Not everyone has access to a gym, or access to one on a regular basis. This often leads to discouragement and excuses to not workout. But who said you absolutely had to go to a gym in order to exercise? Why do you need hoards of weights and complex exercise machines just to stay fit?
Think outside the box and use the environment around you to create the ideal total body workout routine. Take this no equipment workout for men guide and tailor your surroundings to meet your needs and never miss a workout again.
Push Ups with a Twist
Lay face down to the floor and prop your body up with your toes and hands. Make sure your hands are palms down and shoulder width apart. Proceed to push yourself up and extend your arms. But rather than ease back down to the floor, first shift your weight and extend one arm out to the side, twisting your body at the waist. This targets your shoulders and upper arms, as well as your abs and lower back. Repeat for 2 sets of 8 reps, alternating between arms. This is a quick workout move, but an essential one.
Squatting
Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and your arms flat to your sides. Procced to lower yourself down in a squatting position while extending your arms out in front of you. Ease back up into the standing position and repeat for 2 sets of 8 reps. Step this move up by holding a weighted item to your chest. Anything around your house will do. Or, if you’re outside, a rock will suffice. This move will emphasize on the glutes, thighs, and abs.
Push Up
A push up is one of the most standard and commonly practiced moves in any workout routine. But it’s often performed incorrectly which leads to muscle pain and back injury. Lay face down to the floor and prop your body up with your feet and hands. Keep your back straight and your core muscles engaged (tightening your abs) and then proceed to push up, never letting your back falter. Obviously, this traditional exercise move targets the abdominals, arms, and shoulders. Ease back down and then repeat for 2 sets of 8 reps. Push ups are the best no equipment chest workout.
Forward Lunges
Stand straight with your hands placed on your hips. Keeping your back straight and tight, begin by extending one leg forward in a lunge and then back again. You can switch up this move by extending your arms out at your sides or in front of you which creates resistance. Lunging helps target those pesky leg muscles as well as your core and is a great workout without weights. Repeat for 2 sets of 10 reps.
Push Up Diamond
Similar to a standard push up, lay face down while propping your body up off the floor with your toes and hands. But rather than place your hands shoulder width apart, bring them together to the center of your chest so your elbows are out at your sides and your arms form a slight diamond shape. Push up and then lower your body back down. By placing your hands closer together you target your triceps muscles. Repeat for 2 sets of 8 reps. This is an excellent no equipment arm workout.
Squat Jump
Similar to the regular squat, stand with your legs a little more than shoulder width apart and arms at your sides. Proceed to lower yourself down into a squatting positon while extending your arms out in front of you. But rather than ease back up into a standing position, propel upwards into a jump and then back down into the squat position. The beauty of a squat jump is that you target the muscles a normal squat does, as well as your chest and abs. Repeat for 2 sets of 8 reps.
Split Squat
It may seem like you’re doing a lot of squatting, but by positioning your legs and body differently each time you target different muscles. The split squat emphasizes on the thighs and calves whereas a regular squat focuses more on glutes, abs, and inner thighs. Stand with one leg slightly in front of the other as if you are about to do a split. Ease yourself down into a squatting positon and then back up again. Doing the squat in a split form emphasizes the lower leg and calf muscles. Alternate between legs and repeat for 2 sets of 8 reps.
Dips
Grab a chair or, if you’re outside, a large rock. Stand with your back to the object and reach behind to grab a hold of it. Slowly walk out so your legs extend out in front of you and your arms lower your body down. Then proceed to bend your arms and push yourself down as far as you can go. Sort of like a backwards push up. This is a great, zero equipment workout for the back muscles as well as the abs and arms. Ease back up and repeat for 2 sets of 8 reps.
Push Up Incline
Using a chair or other object, place your hands securely on it and lower yourself face down into a push up position. Your body should be on an incline. Keeping your back straight and your core muscles engaged, begin to push up of the object and then ease back down again. Just like a standard push up only you’re on an incline and are emphasizing on other key muscle areas such as your chest.
Push Up Decline
You probably guessed right. This move is similar to the push up incline only you’re on a decline. Lay face down to the floor and prop your feet up on a chair, stacked mats, or any object you can find. With your hands on the floor in front of you and shoulder width apart, proceed to push your body up and then ease back down again. By being on a decline you’re targeting other areas that a regular push up or inclined one cannot, such as the back leg muscles and glutes.
Leg Lift
Lay flat on your back and tighten your pelvic floor. Without moving your upper body at all, begin to raise your legs into the air, feet together and engaging your core muscles the whole time. Hold for a moment and then ease them back down to the floor. You can switch this move up by using different arm placements. Have them flat on the floor and straight out at your sides, place them tightly across your chest, or extend them straight into the air. Each position will work different muscles, especially the abs.
Burpees
This one is the most challenging of all the moves in the zero equipment workout for men. But it’s very rewarding and adds a bit of extra cardio to the routine. Begin in a low crouch to the floor and place your hands face down. Extend your legs out behind you, quickly bring them back in and then move to a full standing position with your arms extending straight up. Jump once and then let yourself back down to the crouch position. Throughout the entire routine make sure to keep your core muscles engaged (tightened) and back straight. Repeat this process for 2 sets of 6 reps.
Cardio
It’s good to end a workout routine on some cardio because it sends blood to those tired muscles and gets you burning calories even long after the workout is complete. So wrap it up with a 10 minute cardio blast. Giving about 2 minutes to each move, start with some on the spot running, jumping jacks, step ups, side sliders, and end it off with some skip rope. Cardio keeps your heart rate stay at healthy pace while feeding your tired body with oxygenated blood.
Tips:
- Always make sure to stay hydrated before, during, and even after any workout routine. Feeding your muscles, the water and electrolytes it requires ensures that they stay healthy and you avoid dehydration and muscle fatigue.
- Warm up before your exercise routine to loosen up your muscles and joints. Then afterwards, make sure to stretch those tired muscles in order to avoid cramping.
- If you experience any major pain or discomfort during a workout routine make sure to contact your doctor immediately. Exercising on an injury can make the matter worse and lead to permanent damage.
