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Build Muscle At Home: The BEST Full Body Home Workout For Growth

Want to learn how to build muscle at home the right way today i'll show you how this science-based full body home workout achieves just that. .

Typically, when we think of full body workout at home routines where you’re more or less limited to using your bodyweight, we automatically assume that they’re inferior for muscle growth when compared to working out at a gym, where you have access to heavy weights. And I’m not gonna lie. For most home bodyweight workouts out there, this is true. And they are in fact inferior for growth. But, this is simply because they aren’t designed properly.

Because time and again, research has shown that in both untrained and trained individuals, you can make comparable gains in muscle mass by using either:

• Lighter loads with your bodyweight, for example
• Heavier weights in the gym

But the catch is that there’s a couple of key points that people overlook when it comes to home workouts. And these are key to ensuring that you’re still able to maximize your growth despite being limited to just your bodyweight.

These key points are essential that you incorporate into the full body workout at home routine (no equipment) I’ll be showing you today.

By the way: these are the exact key points (plus more!) accounted for in every single BWS program, no matter if it is a home-based or gym-based routine. I've designed all training programs to help transform your physique in the most time-efficient manner. And best of all? It's all rooted in science. For more information:

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What You Need To Do To Maximize Growth In A Full Body Workout At Home

Push to near failure for every single set of your bodyweight workout routine.

First (and arguably most important), is that you need to push to near failure for every single set you perform in this workout.

Research has shown that if you stop well short of failure during your sets when using lighter loads, you’ll fail to fully activate all the motor units within your muscles. And, as a result, you won’t experience the same amount of growth that you would when using heavy weights. Therefore, during each set of this workout you want to push as close to failure as possible.

That means till you genuinely have just a couple reps left in the tank before you wouldn’t be able to perform another rep with good form due to muscle fatigue. Now this will be very uncomfortable given that we’ll be working with a higher rep range. But it’s essential that you push through if you truly want to maximize your growth with this full body workout at home routine.

Perform 30-40 Reps During Each Of Your Set During Your Home Workout

Research has indeed shown that working with higher reps and lighter loads like with your bodyweight, for example, can lead to comparable growth as heavier weights in the gym do. But it seems that there is a low end cut off to this. If you train with loads or use a resistance that is too light, then you won’t be able to maximize growth.

Which seems to be right around 30-40% of your 1 rep max. Meaning that you need to be working with a weight or resistance that is at least 30-40% of your 1 rep max if you want to maximize growth during each of your sets.

Admittedly, this is easier to calculate when using weights. But since we’re just using our bodyweight in this workout, we’ll want to convert this to reps. So, 30-40% of your 1 rep max equates to around 30-40 reps per set.

Accordingly, if you’re able to perform MORE than 30 or 40 reps during each set of the exercises I show below when pushing to near failure, then it’s an indication that you aren’t using resistance or variation that’s difficult enough.

And you’ll want to instead use one of the progressions that I’ll show you to make the movement more demanding. So ideally you shouldn’t be reaching over 30-40 reps during any of your sets in this full body workout at home routine.

Full Body Home Workout Plan

Now that we have that covered, we’re ready to dive into the full body home workout plan. It's designed to train all of your upper body and lower body musculature in a proportionate manner.

I’ll first go through the various exercises and how to perform them. And then I’ll cover your options in terms of how to best execute the workout.

Diamond Push-Ups (2 sets flat, 2 sets decline)

Targets: Chest, triceps Replaces: Bench Press

The first exercise we’ll use here is narrow grip push-ups. Here, your hands will be placed in a diamond shape. This better targets the chest and triceps. Three EMG papers ( here , here , here ) have confirmed that this specific hand placement elicits significantly greater chest and triceps activation when compared to a shoulder-width or wide hand placement during the push-up.

We’ll perform 4 sets of these in total:

• 2 of these sets will be performed on a flat surface to emphasize the whole chest
• 2 of these sets should be performed in a decline with your feet elevated and your hands positioned forward more towards your face. This shifts more emphasis to the upper chest. That's because it now incorporates more shoulder flexion (one of the main functions of the upper chest) into the push-up.

To progress this movement:

• You can simply stuff a bag with books and strap it onto your back to gradually increase the load
• You can also use a band to add more resistance as well

Inverted Row (4 sets)

Targets: Traps, lats, & biceps Replaces: Seated row, barbell row, etc.

Next, we’re going to move onto the inverted row to target our overall back . Most of the emphasis will be on the mid-back for thickness. Ideally, for the most resistance, you should use a broom or mop and place that between two chairs to perform your row. If you don’t have the right setup for that though, then you can simply perform these under a sturdy table.

To make both of these movements easier, you can start out with bent knees to use your legs for support. A third option is the following set up instead which we’ll continue to use later on in this workout:

• Simply take 2 bed sheets or towels (I find bed sheets work better for a greater ROM)
• Tie a basic knot at the end of each of them
• And then throw it over your door and close your door

This will enable you to perform your row.

To progress this movement: For whichever variations you choose, you can progress them by either:

• Getting your body more horizontal to the ground by elevating your feet, for example
• Add more load with the use of a backpack stuffed with books

Pike Push-ups (3 sets)

Targets: Shoulders, triceps Replaces: Shoulder Press

Next, we’ll be moving onto something called pike push-ups. These mainly target the shoulders and triceps. For these:

• You can start them out on the ground by assuming a pushup position
• And then moving your hands closer to your feet while keeping your legs straight. Your body should now make an upside-down V shape
• Then, bend your elbows and lower your upper body until the top of your nose nearly touches the floor. Your head should move forward past your hands as you reach the bottom position.
• And then your head should return to between your hands at the top position.

Sliding Lat Pulldowns

Targets: Lats Replaces: Lat pulldowns, pull-ups

Next, it’s time to target the back (primarily the lats). We'll do so with a vertical pulling angle, rather than horizontal, as we did earlier. This one is bound to get you weird looks around the house. But is worth it for the return in back gains in provides. Simply lay on a smooth surface and use something for grip on your hands, like shoes, for example. Then, you simply perform a lat pulldown motion by pulling your elbows down to slide your body up. You should feel your lats working as you do so.

• You can add weight with a backpack
• Provide additional resistance by pressing your feet into the ground as you perform your reps

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Bicep bed sheet curls

Targets: Biceps Replaces: Bicep Curls

Tricep overhead extensions

Targets: Triceps (long head) Replaces: Cable/dumbbell overhead triceps extensions, skullcrushers

Then, to target the long head of the triceps which has yet to be emphasized in this workout, you can simply switch over and perform tricep extensions. Again, you want to keep that elbow locked in place. And your body in a straight line. Alternatively, these can also be done like so on an elevated platform.

To progress this movement: You can progress them a few ways by:

• Orienting your body to be more horizontal to the ground
• Transitioning to just one arm at a time, and/or
• Adding weight by using a backpack

Assisted Pistol Squats

Targets: Quads & Glutes Replaces: Barbell squats

Next, it’s time to move onto the lower body. And for most of us, bodyweight squats just aren’t going to cut it. Which is why we’ll use the bed sheet set up again to perform assisted pistol squats. This exercise will help to target the quads and glutes. To perform these:

• Lean back with your arm straight, and then lift one leg off the ground
• Then, simply squat down
• Finish your reps on one leg before proceeding to the other leg

At first, you can use your arms to pull yourself up for assistance if needed.

To progress this movement: But over time, you can progress it by either:

• Relying less and less on the assistance of your arms during the movement
• Transitioning to doing this same movement but stopping the range of motion short by sitting on an elevated platform and gradually reducing the height of this

Bulgarian Split Squat

Targets: Quads & Glutes Replaces: Split squats, lunges

Next, we’ll move onto an exercise you’re probably familiar with: the Bulgarian split squat. With your rear leg elevated on a platform, this exercise will again further target the quads and glutes.

To progress this movement: To progress this, you can simply hold a weighted backpack at your chest. Once that gets too easy though, a more difficult progression is the assisted shrimp squat:

• Use the side of a counter for assistance and hold one leg behind you with the same arm
• Then, squat down until your knee just about touches the floor
• And come back up with assistance from the counter as needed.
• Over time, you can progress these by moving off of the counter

Sliding Hamstring Curls

Targets: Hamstrings Replaces: Machine hamstring curls

Next, we’ll use the sliding leg curl. This exercise will help work the hamstrings through both hip and knee extension. To perform these:

• Simply lay on a smooth surface and place your feet on two or something that will enable them to slide easily
• Then, use your hamstrings to curl your heels in towards you while raising your hips up into the air. Your back should remain straight as you do so.

Full Body Workout At Home Routine: Summary

Here's a summary of the full body home workout:

Diamond push-ups: 4 sets (2 flat, 2 decline)

Inverted row: 4 sets

Pike Push-ups: 3 sets

Sliding Lat Pulldowns:3 sets

Biceps bed sheet curl: 2 sets

Tricep bodyweight extensions: 2 sets

Assisted pistol squat: 3 sets each side

Bulgarian split squat 3 sets each side

Hamstring leg curls: 4 sets

Now when performing it, just like your exercises in the gym, it’s vital that you get adequate rest of roughly 2 minutes between each of your sets. And to do so in this workout while saving time, you can perform the following upper body exercises in a superset fashion as shown below.

Full Body Home Workout Plan (Superset Version)

Diamond Push-Ups: 4 sets – 2 flat, 2 decline

Lat pulldowns on floor: 3 sets

NORMAL SETS:

So, for example, you'd perform a set of the push-ups, rest for 30-45 seconds, then go right into a set of the inverted row, rest for 30-45 seconds, and then go back to the push-ups and repeat.

By strategically using this agonist-antagonist superset method with the appropriate upper body exercises, research has shown that you’ll be able to save time while ensuring that your performance on your sets doesn’t suffer.

And for the rep ranges, again you need to push to near failure each set. Which is why I haven’t given a specific number of reps as it’ll vary for everyone.

