55 Easy Workouts with minimal equipment’s
Every year fancy new equipment’s come out, making workouts more complicated. But people forget that many easy workouts are also available for grabs, which will challenge your muscles to the limit.
Doing any sort of physical workouts every day is vital to keeping your body healthy. This does not mean you have to spend hours and hours doing excruciating exercises. Doing as few as 30 minutes of the listed easy workouts would greatly benefit your health and mind.
Not everyone has time to go to the gym or has the budget to buy fancy equipment. The gym being closed during the pandemic gave me a lot of time to do research for performing easy workouts with minimal to no equipment.
Some of these workouts you may of heard of or perhaps even gave them a go. But I can promise that by the end of this article, there will be exercises that will peak your interest.
Squat
I got to put squat at the top of the list and there is a valid reason for this. The reason is that squatting works your whole body with one movement, this is why it is known as the king of all exercises. make sure to perform with the correct form for maximum efficiency. It can be hard to execute this movement efficiently~ there are various tools to support this movement.
Dead Bug
Doing dead bugs is a great way to hit your core muscles. Performing core exercises are not only for having flashy six pax but more for strengthening them. The dead bug is great for beginners as it’s easy to perform and it takes away the chance of your lower back being strained.
Wall Sit
Doing this just for a few seconds can leave your legs feeling like noodles. This is a great workout if you are short on time and you want to have a quick but effective workout. All you need is a wall to rest on and a timer, then you are ready to go.
Superman
If you have been having ache back pains, there is a chance that your back muscles are weak. Doing superman straight from home can help work your erector spinal muscles and build up strength in your lower back muscles. Improving your posture at the same time, as the name suggests does make you feel like a superman.
Jumping Rope
I know that most people hate doing cardio, but it is key for running your body at a healthy pace. Jumping rope is a great way to mask and trick your brain from the pain of cardio with the excitement of learning new skills. There are hundreds of tricks that you can learn if you wanted, this will keep your cardio sessions fresh while you break a sweat.
Pull-Ups
For this, you would need to purchase a pull-up bar. These can be purchased cheap as $20 from amazon. Pull not only work your whole muscles but they also work muscles such as the biceps, core, and forearms. This movement is also great for the decompression of the spine.
Stairs Climb
If you are looking for an easy workout to perform, it does not get easy as climbing up the stairs. If you have stairs at home, you are looking at an awesome piece of workout equipment. It will build up your lower half such as glutes, quads, calves, and hamstrings. You can challenge yourself by wearing a weighted backpack as well.
Yoga
We are sitting down for a big chunk of our time throughout the day. Doing yoga can help stretch and wake up those sleeping muscles. Having a yoga session can only build up lean muscles but can make you feel brand new. As this has a low impact on your body it is a great way to do it early in the morning, to give you that extra boost to start your day.
Side Lying Hip Abduction
Most people neglect to work the hip abduction and forget how important this muscle is. We are continuously using this muscle such as for walking, getting out of bed, and even when standing up still. Having weakness in the hip abductors can cause hip and knee pain later on in your life. This easy workout can be performed right from lying on your bed after waking up or before going to bed, to save you some time.
Push-Ups
Now everyone probably heard of this before, but how many of you have continuously done this movement for a long period? Push-ups can greatly strengthen your triceps, shoulders, and chest muscles. What’s great about push-ups is that you can customize the movement to make it harder/easier or to hit more of certain muscles. An example of this would be if you are struggling to do normal push-ups, you can try doing a knee push-up.
High Knees
If you are looking for an explosive movement then high knees can provide you exactly with that. when doing this with a high intensity not only improves your cardiovascular but it can improve the explosive power in your lower half as well.
Lunges
Lunges hit most of your lower body muscles, and as it is a single-leg exercise it also works on your stability.
Besides the benefit of hitting multiple muscle groups, it also helps increase the flexibility of your hip flexors, supporting with with concerns such as hip dips.
Preventing your hip flexors from being tight can greatly reduce the chance of you getting hip and lower back pain.
Running
Running around is probably the most familiar movement we have done all our life on this list. But as we get older we start neglecting this magical workout. You must have wondered how you as a kid had so much energy, always running around. Well, research has shown that running can significantly boost your energy levels. So get your running shoes on and get ready to feel like your younger self.
