Exercising is an important part of staying healthy, but unfortunately, not many people have access to all the equipment available at gyms. Here’s the thing, though: you don’t need fancy equipment in order to get a good workout. You actually don’t need equipment at all—there are plenty of ways for you to get the exercise you need without touching a single piece of equipment, all of which are just as effective as using machines at the gym. Using your body weight and gravity will give you just as much of a workout as using dumbbells or lifting weights.
Here are a few exercises you can do without having to rely on any machinery.
Push-Up
The classic push-up is one of the most effective bodyweight exercises you can do. It targets your chest, triceps, and anterior deltoid muscles (the front of your shoulders) as well as your core. Like with all exercise, it won’t be effective unless you do it correctly:
- Start in a high plank with your hands flat and shoulder-width apart, your wrists under your shoulders.
- Inhale as you bend your arms to go down, keeping your back flat as you do so. If you can’t keep your back flat your bend all the way down, modify the push-up so your knees are on the floor.
- Exhale as you go back up into the starting position, then repeat.
Bulgarian Split Squat
Technically you need some equipment for this move, but it doesn’t have to be fancy workout equipment—you can use a chair, a couch, a bench, or whatever you can find of equal heights wherever you’re at. The Bulgarian split squat works your lower-body muscles: your quads, glutes, inner thighs, hamstrings, and calves. Here’s how to do it:
- Stand with your back facing your bench. Keep your left foot a few feet in front of the bench, then place the top of your right foot on the bench, shoelaces down. Place both hands behind your head.
- Bend your knees to lower yourself into the split squat, your left knee forming a 90-degree angle and your thigh parallel to the ground. Your right knee should be hovering above the floor. If you’re positioned correctly, your left knee shouldn’t go past your left toes.
- Push yourself back up with your left leg, then repeat.
If you want to take it a step further, work a push-up into this as well. Once you’re in the down position, place your left foot on the bench, shoelaces down, then bend your elbows to do a decline push-up. Straighten your elbows, place your left foot back on the ground, and repeat.