So jot down how many reps you performed for each set, try to beat those numbers in your next workout, and use the progressions as needed once you’re reaching over 30 reps per set.

As for frequency, I’d recommend performing this workout 3-4 times a week. This will ensure each of your muscles are worked at the optimal number of sets required to maximize growth.

Get Your Full Body Workout At Home Routine PDF Download

Lastly, I’ve compiled this beginner-friendly at-home workout into an easy to download, free mobile-friendly PDF for you to use for reference while you’re performing it. It’ll show you the workout, tutorials, proper progressions, and more.

To get a copy of it:

Click the button below to download the full body workout at home routine PDF:

Get The Home Workout Plan PDF!

Home Workout Plan: Takeaway

Guys, I hope you enjoyed this one! And I also hope you were able to see that it’s the little details like what I went through in this video that really is key to maximizing growth and to actually see progress with whatever workout routine you choose to do.

And for a step-by-step program that takes care of all the guesswork for you and shows you exactly how and what to work out and eat week after week so that you can fuel your body and build muscle most effectively with science:

Take The Starting Point Quiz Here! Stay safe, everyone! Don’t forget to give me a follow and connect with me on Instagram ,  Facebook , and  Youtube as well, in order to stay up to date with my content.

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Everything You Need to Know About Working Out at Home

Working out at home has its benefits: It’s convenient, it’s time-efficient (compared with traveling to a gym or fitness studio), and it’s cost-effective.

No matter your fitness levels, exercise history, or at-home equipment set-up, home workouts can help you meet specific exercise goals (like improving strength or boosting cardiovascular fitness ) and can improve boost overall health.

Plus, they’re infinitely customizable. Here are some tips on how to create an effective home workout schedule, what equipment you might need, and how to get started.

First Things First: How to Train at Home Safely

Exercising at home doesn’t necessarily pose any greater risk of injury than you’d run into training somewhere outside the home. But if you’re working out in an exercise class or with a trainer elsewhere, there may be someone watching you and correcting you if your form is off or you appear to be training in a potentially harmful way. At home, you’re on your own.

Injuries happen when you don’t use proper form or you overstress any one muscle group (or overdo it with any one type of exercise), which can contribute to muscle imbalances and overuse injuries, says Prentiss Rhodes , a master instructor and manager of live events with the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM), who is based in Scottsdale, Arizona.

To keep risks to a minimum, it’s important to dial in and focus just like you would if you were in the gym or working out under the watchful eye of a personal trainer, says Cordelia Carter, MD , director of the Pediatric Sports Medicine Center at NYU Langone in New York City.

For instance, before beginning any new exercise, Dr. Carter recommends watching instructional videos from qualified trainers. The YouTube channels of certifying fitness organizations such as the American Council on Exercise , NASM , and National Strength and Conditioning Association are great resources for mastering exercise technique.

Working with an online trainer — a certified expert who can design customized workouts and help you improve your form by watching you and coaching you via video — can be another great move for reducing the risk of injury. Virtual trainers can also help you modify exercises to take into account existing aches, pains, injuries, or other limitations you may have. (Tip: Before reaching out to any online trainers that you find via Google, social media, or YouTube, run their name through the U.S. Registry of Exercise Professionals to verify they are certified by a respected organization.)

An added benefit of choosing online workouts is that you could review the workout before doing it and research a move that you may not be familiar with in order to get more familiar with its proper form. This can also save time, as you will know exactly what equipment is needed, can set it out ahead of time, and make any adjustments, such as substituting for equipment that you don’t have with something that you do have in your home. Also, researching alternate exercises that may hit the same muscle ahead of time can make the workout go smoothly.

RELATED: Should You Get a Personal Trainer?

One of the most important components of exercising safely at home is creating a training routine that’s right for your unique body and not someone else’s.

Make modifications if you’re following an online workout or class to make the workout appropriate for you, just like an instructor would have you do in a live class. For instance, if you’re new to strength training, substitute plyometric and jumping exercises for nonexplosive variations, recommends Caroline Juster , a personal trainer certified by NASM, who is based in Chicago.

If you experience knee pain with lunges, split squats or single-leg glute bridges might be more comfortable for training your quads, she says.

Once you have your program ready, give it your best shot, and give it your full attention. “The main reason I see people get injured from at-home training is because they don’t concentrate on what they’re doing,” Rhodes says. Resist the urge to multitask with chores, other at-home tasks, or conversations. “Let your family members know to respect your workout time,” he says. “For example, my daughter knows when I go into my space that she is to let me train.”

You can also consider scheduling workouts for times when interruptions or distractions are less likely, such as before other family members are up or when they are out of the house.

To evaluate and constantly improve your form, consider setting up your phone to record you doing a few reps; it’s a great way to check and improve your form from various angles, Carter says.

How to Design an At-Home Workout Routine

Variety not only keeps things interesting, but when it comes to fitness, a variety of types of workouts and muscle groups targeted makes you stronger and helps prevent injury. How much variety do you need? The foundation of any well-rounded workout routine includes both aerobic and strength training. Start with the guidelines for physical activity for Americans.

Getting outside is another way to incorporate variety into your workouts, assuming the weather is cooperative.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends  that all adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity each week, in addition to two days per week of total-body muscle-strengthening activities. After building a foundation, increasing your total exercise time or intensity comes with even greater health benefits.

RELATED: How Much Exercise Do You Really Need?

Aerobic exercise includes, but isn’t limited to, activities like walking, running, and cycling.

If you’re stuck at home and don’t have any cardio equipment at your disposal, a great option to train your body aerobically is to perform various low-intensity exercises back to back with minimal rest, explains Rhodes. Do the exercise for a minute, rest for 30 seconds, and then do it again for up to 15 or 30 minutes. (You can tweak the length of your work and rest bouts based on the exercises you’re performing and how they feel.) This allows you to sustain an elevated heart rate and focus on developing cardiovascular over muscular strengths.

Some body weight exercises to try it with include:

• Glute bridges

For strength training, prioritize squats, lunges, hip hinge exercises (like deadlifts and hip thrusts), pushing exercises (like chest and shoulder presses), and pulling exercises (like rows and pull-ups), Rhodes says. These compound exercises focus on strengthening the human body’s basic movement patterns, so they’ll provide the most benefit to the muscles that tend to get a lot of wear and tear. Plus, all of these movements work multiple muscle groups simultaneously, making them time-effective moves, too.

RELATED: The Best Exercises for Stronger Abs and a Stronger Core

RELATED: The Best At-Home Exercises for a Stronger Back

Whether you’re exercising with dumbbells, resistance bands, or your own body weight, to get the most out of a strength workout, it’s important to push your muscles to fatigue — that point when you feel your muscles burning and might only have a couple good-quality reps left. You can either up the intensity by increasing weights and resistance levels if you’ve got the equipment, Juster says. Or you can up the challenge on body weight exercises by increasing your reps and sets, slowing down your movements, or trying an advanced exercise variation. (If you usually perform body weight squats, you could progress to a single-leg variation, for example.)

And do give yourself a day or two in any week for rest and recovery ! Everyone will need to factor a different amount of recovery days into their fitness routine, largely based on how long and how intense your workouts are, Juster says. The harder and longer your workouts, the more time you will need to recover between them. Rest days can range from pure do-nothing days to opportunities to engage in low-intensity exercise like walking, yoga , foam rolling, or stretching.

RELATED: Does Yoga Count as Exercise?

Kelsey Wells X Everyday Health: 5-Minute Strength Workout

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Balance trying out new workouts and consistency for the most fitness benefit.

Trying new workouts keeps exercise fun. And for people exercising at home, online workouts — available through streaming websites and apps — are really useful for getting acquainted with new forms of exercise, too.

RELATED: Gyms, Studios, and Fitness Instructors Offering Online Workouts Right Now

“Novelty is the sexy side of fitness,” Juster says. “Everyone loves to try new things, and many of us actively scroll Instagram looking for newer, better, and more exciting workouts.”

Performing different types of workouts throughout your weekly routine is important for keeping things interesting, preventing workout ruts, optimizing results (you want to be doing a mix of different types of movement), and preventing injury, Carter adds.

RELATED: How to Improve Flexibility (Yes, It’s Important)

However, don’t let novelty get in the way of your results.

If you are training for a specific goal — like getting stronger at certain exercises or maximizing your body composition (muscle gain or fat loss) pursuits — progressive overload (practicing, getting stronger, and then gradually making your existing workouts harder) is what triggers fitness gains, Juster says.

“To balance consistency and novelty, I recommend repeating the same set of workouts for four to six weeks at a time,” she says. “Then, when training starts to get stale or progress slows, you can switch things up with small progressions.” Examples of such small progressions include: changing your reps and sets, increasing workout intensity, or adding exercise variations. For example, if you’ve done standard squats for a month or longer, you could switch to performing a split squat or overhead squat .

If your training goals are less specific, do switch up your workouts as much as you want — even on a daily basis.

Staying Motivated and Enjoying Your Workouts

When working out at home, there’s no such thing as gym closures, class cancellations, or inclement weather (if you’re working out inside) to throw off your workout schedule. But there’s also less accountability to show up because only you’ll know if you skip it.

And yes, it’s important to leave some room for flexibility in your workouts for unforeseen conflicts or obstacles. However, the reality is that some days, you may need to expend a bit more mental fortitude to stick with your movement goals and stick to your movement plan than others. So how do you stay dedicated to your at-home training plan without that exercise buddy or gym instructor to hold you accountable?

