10 Workouts You Can Do for Free with No Equipment

The fitness industry hauls in hundreds of millions of dollars a year while our nation battles with Mexico for the title of the “world’s most obese nation.”  Though this oddity is one of the many ironies we live with on a daily basis, it is one that particularly interests me.  It interests me because i love to get to the bottom of things and secondly I want to help you.
 
The truth is, you need absolutely zero equipment to be fit. This is a troubling myth, the belief that we need money and fancy equipment to be fit, because it hurts the people who need to be fit without spending money and it acts an excuse for all the rest of us- “I can’t go to the gym so I can’t work out.” 
 
Those of means can afford to devise more and more entertaining and expensive ways to stay in shape. There’s nothing wrong with that at all, I like taking yoga classes sometimes, and paying for martial arts, and I’ve been a member at many gyms.   Plus, I know that I deliver a valuable service to many many people who can afford training and coaching.  But those without means, without extra time, and without options need to understand that fitness is democratic- everyone can participate equally.   No equipment is necessary.
 
Here are 10 Workouts you can do for free with no equipment:

1. Distance walk for an hour. If you can’t walk, then ride a bike.
   1. Pick a distance 2 or 3 miles from your home.
   2. Walk there and back
2. Muscle Endurance Workout- 20 reps each, 2-4 sets
   1. Push-Ups- do them at various angles or against the wall or on your knees if you need to
   2. Rows- prone, on the floor
   3. Squats- bad knees? Hold onto something
   4. Crunch
   5. Bridge
3. Sprints-10 Second Sprints. Can’t run? Bike
   1. Walk for 2 minutes
   2. Sprint 80% as fast as you can for 10 seconds
   3. Repeat 10 times with a 1 minute walk in between
   4. Walk 2 minutes to cool down
4. Isometric or Static Exercise- 20 seconds each, 3 sets
   1. Plank
   2. Wall Sit
   3. Side Plank
   4. Arm Curl Hold
   5. Push Up Hold
   6. Sit Up Hold
   7. Bridge Hold
   8. Downward Dog
5. Hill Intervals- 10
   1. Find a hill in your neighborhood
   2. Walk or jog up and down it 10 times
   3. Waive at your neighbors and ask them to join you
   4. Can’t walk or run? Bike
6. Supersets- alternate back and forth between these exercises, 1-3 sets of 10-20 each
   1. Squats / Push - Ups
   2. Prone Rows / Planks
   3. Bicycles / Bridges
   4. Push Up Twist / Chair Dips
   5. Mountain Climbers / Lunges
7. Jumping & Running
   1. Run or Jog in place 30 seconds
   2. Do 10 Jumping Jacks
   3. Walk in place 10 seconds to cool down
      
   4. Repeat 10 times
      
8. Manual Labor-
   1. 1 or 2 hours per week: Start a project in your yard, help an elderly neighbor, or volunteer
   2. Good for the soul!
9. Yoga
   1. Learn 6 poses
   2. Perform 5 breaths on each one
   3. Repeat 6 times each
      
   4. Can’t get in the floor? Do chair yoga?  You can find plenty of chair Yoga exercise on Youtube.
10. Stairs
    1. Walk to the top of the stairs
    2. Repeat 10 times

 Bonus: Learn to shadow box, or to do kickboxing.  Turn on some good tunes and get after it for 12 3- minute rounds.  This will flat our wear you out!

Have a great week!