Equipment-free workouts blast fat

No gym? No equipment? No problem! You can get an calorie-busting, results-producing workout that builds strength and blasts fat — all without picking up a single weight or even running a single step.

In fact, when I tell my small group training clients, “You don’t need any equipment today,” they groan, because they know they have a sweaty workout ahead of them. (Of course, when I add phrases like: “You will be using your own body as a weapon against yourself,” it doesn’t help. Heh.)

Exercises using only your body weight are the latest “old-is-new” trend, according to the American Council on Sports Medicine. Back in the day, these exercises were called “calisthenics.” The word itself, calisthenic, denotes what you can gain from this kind of workout. The word originates from the Greek, kalli-, beautiful (from kallos, or beauty), and sthenos, or strength.

What are some examples of body weight exercises? Pushups, lunges, burpees, prisoner squats, planks, ab bicycles, triceps dips, mountain climbers, wall sits … there’s a seemingly endless list.

Here’s a quickie body weight workout specifically designed to get the most bang for your workout buck, torching calories and building strength and stamina. The only equipment you need is an iPod to play motivating music.

Warm up with a brisk 5-minute walk and then hit the following routine with intention …

Walking lunges, 15 each side
Pushups, 10
Ab bicycles (lie on back, bring knee to opposite elbow), 25 each side
Bodyweight squat, 20
Mountain climbers, 20 each side
Plank, 30 to 60 seconds
Side lunges, 10 each side
Plank with foot tap (from plank position, hold body steady as you tap your left foot to the side and return it to center, and alternate sides), 10 each side
Burpees, 10
Brisk walk, 60 seconds
Rest
Repeat 3 times through, and then cool down with another 5 minute walk.

Wendy Watkins

About Wendy Watkins

Wendy Watkins is a Bangor-based personal trainer, fitness coach, studio owner, and writer/editor. She is the author of The Complete Idiots Guide to Losing 20 Pounds in 2 Months. Visit her website at thrivebangor.com.