Here are a few tips:

• Do forms of exercise that you enjoy. You’re far more likely to stick with workouts that are fun for you, Juster says.
• Keep distractions to a minimum. When exercising, staying mentally engaged — tuning into your body and being conscious about every movement — is a critical component to mental flow, the foundation of the famed “runner’s high,” Rhodes says. Good news: You can experience the high during any workout, but not if your mind’s on other things.
• Keep your exercise intensity at a level that feels good and doable. Try to not push yourself so hard that you feel you need distractions to keep going.
• Block out time for your workouts. Consider scheduling them in your calendar so they don’t get pushed off for later, Juster suggests.
• Give yourself some time before each workout to get in the zone. “Don’t expect to be able to easily shift gears into workout mode immediately after doing another household task,” Juster says. Play some energizing music, drink some water, and eat a small preworkout snack if you’re running low on energy.
• Do mini workouts  throughout the day. If you have trouble making time for longer workouts, try doing three 10-minute workouts instead of one 30-minute workout, Juster recommends.

RELATED: Tips to Help You Start Working Out and Stick With It

At-Home Workout Equipment 101

“Although you can spend a lot of money building a fancy home gym, you can also get a high return on a small investment if you have limited funds or space,” Rhodes says, noting that the only equipment you really need is yourself.

Investing in equipment, however, can help to fill two gaps that easily pop up in at-home workout routines (types of movement that tougher to do without equipment):

• Cardio Streaming aerobics workout videos, doing strength circuits, and dancing around all provide opportunities for improving your cardiovascular health. But if running, biking, rowing, or using the elliptical or stair-climber is your cardio method of choice, it could be worth looking into a cardio machine (like a treadmill, exercise bike, or elliptical or rowing machine) that fits your budget and space. If you do, make sure you always take into account the height of the machine and how much room you need (especially vertically) to effectively use it. Just because the machine fits in the desired space does not mean that you will be able to get on it and exercise.
• Pulling Exercises Weights or resistance bands come in handy for training the back and biceps with upper-body pulling movements. After all, while you can easily train your chest and triceps with pushups, training your back and biceps with rows or other pulling movements requires equipment. Dumbbells, pull-up bars, kettlebells, and resistance bands are all very versatile. And resistance bands are incredibly budget- and space-friendly, so they can be a great set of equipment for testing the at-home-workout water. “It’s best to buy a set with multiple bands of varying resistance levels because you’ll need different size bands to effectively target different muscles and movements,” Juster says.

In the end, when it comes to any piece of at-home fitness equipment, Rhodes recommends asking yourself the following questions:

• Is it in the budget?
• Do I like using it?
• Would I use this regardless of my current situation?
• Do I have space for it?

“If you can answer yes to all of these, then you should buy the piece of equipment,” he says.

If you answered no, but still want to do a workout that requires it, try these smart at-home workout equipment swaps:

• Instead of a cardio machine, use a jump rope.
• Instead of 1- to 5-pound weights, use cans of food or books.
• Instead of a heavy weight, use a loaded backpack or bag of pet food.
• Instead of a kettlebell, use a weighted backpack.
• Instead of a yoga block, use a shoebox.
• Instead of a medicine, stability, or BOSU ball, use a pillow.
• Instead of a box or step, use your stairs or a sturdy stool.

Learn More About How to Choose the Best At-Home Fitness Equipment

Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy . We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions.

• ACEfitness. YouTube .
• National Academy of Sports Medicine. YouTube .
• NSCA. YouTube .
• US Registry of Exercise Professionals. USREPS .
• How Much Physical Activity Do Adults Need? Centers for Disease Control and Prevention . June 2, 2022.
• Cycled Split-Squat Jump. American Council on Exercise .
• Single Arm Overhead Squat. American Council on Exercise .

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9 Best No-Equipment Home Workouts For Men

Published: 9 Aug 2023 , Last Updated:  10 May 2024

Medically Reviewed by Sam Downing, SIS40215 Certificate IV in Fitness

Who’s ready to ditch their overpriced gym membership and practice a quality home workout routine instead? If the answer is “you,” then you’ve certainly come to the right place. As it turns out, there are plenty of ways to exercise at home without modern workout equipment. In fact, you can see results using little more than the power of your own body weight .

What remains vital is the same underlying formula of setting goals and refusing to stop until you reach them. One might say that this very approach is the key to success in most of life’s endeavours. To help you make it happen, we present some of the best no-equipment home workouts. But first: let’s answer a common question and then cover some basics about exercising at home.

Table of contents

1. beginner home workout, 2. advanced home workout, 3. 20-minute hiit workout, 4. full-body cardio challenge, 5. scientific 7 minute workout, 6. advanced 7-minute scientific workout, 7. plp progressions, 8. no-equipment arm workout, 9. no-equipment leg workout, can you build muscle mass with bodyweight exercises, key considerations for no-equipment home workouts, at home stretching & warm-up, alternatives to no-equipment workouts, no-equipment home workouts faq, best no-equipment home workouts.

You’re at home with no equipment and you want to maintain a high-quality workout. What do you do? What. Do. You. Do. You check out the at-home workout routines below, that’s what. Remember, the best way to get results is to employ the progressive overload strategy, which is as follows: increase your reps, decrease your rest times between each set, incorporate new and more challenging variations, push yourself to failure, and increase your time under tension. Without further delay, here are nine effective workouts and their equipment-free exercises to do at home:

This at-home workout is for when you’re just starting out. It covers a number of basics without pushing your body to extremes. One of the exercises asks you to swap in a local form of weight like books, which we’re not counting as equipment. Complete the following circuit 5 times:

• Air Squats x 20 reps
• Walking lunges x 10 reps each leg
• Push-ups x 10 reps
• Dumbbell rows x 10 reps (use a stack of books or other weight)
• Plank x 30 seconds
• Jumping Jacks x 30 rep
• Complete entire circuit 5 times

Time: 20 minutes Rest: 10 seconds between exercises Reps : 5 circuits

This no-equipment home workout is quite similar to the beginner home workout but also more intense. It likewise asks that you perform the entire circuit 5 times and involves the following exercises:

• Walking lunges x 20 reps each leg
• Box Jumps x 20 reps
• Push-ups x 20 reps
• Pistol Squats x 10 reps each side
• Triceps Dips on Chair x 10 reps
• Plank x 1 min

HIIT stands for “High-Intensity Interval Training,” during which you increase intensity levels and decrease rest times to the point of exhaustion. This particular version takes just 20 minutes and goes easier on the joints than most counterparts. Perform the following circuit 6 times:

• Side Kick-Through x 30 seconds
• Rest x 10 seconds
• Air squat x 30 seconds
• Jumping Lunges x 30 Seconds
• Frogger x 30 seconds
• Bicycle crunch x 30 seconds
• Complete entire circuit 6 times

Time: 20 minutes Rest: 10 seconds between exercises Reps : 6 circuits

There’s no treadmill or stationary bike required for this full-body cardio routine. In fact, you don’t need any equipment at all. Perform as many reps as possible (AMRAP) of the following exercises:

• Side Plank Twist x 30 seconds AMRAP
• Squat Pulse x 30 seconds AMRAP
• Tuck Up x 30 seconds AMRAP
• Plank Rock Back and Forth x 30 seconds AMRAP
• Push Ups x 30 seconds AMRAP
• Mountain Climbers x 30 seconds AMRAP
• Bicycle Kicks x 30 seconds AMRAP

Time: 20 minutes Rest: 15 seconds between exercises Reps : 5 circuits

According to a study from 2013, this HIIT workout improves overall fitness levels and even helps with weight loss. We go into way more detail in a separate article, which you can read here . In essence, squeeze the following at-home exercises into a 7-minute window:

• Jumping Jacks
• Abdominal Crunch
• Step-Up onto Chair
• Triceps Dips on Chair
• High Knees Running in Place
• Push-Ups with Rotation

Time: 7 minutes Rest: 10 seconds between exercises Reps : 1 circuits

In keeping with the progressive overload strategy, we present an advanced version of the 7-minute scientific workout. Again, you can find a more detailed rundown of this particular routine by checking out our dedicated article . In the meantime, here’s the at-home workout in a nutshell:

• Reverse lunge, elbow to instep with rotation, alternating sides
• Lateral pillar bridge – left
• Push up to row to burpee
• Lateral pillar bridge – right
• Single leg RDL to curl press – left
• Single leg RDL to curl press – right
• Plank with arm lift
• Lateral lunge to overhead tricep extension
• Bent Over row with alternating arms

Taking the concept of progressive overload to heart, this exacting routine asks you to push yourself a little harder on an escalating basis. The letters PLP stand for three common exercises—pull-ups, lunges, and push-ups—which you’ll perform every day for two months at a time, increasing the reps by a factor of one with each passing day. And yes, we’re firmly aware that a pull-up bar technically counts as equipment, but on the other hand, alternatives do exist (tree branches, for instance) so get creative if you must.

We’ll list out the first three days and let you take it from there. Can you make it for the whole two months? Let’s find out!

• Pull-ups: 10 reps
• Push-ups: 10 reps
• Lunges: 10 reps (each leg)
• Pull-ups: 11 reps
• Push-ups: 11 reps
• Lunges: 11 reps (each leg)
• Pull-ups: 12 reps
• Push-ups: 12 reps
• Lunges: 12 reps (each leg)

“Which way to the gun show?” you ask aloud, flexing your arm before realising that you’re at home and there’s no one else around. Alas, what a bittersweet scenario, but at least you still have those bulging arms. Here’s how to make it happen:

• Triceps Dips on Chair x 20 reps
• Push Ups x 20 reps
• Shadow Boxing x 30 seconds AMRAP
• Plank Taps x 30 seconds AMRAP
• Decline Push Up x 20 reps
• Inline Push Up x 20 reps
• Inchworm x 30 seconds AMRAP
• Diamond Push Up x 10 reps
• Burpees x 30 seconds AMRAP

Time: 20 minutes Rest: 30 seconds between exercises Reps : 3 circuits

You know what would go great with your no-equipment arm workout? This similarly effective leg workout. Here are all the exercises:

• Reverse Lunges x 45 seconds AMRAP
• Side Lunges x 45 seconds AMRAP
• High Knees x 30 seconds AMRAP
• Hip Raises x 45 seconds AMRAP
• Air Squats x 45 seconds AMRAP
• Burpees x 20 reps

Yes, you can build muscle mass with bodyweight exercises at home, presuming you employ a method known as progressive overload. As your workout advances over time, you should increase your reps, decrease your rest times between each exercise, incorporate new and more challenging variations, push yourself to failure, and increase your time under tension by slowing your movements so as to put more strain on your muscles. When equipment is involved, performing mechanical drop sets is also part of the progressive overload strategy.

