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TRAINING

Get Fit at Home: 12 of the Best Bodyweight Exercises

Thinking you can't hit your fitness goals without a gym membership? Think again. The truth is, a lot of us just want to be active and get healthier, and you can absolutely do that from the comfort of home. You don't need fancy equipment — all you need is some space, a handful of exercises, and a little bit of motivation. Here's how you can get fit at home.

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Full Body Exercises

These four exercises are challenging but worth the effort. They'll help you burn calories and tone every muscle on your hit list. You can do them as a collective set or mix them in with lower- and upper-body exercises for a little more variety.

The key here is high-intensity interval training (HIIT). It's all about short bursts of maximum effort, followed by brief recovery periods. And when we say high-intensity, we mean it. A gentle jog on the spot or a minute of slow-paced star jumps won't give you the metabolism-boosting effect you need to power through those calories.

You can mix and match these exercises to create your own bespoke workouts. Ready? Let's go.

1. Burpees

Sets: 3-4Reps: As many as possible within 30 seconds
  1. Bend your knees and place your hands on the floor.
  2. Jump or walk your feet back into a full plank position.
  3. Lower your chest to the floor.
  4. Press back up to a full plank position and jump your feet in.
  5. Explode up, jumping as high as you can.
  6. Land softly with bent knees and immediately start the next rep.

Make it easier:Step your feet out and in instead of jumping. For less intensity, remove the chest-to-floor drop and the final jump.

2. Bear Crawl

Sets: 3-4Reps: As many as possible within 30 seconds
  1. Start on all fours with your hands under your shoulders and knees hovering about 3 inches off the floor.
  2. Move your left hand and right foot forward together a short distance, then repeat on the opposite side.
  3. Keep your core engaged throughout to prevent your hips from twisting.
  4. Breathe steadily as you move.

Make it easier:If you start to struggle, drop to your knees for a moment to rest before continuing.

3. Mountain Climbers

Sets: 3-4Reps: As many as possible within 30 seconds
  1. Get into a full plank position with your hands under your shoulders.
  2. Keeping your weight forward, drive one knee towards your chest.
  3. Return the leg and immediately switch, bringing the other knee in.
  4. Aim for speed while maintaining good form.

Make it easier:Slow down the movement to reduce the intensity.

4. Sit Through

Sets: 3-4Reps: As many as possible within 30 seconds
  1. Start in a bear crawl position, hands under shoulders and knees hovering.
  2. Lift your left hand and simultaneously kick your right leg through the space under your body.
  3. Finish with your hip just a few inches from the floor.

Make it easier:Keep both hands on the floor for added stability and shorten your range of motion.

Lower Body Exercises

Your lower body houses some of your largest muscle groups. Working them is a fantastic way to boost your calorie burn and get your heart rate up. These moves will help firm up your thighs and glutes while pushing your cardio limits.

5. Squat Jump

Sets: 3-4Reps: As many as possible within 30 seconds
  1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart.
  2. Lower into a squat until your thighs are parallel to the floor.
  3. Drive up with as much force as you can, jumping off the floor.
  4. Land softly with bent knees to absorb the impact and go straight into the next rep.

Make it easier:Remove the jump and simply perform a standard bodyweight squat.

6. Skaters

Sets: 3-4Reps: As many as possible within 30 seconds
  1. Start with your feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent.
  2. Push off your right foot and jump to the left, landing on your left foot.
  3. As you land, bend your knee to absorb the impact and keep your right foot off the floor.
  4. Repeat, jumping to the other side.

Make it easier:Allow both feet to touch the floor between reps, but still focus on pushing off one foot at a time.

7. Burpee Thruster

Sets: 3-4Reps: As many as possible within 30 seconds
  1. Bend your knees and place your hands on the floor.
  2. Jump your feet back into a full plank position.
  3. Jump your feet back in and, as you do, push off your hands to land in a squat.
  4. In the squat, keep your chest up and your back straight.

Make it easier:Step your feet in and out instead of jumping to lower the intensity.

8. High Knees

Sets: 3-4Reps: As many as possible within 30 seconds
  1. Run on the spot, lifting your knees as high as your hips.
  2. Aim to spend as little time as possible with your feet on the ground.
  3. Use your arms to help build a strong, powerful rhythm.

Make it easier:Slow your speed and don't lift your knees as high to reduce the intensity.

Upper Body Exercises

Yes, it's totally possible to get an upper-body workout that burns calories and gets your heart rate soaring. For maximum effect, try mixing one or two of these into your full-body or lower-body workouts.

