership) If you’re an Amazon Prime subscriber, you can stream this 20-minute high-intensity Strong by Zumba workout. Sharp and specific, it features a flow that syncs each exercise to the beat of the music. And if you’re craving a dance-cardio crowd, Zumba Fitness Concert Live (also on Amazon Prime Video) is about as high-energy as it gets.

Athletes for Yoga (free two-week trial period; $10-a-month subscription fee) Formerly known as Jasyoga, Athletes for Yoga has a main subscription-based option ($10 a month, with a two-week free trial) but also has a small collection of sessions on YouTube that caters to runners and endurance athletes (such as for post-run hip reset and dynamic hamstring flexibility) and includes meditation. Founder Erin Taylor does quick resets periodically on Instagram Live , too.

CorePower Yoga on Demand (free) Like many boutique studios and gyms, CorePower Yoga has temporarily closed its more than 200 studios nationwide because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, but it has also opened its complete on-demand library to all, for free. Choose from everything from forearm flow to chest-opening sequences, or dip into a short meditation.

Glo (free two-week trial period; $18-a-month subscription fee) Wirecutter deputy editor Christine Cyr Clisset uses Glo to work in a yoga or Pilates session when she’s working from home and parenting solo . Glo, which also has meditation classes and multichapter courses (maybe it’s time to learn that handstand?), offers a two-week free trial. After that, it costs $18 a month.

Yoga With Adriene (free) This popular YouTube channel, led by yoga instructor Adriene Mishler, is also a Wirecutter self-care favorite . Relaxed and approachable, the channel is packed with numerous videos covering a wide range of yoga needs and wants. Videos are often labeled with their intention (“Ignite,” “Welcome,” “Awaken,” and so on); Mishler’s dog is often found snoozing by her mat.

We compiled a full list of exercise videos for kids that includes expert tips on how to keep your family active while spending time at home.

Alo Yoga Kids Yoga & Meditation from Alo Gives (free) Alo Gives (the philanthropic arm of yoga-wear brand Alo) has published roughly 60 videos, each about five minutes long, that walk kids through, say, how to be flexible inside and out or puppy meditation (a kid-geared technique, no puppy required). For something longer, this 15-minute session with instructor Alissa Kepas might do the trick—unicorn pose included.

Cosmic Kids Yoga (free) This YouTube channel tends to a pint-size yoga practice with engaging themed adventures inspired by characters and stories (Betsy the Banana! The Three Little Pigs!). There’s also guided meditation. The Frozen -themed story session held the attention of Wirecutter editor Winnie Yang’s 4-year-old.

Go Noodle (free) Go Noodle is all about getting kids to move and learn. The videos offer kooky ( the Koo Koo Kangaroo! duo throwing a cat party ), cool (the Blazer Fresh trio mixing dance moves and punctuation ), calming (an instructor focuses on focus ), and more. Expect things to get silly, and be warned: This program includes “Baby Shark”–style jingles you may be singing in the shower for months to come.

Pancake Manor (free) This YouTube channel of music for kids has a collection of short action songs for the preschool set that will get antsy bodies up and moving. Doesn’t everyone need a shake break ?

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