“While we may not have access to the gym, we can absolutely get creative to ensure we stay on track with our fitness, and strive towards our goals,” Michelle Furniss tells Man of Many . The qualified group fitness instructor and Chief Commercial Officer of Health & Fitness, ANZ at Xplor Technologies believes there are a wealth of adaptations around the house you can use to replace equipment or supplement your workout.

“We’re also so fortunate to be living in a time where technology is so readily available and a number of gyms, PT’s and fitness facilities have done a great job at adapting their gym-based exercises to suit Zoom or digital-led,” the fitness expert says. “There are also so many virtual and online sessions, so support your local fitness instructor when you feel like you need something different, whether that be HIIT , pilates, yoga, or a running coach – real instructors, keep us accountable!”

As you may soon notice, there’s a decent amount of overlap from one routine to the next. We’ve also broken some of these routines down according to experience level. Naturally, you should determine where you stand physically and then proceed accordingly. Kick things off with a beginner’s routine and then work your way up to a more advanced regimen. And if you’re crunched for time or feeling experimental, we’ve included two versions of an intense bodyweight routine known as the 7-minute scientific workout .

“There are so many no-equipment exercises we can do, to stay fit, and mix up our routines,” Furniss says. “My favourites are bodyweight exercises such as planks, push ups, squats, lunges, chin ups (find a sturdy tree branch!), and tricep dips (find a step, park bench or stool). These compound exercises work multiple muscle groups so are a great all-body workout for those who are time poor or don’t have access to gym equipment.”

Whether you’re at the gym or at home, you’ll want to stretch and warm up before your actual workout. Doing so will increase muscle flexibility so as to prevent injury, reduce soreness, and improve your range of motion. Some experts will say that’s also important to stretch again after your workout is completed and for similar reasons.

There are plenty of ways to get your body warmed up at home with no equipment. Examples include jumping jacks, bodyweight squats, lunges, hip extensions, forward leg swings, spider-man steps, push-ups, and even jogging in place. Keep the intensity level light and stick to about 5 minutes of stretching and warm-up, since you don’t want to wear yourself down before the real workout begins.

If you are looking for something different to improve your workout routine, we’ve got you covered. Check out our guides to upper, lower and mid-section workouts and exercises.

• Best Bodyweight Exercises for Men
• Best Core Exercises for Men
• Best Chest Exercises for Men

There are a number of strength training exercises you can perform without equipment. The best way to see results is to practice the strategy of progressive overload, whereby you increase reps, decrease rest times, push yourself to failure, and increase your time under tension as your workouts advance.

There are a TON of exercises that don't involve equipment. Here are some quick examples: push-ups, lunges, side kick-throughs, air squats, planks, and crunches.

Last medically reviewed on 7 June 2022.

Staff Writer

Jacob Osborn

Jacob Osborn is an accomplished author and journalist with over 10 years of experience in the media industry. He holds a Bachelor's degree in English and Communication Arts from the University of Wisconsin--Madison and co-authored a Young Adult novel through Simon & Schuster. Now based in Portland, Oregon, Jacob specialises in entertainment, technology and alcohol reporting. You might find him crate-digging at the nearest record store or sampling whisky at the nearest bar. He daydreams of travelling around the world, but for now, the world will have to come to him by way of lifestyle products, gear, gadgetry, and entertainment. Let's call it a happy compromise while he saves up for the next big trip.

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Sat / act prep online guides and tips, how to do homework: 15 expert tips and tricks.

Coursework/GPA

Everyone struggles with homework sometimes, but if getting your homework done has become a chronic issue for you, then you may need a little extra help. That’s why we’ve written this article all about how to do homework. Once you’re finished reading it, you’ll know how to do homework (and have tons of new ways to motivate yourself to do homework)!

We’ve broken this article down into a few major sections. You’ll find:

• A diagnostic test to help you figure out why you’re struggling with homework
• A discussion of the four major homework problems students face, along with expert tips for addressing them
• A bonus section with tips for how to do homework fast

By the end of this article, you’ll be prepared to tackle whatever homework assignments your teachers throw at you .

So let’s get started!

How to Do Homework: Figure Out Your Struggles 

Sometimes it feels like everything is standing between you and getting your homework done. But the truth is, most people only have one or two major roadblocks that are keeping them from getting their homework done well and on time. 

The best way to figure out how to get motivated to do homework starts with pinpointing the issues that are affecting your ability to get your assignments done. That’s why we’ve developed a short quiz to help you identify the areas where you’re struggling. 

Take the quiz below and record your answers on your phone or on a scrap piece of paper. Keep in mind there are no wrong answers! 

1. You’ve just been assigned an essay in your English class that’s due at the end of the week. What’s the first thing you do?

A. Keep it in mind, even though you won’t start it until the day before it’s due  B. Open up your planner. You’ve got to figure out when you’ll write your paper since you have band practice, a speech tournament, and your little sister’s dance recital this week, too.  C. Groan out loud. Another essay? You could barely get yourself to write the last one!  D. Start thinking about your essay topic, which makes you think about your art project that’s due the same day, which reminds you that your favorite artist might have just posted to Instagram...so you better check your feed right now. 

2. Your mom asked you to pick up your room before she gets home from work. You’ve just gotten home from school. You decide you’ll tackle your chores: 

A. Five minutes before your mom walks through the front door. As long as it gets done, who cares when you start?  B. As soon as you get home from your shift at the local grocery store.  C. After you give yourself a 15-minute pep talk about how you need to get to work.  D. You won’t get it done. Between texts from your friends, trying to watch your favorite Netflix show, and playing with your dog, you just lost track of time! 

3. You’ve signed up to wash dogs at the Humane Society to help earn money for your senior class trip. You: 

A. Show up ten minutes late. You put off leaving your house until the last minute, then got stuck in unexpected traffic on the way to the shelter.  B. Have to call and cancel at the last minute. You forgot you’d already agreed to babysit your cousin and bake cupcakes for tomorrow’s bake sale.  C. Actually arrive fifteen minutes early with extra brushes and bandanas you picked up at the store. You’re passionate about animals, so you’re excited to help out! D. Show up on time, but only get three dogs washed. You couldn’t help it: you just kept getting distracted by how cute they were!

4. You have an hour of downtime, so you decide you’re going to watch an episode of The Great British Baking Show. You: 

A. Scroll through your social media feeds for twenty minutes before hitting play, which means you’re not able to finish the whole episode. Ugh! You really wanted to see who was sent home!  B. Watch fifteen minutes until you remember you’re supposed to pick up your sister from band practice before heading to your part-time job. No GBBO for you!  C. You finish one episode, then decide to watch another even though you’ve got SAT studying to do. It’s just more fun to watch people make scones.  D. Start the episode, but only catch bits and pieces of it because you’re reading Twitter, cleaning out your backpack, and eating a snack at the same time.

5. Your teacher asks you to stay after class because you’ve missed turning in two homework assignments in a row. When she asks you what’s wrong, you say: 

A. You planned to do your assignments during lunch, but you ran out of time. You decided it would be better to turn in nothing at all than submit unfinished work.  B. You really wanted to get the assignments done, but between your extracurriculars, family commitments, and your part-time job, your homework fell through the cracks.  C. You have a hard time psyching yourself to tackle the assignments. You just can’t seem to find the motivation to work on them once you get home.  D. You tried to do them, but you had a hard time focusing. By the time you realized you hadn’t gotten anything done, it was already time to turn them in. 

Like we said earlier, there are no right or wrong answers to this quiz (though your results will be better if you answered as honestly as possible). Here’s how your answers break down: 

• If your answers were mostly As, then your biggest struggle with doing homework is procrastination. 
• If your answers were mostly Bs, then your biggest struggle with doing homework is time management. 
• If your answers were mostly Cs, then your biggest struggle with doing homework is motivation. 
• If your answers were mostly Ds, then your biggest struggle with doing homework is getting distracted. 

Now that you’ve identified why you’re having a hard time getting your homework done, we can help you figure out how to fix it! Scroll down to find your core problem area to learn more about how you can start to address it. 

And one more thing: you’re really struggling with homework, it’s a good idea to read through every section below. You may find some additional tips that will help make homework less intimidating. 

How to Do Homework When You’re a Procrastinator  

Merriam Webster defines “procrastinate” as “to put off intentionally and habitually.” In other words, procrastination is when you choose to do something at the last minute on a regular basis. If you’ve ever found yourself pulling an all-nighter, trying to finish an assignment between periods, or sprinting to turn in a paper minutes before a deadline, you’ve experienced the effects of procrastination. 

If you’re a chronic procrastinator, you’re in good company. In fact, one study found that 70% to 95% of undergraduate students procrastinate when it comes to doing their homework. Unfortunately, procrastination can negatively impact your grades. Researchers have found that procrastination can lower your grade on an assignment by as much as five points ...which might not sound serious until you realize that can mean the difference between a B- and a C+. 

Procrastination can also negatively affect your health by increasing your stress levels , which can lead to other health conditions like insomnia, a weakened immune system, and even heart conditions. Getting a handle on procrastination can not only improve your grades, it can make you feel better, too! 

The big thing to understand about procrastination is that it’s not the result of laziness. Laziness is defined as being “disinclined to activity or exertion.” In other words, being lazy is all about doing nothing. But a s this Psychology Today article explains , procrastinators don’t put things off because they don’t want to work. Instead, procrastinators tend to postpone tasks they don’t want to do in favor of tasks that they perceive as either more important or more fun. Put another way, procrastinators want to do things...as long as it’s not their homework! 

