Best At-Home Exercises Without Any Equipment
By Slimapk Team
•
September 27, 2025
The best at-home exercises without equipment are compound movements that work multiple muscle groups at once. Key examples include Squats for the lower body, Push-ups for the upper body, Planks for the core, and Burpees for a full-body cardio blast.
One of the biggest myths in fitness is that you need a gym membership or expensive equipment to get a great workout. The truth is, your own body is one of the most effective and versatile pieces of fitness equipment you'll ever own.
Bodyweight exercises are free, can be done anywhere, and are incredibly effective for building strength, improving endurance, and burning calories. Here are some of the best and most effective exercises you can do with zero equipment.
For Your Lower Body (Legs & Glutes)
1. Squats
Why it's great: The undisputed king of lower-body exercises. Squats work your quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes all at once, building functional strength for everyday activities like sitting and standing.
How to do it: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, chest up. Lower your hips back and down as if you're sitting in an invisible chair. Go as low as you can comfortably, aiming to get your thighs parallel to the floor, then drive through your heels to return to the starting position.
2. Lunges
Why it's great: Lunges target each leg individually, which helps to improve balance, coordination, and stability. They're fantastic for toning the glutes and quads.
How to do it: Step forward with one leg and lower your hips until both knees are bent at a 90-degree angle. Make sure your front knee is directly above your ankle. Push off your front foot to return to the start, and then alternate legs.
3. Glute Bridges
Why it's great: This move isolates and activates your glute muscles and hamstrings without putting any strain on your lower back.
How to do it: Lie on your back with your knees bent, feet flat on the floor close to your glutes. Drive through your heels to lift your hips off the floor until your body forms a straight line from your shoulders to your knees. Squeeze your glutes at the top, then slowly lower back down.
For Your Upper Body (Chest, Shoulders, & Arms)
4. Push-ups
Why it's great: The ultimate upper-body press. It builds strength in your chest, shoulders, and triceps, while also engaging your core.
How to do it: Start in a high plank position with your hands slightly wider than your shoulders. Lower your body until your chest is just above the floor, keeping your body in a straight line. Push back up to the start.
Make it easier: If a standard push-up is too difficult, perform them with your knees on the floor.
5. Plank to Downward Dog
Why it's great: This dynamic movement builds shoulder stability and strength while also engaging the core and providing a great stretch for your hamstrings and back.
How to do it: Start in a strong plank. From there, push your hips up and back, forming an inverted 'V' shape with your body (the Downward Dog yoga pose). Hold for a second, then return to the plank position with control.
For Your Core (Abs & Lower Back)
6. Planks
Why it's great: Planks are one of the best exercises for building deep core stability, which is essential for protecting your spine and improving posture.
How to do it: Hold the top of a push-up position, either on your hands or on your forearms. Your body should form a perfectly straight line from your head to your heels. Brace your abs and glutes, and don't let your hips sag. Hold for time.
7. Mountain Climbers
Why it's great: This is a fantastic core exercise that also doubles as a cardio move, getting your heart rate up quickly.
How to do it: From a high plank position, drive one knee towards your chest, then quickly switch and bring the other knee in. Continue alternating in a running motion while keeping your hips low and your core tight.
For Your Full Body & Cardio
8. Burpees
Why it's great: The ultimate all-in-one exercise. It's a challenging move that works your entire body and is one of the best ways to improve cardiovascular fitness without any equipment.
How to do it: From a standing position, squat down and place your hands on the floor. Kick your feet back into a plank, perform a push-up, then jump your feet back towards your hands. From there, explode up into a jump with your arms overhead.
You don't need a gym to get in amazing shape. By mastering these fundamental bodyweight movements, you have a full-body workout available to you anytime, anywhere.
One of the biggest myths in fitness is that you need a gym membership or expensive equipment to get a great workout. The truth is, your own body is one of the most effective and versatile pieces of fitness equipment you'll ever own.
Bodyweight exercises are free, can be done anywhere, and are incredibly effective for building strength, improving endurance, and burning calories. Here are some of the best and most effective exercises you can do with zero equipment.
For Your Lower Body (Legs & Glutes)
1. Squats
Why it's great: The undisputed king of lower-body exercises. Squats work your quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes all at once, building functional strength for everyday activities like sitting and standing.
How to do it: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, chest up. Lower your hips back and down as if you're sitting in an invisible chair. Go as low as you can comfortably, aiming to get your thighs parallel to the floor, then drive through your heels to return to the starting position.
2. Lunges
Why it's great: Lunges target each leg individually, which helps to improve balance, coordination, and stability. They're fantastic for toning the glutes and quads.
How to do it: Step forward with one leg and lower your hips until both knees are bent at a 90-degree angle. Make sure your front knee is directly above your ankle. Push off your front foot to return to the start, and then alternate legs.
3. Glute Bridges
Why it's great: This move isolates and activates your glute muscles and hamstrings without putting any strain on your lower back.
How to do it: Lie on your back with your knees bent, feet flat on the floor close to your glutes. Drive through your heels to lift your hips off the floor until your body forms a straight line from your shoulders to your knees. Squeeze your glutes at the top, then slowly lower back down.
For Your Upper Body (Chest, Shoulders, & Arms)
4. Push-ups
Why it's great: The ultimate upper-body press. It builds strength in your chest, shoulders, and triceps, while also engaging your core.
How to do it: Start in a high plank position with your hands slightly wider than your shoulders. Lower your body until your chest is just above the floor, keeping your body in a straight line. Push back up to the start.
Make it easier: If a standard push-up is too difficult, perform them with your knees on the floor.
5. Plank to Downward Dog
Why it's great: This dynamic movement builds shoulder stability and strength while also engaging the core and providing a great stretch for your hamstrings and back.
How to do it: Start in a strong plank. From there, push your hips up and back, forming an inverted 'V' shape with your body (the Downward Dog yoga pose). Hold for a second, then return to the plank position with control.
For Your Core (Abs & Lower Back)
6. Planks
Why it's great: Planks are one of the best exercises for building deep core stability, which is essential for protecting your spine and improving posture.
How to do it: Hold the top of a push-up position, either on your hands or on your forearms. Your body should form a perfectly straight line from your head to your heels. Brace your abs and glutes, and don't let your hips sag. Hold for time.
7. Mountain Climbers
Why it's great: This is a fantastic core exercise that also doubles as a cardio move, getting your heart rate up quickly.
How to do it: From a high plank position, drive one knee towards your chest, then quickly switch and bring the other knee in. Continue alternating in a running motion while keeping your hips low and your core tight.
For Your Full Body & Cardio
8. Burpees
Why it's great: The ultimate all-in-one exercise. It's a challenging move that works your entire body and is one of the best ways to improve cardiovascular fitness without any equipment.
How to do it: From a standing position, squat down and place your hands on the floor. Kick your feet back into a plank, perform a push-up, then jump your feet back towards your hands. From there, explode up into a jump with your arms overhead.
You don't need a gym to get in amazing shape. By mastering these fundamental bodyweight movements, you have a full-body workout available to you anytime, anywhere.