9. Plank Walks

Sets: 3-4Reps: As many as possible within 30 seconds
  1. Start in a full plank position with your feet about hip-width apart.
  2. Drop your right elbow to the floor, then your left.
  3. Keep your core tight to stop your hips from twisting.
  4. Return to the starting position, leading with your right hand, then your left.
  5. Alternate which arm you lead with on each repetition.

Make it easier:Widen your feet for more stability.

10. Inchworm with Jump

Sets: 3-4Reps: As many as possible within 30 seconds
  1. From a standing position, bend your knees and walk your hands out into a full plank.
  2. Keep your core engaged so your hips don't drop below your shoulders.
  3. Walk your hands back to your feet, keeping your legs as straight as you can.
  4. When you get back to standing, perform a single squat jump.
  5. Land softly with bent knees to absorb the impact.

Make it easier:Bend your knees more if flexibility is an issue. To reduce intensity, remove the jump.

11. T Press-Up

Sets: 3-4Reps: As many as possible within 30 seconds
  1. Start in a push-up position, hands just outside your shoulders and core braced.
  2. Lower your chest until your shoulders are in line with your elbows.
  3. Push back up, squeezing your chest as you go.
  4. At the top, rotate your entire body to the side, lifting one arm straight up to form a "T" shape.
  5. Hold the side plank for a second, then return to the starting position.

Make it easier:Either remove the rotation or the press-up to make the exercise easier.

12. Dive Bomber Press-Up

Sets: 3-4Reps: As many as possible within 30 seconds
  1. Start in a pike position with your hips elevated and hands and feet about shoulder-width apart.
  2. Lower your chest towards your hands, bending your elbows and moving your chest through your arms.
  3. Your hips will follow, finishing just above the ground.
  4. Straighten your arms and lift your chest, arching your back.
  5. To return to the start, push your hips back up into the pike position.

Make it easier:This is an advanced move. Don't worry if you can't get it right away. Try a standard push-up or a shoulder push-up instead.

Supplements to Support Weight Loss

Exercise is crucial, but your fitness journey is just as dependent on what you put into your body. Alongside a balanced diet, certain supplements can help you hit your goals faster.

Impact Diet Whey

Our Impact Diet Whey is a delicious, high-protein shake designed to help you with your fitness goals. It delivers up to 36g of protein per serving and contains ingredients like choline, which supports normal fat metabolism, and green tea extract.

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Protein Meal Replacement Blend

A convenient, high-protein shake that's just 200 calories per serving. It's packed with 17g of protein and 17g of carbs, plus a blend of 27 essential vitamins and minerals to keep you nourished and on track.

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Impact Casein Powder

Our Impact Casein Powder is a great choice. It provides 23g of slow-release protein, which is ideal for a sustained supply of protein, helping to keep you fuller for longer.

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Thermopure

To help boost your performance during workouts, consider Thermopure. This powerful thermogenic formula contains ingredients like caffeine, which increases endurance performance, and chromium, which contributes to normal macronutrient metabolism.

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L-Carnitine

L-Carnitine is an amino acid that naturally occurs in protein and helps to grow and maintain muscle. Our supplements make it an easy-to-consume addition to your routine and are also suitable for vegans and vegetarians.

Explore our full range of weight loss supplements and fat burners.

Take Home Message

No matter your level, you can absolutely challenge yourself to get fit at home, with next to no equipment.

The one rule you have to follow is simple: work as hard as you possibly can during those 30-second intervals.

We recommend picking one full-body, one lower-body, and one upper-body exercise. Go for time rather than reps — the goal is to get in as many reps as you can in the suggested timeframe while maintaining perfect technique.

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19/01/2021 By Myprotein
Our articles should be used for informational and educational purposes only and are not intended to be taken as medical advice. If you're concerned, consult a health professional before taking dietary supplements or introducing any major changes to your diet.
Andy Griffiths
Andy Griffiths Writer and expert
Andy's journey in fitness started during his studies at Leeds Becket University in 2003, working in the university campus gym, he got a taste for a life in fitness. In the past 17 years, he has developed through various roles and has built a detailed experience in developing one-to-one clients, fellow team members and group fitness programmes in mainstream and boutique facilities. Training endurance athletes, martial arts athletes and simply those wanting to build a healthier life, he has built some great experiences and is now in a fantastic position to share what he has learnt with you. Being able to engage beginners into exercise regimes he feels is essential but has the ability and experience to adapt training techniques for those more experienced so everyone learns something new. He strongly feels that if you believe you are capable, you commit to achieving your goals that you will be successful!

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