Who needs a gym when there's the living room floor? Bodyweight exercises are a simple, effective way to improve balance, flexibility, and strength without gym machines or equipment.
From legs and shoulders to chest and abs, we've covered every part of your body that can get stronger with body resistance alone.
1. Inchworm
Stand up tall with legs straight, making sure your knees aren't locked. Slowly lower torso toward the floor, then walk hands forward. Once in a pushup position, start taking tiny steps so feet meet hands. Continue bugging out for 4–6 reps.
2. Tuck Jump
Stand with your knees slightly bent, then jump up as high as possible – pretend Jeremy Lin is watching! Bring knees in toward chest while extending arms straight out. Land with knees slightly bent and quickly jump (on it) again!
3. Bear Crawl
Embrace that inner grizzly. Starting on hands and knees, rise up onto your toes, tighten your core, and slowly reach forward with right arm and right knee, followed by the left side. Continue the crawl for 8–10 reps (or until you scare your roommates off).
4. Mountain Climber
Start on your hands and knees. Bring left foot forward, directly under chest, while straightening right leg. Keeping hands on the floor and core tight, jump and switch legs. Your left leg should now be extended behind you, with your right knee forward. Next up? Everest.
5. Plyometric Pushup
Ready to catch some air? Start on a well-padded surface and complete a traditional pushup. In an explosive motion, push up hard enough to come off the floor (and hang ten for a second!). Once back on solid ground, immediately head into the next repetition.
6. Stair Climb With Biceps Curl
Turn those stairs into a cardio machine - no magic wand necessary. Grab some dumbbells (or household objects) and briskly walk up and down the stairs while simultaneously doing biceps curls to work the whole body.
7. Prone Walkout
Start on all fours with your core engaged. Slowly walk hands forward, staying on toes but not moving them forward. Next, gradually walk hands backward to the starting position, maintaining stability and balance. This dance comes next.
8. Burpee
One of the most effective full-body exercises around, this one starts in a low squat position with your hands on the floor. Next, kick your feet back to a pushup position.
Complete one pushup, then immediately return your feet to the squat position. Leap up as high as possible before squatting and moving back into the pushup portion of the show.
9. Plank
Nope, we're (thankfully) not walking the plank. Lie facedown with forearms on the floor and hands clasped. Extend legs behind you and rise up on toes. Keeping back straight, tighten core and hold the position for 30 to 60 seconds (or as long as you can hang).
10. Plank to Pushup
Start in a plank position. Place one hand at a time on the floor to lift up into a pushup position, with your back straight and core engaged. Move one arm at a time back into the plank position (forearms on the floor). Repeat, alternating the arm that makes the first move.
11. Wall Sit
Who needs a chair when there's a wall? Slowly slide your back down a wall until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Make sure knees are directly above ankles and keep back straight. Go for 60 seconds per set (or however long it takes to turn those legs to jelly). Need more fire? Add some biceps curls.
12. Lunge
Stand with hands on hips and feet hip-width apart. Step your right leg forward and slowly lower your body until left (back) knee is close to or touching the floor and bent at least 90 degrees.
Return to the starting position and repeat on the other side. For a variation, try stepping backward into the lunge.
13. Clock Lunge
Time for a challenge. Complete a traditional forward lunge, then take a big step to the right and lunge again. Finish off the semicircle with a backward lunge, then return to standing. And all that's 1 rep! Aim for 10 reps, then switch legs.
14. Lunge to Row
Start by doing a normal lunge. Instead of bringing that forward leg back to the starting position, raise it off the floor while lifting your arms overhead. The leg should remain bent at about 90 degrees. Add weights to really bring the heat.
15. Pistol Squat
There may be no gun permit necessary for this one, but it's still no joke.
Stand holding your arms straight out in front of your body. Raise right leg, flexing right ankle and pushing hips back. Lower your body while keeping right leg raised. Hold (have fun with that), then return to standing.
16. Lunge Jump
Ready to impress some friends? Stand with feet together and lunge forward with right foot. Jump straight up, propelling arms forward while keeping elbows bent. While in the air, switch legs and land in a lunge with the opposite leg forward. Repeat and continue switching legs. Try to do 10!
17. Curtsy Lunge
Let's show a little respect. When lunging, step left leg back behind right leg, bending knees and lowering hips until right thigh is almost parallel to the floor. Remember to keep your torso upright and your hips square.
18. Squat
Stand with feet parallel or turned out 15 degrees – whatever is most comfortable. Slowly start to crouch by bending hips and knees until thighs are at least parallel to the floor.
Make sure your heels do not rise off the floor. Press through your heels to return to a standing position.
19. Single-leg Deadlift
Start in a standing position with feet together. Lift right leg slightly. Lower arms and torso while raising right leg behind you. Keep left knee slightly bent and reach arms as close to the floor as possible. Raise torso while lowering right leg. Switch legs.
20. Squat Reach and Jump
Ready to add some pizzazz (and cardio!) to that squat? Perform a normal squat, but immediately jump up, reaching your arms straight overhead. Aim for 15 reps, then take a quick breather before the next set.
21. Chair Pose Squat
Stand with feet hip-width apart and squat until thighs are parallel to the floor while swinging arms up. Straighten legs, then lift right knee while swinging left arm outside right knee. Return to standing and repeat on the other side.
22. Quadruped Leg Lift
Start on hands and knees, with back flat and core engaged. Raise left leg straight back, stopping when foot is at hip level and thigh is parallel to the floor. Balance for as long as possible, then raise your bottom right toe off the floor, tightening butt, back, and abs – try to be graceful here! Hold for up to 10 seconds, then switch legs.
23. Step-Up
Find a step or bench. Place right foot on the elevated surface. Step up until right leg is straight (do it for Channing!), then return to the starting position. Repeat, aiming for 10–12 reps on each side.
24. Calf Raise
From a standing position, slowly rise up on your toes, keeping knees straight and heels off the floor. Hold briefly, then come back down. Aaaand repeat. Try standing on something elevated (like a step) to achieve a wider range of motion.
25. Standard Pushup
There's a reason this one's a classic. With hands shoulder-width apart, keep feet flexed at hip distance and tighten your core. Bend elbows until chest reaches the floor, then push back up. Make sure to keep your elbows tucked close to your body. That's one!
26. Dolphin Pushup
Start out in Dolphin Pose (think Downward-Facing Dog Pose with elbows on the floor). Lean forward, lowering shoulders until head is over hands. Push up with your arms and return to the starting position. No ocean necessary.
27. Contralateral Limb Raise
Sounds fancy, huh? Here's the breakdown: Lie facedown with arms outstretched and palms facing each other. Slowly lift one arm a few inches off the floor, keeping it straight without rotating your shoulders and keeping head and torso still. Hold the position, then lower your arm back down. Repeat on the other side.
For an extra challenge, lift the opposite leg a few inches off the floor at the same time.
28. Donkey Kick
It's time to embrace that wild side. Start in a pushup position with your legs together. Tighten core and kick both legs into the air with knees bent, reaching feet back toward glutes. Try to land gently when returning to the starting position.
29. Handstand Pushup
Fair warning: This move is for the pros. Get set in a handstand position against a wall. Bend your elbows at a 90-degree angle, doing an upside-down pushup so your head moves toward the floor and your legs remain against the wall. First-timer? Grab a friend to spot you – safety first!
30. Judo Pushup
From a pushup position, raise those hips and in one swift movement – hai-yah! – use your arms to lower the front of your body until your chin comes close to the floor.
Swoop head and shoulders upward and lower hips, keeping knees off the floor. Reverse the move to come back to the raised-hip position. Try to repeat for 30 to 60 seconds.