Mountain Climb
No, we don’t have to actually climb up an actual mountain, but at the end of it, you will feel like you just climbed a steep mountain. You will be in a push-up position while kicking your knees up to your chest. Your upper body is stabilised by your shoulders, arms, back, and chest. While your core and your lower body also get involved, this is a whole-body exercise, giving you an exhausting workout.
Burpees
This has been used by the military for a long time since it is a very effective workout. With one movement you are doing three exercises which are squats, push-ups, and jumping. You might be thinking that this is not an easy workout however, you can change some parts to fit your fitness level. Such as between every rep you can have a short breather and go at a faster pace once you are used to the pace.
Plank
Planks are a great choice for a core workout. During a plank, there are no movements done, yet it will leave you huffing and puffing. This is one of the easy workouts because there are no requirements for how many sets or reps you have to do. All you got to do is hold the position as long as your body is capable of. If your limit is 10 seconds don’t worry, you are still working hard as a more advanced person who may be able to hold the position for 5 minutes.
Frisbee
If you have a partner who enjoys the outdoors then throwing frisbee can be an easy way to get in some heart-pumping exercise. With frisbee costing cheap as $10 from amazon, this would be a low-cost investment for a healthier life. You can also add circuits or drills within to make your session more intense.
Jumping Jacks
Jumping jacks are fantastic as they can be performed anywhere. This is a great place to start your cardiovascular exercise journey, due to its low difficulty to perform the movement. Even if you are a total novice in the fitness world you will be able to do many reps before you get fatigued. This way you can slowly build up your stamina and then move on to a different exercise.
Boxing
If you have the budget you can buy a boxing bag and some boxing gloves for some extra stimulation. But you don’t need all of that, you can just do something called shadowboxing. For this you would need to be a little creative, you need to imagine someone or something is in Infront of you which will be your target. The sky is the limit with this, the more imaginative you are the more thrilling your shadow boxing sessions will be.
As boxing can get taxing to the body, which mean recovery will be key. You can try different diets that work well with your body and get quality sleep to make sure you stay fresh for your next session.
Glute Bridge
The glutes are one of the powerhouse muscles that contribute to your daily life. if you are looking for explosive power then building your gluteus maximus would greatly benefit you in reaching your goal. Training your glutes early on your training journey is important as it will support your lower back and knees during your workouts.
This can also be used as an accessory workout to support with squat mobility.
Biking
In exchange for driving around no matter how close the destination is, you can swap driving with biking instead. Biking wherever possible, this could be going to your work, going to do light shopping, or even just going down the road. Once you engrave this habit you will be able to fit in a workout without even having to set aside time during your day.
However, seniors might have difficult biking, in this case there are a lot of indoors bikes that can support you for the workout.
Hiking
If you have a hiking area nearby then it can be a refreshing way to get in an easy workout with your family, partner, or even by your self. We all need a breather once in a while, so walking around nature and getting some fresh air can help refresh your mind. Even with a busy schedule having a hiking session at the end of the week will help recharge your battery and get you ready to attack the week.
Circuit
The circuit is an amazing way to combine your favourite exercises together to have a heart-pumping workout. This is where you can plan and customize your sessions to fit your needs, making the sessions enjoyable. The fast pace of the circuit will test your muscles to their limit.
Skate Board
Skating is a great form of cardio workout. With just one skateboard there are plenty of neat tricks to learn, which will keep you entertained for a very long. Even without learning any tricks, just riding around is enough to get in an easy workout.
Pilates
Pilates is similar to yoga, but a key difference is that yoga focuses on static holds whereas Pilates focuses on stability. It works your stability by putting pressure on your core and back muscles. The only equipment you need for Pilates is a soft & thick mat, or if you already have a soft surface such as a soft carpet, then you might not need the mat.
Walking
People overlook the simplest workout that we can do which is going for a walk outside. Even going for a brisk 10 minutes walk can help build up your stamina and endurance. To make this workout harder you can gradually increase your speed or the distance that you walk.
