We all know that the best way to get a good workout is by going to the gym, but sometimes life gets in the way, and you don’t have time to go. That’s where this article comes in! These are some of the best exercises for an effective and quick workout that you can do without any special equipment. Some of these include burpees, push-ups, mountain climbers, and more. These exercises work for multiple muscle groups simultaneously and can be done anywhere without special equipment. The best part is that they can give your body a great workout with no time commitment!
Contents
Push-Ups (chest, triceps, shoulders)
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Place your hands on the floor about shoulder or chest width apart. Spread your fingers slightly to help distribute weight more evenly. Tighten your stomach muscles and keep your back straight at all times during this exercise. Slowly lower yourself down toward the ground until you are halfway between the ground and your chest. Press yourself back up with the same force that you lowered yourself with. Repeat.
Squat Jumps (legs, cardio)
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Squat down so that the tops of your thighs are parallel with the ground, keeping your back straight at all times during this movement. Then jump up as high as possible while keeping your legs slightly bent before you land back on the ground in a squatting position again (with your thighs about parallel with the ground). Repeat immediately for desired reps.
Burpees (cardio, arms)
Start with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Place your hands on the ground and kick both legs out behind you so that you are now in a push-up position. Tighten your stomach muscles and keep back straight at all times during this exercise! Lower yourself down towards the ground (like a push-up) and quickly pull yourself back up to where you started (still in a push-up position). Immediately jump as high as possible; return to the starting position of the bent knee with two feet on the floor once you land. Repeat.
Dips (shoulders, triceps)
Dips are a great way to build strength in your upper body. To do this exercise, place two sturdy chairs in front of you and about hip-width apart. Sit on the edge of one with your hands by your side, holding onto the chair behind you. Place your feet flat on the ground in front of you with your knees bent. Slowly lower yourself down with arms straight by bending at the elbows until you are halfway between being seated on the chair and lying flat against it. Return to starting position by pushing yourself up with arms straight by straightening your elbows. Repeat.
Calf Raises (legs)
Stand facing a wall or sturdy object with your palms flat against it and feet about shoulder-width apart. Keep back straight, look forward, and step away from the wall so that you feel the tension in your calf muscles. Slowly rise up onto your toes while keeping weight on the ball of the foot (as if you were wearing heels). Your calves should be stretched out at this point. Hold for a few seconds before slowly lowering yourself down again to starting position. Repeat.
Bicycles (abs)
Start by lying flat on your back with legs out in front of you. Place hands behind your head, giving support to it. Bring one knee towards the chest while simultaneously reaching down towards that foot with the opposite hand, bringing it up towards your chest in a bicycle movement-like motion (but keep the leg straight). Do this for all reps before switching sides to work opposite leg muscles. Repeat immediately after finishing reps for one side before moving onto the next side. Repeat the entire exercise if desired.
Jumping Jacks (cardio, shoulders)
Start in a standing position with your arms at your sides and feet together. Raise your arms over your head so that the tips of both fingers touch one another. Jump up with both feet extending out to a two-footed stance while lowering hands to hip level with elbows bent. Repeat jumping jacks from the original starting position, bringing legs back together and raising hands back above the head with fingertips touching each other.
Lunges (legs, abs)
Start with your feet shoulder-width apart. Take a large step forward while lowering yourself into a lunge position; both knees should be at about a 90-degree angle. Tighten stomach muscles and keep back straight during this exercise. Do not let the knee of your front leg go past your toes! Return to starting position by pushing off with the front foot until you are standing again. Repeat on the other side.
Crunches (abs)
Lying on your back, place your hands behind your head for support. Tighten stomach muscles and keep back straight at all times during this exercise. Slowly bring your right elbow towards the left knee or vice versa. Repeat on both sides in a crunching motion until you feel the burn in your abs! These are best when done with slow, controlled movements rather than quickly bringing knees to elbows.
Conclusion
The best exercises for an effective and quick workout are those that can be done without any equipment, such as burpees, push-ups, or squat jumps. These exercises work for multiple muscle groups simultaneously, and you can do them anywhere! Give one of these workouts a try today! If you’re short on time or don’t have access to a gym membership but still want to get a good workout in, these few minutes of exercise could make the difference between feeling lethargic all day or having enough energy to power through your day.
