Strength-Training Exercises You Can Do Anywhere

You don’t have to go to the gym to get a great muscle-building workout. You don’t even need equipment. There are many bodyweight-only exercises for strength training that you can do anywhere — at home, when traveling, even at work if you’ve got a space you can exercise in. Here are two to try.

The Advanced Leg Extension: For this move, stand up straight with feet together and your arms at your sides. Lift your right knee until your right thigh is parallel to the floor. Hold briefly, then lower the leg and, with control, swing it behind you as you reach forward with your upper body. Your arms should be extended in front of you, in line with the leg extended behind you. Your body forms one straight line parallel with the ground. Return to the start position and repeat 10 to 15 times, then repeat the entire sequence with the left leg.

The Tabletop Bridge With Arm Extensions: For this move, sit on the floor with knees bent, feet flat and hip-width apart. Your hands should be flat on the ground with your fingers facing forward, in the same direction as your feet. Squeeze glutes and core muscles and press hands into floor as you lift your torso and hips into the tabletop bridge. Head, back and thighs form a straight line. Now, from this position, press feet and your left palm into the floor as you raise your right arm toward the ceiling. With control, lower the arm, then lower your torso to the starting position. Repeat five to 10 times, then repeat the entire sequence raising your left arm from the tabletop position.

More information

The American Council on Exercise has photos of these and other bodyweight exercises to add to your workout.