Require Equipment

4 Ideas for Fast Workouts That Don’t Require Equipment

No equipment? No excuse. Bodyweight moves are some of the most effective exercises you can do. Here are some ideas to get you going.

#1 Planks From a standing position, crawl forward on your hands into a plank position. To add to the diffi culty, complete a push-up. Otherwise, hold the plank for a few seconds before crawling back up and into a standing position again. Make it harder by turning it into a burpee (jumping once you stand back up). Mountain climbers are a great plank cardio move: just get into a plank position and alternate legs as you bring your toe up to your hand.

#2 Squats Squats are some of the best lower body moves 25 you can do! They tone your thighs and your glutes, and when repeated, they can get your heart going too. You can do narrow squats and/or wide squats depending on the part of your leg you want to work. You can also alternate. Squat low, stand up and step to one side, and then squat again, repeating so that you are stepping in and out with both of your legs. You can also turn it into a cardio move by standing in a wide squat position and quickly shuffling your feet.

#3 Running Even if you don’t have a trail or time to find one, running in place can be very effective. Start with high knees. Stand straight and run in place, lifting your knees at least hip high. Hold your palms down and out in front of you, trying to touch them with your knees each rep. You can also switch to butt kicks, where you attempt to make your heels touch your bottom with each rep. Alternate for a fast and fun cardio routine that’s just as effective as a real run.

#4 Jumping Jacks The classic jumping jack remains a staple in many cardio routines. It works your legs, your arms, and your core all at once. Go quickly but be sure to keep your form. If you want to make it more diffi cult, get down into a plank position and do plank jacks, jumping with your legs out and then jumping again to land back in the plank position. Squat jacks are also a fun and effective move.

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