There are tons of workouts you can do in your local park, backyard or driveway that don’t require any equipment and can challenge your entire body effectively. And these types of exercises are more than just convenient—they come with some awesome health benefits, too.
Health Boost: Research suggests that bodyweight-only exercises like squats can provide different degrees of strength than working with gym equipment like a leg press machine because you have to maintain control of your posture independently and rely more heavily on stabilizer muscles.
Not sure where to start? If you’re focused on strengthening the muscles in your lower body, Bernard recommends exercises like:
Squat jumps: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Hinge at the hips and bend your knees, leading with your glutes, and perform a bodyweight squat. Once you reach the bottom of the squat, explode from the squat position into a jump. Return to a squat position as you land, and repeat.
Walking lunges: With your feet shoulder-width apart, step forward with your left foot and bend the knee at a 90-degree angle while bending your right knee and lowering it toward the ground. Pushing off of your left foot, return to an upright position and immediately step forward with your right foot, bending the knee at a 90-degree angle while bending your left knee and lowering it toward the ground. Repeat.
Glute bridges: Lie on the ground on your back with your knees bent and feet shoulder-width apart. Place your palms flat on the ground on each side of your body. Push through your feet and lift your glutes off the ground, raising your hips and belly button toward the ceiling. Squeeze your glute muscles at the top of your bridge and slowly lower your body back down to the ground. Repeat.
Calf raises: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart with your toes on the edge of a raised edge like a step or stair while holding onto any available railing. Lower your heels slowly toward the ground as far as your range of motion allows, and then extend onto the balls of your feet and squeeze your calf muscles at the top of the movement. Repeat.
When it comes to challenging your upper body, she suggests exercises like:
Push-ups: Start in a high plank position with your arms straight, your hands placed directly below your shoulders, your legs straight and your toes pressed firmly into the ground. Bending your elbows, lower your body until your chest nearly touches the floor. Pause for a moment and then push yourself back up to the starting position.
Arm circles: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and extend your arms out straight to each side, parallel to the floor. Circle your arms forward using small controlled motions for 30 seconds. Then reverse the direction of the circles and repeat.
Alternating forearm plank to high plank: Start in a high plank position with your arms straight, your hands placed directly below your shoulders, your legs straight and your toes pressed firmly into the ground. One at a time, bend your elbows and place your forearms on the ground, shifting into a forearm plank while keeping your core engaged and your hips as level as possible. One at a time, place your hands on the ground beneath your shoulders to return to the starting position. Repeat.
Try repeating one exercise for 30 seconds before moving on to the next, and see which exercises work best for you.
Garden Courte is a blog written by [James Marcus], a passionate gardener and writer. She has been gardening for over 20 years and has a deep understanding of plants and how to care for them. In her blog, she shares her knowledge and experience with others, providing tips and advice on gardening, plant care, and more.