Bear Crawl
As the name suggests you will be crawling like a bear, so for this workout you need to find a smooth surface. It is a full-body workout as your whole body will be working simultaneously to hold your body up. As the movement gets easier for you, to make it harder you can increase your distance of crawling or put on a weighted backpack/vest.
Swimming
Cardio and muscle toning, swimming works it both. A fast-paced swim can help burn more calories than walking or even running. But swimming is a bit more technical so it can take a bit of time to get used to if you are a beginner. With a gentle swim around the pool, you are bound to have a serious whole body workout, due to working out in water being harder than if you are on land.
Kettlebell Swings
Swinging the kettlebell with the correct form works a whole range of muscles but it will mostly challenge your core, hamstrings, and glutes. Each swing will zap a lot of energy from you, this will naturally tell your body to take in more oxygen causing you to feel as though you just went for a sprint.
Step-Ups
This will target your lower muscles and promote stabilisation. Step-ups is is where you get on an elevated surface, one leg at a time. If you have any imbalances between your leg muscles then this workout will allow you to spot them and help balance them out. You got to make sure first that the elevated surface is stable and will not fall over during the workout.
Jump Tuck
Just Jumping is a good workout but jumping while tucking your knees toward your chest takes it up another notch. Not only does this need more energy but it will work your core at the same time too. It is an explosive movement, so even with few minutes of doing them will be enough to provide you with plenty of benefits.
Single Leg Romanian Deadlift
This works your whole posterior chain muscles. This movement takes control and balance of your body to complete it. To make it easier at the beginning you can hold a wall with one hand, just to give you that extra balancing support. With the emphasis on balance and control you are able to diagnose your strengths and weaknesses in your posterior chain.
To add variation you can perform a normal deadlift by using a barbell, dumbbell or a trap bar for added resistant.
Calf Raise
Calf raises are a versatile movement, you can do them sitting down or standing up. This will be the easiest movement to add to your lifestyle, you can do a few reps even while on your job. Calf raises will support your other lower body workouts such as running and squats.
Triceps Dips
This focuses mainly on the triceps but also works your front shoulders and lower chest too. It is one of the best exercises to target your triceps brachii. In the beginning, to slowly build up strength you can first start this workout from the floor. Then after maybe the first step of your stairs, then you try it with a chair.
Sit-Ups
The classic exercise for the core which I think all of you have heard of. With its effectiveness, it is still one of my favourite core exercise to perform. Sit-ups do not only work your abs, but it also involves other muscle groups such as your hip flexors, lower back, and neck.
Chair Squats
This is an easier version of the normal squat. It should be used if you are struggling to do normal squats. Or it can come in handy when you are sore or do not have enough energy for squats. Even though it is an easier exercise it is still superb for building your lower body muscles.
Tai Chi
It is a martial art that originated from China. Unlike other martial arts, Tai Chi has a low-impact motion focusing on gentle movements going from position to position. With its relaxed nature, it will calm your mind down whilst still promoting strength and flexibility for your body.
Biceps Curl
With the biceps curl it is better if you purchased dumbbells, but it is not required. You can use anything that is heavy, one example of this is that you can lift a weighted backpack. This is an isolation movement that targets your biceps. Biceps curl done with good form will build up strength on your arm and improve your grip strength.
Pike Push-Up
The motion is similar to a normal push-up, the only difference is the positions of your legs. With a normal push-up, your legs are completely straight, whereas for the pike push-up, your legs are closer to your body and your hips are elevated, giving your body a V shape. The reason for this is to hit more of a different muscle group.
Back Extension
It is common for people to get some achy back pain after working out. This could be because of many reasons such as bad form or weakness in your lower back muscles. To lower the chance of injuring your lower back it is best to strengthen those muscles, so they get more insulated and protected.
Marching
Marching on the spot is a low-impact cardio workout. It is not effective as the other cardio workouts, but it is still good enough to get your heart rate up and give your lower half a good pump. Marching works best as a warm-up tool, it will get your body loosened up thus minimizing the risk of injury.
Dancing
There are numerous types of dances such as ballroom, tap dance, hip-hop, and jazz. No matter which one you try they are bound to keep you fit. Dancing forces your whole body to move as one, getting you to have more control over your body. This naturally improves your strength and stamina along the way.
