5 Equipment-Free Strength Exercises for Beginners? Why the Hell Not!
Regardless of what fitness TikTok or that friend who swears she l-o-v-e-s morning workouts says, you don't need equipment to get a v effective muscle-building workout.
Before you fact check me (though, tbh, I dare you), you should know that this is exactly why The Sweat App has a new program designed for those of us who canceled our gym memberships years ago and never looked back.
Certified personal trainer, Anisa Hughes' (how delightful is she?!) new four-week bodyweight strength program features two 20-minute workouts a week. Each one targets your entire body—because who doesn't love efficiency?
Once you crush that month of sweaty content, you can move onto other "I took a loooong break, but now I'm back here doing this"-friendly programs like strength and cardio with Mariyn Rodriguez or low-impact HIIT with Samantha Ortiz-Young. Yes, this app is designed to be addicting—but I'm not mad about it.
The 15-minute routine below is a lil appetizer of what you'll get with Hughes' program. Bon appetite!
The workout
Perform each move in the circuit in order for 30 seconds before moving to the next exercise. Once you completed all five moves, rest for one minute before starting the next lap. Do four laps before cooling down.
Squat
Step 1: Plant both feet on the floor shoulder-width apart. This is your starting position.
Step 2: Inhale. Looking straight ahead, bend at both the hips and knees, ensuring that your knees remain in line with your toes. Continue bending your knees until your upper legs are parallel with the floor. Ensure that your torso remains as upright as possible while maintaining a neutral spine.
Step 3: Exhale. Push through your heels and extend your legs to return to the starting position. That's one rep. Perform as many reps as you can in 30 seconds.
Plank
Step 1: Place your forearms firmly on the mat, ensuring that your elbows are directly below your shoulders. Extend both legs behind you and elevate your hips off the mat, resting on the balls of your feet. Brace your abdominals and ensure that your spine remains in a neutral position.
Hold this position for 30 seconds.
Alternating toe tap
Step 1: Start by lying flat on your back with your knees bent and your feet firmly on the ground. Keeping your hips and knees are together, imprint your spine into the mat and bring your legs into tabletop position. This is your starting position.
Step 2: Inhale. Engage your core. Exhale. While maintaining an imprinted spine and drawing your ribs towards your hips, lower your right leg to touch your toe on the mat, ensuring that you do not change the angle of your knee.
Step 3: Inhale. Elevate your right leg to return to the starting position. Exhale. While maintaining an imprinted spine and drawing your ribs towards your hips, lower your left leg to touch your toe on the mat, ensuring that you do not change the angle of your knee.
Step 5: Inhale. Elevate your left leg to return to the starting position. That's one rep. Perform as many reps as you can in 30 seconds.
Glute bridge
Step 1: Start by lying flat on your back on a yoga mat. Bend your knees and position your feet firmly on the mat, ensuring that they are hip-width apart and your spine is in a neutral position. Allow your arms to rest by your sides on the mat. This is your starting position.
Step 2: Inhale. Exhale, gently draw your ribs to your hips to engage your core. Press your heels into the mat, activate your glutes, and raise your pelvis off the floor until your body forms one straight line from chin to knee, resting on your shoulders.
Step 3: Inhale. Lower your pelvis to return to the starting position. That's one rep. Repeat for 30 seconds.
Altnernating jacknife
Step 1: Start by lying on your back on a yoga mat with your arms extended above your head. This is your starting position.
Step 2: Inhale and brace your core. Exhale as you simultaneously raise your right leg and left hand off the floor to meet in the middle, slowly lifting your head, shoulder blades and torso off the floor, ensuring that your right shoulder remains pressed into the mat.
Repeat this on the opposite side. That's one rep. Perform as many reps as you can in 30 seconds.
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