3 Tips f or Conquering Procrastination 

Because putting off doing homework is a common problem, there are lots of good tactics for addressing procrastination. Keep reading for our three expert tips that will get your homework habits back on track in no time. 

#1: Create a Reward System

Like we mentioned earlier, procrastination happens when you prioritize other activities over getting your homework done. Many times, this happens because homework...well, just isn’t enjoyable. But you can add some fun back into the process by rewarding yourself for getting your work done. 

Here’s what we mean: let’s say you decide that every time you get your homework done before the day it’s due, you’ll give yourself a point. For every five points you earn, you’ll treat yourself to your favorite dessert: a chocolate cupcake! Now you have an extra (delicious!) incentive to motivate you to leave procrastination in the dust. 

If you’re not into cupcakes, don’t worry. Your reward can be anything that motivates you . Maybe it’s hanging out with your best friend or an extra ten minutes of video game time. As long as you’re choosing something that makes homework worth doing, you’ll be successful. 

#2: Have a Homework Accountability Partner 

If you’re having trouble getting yourself to start your homework ahead of time, it may be a good idea to call in reinforcements . Find a friend or classmate you can trust and explain to them that you’re trying to change your homework habits. Ask them if they’d be willing to text you to make sure you’re doing your homework and check in with you once a week to see if you’re meeting your anti-procrastination goals. 

Sharing your goals can make them feel more real, and an accountability partner can help hold you responsible for your decisions. For example, let’s say you’re tempted to put off your science lab write-up until the morning before it’s due. But you know that your accountability partner is going to text you about it tomorrow...and you don’t want to fess up that you haven’t started your assignment. A homework accountability partner can give you the extra support and incentive you need to keep your homework habits on track. 

#3: Create Your Own Due Dates 

If you’re a life-long procrastinator, you might find that changing the habit is harder than you expected. In that case, you might try using procrastination to your advantage! If you just can’t seem to stop doing your work at the last minute, try setting your own due dates for assignments that range from a day to a week before the assignment is actually due. 

Here’s what we mean. Let’s say you have a math worksheet that’s been assigned on Tuesday and is due on Friday. In your planner, you can write down the due date as Thursday instead. You may still put off your homework assignment until the last minute...but in this case, the “last minute” is a day before the assignment’s real due date . This little hack can trick your procrastination-addicted brain into planning ahead! 

If you feel like Kevin Hart in this meme, then our tips for doing homework when you're busy are for you. 

How to Do Homework When You’re too Busy

If you’re aiming to go to a top-tier college , you’re going to have a full plate. Because college admissions is getting more competitive, it’s important that you’re maintaining your grades , studying hard for your standardized tests , and participating in extracurriculars so your application stands out. A packed schedule can get even more hectic once you add family obligations or a part-time job to the mix. 

If you feel like you’re being pulled in a million directions at once, you’re not alone. Recent research has found that stress—and more severe stress-related conditions like anxiety and depression— are a major problem for high school students . In fact, one study from the American Psychological Association found that during the school year, students’ stress levels are higher than those of the adults around them. 

For students, homework is a major contributor to their overall stress levels . Many high schoolers have multiple hours of homework every night , and figuring out how to fit it into an already-packed schedule can seem impossible. 

3 Tips for Fitting Homework Into Your Busy Schedule

While it might feel like you have literally no time left in your schedule, there are still ways to make sure you’re able to get your homework done and meet your other commitments. Here are our expert homework tips for even the busiest of students. 

#1: Make a Prioritized To-Do List 

You probably already have a to-do list to keep yourself on track. The next step is to prioritize the items on your to-do list so you can see what items need your attention right away. 

Here’s how it works: at the beginning of each day, sit down and make a list of all the items you need to get done before you go to bed. This includes your homework, but it should also take into account any practices, chores, events, or job shifts you may have. Once you get everything listed out, it’s time to prioritize them using the labels A, B, and C. Here’s what those labels mean:

• A Tasks : tasks that have to get done—like showing up at work or turning in an assignment—get an A. 
• B Tasks : these are tasks that you would like to get done by the end of the day but aren’t as time sensitive. For example, studying for a test you have next week could be a B-level task. It’s still important, but it doesn’t have to be done right away.
• C Tasks: these are tasks that aren’t very important and/or have no real consequences if you don’t get them done immediately. For instance, if you’re hoping to clean out your closet but it’s not an assigned chore from your parents, you could label that to-do item with a C.

Prioritizing your to-do list helps you visualize which items need your immediate attention, and which items you can leave for later. A prioritized to-do list ensures that you’re spending your time efficiently and effectively, which helps you make room in your schedule for homework. So even though you might really want to start making decorations for Homecoming (a B task), you’ll know that finishing your reading log (an A task) is more important. 

#2: Use a Planner With Time Labels

Your planner is probably packed with notes, events, and assignments already. (And if you’re not using a planner, it’s time to start!) But planners can do more for you than just remind you when an assignment is due. If you’re using a planner with time labels, it can help you visualize how you need to spend your day.

A planner with time labels breaks your day down into chunks, and you assign tasks to each chunk of time. For example, you can make a note of your class schedule with assignments, block out time to study, and make sure you know when you need to be at practice. Once you know which tasks take priority, you can add them to any empty spaces in your day. 

Planning out how you spend your time not only helps you use it wisely, it can help you feel less overwhelmed, too . We’re big fans of planners that include a task list ( like this one ) or have room for notes ( like this one ). 

#3: Set Reminders on Your Phone 

If you need a little extra nudge to make sure you’re getting your homework done on time, it’s a good idea to set some reminders on your phone. You don’t need a fancy app, either. You can use your alarm app to have it go off at specific times throughout the day to remind you to do your homework. This works especially well if you have a set homework time scheduled. So if you’ve decided you’re doing homework at 6:00 pm, you can set an alarm to remind you to bust out your books and get to work. 

If you use your phone as your planner, you may have the option to add alerts, emails, or notifications to scheduled events . Many calendar apps, including the one that comes with your phone, have built-in reminders that you can customize to meet your needs. So if you block off time to do your homework from 4:30 to 6:00 pm, you can set a reminder that will pop up on your phone when it’s time to get started. 

This dog isn't judging your lack of motivation...but your teacher might. Keep reading for tips to help you motivate yourself to do your homework.

How to Do Homework When You’re Unmotivated 

At first glance, it may seem like procrastination and being unmotivated are the same thing. After all, both of these issues usually result in you putting off your homework until the very last minute. 

But there’s one key difference: many procrastinators are working, they’re just prioritizing work differently. They know they’re going to start their homework...they’re just going to do it later. 

Conversely, people who are unmotivated to do homework just can’t find the willpower to tackle their assignments. Procrastinators know they’ll at least attempt the homework at the last minute, whereas people who are unmotivated struggle with convincing themselves to do it at a ll. For procrastinators, the stress comes from the inevitable time crunch. For unmotivated people, the stress comes from trying to convince themselves to do something they don’t want to do in the first place. 

Here are some common reasons students are unmotivated in doing homework : 

• Assignments are too easy, too hard, or seemingly pointless 
• Students aren’t interested in (or passionate about) the subject matter
• Students are intimidated by the work and/or feels like they don’t understand the assignment 
• Homework isn’t fun, and students would rather spend their time on things that they enjoy 

To sum it up: people who lack motivation to do their homework are more likely to not do it at all, or to spend more time worrying about doing their homework than...well, actually doing it.

3 Tips for How to Get Motivated to Do Homework

The key to getting homework done when you’re unmotivated is to figure out what does motivate you, then apply those things to homework. It sounds tricky...but it’s pretty simple once you get the hang of it! Here are our three expert tips for motivating yourself to do your homework. 

#1: Use Incremental Incentives

When you’re not motivated, it’s important to give yourself small rewards to stay focused on finishing the task at hand. The trick is to keep the incentives small and to reward yourself often. For example, maybe you’re reading a good book in your free time. For every ten minutes you spend on your homework, you get to read five pages of your book. Like we mentioned earlier, make sure you’re choosing a reward that works for you! 

So why does this technique work? Using small rewards more often allows you to experience small wins for getting your work done. Every time you make it to one of your tiny reward points, you get to celebrate your success, which gives your brain a boost of dopamine . Dopamine helps you stay motivated and also creates a feeling of satisfaction when you complete your homework !  

#2: Form a Homework Group 

If you’re having trouble motivating yourself, it’s okay to turn to others for support. Creating a homework group can help with this. Bring together a group of your friends or classmates, and pick one time a week where you meet and work on homework together. You don’t have to be in the same class, or even taking the same subjects— the goal is to encourage one another to start (and finish!) your assignments. 

Another added benefit of a homework group is that you can help one another if you’re struggling to understand the material covered in your classes. This is especially helpful if your lack of motivation comes from being intimidated by your assignments. Asking your friends for help may feel less scary than talking to your teacher...and once you get a handle on the material, your homework may become less frightening, too. 

#3: Change Up Your Environment 

If you find that you’re totally unmotivated, it may help if you find a new place to do your homework. For example, if you’ve been struggling to get your homework done at home, try spending an extra hour in the library after school instead. The change of scenery can limit your distractions and give you the energy you need to get your work done. 

If you’re stuck doing homework at home, you can still use this tip. For instance, maybe you’ve always done your homework sitting on your bed. Try relocating somewhere else, like your kitchen table, for a few weeks. You may find that setting up a new “homework spot” in your house gives you a motivational lift and helps you get your work done. 

Social media can be a huge problem when it comes to doing homework. We have advice for helping you unplug and regain focus.

How to Do Homework When You’re Easily Distracted

We live in an always-on world, and there are tons of things clamoring for our attention. From friends and family to pop culture and social media, it seems like there’s always something (or someone!) distracting us from the things we need to do.

