3 home workouts without equipment you can do anywhere

Your fitness doesn’t have to suffer because you can’t go to the gym. Here are workouts without equipment you can do from home.

The gym isn’t the only place to get a workout. It’s easier than you might think to get a sweat using just your bodyweight. Here’s how to make the most of it with these home workouts without equipment needed.

• High-intensity interval training (like in workout 2) will get your blood flowing and your muscles working in no time. Work at an intense pace — hard enough that you need the rest between rounds.
• Brush up on the basics. Check out reputable fitness sites like ACSM.org and AceFitness.org for primers on bodyweight movements and options for scaling to your fitness level.
• Grab a buddy. Ask a family member to join you in your sweat session. You’ll motivate each other to keep going and get in some quality time.

How to do equipment-free exercises:

Sit-ups: Lie on the floor with your legs butterflied out and press your feet together. Sit up, engaging your abs, while keeping your back flat and your chest high. Touch your feet, then come back down.

Squats: With feet shoulder-width apart, send your butt down and back. Keep your chest up and eyes looking forward. Be sure your front knee is over your ankle, and not bent past 90 degrees.

Push-ups: Start in plank position, with your hands underneath your shoulders. Lower your body to the ground, keeping your elbows in tight. Push back up from your toes or your knees, squeezing your stomach and returning to plank position.

Plank hold: Face the ground in a push-up position, with your feet shoulder-width apart and hands directly underneath your shoulders. Keep your body in one straight line. For added burn, lower yourself onto your forearms, which should be stacked under your shoulders.

Lunges: Step one foot forward, bending both knees to a 90-degree angle. Your front knee should be over your ankle. Push through your heel to step your foot back into place. Repeat with the opposite leg. Want to challenge yourself? Do walking lunges across your workout space.

Squat thrusts: Jump or step down into plank position, then quickly jump or step your feet back to their starting position, under your hips. Stand tall to complete each rep.