Resistant Bands
Having some resistant bands opens the door to many possibilities for being creative with your workouts. You can incorporate resistance to different body exercises such as squats and push-ups. Having a full-body workout would be much easier to complete with all the isolation exercises that can be done with the bands.
Wall Slides
This movement is to bring up flexibility for your shoulders. Some tightness is bound to occur throughout your fitness journey. Which is why it is extremely important to keep your shoulder mobility in a healthy state. This exercise sole purpose is to build flexibly for your shoulders and back. So it is great as a warm-up tool and not to be used for muscle-building purposes.
Squat Thrust
With a squat thrust, you are going from a push-up position to a squat position while keeping your palms planted on the floor. You will be constantly moving back and forth at a fast pace, this will build up your endurance. Your core muscles will be on fire as they will be working constantly to stabilise your body.
Side Plank
The difference between normal planks and side planks is the different muscle groups that it targets, for the side plank targets more of the oblique abdominal muscles. You would be holding the position only with one side of the body, making it harder to hold than the normal plank. But this will also help your mind-to-body connection become deeper.
Side Shuffle
Side shuffle is an agility type of workout. This is where you will be shuffling side to side at a fast pace. This movement is great for getting cardio and lower-body strengthening workout in at the same time. Side shuffle requires somewhat you to have a good coordination with your feet, which will improve your control over your muscles.
Meditation
Meditation does not raise your heart rate or even strengthen your muscles, but what it trains is your mind. Having a healthy body is important but without a clear mind, you will feel lackluster. Meditating just for 10 minutes will balance out your emotions, flushing out any negative emotions you had been stuck with.
Football
If you have someone to kick a ball that would be better, but if not then you can still plan a solo session. There are a lot of ideas for solo drills that you can implement such as cone dribbling or free kicks. This may take a longer time to plan out than the other workouts, but once you do, you are in for a sweaty workout.
Interval Training (HIIT)
Hiit is similar to circuit training, the key difference is the intensity you go through for each exercises. For circuit training you go at a steady pace, however for Hiit you go at about 90% effort of every exercises. Doing high intensity results in burning greater calories than circuit training, but it is less effective for muscle building.
Dirty Dogs
This is a core exercise that gives will also stretch out your lower back and lower back. With one movement you get a stretch increasing your mobility and getting the tightness in your core. The restricting factor for this movement would be your mobility, so at the beginning take it slow to minimize injury.
Slam Balls
For this, you would need to purchase a medicine ball. Medicine balls are a soft weighted balls, which you use them to throw into the ground. Each time you throw the ball at the group you will be using three movements. This will be picking up the ball over your head, then jumping up, and lastly throwing it down. With this, you will be using your full body into the ball from the beginning to the end of the throw.
Forza
This is a full-body sword-swinging workout that will give you a different sensation. You will not have to actually buy a sword to do this exercise, any long type of stick would do. The goal is to perform different swings from different positions whilst minimizing the rest period.
Box Jump
With box jump, you will need a stable box to jump unto. This will require you to explode from the bottom high enough to land on the box. This exercise will train your strength, endurance, and coordination. As you jump into a higher and higher boxes you will start noticing the power improvement with every step you take while walking.
Side & Front Arm Raises
For this, you will raise your hands forward and to your side till your shoulder height one at a time. This will train the front and side muscles of your shoulders. You can do this by just using the weight of your arms, but you would need to do a lot of reps to get a good pump on your shoulders.
Why workout is important?
Having regular workouts allows your mind and body, to keep them in a healthy state. Working out is not all about just looking good as people might think. The most vital part is how it minimizes the chance of your body from suffering from certain conditions such as dementia, type 2 diabetes, and heart diseases.
It also allows your body to stay fit. Weakening of the muscles and bones is common as you age. So keeping them strong throughout your life by working out will help pain and injury from happening easily.
Summary
It is not important which exercise you choose, there are no perfect workout choices. So do not waste a lot of time researching. As long as you are moving that is the real goal!
It is your workout routine so you are free to make it however you want. You do not have to do every exercise on the list. Try a few out from it and see how they make you feel. You can start changing up once in a while just to keep your workouts fresh and exciting.
Make sure to consume enough protein, so your muscles can recovery efficiently.