The 24/7 world we live in has affected our ability to focus on tasks for prolonged periods of time. Research has shown that over the past decade, an average person’s attention span has gone from 12 seconds to eight seconds . And when we do lose focus, i t takes people a long time to get back on task . One study found that it can take as long as 23 minutes to get back to work once we’ve been distracte d. No wonder it can take hours to get your homework done! 

3 Tips to Improve Your Focus

If you have a hard time focusing when you’re doing your homework, it’s a good idea to try and eliminate as many distractions as possible. Here are three expert tips for blocking out the noise so you can focus on getting your homework done. 

#1: Create a Distraction-Free Environment

Pick a place where you’ll do your homework every day, and make it as distraction-free as possible. Try to find a location where there won’t be tons of noise, and limit your access to screens while you’re doing your homework. Put together a focus-oriented playlist (or choose one on your favorite streaming service), and put your headphones on while you work. 

You may find that other people, like your friends and family, are your biggest distraction. If that’s the case, try setting up some homework boundaries. Let them know when you’ll be working on homework every day, and ask them if they’ll help you keep a quiet environment. They’ll be happy to lend a hand! 

#2: Limit Your Access to Technology 

We know, we know...this tip isn’t fun, but it does work. For homework that doesn’t require a computer, like handouts or worksheets, it’s best to put all your technology away . Turn off your television, put your phone and laptop in your backpack, and silence notifications on any wearable tech you may be sporting. If you listen to music while you work, that’s fine...but make sure you have a playlist set up so you’re not shuffling through songs once you get started on your homework. 

If your homework requires your laptop or tablet, it can be harder to limit your access to distractions. But it’s not impossible! T here are apps you can download that will block certain websites while you’re working so that you’re not tempted to scroll through Twitter or check your Facebook feed. Silence notifications and text messages on your computer, and don’t open your email account unless you absolutely have to. And if you don’t need access to the internet to complete your assignments, turn off your WiFi. Cutting out the online chatter is a great way to make sure you’re getting your homework done. 

#3: Set a Timer (the Pomodoro Technique)

Have you ever heard of the Pomodoro technique ? It’s a productivity hack that uses a timer to help you focus!

Here’s how it works: first, set a timer for 25 minutes. This is going to be your work time. During this 25 minutes, all you can do is work on whatever homework assignment you have in front of you. No email, no text messaging, no phone calls—just homework. When that timer goes off, you get to take a 5 minute break. Every time you go through one of these cycles, it’s called a “pomodoro.” For every four pomodoros you complete, you can take a longer break of 15 to 30 minutes.

The pomodoro technique works through a combination of boundary setting and rewards. First, it gives you a finite amount of time to focus, so you know that you only have to work really hard for 25 minutes. Once you’ve done that, you’re rewarded with a short break where you can do whatever you want. Additionally, tracking how many pomodoros you complete can help you see how long you’re really working on your homework. (Once you start using our focus tips, you may find it doesn’t take as long as you thought!)

Two Bonus Tips for How to Do Homework Fast

Even if you’re doing everything right, there will be times when you just need to get your homework done as fast as possible. (Why do teachers always have projects due in the same week? The world may never know.)

The problem with speeding through homework is that it’s easy to make mistakes. While turning in an assignment is always better than not submitting anything at all, you want to make sure that you’re not compromising quality for speed. Simply put, the goal is to get your homework done quickly and still make a good grade on the assignment! 

Here are our two bonus tips for getting a decent grade on your homework assignments , even when you’re in a time crunch. 

#1: Do the Easy Parts First 

This is especially true if you’re working on a handout with multiple questions. Before you start working on the assignment, read through all the questions and problems. As you do, make a mark beside the questions you think are “easy” to answer . 

Once you’ve finished going through the whole assignment, you can answer these questions first. Getting the easy questions out of the way as quickly as possible lets you spend more time on the trickier portions of your homework, which will maximize your assignment grade. 

(Quick note: this is also a good strategy to use on timed assignments and tests, like the SAT and the ACT !) 

#2: Pay Attention in Class 

Homework gets a lot easier when you’re actively learning the material. Teachers aren’t giving you homework because they’re mean or trying to ruin your weekend... it’s because they want you to really understand the course material. Homework is designed to reinforce what you’re already learning in class so you’ll be ready to tackle harder concepts later.

When you pay attention in class, ask questions, and take good notes, you’re absorbing the information you’ll need to succeed on your homework assignments. (You’re stuck in class anyway, so you might as well make the most of it!) Not only will paying attention in class make your homework less confusing, it will also help it go much faster, too.

What’s Next?

If you’re looking to improve your productivity beyond homework, a good place to begin is with time management. After all, we only have so much time in a day...so it’s important to get the most out of it! To get you started, check out this list of the 12 best time management techniques that you can start using today.

You may have read this article because homework struggles have been affecting your GPA. Now that you’re on the path to homework success, it’s time to start being proactive about raising your grades. This article teaches you everything you need to know about raising your GPA so you can

Now you know how to get motivated to do homework...but what about your study habits? Studying is just as critical to getting good grades, and ultimately getting into a good college . We can teach you how to study bette r in high school. (We’ve also got tons of resources to help you study for your ACT and SAT exams , too!)

These recommendations are based solely on our knowledge and experience. If you purchase an item through one of our links, PrepScholar may receive a commission.

Ashley Sufflé Robinson has a Ph.D. in 19th Century English Literature. As a content writer for PrepScholar, Ashley is passionate about giving college-bound students the in-depth information they need to get into the school of their dreams.

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Home Workouts & Exercises

Search our free database of exercises and workouts that you can do at home. Home Workouts provides concise how-to guides and muscle targeting diagrams on bodyweight, free-weight, yoga and stretching exercises.

Find a Workout

Above head chest stretch

Air bike crunches

• Hip Flexors

Alternate heel touches

Alternating leg raises

Arm circles stretch

Arm crossover stretch

Back slaps wrap around stretch

Bent leg kickbacks

Cat cow pose

Childs pose

Diamond push-ups

Double pigeon pose

Dumbbell Arnold press

Dumbbell bench press

Dumbbell bent-over rows

Dumbbell bicep curls

Dumbbell burpees

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Dumbbell curtsy lunges

• Inner Thighs

Dumbbell deadlifts

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Dumbbell goblet squats

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Dumbbell supermans

Floor hyperextensions

Forward lunges

Four limbed staff pose

Glute bridges

Half frog pose

Happy baby pose

Hawaiian squats

Heel touch side kick squat

Jump squats

Kettlebell Arnold press

Kettlebell bent-over rows

Kettlebell chest press

Kettlebell deadlifts

Kettlebell goblet squats

Kettlebell one arm clean and jerk

Kettlebell one arm snatch

Kettlebell one-legged deadlifts

Kettlebell pistol squats

Kettlebell renegade row

Kettlebell shoulder press

Kettlebell split snatch

Kettlebell swings

Kettlebell windmills

Lying knee to chest stretch

Mountain climbers

Neck extension stretch

Oblique crunches

One leg calf raises

Pelvic tilts

Plank arm lifts

Rear Pull-ups

Reverse lunges

Seated piriformis stretch

Sphinx pose

Split squats

Sumo squats

Supine spinal twist pose

Tricep dips

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The Best 6 Day Workout Split to Build Muscle Mass & Strength

Looking to build muscle mass and increase your strength? A 6-day workout split may be just the right regime for you.  This structured approach to training provides a systematic way to distribute workload and optimize training efficiency, leading to better progress and results over time.

Today, we’ll look at the best 6-day workout split to help build muscle and strength across all your major muscle groups. We’ll show you which exercises to do, when to do each workout, and how to recover. 

If you're on the go, here's the TLDR:

• Day 1:  Push- Chests and Triceps
• Day 2:  Pull - Back and Biceps
• Day 3:  Legs - Hamstrings
• Day 4:  Shoulders and Abs
• Day 5:  Push Pull Superset 
• Day 6:  Legs - Quads

 You can find the details below, but this is the six-day workout split that will maximize your gains. Some of the exercises use our TRX suspension trainer, so we recommend familiarizing yourself with the movements. You can try some classes at the TRX App to get started: 

What is a 6 Day Workout Split?

A six-day workout split is a training schedule in which you divide your workouts over six days of the week, with each day focusing on a different muscle group or training goal. This structured approach to training allows you to rest adequately while maximizing gains across the board. 

Is a 6 Day Training Split Effective?

A 6-day training split can be effective for certain individuals depending on their goals, training experience, and recovery capacity. There’s no denying that 6 workouts in one week can be tough! So is it for you? Here are some things to consider: 

• Volume and Frequency: A 6-day training split allows for higher training frequency, meaning you can target each muscle group more frequently throughout the week. This increased frequency can be advantageous for muscle growth and strength gains. By spreading the workload across multiple days, you can potentially achieve a higher training volume, which is an important factor for muscle hypertrophy.
• Targeted Training: With a 6-day split, you can allocate specific days to target different muscle groups or movement patterns. This allows for greater specialization and targeted training. For example, you can dedicate a day solely to leg training or focus on specific areas like the back, chest, or shoulders. This approach can be particularly beneficial for bodybuilders or individuals looking to improve specific muscle groups.
• Training Intensity: A 6-day split can also provide opportunities for increased training intensity. Since each muscle group is trained less frequently compared to a full-body or lower-frequency split, you may have more energy and focus to push yourself harder during each workout. This can be advantageous for building strength and increasing workout performance.
• Recovery and Adaptation: Adequate recovery is crucial for progress in strength training. With a 6-day training split, you need to ensure that you have sufficient recovery time between training sessions. Proper nutrition, sleep, and managing stress levels become even more important in this context. If you don't allow enough time for recovery, you risk overtraining, which can hinder your progress and increase the risk of injury.
• Individual Factors: It's important to consider individual factors such as training experience, lifestyle, and personal preferences. A 6-day training split may be more suitable for experienced lifters who have already built a solid foundation of strength and conditioning. Additionally, individuals with more flexible schedules and a strong commitment to their training regimen may find it easier to adhere to a 6-day split.

