Ways to excercise without equipment..

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Replies

  • liannexxx
    liannexxx Posts: 201 Member
    Do you have an iPhone of iPad? There are loads of really good apps on there that I am using while I am away travelling x
  • bregalad5
    bregalad5 Posts: 3,965 Member
    I do a little circuit while I watch tv: dips using my computer chair, push-ups with my feet up on my bed, then crunches, then normal push-ups. Rinse and repeat.
  • kiiks52
    kiiks52 Posts: 21
    Check out http://zuzkalight.com/category/workout/

    They are high intensity workouts (including squats and lunges that others have mentioned) that can easily be done in your living room with minimal to no equipment and completed between 15-30 minutes.. A new workout is posted each week, and usually they are time challenges where your goal is to complete the exercises as fast as you can. I keep a log for each workout and write my time down so I can come back to it later and see if I've improved on time.

    If you're a beginner, you won't need to worry about even getting cheap dumbbells for a while. The trainer has plenty of exercises that don't require any equipment at all, and for the ones that do require equipment, you can usually get a good workout as a beginner just leaving them out for the time being, or grabbing something around the house such as a bottle of bleach as your weight, for example.

    I really love it because I can move at my own pace and I'm doing cardio and strength training at the same time. Don't be fooled. The workouts are hard. They are supposed to be. But if you decide to try them, I think the best way to go about it is to commit to finishing the workout as fast as you can, but -do not- give up! It's ok if it takes you 30 minutes longer than the trainer. If you complete the exercises and are pushing yourself, you will improve.

    Several days ago, I was doing push-ups on my knees. After several days of these workouts and pushing through them, I successfully did 30 total push-ups during my workout without using any knees :)) I really encourage you to at least check the site out.
  • pinkraynedropjacki
    pinkraynedropjacki Posts: 3,027 Member
    Broom. Trust me that's a great strength exercise machine right there. Flex your muscles & use it as resistance.

    Walk at home 5 mile (grab it off YouTube) it's brilliant & WILL work up a sweat :heart:

    Planks, pushups, reverse pushups........

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7UgCfbVfkE I love love love this workout.
  • sonny368
    sonny368 Posts: 61
    I used to run 5 k something more alternated with Insanity, is ok to power up with no equipment right now i stay only with cross fitting, i have to change following the stress my body have to handle in certain periods.
  • Food wise if it doesn't grow or graze dont eat it.

    I like that! I still haven't got there, but I am working towards it!
  • tonyoconnor129
    tonyoconnor129 Posts: 46 Member
    All of the above are great advice. For my money, or lack thereof, the best cardio exercise is walking. The next best would be climbing trees and swinging from the branches. :smile:
    Seriously. We are built for walking and climbing trees. Not that I do any of the second any more, when I was a kid if there was a tree I was in it. I do have some inexpensive equipment, either hand me downs from in laws or cheap purchases at yard sales from other people who have spent way more money on stuff than I ever want to. Almost all of the 12 pounds I have lost so far is due to walking a LOT and eating less. I am Vegetarian, and have been for 20 + years. That does not necessarily mean I made healthy food choices. It is amazing how much pizza I can eat in a sitting :smile: Portion control is key.
  • theblackspot
    theblackspot Posts: 22 Member
    Food wise if it doesn't grow or graze dont eat it.

    I like that!

    me too.
  • Burpees are a total body workout and can be hard to do at first, but I recommend you try them and get used to them. They are the best exercise that doesn't require equipment.

    This is a Burpee with a Push-Up (Don't do the push-up to start, just do the Burpee, the whole action MINUS the push-up when you get to the ground): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PYfNA_lmkHM

    Squats are also great but eventually your body will get used to squatting with your own weight so later on you may have to add weight somehow for more challenge & intensity. Do 3 sets of 20 if you can that will get your heard rate up. Keep your back super straight and your chest out with shoulders back, and make sure your knees ARE NOT going inwards when you squat down or passing your ankles - this is very bad for the knees, I have personal experience so believe me).

    Plank is great for the abs. There is the basic plank and a side plank.
    A Regular Plank: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MHQmRINu4jU
    A Side Plank: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wqzrb67Dwf8

    I do all of these regularly with my Personal Trainer.

    All the best, good luck! :smile:
  • tammymusic1
    tammymusic1 Posts: 243 Member
    I've lost 60lbs in the last year without every stepping foot in a gym. What I have Jullian Micheals 30day shred , Jackie warner circuit training (my favorite) a pair of 5lb weights pretty cheap from sports challet . THen I starting running 4 months ago using C25K to start. Lost 20lbs in 6wks when I first starting running. Now Iove running. Although if you are serious about running you will need to invest in some good shoes
  • nobleammonite
    nobleammonite Posts: 64 Member
    I do zwow's from you tube at home, or any hiit workout. They've worked better than anything else I've done and most workouts don't take more than 20 mns of my day.

