3 Fantastic Workouts You Can Do Anywhere (No Equipment)
New year, new fitness goals! A little weekend getaway isn’t going to stop you from breaking a good sweat. You lace up your sneakers and head down to the hotel lobby only to find out that the establishment does not have a gym. Now what?
I found myself in this exact situation yesterday and it reminded me of common barriers many of us face in reaching our health and fitness goals. For a number of reasons, I can promise you that there will be days when you do not have access to a gym. No treadmill. No squat rack. No dumbbells. Do not give up on these days!
Not having access to a gym may be disappointing, but it does not mean that you can’t still get a great workout in for the day. There are so many fantastic workouts that do not require equipment and can be done in small spaces such as a hotel room, a dorm room, a basement, etc. In today’s post I give 3 different types of no equipment workouts you can do from anywhere:
#1 Short but Sweaty HIIT
A HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) workout is a great option for when you are short on time and space. It is a highly efficient way to max out your heart rate and work up a sweat.
HIIT workouts involve periods of high intensity work followed by periods of rest. The goal is to raise your heart rate then lower it in a cyclical manner. Exercises involved generally use multiple muscle groups. Muscles become fatigued quickly if done properly, so HIIT workouts should be kept short (15-25 minutes).
Full Body HIIT: 30 seconds on followed by 30 seconds rest for 3-4 cycles of the 5 exercises listed below. Perform as many reps as possible (AMRAP) during the 30 second work interval. (Total workout time is 15 minutes for 3 cycles or 20 minutes for 4 cycles).
1. Jump Lunges
Modification option: alternating normal lunges.
4. Commandos
Modification option: commandos from knees.
2. Burpees
Modification option: remove the jump.
5. Side Shuffles
Stay low, take 3-5 steps in one direction, touch the ground, then shuffle the other direction.
3. Mountain Climber Push-ups
4 mountain climbers followed by 1 push-up
Modification option: push-ups from your knees.
#2 Create Your Own Stair-master
Time to hit the good old fashioned stairs! This workout is great for a hotel, apartment, or dormitory complex with a stairwell. Put your headphones on, blast your favorite music or podcast, and hit the stairs at whatever pace you prefer for 30 minutes. It will have you working up a sweat in no time. Walking stairs is also one of my favorite ways to clear my mind 🙂
#3 Bodyweight Strengthening Video
I mentioned POPSUGAR Fitness videos on Youtube in my previous post, "Get Fit: How to Schedule a Weekly Workout Routine". You guys these are my favorite workouts to do when I don’t want to leave the house and am feeling unmotivated to move my body. They are a ton of fun and lead by knowledgable, enthusiastic instructors. I have linked two videos below that do not involve any equipment:
Barre Video:
Pilates Video:
POPSUGAR also has two full playlists of videos that are “Bodyweight Workouts” and “No-Equipment Cardio Workouts”. They have a large variety of workout types and workout lengths. I appreciate how the instructors provide modifications for exercises in every video. Overall the channel is incredibly versatile and accessible to people of all fitness levels. Definitely recommend checking it out!
I hope this post has been helpful to you and that each one of you can find an enjoyable workout to do from home, at a hotel, in your dorm room, etc. Good luck to everyone in their fitness journeys. May you all discover strength and a sense of confidence in your athletic abilities. Get out there and move your body 🙂
Thank you for reading! Until next time,
xx Mich
