We all want hacks, tricks, cheat sheets and short cuts to get efficient results in whatever we want. These 7 most effective no-equipment exercises will speed up your fat loss and boost your fitness.

I’m sure you have tried many exercises in the past but have they been effective? Let’s dive into the only exercises that you need to do and will give you a bang for your buck.

1. Push-ups

This is a classic upper body exercise that has endured the test of time. Anyone regardless of age can reap huge benefits from doing push-ups. They work your upper body including your chest, shoulders, arms, upper back and core.

How to Do it


Begin by getting on the floor on all fours with your body straight and abs pulled in to brace your core. Bracing helps build internal pressure in the stomach thereby protecting your spine.
Place your hands wider than shoulder-width apart. Lower your whole body down, bending your elbows to 90 degrees and lowering your chest to the floor. Inhale at the bottom to engage your body and then push back up on exhalation to the starting position.

The full push-up might be challenging for you if you’re a beginner. So, stick to doing it on your knees like in the video above until you build enough strength to progress to a full push-up. Do from between 15 to 20 repetitions and repeat three or four times with short breaks after every set. It’s important to master the basic push-up first before advancing.

Squats

Most people have a love and hate relationship with squats. Either you love and look forward to them or you hate them.

Like the push-up, the squat is the mother of lower body exercises. Thus, learning to do it well guarantees an effective fat burning workout. You will burn lots of calories since squats are a compound exercise. They target the biggest muscles in your body thus making them so efficient.

How to Do a Squat


Begin standing with your feet wider than hips with your toes turned out. Extend your arms in front of you and look straight ahead. During the movement don’t tuck your chin or look up to the ceiling by pinching your neck.

Take a deep breath then hold it to brace your abs. Bent your knees sitting back and making sure you feel your weight in your heels and in the balls of your feet. Squat deep with your butt going below your knees and your thighs parallel to the floor.

The depth of your squat will depend on the flexibility of your hip and ankle joints. Exhale as you push back to standing and move on to the next repetition for 20 reps.
Ensure that your knees are well aligned to your ankles and your back is flat but not arched.

Lunges

I find lunges to be more effective than squats. They hit your entire lower body thereby boosting your metabolism. The result is that you shed unwanted fat.

How to Do Lunges


Stand upright with your feet together and your hands on your hips. Take a big step forward. Engage your core, pull your shoulders back and keep your gaze straight ahead. Bent your knees and lower your rear knee down a few inches off the floor.

Ensure your front knee remains at 90 degrees and does not go over your toes. Squeeze back up to the starting position straightening your legs and repeat. This is the way to do a beginner lunge. To challenge yourself more switch to a walking lunge. Take big steps forward while keeping your body stiff straight without any wobbling. Count 20 steps either walking and then turn and walk back to the starting position.

Mountain Climbers

This is a tough cardio exercise that can burn fat and improve your health. You can do it as warm up, finisher at the end of your workout or include it in your training program. Done well, it will bump your heart rate up meaning you’ll burn lots of calories.

How to Do Mountain Climbers


Start in a high plank position, hands wide, and your body in a straight line from the shoulder to your heels. Drive your knees straight into your chest while maintaining that position. Continue switching your knees as fast as possible simulating a horizontal running movement.
Keep breathing through the exercise. Breathing helps give your muscles enough oxygen to stimulate an efficient fat burning process.

Plank walkouts

This exercise works your core plus other muscles in your upper body and arms. This combination ensures that you’ll burn more calories every time you do it.

How to Do Plank Walkouts


Stand straight with your feet shoulder width apart. Bend forward and hang your upper body down reaching the floor with your hands. If your hamstrings are too tight don’t worry. Bent your knees a bit to reach the floor. This will help relieve a lot of pressure in your hamstrings when stretching down.

Walk forward with small hand steps until your body comes to a full push up position. Pause for a moment and then walk back up to standing. Repeat for 15-20 repetitions.

Burpees

If your goal is to stay lean and trim, this exercise is perfect for getting you to your goal in no time. It’s explosive but very effective. Your heart rate will be through the roof only after the first few repetitions. This is a true full-body exercise as it targets all the major muscles in your body from your legs to your upper body.

The only thing to look out for is the state of your back and shoulders. If you have any weakness in your low back and shoulders or any form of mild pain in your back then skip it or change it.

Here’s How to Do Burpees


Stand tall with your feet shoulder –width apart. Squat and place your right next to your feet. Engage your abs then jump both feet out into a plank keeping your butt down. Immediately jump back into your hands and using your legs, jump up while throwing your arms into the air. Land with bent knees and repeat for say 15 repetitions.

 

High Knees

High knees are intense and can provide a quick calorie burn when done with good form. You can do them anywhere even in a small hotel room right after waking up.
They are a perfect warm-up. You can start with low knees to wake up your body then pick up the pace driving your knees all the way up.

How to Execute It


Stand upright with your feet shoulder width apart. Begin with a simple jog on the spot and then change it to a slow run. Transition to lifting your knees up to your waist while pumping your arms to power your moves. Use a timer and aim for 45-60 seconds.

These are the 7 most effective no equipment exercises to help you lose fat and boost your overall fitness.
Are you always on the move? Do you travel often for work and want to maintain your fitness and keep your body fat in check, then look no further. Try out these no equipment exercises now. Do them back to back without a break from start to finish.

Rest for a minute and repeat for one or two more rounds as your time allows. You will have a quick and intense 20-30 minute workout to keep you in shape in a little amount of time.

Now you can burn fat and maintain a lean body even when you’re busy travelling and have no time for the gym. To make sure you are making progress towards your fitness goals, I’ve created a 7 Step Guide To Healthy Eating to complement your training. Click here to download the free guide.