    This!

    I LOVE Zuzka (and HIIT). All my non-running workouts are ZWOWs or old Bodyrocks with her. But her site is a bit cumbersome, and I don't have any equipment besides some weights. So I use this site http://litealloy.com/workouts/tags# to figure out which workout to do for the day. You can select different tags - like "no equipment", or "weights" - and it will only show you those that fit your criteria. My favorites are ones with intervals, but I mix it up with some that call for a specific number of reps or as many rounds as possible in a certain time. Keep track of how much you do each workout so you can see how you improve!

    Good luck!
  • bregalad5
    bregalad5 Posts: 3,965 Member
    Just did the Zumba abs video for the first time and worked up a nice sweat :) That could be partly because it's super hot in this room, haha, but it was fun! Definitely something to add to your list if you're also strapped for time - it's only 15 minutes.
  • sun_ny
    sun_ny Posts: 35
    Get committed to walking everywhere, the difference it can make is surprising:)
  • pinkraynedropjacki
    pinkraynedropjacki Posts: 3,027 Member
    Get committed to walking everywhere, the difference it can make is surprising:)

    I second this. I walk EVERYWHERE. I'm walking 22km in a few days just to get mascara. I will walk 17km to get a light globe. I walk 12km into the city & back to get some vitamin tablets. It's crazy, but sooooooooooooooo good.
  • StatHaldol
    StatHaldol Posts: 414 Member
    Get committed to walking everywhere, the difference it can make is surprising:)

    I second this. I walk EVERYWHERE. I'm walking 22km in a few days just to get mascara. I will walk 17km to get a light globe. I walk 12km into the city & back to get some vitamin tablets. It's crazy, but sooooooooooooooo good.

    Same here! I started walking over a year ago, then got a stationary bike. Works for me.
  • michellelhartwig
    michellelhartwig Posts: 486 Member
    bump
  • bregalad5
    bregalad5 Posts: 3,965 Member
    Get committed to walking everywhere, the difference it can make is surprising:)

    I second this. I walk EVERYWHERE. I'm walking 22km in a few days just to get mascara. I will walk 17km to get a light globe. I walk 12km into the city & back to get some vitamin tablets. It's crazy, but sooooooooooooooo good.

    Same here! I started walking over a year ago, then got a stationary bike. Works for me.

    Yep me too. I don't have a car, so I walk a lot. I do take the bus to work, but that's only because walking 3 miles before standing for 8 hours is a bit overkill on my body...
  • meeper123
    meeper123 Posts: 3,347 Member
    Run baby run lol :)
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  • His_Buttercup2015
    His_Buttercup2015 Posts: 114 Member
    Last year (before I found MFP) I would climb my stairs with some good tunes for about 3 minutes, rest was walking same beat around the basement to keep my legs from being noodles but still maintain movement for 1 minute then back to the stairs. Also jumping jacks are good to get your heart rate up. Another thing was I stood and/or danced while I folded laundry (I would DIE without my tunage). If you have kids sit on the couch or layzboy and if they're small enough lift the with your legs while you watch tv. You will be done waaay before they they will! I also had a friend who would do squats with two messenger bags (or purses) that had bottles of water or even books/magazines in them. She would wear them cross-ways.
  • LCgymnast
    LCgymnast Posts: 258
    The DVDs I like are Turbo Fire (full of high energy cardio....the fat literally melted off) and Brazilian Butt Lift. I get a lot of fun workouts from pintrest actually. There are a lot of different pins and the workouts are just as tough. I usually look for one the night before and give it a try the next morning. If I like it I'll print it and keep it. Foods....tons of veggies and fruits! I do lean protein (turkey for me mostly) and have given up the nasty junk (fast foods, some processed foods, and high sugars). So glad to see you giving it your all to get healthy!
  • x58890
    x58890 Posts: 14
    If you have a smartphone, I might recommend downloading an app called Jefit. Like MFP, it has both a website and smartphone app that sync. Once you've created your login, you can browse existing exercise routines or create your own. I was on there today and saw that a routine (7 days of workouts) was featured that used no equipment. As a plus, it functions a a workout log so you can store your reps and know what to beat next time.

    Additionally, the single best piece of exercise equipment a person can own would be a set of gymnastic rings or a suspension trainer. Both pieces of equipment can work any part of the body you wish and, since both provide resistance through decreased leverage, you can easily decrease or increase your intensity based on ability.

    If you don't want to buy a suspension trainer, you can make one for about $10. A quick google search should yield several "how-to" videos.

    Good luck!