Not only are equipment-free workouts massively convenient but they can also garner some pretty impressive results for your fitness levels, physique and overall health. If you're looking for an equipment-less workout that strengthens your entire body, including your core, and boosts your metabolism, we have the perfect circuit for you
This full body routine comes from fitness trainer Kayla Itsines and involves a mix of the best core workout exercises, some lower body bolstering moves and some explosive exercises to bring you a time-efficient and effective way to train your entire body.
You don’t need any fancy equipment such as weights or exercise machines for this workout but we do recommend laying out one of the best yoga mats for extra support and padding underneath your joints.
What is the workout?
The workout consists of eight exercises, all of which require you to complete slightly different numbers of reps (we've provided a break down below for you to follow). You should also know that the aim is to repeat the circuit three times over.
Although equipment free workouts may sound much more straightforward and easy to master, form is just as important as it is when you work out with weights. Engaging the right muscles and maintaining correct form will lead to better results and make you less likely to cause injury to yourself.
Check out Itsines' demonstrations below.
A strong core is highly beneficial not only for aesthetic reasons but also for functional fitness, as it supports better posture, reduces the risk of injuries, and enhances overall exercise performance.
Thanks to exercises like the Mountain Climbers and Ab Bikes, you will have the perfect opportunity to challenge your core muscles with Itsines' bodyweight routine. These movements specifically target the abdominal muscles, obliques, and lower back, which are essential for maintaining core stability and strength.
Just make sure you focus on engaging your core muscles throughout the whole routine and not just during the ab-focused moves. Engaging the core will increase your body's stability throughout the workout and the continuous engagement of the core muscles will also intensify the workout, leading to more pronounced results.
Meanwhile, exercises such as Squats, Lateral Lunges, and Burpees engage multiple muscle groups simultaneously, ensuring that no part of the body is left unworked. Squats and lunges target the lower body, including the quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, and calves, while Burpees and X Hops provide a full-body challenge that also involves the upper body and cardiovascular system.
The high-intensity nature of this workout routine is particularly beneficial for boosting your metabolism. Incorporating exercises that elevate the heart rate and maintain it at a high level, such as Mountain Climbers and Burpees means the body continues to burn calories at an increased rate even after the workout is complete.
If you like this style of workout, we recommend you check out this list of the best beginner HIIT workouts after trying out this one.
To keep up progress with this workout, it is essential to gradually increase the intensity and complexity of the exercises with something called progressive overload training. This can be done by adding more repetitions, incorporating weights, or reducing rest times between sets.
More from Tom's Guide
- Can eating before a workout boost fat loss or should you train on an empty stomach? We asked the experts
- I tried this 10-minute high-intensity core workout to carve my abs and obliques — here's what happened
- I'm a personal trainer — use these 3 bodyweight ab exercises to build your core and strengthen your upper body
