The Best Bodyweight Exercises You Can Do Anywhere
Meet the moves that will strengthen all the right running muscles—no equipment necessary.
As the weather begins to change, working out in the warmth of our own homes sometimes sounds more appealing than running in the cold or snow. And while you might not have the equipment you’d find at your local gym, you actually don’t need any gear to get in a great workout! By adding bodyweight exercises to your routine you can build strength, boost cardio, and work to prevent common running injuries.
“Bodyweight workouts are good because it gives you a moment to use your own body, get acquainted, have body awareness, and work on your mechanics before you actually load yourself up with weight,” Natalie Johnston, owner of Run F.I.T and NASM-certified trainer tells Runner’s World. Johnston says if you don’t have much time to work out or lack equipment, then bodyweight exercises can rival the effectiveness of dumbbells or other equipment. You just need the right moves and a few solid strategies for progressing each exercise.
This list of the 30 best bodyweight exercises will help you strengthen your stride and maintain good posture through each run. The mix of moves target your legs, core, and upper body so you can create one total-body program.
How to use this list: Try incorporating five or more of the exercises below into your workout at least three times a week. Do 10 to 15 reps of each exercise for 3 or more sets. The list is ordered according to body part: lower body, core, and upper body. You can opt for 5 exercises per muscle group (for example: one week might include a leg-day workout, a core-focused routine, and an upper body session) or opt for a mix of moves to target your entire body in one workout.
How to Progress Bodyweight Exercises
Ready to take these bodyweight exercises to the next level? You can easily up the intensity in a few different ways:
»Add an endurance challenge: Consider adding an isometric hold—contracting a muscle or group of muscles without changing length or position for a period of time—to exercises, like the Bulgarian squat. “Go down to the lunge position and then you hold it isometrically for five to 10 seconds,” says Johnston. See how many reps you can do with that added hold (probably not as many!). Johnston says adding isometrics to some moves will help runners improve endurance as it teaches your muscles to work for longer without getting fatigued.
Another exercise you’ll want to hold longer: Planks. Johnston says holding your plank allows you to work on multiple muscles—abs, quads, and glutes—at the same time. By holding the plank position longer, you will build core stability, while working your whole body. Plus, a plank helps you on the run as it teaches you to hold your center steady. This is especially important for later miles when you might start to hunch over or feel your strong run form breaking—those long-held planks pay off in keeping you upright.
»Crank up the cardio: To get your heart rate up, add plyometrics, or explosive movements, to your routine. You can add them to any exercise, but moves like the air squat, lunges, and even push-ups will do. This will not only strengthen your muscles to improve your stride, but it also helps you build power to propel you forward.
»Enhance the strength gains: Take a cue from the eccentric calf raise and perform the downward phase of other exercises nice and slow. That means lowering into a squat, lunge, bridge, push-up, superman, or tricep dip on a five to 10 count. Eccentric exercise efficiently builds strength and muscle size, according to research in the Journal of Applied Physiology, and it can be particularly helpful for runners when tackling downhills.
Lower Body: Air Squat
Start standing with feet just wider than hip-width apart, toes pointed slightly out, clasp hands at chest for balance. Send hips back and bend at knees to lower down as far as possible with chest lifted. Press through heels back up to starting position. Repeat.
Lower Body: Walking Lunge
Stand with feet hip-width apart. Step forward with right foot, bending both knees to 90 degrees. Drive through right heel to stand, while stepping left foot forward and dropping into a lunge on the left side. Continue walking forward, making sure back knee hovers just off the floor with each step. You can perform this move with bodyweight or holding two dumbbells or kettlebells for an added challenge. Do 10 to 15 reps per side.
Lower Body: Single-Leg Balance
Start standing with hands on hips. Shift weight to left leg and bring right knee up so hip, knee, and ankle form 90-degree angles. Hold this position for 30 to 60 seconds, then repeat on other leg.
Lower Body: Backward Lunge
Stand with feet together. Step right leg back, lowering down so both knees form a 90-degree angle, with right knee hovering just above the floor. Drive through left heel to stand up to starting position. Repeat on left side. Continue alternating for 10 to 15 reps per side.
Lower Body: Single-Leg Bridge
Lie faceup, knees bent, feet planted, arms down by sides on the floor. Lift right leg up toward the ceiling, so that both knees are aligned. Engage glutes as you lift hips up, driving through left heel. Lower back to the floor. Repeat. Then switch sides.
