Going abroad for fun in the near future? Maybe you are traveling for work or simply planning a weekend getaway with the family. Wherever you are going, you can rest assured that you do not have to pack resistance bands or kettlebells to keep up with your workouts.Â
According to researchers, there are many bodyweight exercises that can help you achieve a meaningful workout. The best part is that you can do them right from the comfort of your own hotel room, campsite, AirBnb, or wherever you are staying. Below, you will find a handful of bodyweight exercises that will get you the most bang for your buck.Â
Burpees
Although burpees may be the most hated exercise on this list, they are highly effective for full-body cardio and training the legs, chest, core, and more. To do burpees, start in a standing position and then squat down, placing your hands on the ground and jumping your feet back to enter a high plank. Do a push-up, jump your feet back to your hands, and then explode upward and jump with your arms extended overhead. If you find this traditional way too challenging, you can walk your feet back into a plank, skip the push-up, and stand up to return to the starting position. Complete three sets of 10.
Forearm Plank
A good old-fashioned plank can go a long way in strengthening your core. The sweat will start to drip after one of these! Begin in a tabletop position on your hands and knees, stacking your shoulders over your wrists and hips over your knees. Step your feet back to enter a high plank position. Carefully lower yourself down to your forearms and maintain a straight body, ensuring that you don’t let your hips sink. Hold for 30 seconds and then rest. You can increase the time as you get more comfortable with the exercises. Complete three rounds, holding at least 30 seconds each time.Â
Mountain Climbers
Great for cardio, core, and shoulder strength, mountain climbers are great to do in or out of the gym. Enter a high plank position and then drive your right knee toward your chest, before switching it quickly in a fluid motion. Ideally, you want to look like you are running in place, but make sure to keep your shoulders stacked over your hands. If you need, you can take it at a slower pace. Need it to be more challenging? Bring your knee to the opposite elbow! Complete three sets of 30 seconds, resting for one to two minutes between each set.
Bodyweight Squats
This is one of the simplest and space-saving bodyweight exercises you can do. It targets the quadriceps, glutes, hamstrings, and core. Stand up straight with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Keep your back straight as you lower down into a squat position, sitting your butt back and making sure that your knees don’t extend beyond your toes. Engage your glutes and drive through your heels to return to the starting position. Complete three sets of 10-12 reps.Â
Glute Bridges
Glute bridges target your lower back, glutes, and hamstrings, and they can help counteract poor posture. Start by lying flat on your back with your palms facing down by your sides. Bend your knees so that your heels are between three to six inches from your buttocks. Press the soles of your feet into the mat, engage your gluteus muscles, and lift your hips toward the ceiling. Interlock your fingers on the mat near your buttocks and keep your knees directly over your feet. Lower back down slowly, ensuring you don’t slam down on the floor. Complete three sets of 10 reps.
Push-Ups
For the final move of the sequence, we have the tried and true push-up, which targets the chest, shoulders, triceps, and core. Begin in a high plank position and keep your feet shoulder width apart. Keep the body in a straight line as you lower your chest to the floor, keeping your elbows at a 45-degree angle. Press back up by engaging the pectorals and shoulders and pause at the top before completing another rep. Make sure to do three sets of 10-12 push-ups.
Vincent Stevens is the senior content writer at Dherbs. As a fitness and health and wellness enthusiast, he enjoys covering a variety of topics, including the latest health, fitness, beauty, and lifestyle trends. His goal is to inform people of different ways they can improve their overall health, which aligns with Dherbs’ core values. He received his bachelor’s degree in creative writing from the University of Redlands, graduating summa cum laude. He lives in Los Angeles, CA.