No-Equipment Strength and Resistance Exercises

Effectiveness | Benefits | Exercises | Progression | Workout

Gym workouts are well known as a great way to build strength, but that doesn't mean you can't strength train if you don't have access to any equipment. Whether you want to strength train on holiday, don't have time to commute to the gym, or want to workout while your kids are asleep, no equipment workouts are a great option.

In this blog, we share some of the strength training exercises without equipment and how to advance resistance exercises with no equipment.

While weightlifting is a great way to build strength and grow your muscles, it isn’t the only way to build strength. Resistance training at home with no equipment can be an effective way to provide enough stimulus for muscle and strength gains.

For those who are new to working out, bodyweight exercises can be more than enough to see significant change, and there are plenty of ways to adapt your no equipment workouts to continue to see improvements.

The main benefit of no equipment strength training is how accessible it is. Not everyone can access a gym regularly or keep gym equipment at their home, so for some people strength training at home with no equipment is the only way they can strength train. The workout you can access and commit to is always better than the workout you can't!

Strength training itself has many benefits, and is particularly helpful for preventing many age related issues such as lack of mobility and increased risk of falls.  

• More strength. This can improve your day to day life, from making it easier to carry the shopping to being able to get out of a chair easily as you age.

• Increased bone density. Resistance training improves bone density, protecting against issues like osteoporosis as you age.

• Improved muscle mass. Strength training can help to build muscle, creating a more sculpted appearance and protecting against age related muscle atrophy.

• Lower risk of chronic diseases. Resistance training can help to improve overall health and lower the risk of many chronic diseases such as high blood pressure, heart disease, and even cancer.

You can learn more about the benefits of resistance training here.

It's important to choose effective exercises if you want to build strength without equipment. Here are some of the best strength exercises you can do, no equipment needed.

• Squats

Muscles worked: quads, hamstrings, glutes, calves, core

Squats are a great exercise with or without weights. Focus on good technique and depth, and try more challenging variations such as single leg squats, squat jumps, or pulse squats if you find these easy.

• Lunges

Muscles worked: quads, hamstrings, glutes, calves, core

Lunges are another great lower body exercise that builds strength and stability. For a greater emphasis on the glutes, try lateral, reverse or curtsy lunges.  

• Push ups

Muscles worked: chest, triceps, shoulders, core

The push up is an amazing no equipment exercise that can be adapted to suit all levels. Knee push ups and incline push ups can help to build the strength if you can't do conventional push ups, with plenty of harder variations to master as you get stronger.

• Y raise

Muscles worked: shoulders, upper back, mid back

Y raises involve lying on the floor or standing in a hip hinge and bringing both arms overhead in a Y shape, aiming to bring the arms in line or behind the neck. This is a challenging no kit exercise that improves flexibility as well as strength.

• Calf raises Muscles worked: calves

Calf raises strengthen the calves, improve balance, and can even help with circulation.  

• Planks

Muscles worked: core, shoulders, glutes

Planks are a great way to build strength, stability and endurance. Add some shoulder taps to make this an even better shoulder strengthening exercise.

• Tricep dips

Muscles worked: triceps, shoulders, chest

Tricep dips are a good upper body exercise that can be done from the edge of a table or chair.

• Burpees

Muscles worked: shoulders, arms, core, back, quads, glutes, hamstrings

Burpees are a full body exercise that builds strength and power while working the cardiovascular system.

• Inverted rows

Muscles worked: upper back, mid back, shoulders, biceps

Inverted rows can be done on the edge of a sturdy table or chair and strengthen the pulling muscles, which can help with posture and back pain.

• Supermans

Muscles worked: upper back, lower back, glutes, core, shoulders, hamstrings

The superman exercise strengthens the entire posterior chain and core, contributing to overall better core strength, spine health, hip extension and reduced back pain.

• Glute bridges

Muscles worked: glutes, core, hamstrings

The glute bridge strengthens the glutes and can improve hip flexor flexibility, an area that is often tight in people who sit down most of the day.

One of the main challenges that come with resistance training with no equipment is that it can be difficult to continually increase the difficulty of these exercises. There are two main ways to make a workout more challenging: increase the volume, and increase the intensity.

When using weights, it is simple to add more weight to make the exercise harder, so you don't have to continually increase the volume. Adding intensity to no equipment exercises is not as straightforward, but it is still doable:

• Increase time under tension. Increasing the time under tension is a great way to make a bodyweight exercise more challenging. This could look like slowing the eccentric portion of the exercise, adding a pause, or pulsing at the end of the exercise.

• Increase range of motion. Increasing the range of motion stimulates more muscle fibres and gets them to work harder. It can also improve flexibility and mobility and help to protect against injuries.

• Use a more challenging variation. Find push ups too easy? Work on getting your one arm push up. If glute bridges are not challenging, try a single leg version.

• Mind muscle connection. Mind muscle connection doesn't make an exercise harder but it can help to make sure the muscles you are targeting are actually engaged and getting stronger.

This resistance exercises no equipment workout works all the major muscle groups and can be done 2-3 times a week at home.

Warm up

• Arm circles — 30 seconds each direction

• Leg swings — 30 seconds each leg

• Squats — 30 seconds

• Plank walk out — 30 seconds

Workout

Perform each exercise followed by 15 seconds rest. Perform the circuit 3-4 times.

1. Burpees — 10 reps

2. Reverse lunges — 10 reps

3. Push ups — 10 reps

4. Inverted rows — 10 reps

5. Plank shoulder taps — 10 reps

6. Single leg glute bridge — 10 reps

7. Supermans — 10 reps

Cool down

• 30 seconds of each stretch: hamstring, quad, chest, glutes

Do this workout 2-4 times a week, or alternate with other full body no kit workouts for variety. Have a gym membership? You can replace one of your gym sessions with this no equipment workout on the days you can't make it to the gym.

Get more low and no equipment workout ideas in our home workout hub here. You can find your nearest PureGym here.