Ultimately, the effectiveness of a 6-day training split depends on the individual and how well it aligns with their goals, recovery capacity, and lifestyle. It's crucial to listen to your body, monitor your progress, and make adjustments as necessary to optimize your training program.  

Try This 6 Day Workout Split

There are many effective 6-day workout splits, and the best one for you depends on your specific goals, fitness level, and preferences. However, here's an example of a balanced 6-day workout split that targets different muscle groups and provides ample recovery time with a focus on strength development and increasing muscle mass.

• Monday: Push Focus - Chest and Triceps
• Tuesday: Pull Focus - Back and Biceps
• Wednesday: Leg Day - Hamstrings Focus
• Thursday: Shoulders and Abs
• Friday: Push/Pull Combos
• Saturday: Leg Day - Quad Focus

Here's some of the gear we'll use:

TRX® PRO4 SYSTEM

TRX® RIP TRAINER

TRX® YBELL NEO

Day 1: Push - Chest and Triceps 

Looking to build a strong and defined upper body? A push-focused workout targeting your chest and triceps can help you achieve just that! By incorporating a combination of compound movements and isolation exercises, you can effectively train these muscle groups and improve their strength and size. Let's dive in!

Barbell Bench Press:

   - Reps: 8-12

   - Sets: 3

   - Rest Time: 2 minutes

Dumbbell Flyes:

   - Reps: 10-15

   - Sets: 3-4

   - Rest Time: 90 seconds

Incline Dumbbell Press:

   - Sets: 4-5

TRX Suspended Push-Ups:

   - Rest Time: 60 seconds

RIP Trainer Chest Press 

Tricep Dips:

TRX Tricep Extension:

Day 2: Pull-Back and Biceps

Build a strong back and biceps with this pull-focused workout ! Not only will you see improvements in strength and muscle definition, but you'll also improve your posture and decrease your risk of injury. Grab some weights, a suspension trainer and a TRX rip trainer , and let’s get after it!

TRX Low Rows:

   - Rest: 45 seconds

Bent-Over Barbell Rows:

   - Sets: 4

   - Rest: 60-90 seconds

   - Reps: 6-10

   - Rest: 2 minutes

Single-Arm Dumbbell Rows:

   - Reps: 10-12 per arm

   - Rest: 45s seconds

TRX Rip Trainer High Row:

   - Reps: 12-15 

Barbell Curls:

   - Rest: 60 seconds

Hammer Curl:

Day 3: Leg Day - Hamstrings 

It’s time to switch the focus from your upper body to the lower body with this hamstring-focused workout! Strong and flexible hamstrings are essential for overall lower body strength and athletic performance. So let's dive in and get those hamstrings firing!

Romanian Deadlifts:

Single-Leg Glute Bridges:

   - Reps: 10-12 per leg

   - Rest: 45-60 seconds

TRX Hamstring Curls:

   - Reps: 12-15

Nordic Hamstring Curls:

   - Reps: 6-8

Seated Leg Curl Machine:

   - Reps: 8-12 per leg

Barbell Hip Thrusts:

Day 4: Shoulders and Abs

Improve your posture, stability, and overall upper body strength with this shoulder and core-focused session. Whether you're an athlete looking to enhance performance or a fitness enthusiast seeking a challenging workout, this routine will help you achieve your goals. Get ready to engage your core and sculpt your shoulders with the following exercises:

Shoulder Press:

- Reps: 10-12

- Rest: 60 seconds

- Reps: Hold for 30-60 seconds

- Rest: 30 seconds

Lateral Raises:

- Reps: 12-15

- Rest: 45 seconds

Arnold Press:

- Reps: 8-10

TRX Side Plank

- Reps: 20-30s hold per side

RIP Trainer Plank

- Reps: 30-40s hold

If you want to train your abs at different angles, grab a bench and sub in some bench ab exercises to get the full experience. 

Day 5: Push Pull Supersets 

Push-pull supersets are an excellent way to target multiple muscle groups efficiently while keeping your workout dynamic and challenging. By combining pushing and pulling movements, you engage your chest, shoulders, back, and arms in a balanced and effective manner. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced fitness enthusiast, these exercises can help you achieve your upper body goals. 

TRX Chest Press & TRX Mid Row

- Rest: 45 seconds between sets

Push-ups & Seated Cable Rows:

- Rest: 60s seconds between sets

Close-Grip Bench Press & Lat Pulldowns:

Dumbbell Overhead Tricep Extensions & Barbell Bicep Curls:

Day 6: Leg Day - Quad focus 

Looking to sculpt strong and defined quads? Look no further than this leg-day quad-focused workout. By targeting your quadriceps, you can build lower body strength, improve stability, and enhance athletic performance. 

For this leg day, you’ll mostly use barbells, dumbbells, and some leg workout machines . However, building a lower body requires flexibility and muscle coordination. This is why we’ll include some bodyweight exercises using the TRX suspension trainer. 

Barbell Back Squats:

Dumbbell Lunges:

   - Rest: 2 minute

   - Rest: 1-2 minutes

Bulgarian Split Squats:

   - Rest: 1 minute

TRX Pistol Squats:

   - Reps: 8-10 per leg

Calf Raises (Machine or Standing):

   - Reps: 15-20

TRX Rip Trainer Knee Strike:

   - Reps: 12-15 per leg

Remember to start each workout with a dynamic warm-up to prepare your muscles and joints for the workout. Adjust the weights and repetitions based on your fitness level and gradually increase as you progress.

Our 6-day workout split is meant to act as a baseline. While the split is great for building muscle by itself, feel free to sub into exercises that fit your fitness needs. If you don’t want to risk injury, sub in our weight-oriented exercises with different bodyweight movements for the targeted muscle group. You can find plenty of inspiration using the exercises from the TRX App:

How to Recover from Your 6 Day Workout Split

Recovering from a rigorous 6-day workout split is just as crucial as the workout itself. Proper recovery allows your muscles to reset and grow stronger the next time you hit the gym. If you want a successful recovery,  Here’s what you’ll want to do:

• Aim to sleep at least 7-9 hours a night. 
• Incorporate active rest days into your routine and do low-impact activities like yoga
• Eat a well-balanced diet with proteins, carbs, and healthy fats
• Stretch and do mobility exercises . Include static and dynamic routines. 
• Listen to your training and adjust your training as needed.

Regardless, adjust the 6-day workout split we’ve provided to how you like to achieve your goals. And most importantly, make sure to rest  

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What is reformer Pilates? Craig Melvin calls it the ‘most intense workout’ he’s ever done

Craig Melvin is no stranger to working out so when he decided to try a reformer Pilates class he thought “it couldn’t be that hard.” But after being put through the paces at a New York City Pilates studio for a segment aired July 1, the 3rd Hour of TODAY co-host admits that it was "perhaps the most intense exercise" he’d ever done — one that left him sore for three days. He described the low-impact exercise as “packing a punch" and using muscles he didn’t even know he had.

With practitioners on social media boasting transformative results in both body and mind, Pilates is and has been one of the most popular workouts for decades . What is it exactly?

Pilates offers a way to work your core through repeated movements, which are typically performed on a mat in most at-home and gym workouts. While going through the Pilates exercises, you're encouraged to focus on your technique and breathing. The exercises help strengthen and tone your midsection, as well as your arms and legs. Pilates can also be especially beneficial for people with back problems.

Reformer Pilates may offer even more benefits. Performed on a reformer machine rather than a mat, reformer Pilates can be particularly helpful for people who've recently had an injury or want to get more precise with their movements, or to isolate and strengthen certain muscles even further. Classes typically cost between $25-35.

As a certified Pilates instructor, I usually recommend that newcomers to Pilates try a mat class first. Performing the exercises on a mat gives you the space and time to get used to the movements without having to worry about using a machine at first.

But for those who want to jump right in and try reformer Pilates, here's what you need to know about how the machine works, along with how to master a few moves at home.

What is a Pilates reformer?

A Pilates reformer machine looks like a bed frame. But rather than a mattress, the reformer has a platform on wheels that rolls up and down as you perform the moves. The reformer also has long, stretchy cords that you'll attach to your feet or hands for certain exercises, and that you can elongate as you exercise.

The resistance the machine creates helps lengthen your muscles and builds strength, and the workout teaches you to focus on belly breathing , also called diaphragmatic breathing, and boosts “postural control,” Julie O’Connell, physical therapist at Athletico Physical Therapy , tells TODAY.com. The machine was invented by Joseph Pilates and should be used with the help of a Pilates instructor.

Let’s break down the parts of the Pilates reformer machine:

The platform part is also known as the carriage. It's connected to the end of the frame by springs, and the springs create your chosen level of resistance. You use your body weight and muscles to push and pull the carriage along the reformer’s frame. Blocks on the carriage that rest above your shoulders ensure you don’t slide off the carriage as you work out.

The reformer also has a bar at one end, which is also adjustable. During some exercises, you'll place your hands on the bar. During other moves, you'll use your feet. Opposite the bar on top of the machine is a set of long straps with handles. You can loop your feet through the handles and use the straps as you extend your legs as part of certain moves.

Thanks to the springs, the reformer machine is completely adjustable, which means that you can modify your exercises and resistance according to your fitness level, familiarity with Pilates moves and the build of your body. A Pilates reformer can be just as useful for someone looking to intensely work their core as it is for someone recovering after a serious injury.

Is the Pilates reformer a good workout for you?

Who can benefit the most from using a Pilates reformer? It’s best for people prioritizing “core stability” and who want “good postural alignment,” O'Connell says.

But really, the machine can provide a great workout for just about anyone, Tianna Strateman, vice president of training and experience for Club Pilates , tells TODAY.com. That’s because you can alter the reformer machine’s settings, as well as any of the Pilates moves, so you can use it simply to tone up, to get a low-impact, full-body workout or even to train for a certain sport.

