Although there are benefits to building your own gym at home it is completely possible to get a great workout in without any equipment at all. When it comes to resistance training many people forget that your body has mass, and moving your body weight around can be equally as beneficial.
There are many benefits to bodyweight workouts including the following
You can train pretty much anywhere including at home, on vacation or at the park
It’s free, no gym membership or equipment required
You can use a combination of resistance training and cardio exercises allowing for large amounts of variety in your workouts
It’s good for any fitness level from beginners to advanced
You don’t have to commit travel time to and from the gym because you can do it at home
It’s easy to make it fit into your life no matter how that looks
It’s just as efficient as a workout in the gym
Below you will find a bodyweight workout you can do from home without any equipment at all (maybe the edge of the couch or a chair for the tricep dips, but that’s all you need). Working out at home doesn’t have to be complicated and it doesn’t have to require all kinds of fancy equipment. Give this workout a try today and mix up your routine with some body weight training this week. Complete 8-12 reps of each exercise beginning with the first exercise and moving through each exercise in a circuit format. Repeat the circuit 2-4 times as your time allows. This is a full body circuit so it can be repeated every other day as your energy and time allows. If you are pregnant or immediately postpartum please note that you may want to make adjustments as needed. I have included possible adjustments in the descriptions of each exercise as well.
Squat: Begin with your feet hip or shoulder width apart (if you are into your late second or third trimester you may find you need to widen your stance into more of a sumo squat stance to accommodate for growing belly). Bending at the knees and hips reach your bum back like you are reaching for an imaginary chair positioned behind you (if it helps you visualize feel free to actually use a chair or bench, just don’t sit right down on it). Drop your bum backwards as is comfortable (90 degrees is not necessary and depending on your biomechanics it may not be realistic for you). Drive through your heels and exhale as you stand back up returning to the start position.
Split Squat: Beginning in a staggered stance position with one foot forward and one positioned behind you. Bending both the front knee and the back knee to drop into a lunge position. If you are in late second trimester or third trimester you may need to widen your stance slightly to accommodate for belly. If you are struggling with balance perform this exercise against a wall and position your hand lightly on the wall to help give you some additional support. Exhale as you straighten both knees to stand back up.
Incline Pushups: Using a chair, bench or couch as an incline surface position your hands on the surface under your shoulders or slightly wider. Bending at the elbows while keeping the elbows closer to the body (avoid flaring out) lower your chest towards your elevated surface. Maintain a plank position throughout the entire movement. Exhale as you press back up extending in the elbows.
Sumo Squat: Begin with a wide stance, toes turned out slightly (if you are late in your second trimester or third trimester this position will likely be more comfortable for you than the regular squat stance). Bend at the knees and hips driving your hips backwards and allowing your knees to follow the path in the direction your toes are turned out to. Engage your core and drive through your heels exhaling as you stand back upright.
Reverse Lunge: Begin with your feet hip to shoulder width apart. Engage your core and step backwards while bending both your front and back knees. Focus on keeping your front knee over top of the foot and your back knee dropping straight to the floor while keeping your core engaged and your torso upright. Step your back foot back forwards to come back together with your front foot and return to your starting position standing tall. Alternate legs. If you require additional balance you can swap in the Split Squat variation or use a wall for additional balance. If you are later in your pregnancy you may need to widen your lunge stance slightly to accommodate for the growing belly.
Tricep Dips: Begin seated on the edge of a bench or chair placing your hands on the bend or chair just on either side of your hips. Lift your bum off the bench or chair keeping it close to the bench/chair. Bending at the elbows drop yourself towards the floor and then exhale to push yourself back up to your start position. Depending on your tricep strength your knees may be bent or straight while doing this exercise. If you are later in your pregnancy you may need to widen your stance slightly to accommodate for the growing belly.
Glute Bridge: Begin lying on your back with your knees bent. If you pregnant get into this position by lowing yourself to your side and then roll onto your back (also use this method to get up off the floor as well). While laying on your back ensure that you are not experiencing feelings of lightheadedness or dizziness (if you experience symptoms laying on your back during pregnancy then aim to avoid laying directly on your back. Most women will be able to lay on their back throughout their pregnancy for short periods of time with no risk to baby). Engage your core and glutes and exhale as you lift your hips up squeezing your glutes at the top of the movement without arching through your back. Then lower your hips back to the floor returning to the start position.
Clam Shell: Begin lying on your side with your knees and hips bent. If you are further along in your pregnancy your hips may not be bent as much which is perfectly fine, adjust as you need to in order to accommodate for the growing belly. Engage in your core and lift your top knee up squeezing in the glute at the top. Ensure that your hips stay stacked on top of each other at the top and that your top hip isn’t rolling backwards. Then lower your knee back down together with your bottom knee. Repeat on the opposite side.
There you have it…a full body workout with no equipment required. Remember that you don’t need to have lots of equipment to make a workout effective. There are numerous benefits of bodyweight training and can start to experience them today with this workout. As always if you have questions or are looking for modifications please feel free to reach out on Instagram or contact me here. You can download today’s workout here!
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