Karla Tafra
Staying fit is easier if you view it as a lifestyle, rather than a chore. To help get you into that frame of mind, always remember you can work out anywhere, anytime, and even if you don’t have any equipment at all.
If you’re strapped for cash, or just want to keep things simple by exercising at home, you’ll love our list of nine exercises that don’t require any (or very minimal) equipment.
Prefer going to the gym or a workout class? Awesome! Sometimes, though, your day might get too hectic. But just because you have to skip the gym doesn’t mean you have to skip your workout—any of the nine exercises below will help you out.
Yoga
Running
So, you do need a good pair of running shoes if this is your exercise of choice. Once you’ve got those, though, you can fly like the wind!
You can run anywhere, anytime. It’s also a fantastic way to explore a city if you’re traveling. You can take in the sights, notice locations you want to visit later, or just enjoy inhaling fresh ocean air.
If you run every day in your own neighborhood, switch up your route from time to time and explore your own city like a tourist. You’ll discover cool places you probably never knew were there. Go on a tour of the local parks and see which you like best!
Swimming
Yes, you need a pool, pond, ocean, or lake to swim, but then it usually doesn’t require a gym membership, leggings, or resistance bands.
Some public pools and parks might require a membership or fee, but if you plan to swim several times per week, the investment might be worth it. Search your area for the nearest YMCA, university, or swimming hole.
Take it slow at first if it’s been a while. Use it as an opportunity to relax your mind and de-stress. You can always increase the tempo or number of laps to burn more calories.
A Park Workout
To do a park workout, you just let your surroundings be your equipment! For example, you can use a bench to do box jumps or push-ups. Perform some step-ups and dips on a rock, or hit the stairs to do some sprints and burn out those legs.
If there’s a playground, use the bars to do some pull-ups. You can do stability and core exercises on any patch of grass. Try out different parks each week or month, and see which you like best or which are best for certain exercises.
Need some more inspiration? Check out the video below or just search park workouts on YouTube.
A Stair Workout
All you need for this workout is a set of stairs, and you’re in for one heck of a workout! If you’re just starting, you’ll naturally, want to take things a bit slower, but this one is so easy to take to the next level (pun intended).
As you build those leg muscles, you can start doing more fast-paced climbing, running up and down, or skipping every other step. You can even advance to side- or crisscross climbing, or even jumps—the possibilities are endless.
Your legs will be so fatigued by the end of this workout, you’ll definitely want to cancel your gym membership if you haven’t already.
A Hotel Room Workout
On a trip for work and don’t know where the nearest gym is? No problem! You don’t even have to leave your hotel room to get your workout in.
You can do plenty with just a bed, a chair, and some space on the floor. From burpees and mountain climbers, to squats and single-leg jumps, you can get pretty sweaty and sore in less than 30 minutes.
It’s crazy what you can do with just a few pieces of furniture. Let your imagination run wild!
Hiking
Hiking is one of the best workouts on the planet! Not only do you get to breathe in that fresh forest or mountain air, but your legs will get a seriously good burn. The unevenness of a trail can seriously keep you on your toes.
Biking
You don’t even have to own a bike! Many cities and towns now offer bike rentals and the number is growing every day! No matter where you are, you can check and see if there’s a place to rent a bike near you via the Uber app!
Biking is an incredible workout. Not only does it burn calories (it’s one of the best exercises for weight loss), but it also builds muscles. It’s also been shown to provide heart and lung health benefits. It can also relax your mind and help you de-stress. What’s not to love?
Walking
Although most of us walk every day, humans have been doing it less and less every century, thanks to cars, planes, trains, and buses. It’s no coincidence that tracking our steps has become an obsession.
All the latest health and fitness articles urge us to get moving more, and walking is one of the easiest ways to do so. Start by taking a long walk around your neighborhood after dinner or around your office building on lunch. Ditch the car if you need to run an errand and walk to town.
It’s also easy to take your workout to the next level by just increasing your pace. Hit the walking trails at the local park, or head to the mall on cold and blustery days. If you stick with it and keep increasing your pace and/or lengthening the distance of your walks, you’ll be surprised how quickly you notice a change.
These workouts aren’t only perfect for when you can’t get to the gym. You might find you like them so much, you want to cancel that membership altogether. And you don’t have to stop there—incorporate these common household items into your routine to up the intensity.