That people of all fitness levels can get a safe but challenging workout with the Pilates reformer is one of its major benefits, Paula Lester, manager of the Pilates studio at Privé-Swiss Fitness , tells TODAY.com. This includes young people, older folks, competitive athletes and people who spend much of their days sitting. I even recommended my sister use a Pilates reformer while pregnant so she could work her core without having to get down on a mat. 

Overall, a Pilates reformer workout is about strengthening your core and learning which muscles to engage when. All of this can make you a better athlete; help you recover from an injury; lose weight; improve your balance, bone density and posture ; and reduce back pain , Lester says.

However, it’s important to keep in mind certain limitations of the Pilates reformer so you stay safe when using it. For example, you need to be able to lie down flat on your back without injuring yourself. And if you’re pregnant and in your third trimester, it’s not the best workout since it’s not recommended to lie down for an extended timeframe at this stage, O’Connell explains.

Also, if you have problems pertaining to your spine or neck, you should know the correct adjustments to make to certain moves, says O’Connell, adding that you should inform your instructor if you’re at all injured. And don’t hesitate to tell your teacher if you’re in pain from any of the movements and stop your workout. That way, they can help you adjust the resistance or find a better position.

O'Connell also advises consulting your health care provider before trying out a new workout regimen.

What results can you expect to see from a Pilates reformer?

The reformer accommodates a full range of motion, which is great for increasing flexibility while building strength. The pushing and pulling with the arms and legs against the resistance of the springs, carriage and body weight makes this a unique strength-building full-body workout that’s different from the regular Pilates exercises performed on the mat. Specifically, when you hold the cables in your hands or put your feet in the cables, you allow your muscles to extend to the fullest position. And while mat Pilates does include some exercises that work the legs and arms, they’re usually done with no resistance unless you’re using light dumbbells or a Pilates ring as an accessory. The reformer is able to target your arms and legs while still focusing on the core, providing a more comprehensive workout.

According to one study , Pilates reformer exercises performed once per week for 10 weeks resulted in reduced fall risk and significant improvements in static and dynamic balance and functional mobility in adults age 65 and older at risk for falling. Another study showed that after twelve sessions of Pilates with the reformer equipment, there were improvements in lower back and shoulder strength .

O’Connell says that you can expect to see increases in flexibility, muscular strength and muscular endurance with an improved mind-body connection. “Visually, you will see strong and lean muscles with improved posture. With the focus on core stability and total body strength, Pilates will help to facilitate muscle activation and development to support proper spinal alignment,” she explains.

I have had a few clients who swear by Pilates reformer workouts. I recommend that they do 2-3 sessions a week to really work on leaning out the body. It’s great for building the smaller core muscles, and also stretching out the longer muscles in the body. In fact, many of my clients see weight loss as a result of their reformer classes and feel that their posture has transformed because of it.

Common Pilates reformer exercises — and how to mimic them at home

Curious what exercises exactly you’ll be performing on the contraption? Here are a few popular Pilates reformer exercises, and ways that you can mimic these exercises on the mat in the comfort of your living room without a reformer machine.

Footwork is most often the first exercise done on the reformer. It is done lying down with both feet on the footbar. “This series encourages proper alignment of the hips, pelvis, knees and ankles,” explains Lester. “Since our feet take so much abuse daily just by walking , the footwork series is helpful as it strengthens the muscles of the feet and stabilizes the ankle joint. It can help with pain in the feet including plantar fasciitis ,” she adds.

Footwork on the mat

In a mat class, or at home in your living room, you can also practice Pilates footwork. Simply lie down on your back and bend your knees. Pull your navel in toward your spine and bring your knees up to a table-top position. From here, point your toes and press the feet on a diagonal in front of you, and then bring them back to the starting position. Repeat 10 times.

This is a basic move in Pilates footwork, but you can also add on. Instead of doing the movement with pointed toes, you can do it with flexed feet. You can also open the knees as wide as the hips and keep the heels pressed together with the feet flexed. Do each of these variations for 10 repetitions at the beginning of your Pilates Mat routine.

Long stretch

“Long stretch is essentially a moving plank done standing on the reformer holding the footbar and placing both feet on the headrest,” says Lester. This total-body exercise recruits every muscle fiber in the body leading to a stronger core. It helps with joint stability and balance, and strengthens the abdominals, glutes and hamstrings . These support the spine and lengthen the hip flexors, which increase flexibility and improve posture.

Long stretch on the mat

A close movement to the long stretch is the spine stretch forward on the mat. To do this, sit on your bottom on your mat. Open your legs the width of your shoulders. Pull your navel in toward the spine, and reach the arms out in front of you. Be sure to keep your shoulders back to maintain a straight spine. Then reach forward without moving your legs, and round your spine forward with your head coming in alignment with your outstretched arms. Repeat this 10 times. Breathe in as you come back to center, and breathe out as you reach forward into the spine stretch.

Chest expansion

This exercise works the back of the body while opening up the chest and shoulders and improving posture. “This move is great for those who sit at a desk or drive often,” says Strateman. “Sitting on the long box on top of the reformer with the hands in the loops, place your feet on the headrest with knees bent and arms extended down by the sides of the body,” explains Strateman. “Press through the palms of the hands to extend the shoulders and arms behind the body. Return the arms forward and repeat.”

Chest expansion on the mat

For this exercise, you’ll need a pair of light weights that are 2 or 3 lbs. Go onto your mat on your knees, opening them as wide as the hips. Hold the weights down at your sides, and turn the palms toward the back of the room. Pull your navel in toward your spine, and press the weights and arms toward the back of the room. Make sure your chin does not jut forward and that your shoulders do not round up. Exhale as you press back, and inhale as you come to the starting position. Repeat this 10 times.

Side overs work the obliques , which are important for a well-rounded, strong core. “It also challenges the body in the ‘frontal plane’ which doesn’t always get worked as often,” says Strateman. To start, sit sideways on the short box on top of the reformer with all of the springs hooked on to keep the carriage stable. “The foot closest to the footbar is in the strap with a flexed ankle, extended knee, and the leg and hip lifted in parallel to the ground keeping tension in the strap the entire time,” instructs Strateman. “The opposite leg is bent resting on the box. Hands are clasped behind the head creating one long diagonal line from head to toe. From there, laterally flex the spine, lowering the torso towards the floor and returning to the start position on the diagonal.”

Side overs on the mat

To recruit similar muscles, I recommend performing a side crunch on the mat. This movement will work the obliques and recruits both the upper body and lower body. Lying on your mat, knees bent and feet on the mat as wide as your hips, place your hands behind your head. Tilt your pelvis and engage your low abs as you bring your right knee up to a table-top position. Then curl your head and neck up and crunch your right elbow toward your right knee. Lie your head back down toward the ground as you extend the right leg, keeping your low back pressed into the ground. Repeat this 10 times, and then switch to the left side.

Leg circles

This exercise not only works the core, but the entire hip joint . “Lying on your back on the reformer with both feet in the straps, start with the legs extended long on the diagonal at a 45-degree angle with legs straight and together,” explains Strateman. “Then, lift the legs towards the ceiling just as high as the legs can remain straight with the whole spine from head to tailbone stable on the reformer. Next, separate the legs and continue to complete the circle ending in the starting position.” Repeat this 10 times and then reverse the circles in the other direction.

Leg circles on the mat

Lying on your back, pull your navel in toward your spine. Reach the right leg up toward the ceiling. Lower the leg down to 45 degrees. Then open the leg as wide as your right shoulder to draw a circle open, around, and then back up to the starting position. Repeat this 10 times and then reverse the exercise. Then perform on the left leg. To make this more difficult, perform both legs at once. Start with the feet at the ceiling, and then open the legs as wide as the shoulders to make a circle down to the 45-degree angle. Then press the legs together as you draw them up toward the starting position with the legs together. Then reverse the circle.

Try these other Pilates exercises

• Pilates is designed to tone your core. These 9 exercises are a good place to start
• Relieve back pain with this 5-minute Pilates routine
• This fun Pilates exercise works the entire core and stretches the back

Stephanie Mansour is a contributing health and fitness writer for TODAY. She is a certified personal trainer, yoga and Pilates instructor and  weight-loss coach  for women. She hosts “Step It Up with Steph” on PBS. Join her complimentary health and weight-loss  challenge and follow her for daily inspiration on  Instagram and in her  new app .

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Our Favorite Workouts of 2024, So Far

This summer, find a new fitness routine that can help you build a habit for the rest of the year.

Credit... Clockwise from top left: Alyssa Schukar, Ryan Frigillana, Mimi d’Autremont, and Sasha Arutyunova for The New York Times

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By Erik Vance

• Published July 1, 2024 Updated July 2, 2024, 4:19 p.m. ET

The sun is out, the days are long and it feels like everyone is outside exercising. Building a fitness habit requires commitment and creativity, and summer is the perfect time to start.

Being disciplined about movement doesn’t mean you have to be a gym rat or marathon runner; part of developing a routine that sticks is finding a way to move that makes you happy.

The first step, of course, happens before you even lace up your shoes. We all have our favorite excuses for why we don’t work out enough, and some of them can be paralyzing. The way through starts with setting comfortable expectations and just creating some accountability . You might have to hack your brain now and then to get started, but the most important thing is to be persistent and forgiving of yourself when you backslide.

Here are a few of our favorite workouts so far this year — whether your goal is to bench 230 pounds, up your pickleball game or just squeeze in a high-intensity routine when you barely have time to exercise.

Building strength

Power hungry.

We’ve written a lot about the importance of building and maintaining strength, especially as one gets older. But you don’t just need strength, you also need power, or the ability to deploy strength quickly. Strength helps you dig a shovelful of snow, power helps you dump it. Strength lowers you into a chair, but power gets you out again.

Building power doesn’t have to be hard, but it does require concerted effort. First, try our 30-second power test to see how you stack up. Then check out our short workout to get started on a path to real power.

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