Lower Body: Bulgarian Split Squat
Start standing. Place top of right foot on a yoga block, bench, or chair behind you. Step left leg out far enough to create a 90-degree angle without the knee reaching past the toes. Squeeze inner thighs together, as you lower straight down. Left knee should hit 90 degrees, while right knee points straight down to the floor. Press through the left heel to return to starting position. Repeat. Then switch sides.
Lower Body: Glute Bridge
Lie faceup, knees bent, and feet planted on the floor. Drive through heels, contracting the glutes to send hips toward the ceiling. Your body should form a straight line from shoulders to knees. Lower back down and repeat.
Lower Body: Plyo Lunge
Stand with feet hip-width apart. Step left foot back and lower into a lunge, knees forming 90-degree angles. Drive through right heel to jump up, switching legs in the air. Land in a lunge position with left leg forward. Continue alternating lunges with a jump in the middle, aiming to increase time in the air and decrease time on the ground. Do 10 to 15 reps per side.
Lower Body: Single-Leg Half Squat
Start standing and shift weight to left leg as you lift right knee so shin is parallel to floor. Send hips back and bend left knee to lower halfway down into a squat as you raise arms out in front of you for balance. Keep weight in left heel. Stand back up to starting position and repeat. Then switch sides.
Lower Body: Straight-Leg Calf Raise
Stand with feet hip-width apart on the edge of a step or box, legs straight. Push through to come up to toes. Pause for a second, then lower heels back down and repeat.
Lower Body: Shoulder Bridge
Lie faceup, knees bent, feet planted on floor. Place arms down by sides. Contract glutes and lift hips toward ceiling as high as possible you draw hands together below. Lower back down and repeat.
Lower Body: Bent-Knee Calf Raise
Stand on the edge of a step or box with feet hip-width apart, knees bent about 45 degrees. Shift weight to right leg and let left foot hang. Push through right forefoot to come up to toes. Pause for a second, then lower heels back down. Repeat. Then switch sides.
Lower Body: Heel Drop
Stand with left foot on a step and right heel hanging off the edge. Bend left knee to lower right heel below the step, then press back up. Repeat. Then switch sides.
Lower Body: Eccentric Calf Raise
Stand on your toes with feet hip-width apart on the edge of a step or box. Slowly and with control, lower heels down below the edge of step. Pause for a second, then slowly lift back up to starting position. Repeat.
Core: Plank
Start on all fours, shoulders over wrists. Step feet back and engage glutes and thighs to keep legs straight. Body should form a straight line from shoulders to hips to heels. Think about pushing the ground away from you and pulling the belly button up toward the spine to keep back flat. Hold this position for 30 to 60 seconds.
Core: Mountain Climber
Start in a high plank position, shoulders over wrists, core engaged so body forms a straight line from shoulders to hips to heels. Engage glutes and thighs to keep legs straight. Drive left knee in toward chest, then quickly step it back to plank position. Immediately drive right knee in toward chest, then quickly step it back into plank position. Continue alternating for 10 to 15 reps per side.
Core: Side Plank Reach Through
Lie on left side, left forearm on the floor with elbow directly under shoulder. Lift hips to form a straight line from shoulders to heel and extend right arm to ceiling. With control, reach right arm underneath the body, rotating upper body toward the floor. Extend right arm back up toward ceiling and return to side plank. Repeat. Then switch sides.
Core: 6-Inch Hold
Lie faceup, legs straight, arms by sides with hands positioned below glutes for support. Lift legs just six inches off the mat. Draw belly button to spine to keep low back from lifting up off mat. Hold for 30 to 60 seconds.
Core: Russian Twist
Sit on the floor, knees bent, heels resting on mat. Lean upper body back about 45 degrees. With elbows bent and hands together, rotate torso to the right, then rotate torso to the left. Continue alternating for 10 to 15 reps per side. To make it harder, hold a dumbbell or kettlebell or lift heels off of floor.
Core: Leg Lift
Lie faceup, legs straight, hands under glutes for support. Keeping low back flat against the mat, lift legs up toward ceiling, keeping knees as straight as possible. Slowly lower legs back down toward the floor. Continue to press low back into mat. When legs hover just an inch off the floor, lift back up and repeat.
Mallory Creveling, an ACE-certified personal trainer and RRCA-certified run coach, joined the Runner's World and Bicycling team in August 2021. She has more than a decade of experience covering fitness, health, and nutrition. As a freelance writer, her work appeared in Women's Health, Self, Men's Journal, Reader's Digest, and more. She has also held staff editorial positions at Family Circle and Shape magazines, as well as DailyBurn.com. A former New Yorker/Brooklynite, she's now based in Easton, PA.
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