Home Workout Suggestion: Six Equipment-Free Exercises for Total-Body Strength Building

Roxanne Russell has been trained by Michael to identify her preferred equipment-free exercises, and her routine is a great example of a full-body workout that can be done at home. Let's take a closer look at the exercises she's been doing and the benefits they offer.

Exercise 1: Squat

Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, toes slightly turned out. Lower body by bending knees, keeping them tracking in the same direction of little toes. Keep chest upright, spine straight, and push through heels to return to standing. Squats are an excellent exercise for strengthening the quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, calves, and improving mobility and stability in the lower body.

Exercise 2: Push-up

Start in high plank position, lower body until chest nearly touches ground, keep core engaged, spine straight, and push through hands to return to starting position. Push-ups are a fantastic way to target the chest, shoulders, triceps, core, and improve upper-body strength and stability. They also engage core muscles to improve stability and prevent lower-back pain.

The Plank

Start in a forearm plank position, with elbows directly beneath shoulders and body in a straight line from head to toe. Engage core and hold this position, avoiding sagging, flaring the ribs or arching the back, and keep neck neutral and gaze towards the floor. The plank is a great core strengthening workout, targeting the abdominals, obliques, and lower back, and helping reinforce proper alignment of the spine and pelvis, which can improve posture over time.

Lunge

Take a big step forward with the right leg and lower body so knees are bent at a 90° angle, back knee hovers just above the ground, and knees track in line with ankles. Push through the right heel to return to the starting position. Lunges are a great unilateral exercise, helping to identify and correct muscle imbalances and improve overall lower-body strength. They also require coordination and balance, making them effective for improving joint stability.

Reverse Crunch

Lie on your back, bend knees and lift legs so thighs are perpendicular to the floor and shins are parallel to the floor, engage core and lift hips off the ground while bringing knees towards chest, pause briefly at the top, then lower hips back down slowly and with control. Reverse crunches target the lower abdominal muscles, including the rectus abdominis and transversus abdominis, and are another great movement to help improve core stability and control.

Burpees

Start standing, squat down and place hands on the ground, jump feet back into a plank position, perform a push-up (if possible), then jump feet back towards hands, and explosively jump into the air, reaching arms overhead and landing softly. Burpees are a full-body exercise that target multiple muscle groups, including the chest, shoulders, arms, core, and legs. They provide a cardiovascular challenge and help improve explosiveness and endurance.

Incorporating these exercises into your routine can help strengthen your core and lower body, improve your posture, and provide a full-body workout that can be done at home. Give it a try and see the benefits for yourself!

Home Workout Suggestion: Six Equipment-Free Exercises for Total-Body Strength Building