30 Moves to Make the Most of Your At-Home Workout

You can work out at home without any gear by practicing yoga positions and resistance exercises that rely on your own body weight.

Home workouts centered on bodyweight movements are a practical way to build strength and muscle, boost cardiovascular fitness, and control body fat.

If the gym isn’t for you or you’re pressed for time, clear a small area in any room and start exercising right away.

This piece outlines 30 bodyweight exercises that can be adjusted for beginners, intermediates, and advanced exercisers. Begin where you feel comfortable and advance from there.

Intermediate routine

If you’ve got the beginner sequence down, you can progress to these intermediate exercises.

Do 2 rounds of 10–15 repetitions for each movement below, resting 1 minute before moving to the next exercise.

Another, more challenging option is to do timed rounds — for example, perform 1 minute of each exercise and complete the circuit twice.

Try to beat your previous performance by adding 1 or 2 reps each time you repeat the routine. But don’t trade proper technique for extra reps. It’s preferable to do fewer reps with correct form to lower the chance of injury.

Bridged march

Taking an exercise to one leg instantly increases its difficulty.

1. Set up in a bridge position.
2. Lift one foot off the floor keeping that knee bent, then lower it back down.
3. Repeat the motion with the opposite leg.

Do the same number of repetitions on each side.

Squat

Removing the chair can help you refine the technique of a standard bodyweight squat and allow you to go deeper.

The movement is the same: hinge at the hips and push your hips back as if you’re sitting into a chair.

Pushup

A full pushup is the tougher progression from a knee pushup.

Get into a high plank and perform the pushup with your elbows tracking about 45 degrees away from your body.

»Learn more:How to do wide pushups

Forward and backward lunge

By moving through space instead of holding a stationary lunge, you can more effectively engage your lower-body muscles and enhance stability, mobility, and balance.

1. Begin with feet together and step forward, lunging with your right leg.
2. Push off the front foot to return to the starting position, then step back into a reverse lunge.
3. Push off the back foot to come back to center.

That sequence is one repetition. Do 10–15 reps leading with your right leg, then switch and repeat on the left.

Pike pushups

Adding a pushup to a pike emphasizes the shoulders even more. The action is concentrated in the arms, so keep the rest of your body steady.

To do it, get into a pike position, bend at the elbows allowing them to flare out, and lower the top of your head toward the ground.

Kneeling squat

Kneeling squats are excellent for increasing time under tension, keeping your legs and glutes working consistently to intensify the burn.

How to:

1. Drop down into a squat and remain low throughout the move.
2. Lower your knees to the ground one at a time so you’re kneeling.
3. Step your feet back to the floor one at a time, returning to the squat position.
4. Repeat quickly while preserving solid form.

Superman

Target your lower back and the posterior chain with a superman. Move slowly to maximize the benefits.

How to:

1. Lie face down with arms and legs extended.
2. Keeping a neutral neck, engage your core and posterior chain to lift your arms and legs off the floor as high as possible. Keep your knees straight and lift your thighs.
3. Hold for 1 second at the top, then slowly lower back down.

Plank with alternating leg lift

Adding leg lifts to a standard plank creates instability, forcing your core to work harder as three limbs support more of your weight.

Raise one leg, hold for 5 seconds, then lower it. Repeat with the other leg.

Kneeling side plank with hip abduction

Supporting your weight on your knee and extended arm while performing a hip abduction turns this into an upper-body challenge as well and increases core engagement.

1. Kneel on your left side and support your body on your elbow. Bend your knees to 90 degrees with hips facing forward, aligned with the knees.
2. Press through your left knee and left arm to lift your hip off the floor.
3. Raise the right (top) leg, pause briefly, then lower it back down.

Do 10–15 reps, then switch sides.

Dead bug

Engage your deep core muscles with the dead bug.

How to:

1. Lie on your back with legs in a tabletop position and arms extended over your chest.
2. In a coordinated motion, lower the heel of your left leg toward the floor while lowering your right arm overhead, keeping your lower back pressed into the ground.
3. Return the leg and arm to tabletop, then repeat on the opposite side.

»MORE:Learn how to lose weight the healthy way, the Wellos™ way

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Advanced routine

Once the intermediate circuit feels easy, challenge yourself with these advanced variations.

Perform 2 sets of 10–15 reps of each exercise, resting 30 seconds to 1 minute between movements.

Or, do one round of each exercise, rest 1–2 minutes, then repeat the sequence.

Single leg bridge with leg extended

Lifting one foot and then extending that leg straight will intensify a single-leg bridge.

Keep the foot flexed during each rep. Match the number of reps on both sides.

Overhead squat

Holding your arms overhead tests mobility and range of motion in the upper body while still providing the benefits of a squat to your lower body. It also forces substantial core engagement.

To execute, perform a squat while keeping the arms extended overhead throughout the movement.

One-legged pushup

Lifting one leg shifts more load onto the remaining limbs, increasing the difficulty.

Assume a pushup position, lift one foot off the floor, and then perform the pushup.

Jumping lunges

Plyometric moves demand brief bursts of maximum effort.

Because they require explosive strength and power, you’ll feel fatigue fast.

Add an explosive jump to each lunge rep to elevate the challenge.

Elevated pike pushups

Raising your feet during a pike pushup makes this variation the most demanding.

Place your feet on an elevated surface (bench or step) and complete the pike pushup. The higher the elevation, the harder it will be.

Kneeling squat with jump

Rather than stepping your feet back up from kneeling, explosively jump them back into position. This requires significant power and strength.

Advanced Bird Dog

Start in a high plank, then perform a Bird Dog by lifting one arm and the opposite leg at the same time.

As with all advanced variations, keeping a neutral spine is essential.

One-leg forearm plank hold

Elevate a forearm plank by lifting one leg and holding it in place.

1. Get into a forearm plank and stabilize your body.
2. Raise one leg and hold it for as long as you can, then switch sides.

»Learn more:Plank variations to try

Side plank with hip abduction

Support yourself on your foot rather than your knee for a more complete full-body challenge during the hip abduction.

Assume a side plank and perform a controlled leg lift. Repeat on the other side.

Hollow hold to jackknife

This exercise requires continuous abdominal contraction.

How to:

1. Assume a hollow hold: lie on your back, extend your arms overhead, engage your core, lift your legs and upper body off the ground, and hold.
2. Add a jackknife: with legs extended, lift them and bring your arms overhead toward your toes so they meet.
3. Slowly lower arms and legs back down until you return to the engaged hollow hold.

»MORE:Learn how to lose weight the healthy way, the Wellos™ way

Wellos is owned by RVO Health. By clicking on this link, we may receive a commission. Learn more.

Frequently asked questions

Are 20-minute home workouts effective?

A 20-minute home session is better than no exercise, but exclusively doing only 20-minute workouts may not meet weekly activity needs.

The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans advise aiming for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity per week to lower disease risk and support general health.

That said, if your objective is losing weight or increasing muscle mass, additional factors like nutrition will influence results.

Do home workouts really work?

Yes — exercising at home can improve muscular strength, endurance, and balance.

What exercises burn belly fat?

Cardio and resistance training can contribute to reducing belly fat. However, you can’t selectively reduce fat from a specific area. For weight loss, focus on a balanced diet and maintaining a calorie deficit.

The bottom line

Bodyweight movements can make your home workouts challenging regardless of your fitness starting point.

Begin with the beginner routine, and within months you could be progressing toward mastering the advanced sequence.

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