10 Best Bodyweight Exercises for Effective Home Workouts

Updated December 2025

Are you looking to get fit without the need for expensive gym memberships or bulky equipment? Bodyweight exercises are an excellent solution for effective home workouts, allowing you to build strength, improve flexibility, and boost cardiovascular fitness using just your own body. Here’s a list of the 10 best bodyweight exercises to incorporate into your routine in 2025.

1. Push-Ups

• Equipment Needed: None
• Difficulty Level: Beginner to Intermediate
• Calories Burned: ~7 calories per minute
• Sets/Reps: 3 sets of 10-15 reps

How to Do It: Start in a plank position with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Lower your body until your chest nearly touches the floor, then push back up to the starting position.

2. Squats

• Equipment Needed: None
• Difficulty Level: Beginner
• Calories Burned: ~5 calories per minute
• Sets/Reps: 3 sets of 15-20 reps

How to Do It: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Lower your body as if sitting back into a chair, keeping your weight in your heels. Return to the starting position.

3. Plank

• Equipment Needed: None
• Difficulty Level: Beginner to Advanced
• Calories Burned: ~3-5 calories per minute
• Duration: 30-60 seconds for 3 sets

How to Do It: Lie face down, lift your body on your forearms and toes, keeping your body straight. Hold the position, engaging your core.

4. Lunges

• Equipment Needed: None
• Difficulty Level: Beginner to Intermediate
• Calories Burned: ~6 calories per minute
• Sets/Reps: 3 sets of 10-12 reps (each leg)

How to Do It: Step forward with one leg, lowering your hips until both knees are bent at about a 90-degree angle. Push back to the starting position and switch legs.

5. Burpees

• Equipment Needed: None
• Difficulty Level: Intermediate to Advanced
• Calories Burned: ~10 calories per minute
• Sets/Reps: 3 sets of 8-10 reps

How to Do It: Start standing, drop into a squat, kick your feet back into a plank, do a push-up, return to squat, and jump up.

6. Mountain Climbers

• Equipment Needed: None
• Difficulty Level: Intermediate
• Calories Burned: ~8 calories per minute
• Sets/Reps: 3 sets of 30 seconds

How to Do It: Start in a plank position, alternate driving your knees toward your chest quickly.

7. Glute Bridges

• Equipment Needed: None
• Difficulty Level: Beginner
• Calories Burned: ~4 calories per minute
• Sets/Reps: 3 sets of 15-20 reps

How to Do It: Lie on your back with knees bent, lift your hips towards the ceiling, squeezing your glutes at the top.

8. Tricep Dips

• Equipment Needed: A sturdy chair or bench
• Difficulty Level: Intermediate
• Calories Burned: ~5 calories per minute
• Sets/Reps: 3 sets of 10-15 reps

How to Do It: Sit on the edge of a chair, hands beside your hips, slide off, and lower your body by bending your elbows, then push back up.

9. High Knees

• Equipment Needed: None
• Difficulty Level: Beginner to Intermediate
• Calories Burned: ~8 calories per minute
• Sets/Reps: 3 sets of 30 seconds

How to Do It: Stand in place and run, bringing your knees up to your chest as high as possible.

10. Side Plank

• Equipment Needed: None
• Difficulty Level: Intermediate
• Calories Burned: ~3 calories per minute
• Duration: 30 seconds on each side for 3 sets

How to Do It: Lie on your side, prop yourself up on one forearm, lift your hips, and hold the position.

Sample Workout Table

| Exercise | Sets | Reps/Duration | |------------------|------|----------------------| | Push-Ups | 3 | 10-15 reps | | Squats | 3 | 15-20 reps | | Plank | 3 | 30-60 seconds | | Lunges | 3 | 10-12 reps (each leg)| | Burpees | 3 | 8-10 reps | | Mountain Climbers| 3 | 30 seconds | | Glute Bridges | 3 | 15-20 reps | | Tricep Dips | 3 | 10-15 reps | | High Knees | 3 | 30 seconds | | Side Plank | 3 | 30 seconds (each side)|

Incorporating these bodyweight exercises into your home workout routine can help you achieve your fitness goals effectively. For personalized guidance and support, consider trying HipTrain's affordable 1-on-1 live personal training, which is HSA/FSA approved for eligible expenses. Our certified trainers offer flexible scheduling to fit into your busy lifestyle.