We include products we think are useful for our readers. If you buy through links on this page, we may earn a small commission. Here’s our process.

Healthline only shows you brands and products that we stand behind.

Our team thoroughly researches and evaluates the recommendations we make on our site. To establish that the product manufacturers addressed safety and efficacy standards, we:
  • Evaluate ingredients and composition: Do they have the potential to cause harm?
  • Fact-check all health claims: Do they align with the current body of scientific evidence?
  • Assess the brand: Does it operate with integrity and adhere to industry best practices?
We do the research so you can find trusted products for your health and wellness.
Was this helpful?

“Lift heavy” seems like the answer to everything nowadays, right?

While weightlifting is beneficial for lots of reasons — especially for women — it’s not required to build strength and sculpt your body. For many people, getting a workout on with your own body weight is enough.

Whether you work out at home or want to give the dumbbells a rest, we’ve put together a list of 13 body-burning moves that require no weights.

To see strength success, practice your routine two to three times per week. Keep reading to learn how many sets and reps each move needs. And don’t be fooled by the lack of equipment. This mix of cardio, plyometrics, and bodyweight exercises will still work you hard.

Warm up before you start. Five minutes of brisk walking or jogging will do the job. Stretch or foam roll afterward to minimize soreness.

1. Rotational jacks

A twist on a jumping jack, rotational jacks are a good way to kick off a workout. They’ll get your heart rate up and muscles warm.

Directions:

  1. Start in a wide stance with soft knees. Your
    arms should be extended straight out at your sides so they’re parallel to the
    ground.
  2. Keeping your arms straight and head and neck
    stationary, hinge forward at the hips and rotate your torso so your right hand
    touches the ground.
  3. Return to the starting position and jump your
    feet together.
  4. Immediately jump your feet back out, hinge
    forward again, and rotate to the left, touching your hand to the ground.
  5. Return to start. Jump your feet together and
    twist again to the right.
  6. Complete 12–15 reps for 3 sets.

2. Plank reach-unders

Planks are a basic (but not easy!) exercise that provide full-body benefits. Adding the reach-under targets your core even more.

Directions:

  1. Assume a high plank position on your hands.
    Ensure your core is braced and your lower back doesn’t sag. Your neck and spine
    should be neutral.
  2. Lift your right hand off the ground and back
    toward your left thigh, tapping it with your fingers. Return to a plank.
  3. Repeat with your left hand, tapping your right
    thigh and returning to a plank.
  4. Complete 3 sets of 20 total taps.

3. Step-ups

Step-ups will burn your lower half. Plus, they’re great for working on balance and stability, too.

Directions:

  1. Start standing in front of a knee-height bench,
    or step with your feet together.
  2. Step onto the bench with your right foot,
    pushing through your heel and driving your left knee up.
  3. Lower your left leg down, stepping backward off
    the bench.
  4. Complete 10–15 reps with your right leg, then
    switch and complete 10–15 reps, leading with your left leg.
  5. Complete 3 sets.

4. Mountain climbers

No need for weights when you can do a few sets of mountain climbers. Supporting your own body weight — in combination with the knee drive — will have your muscles, and lungs, on fire.

Directions:

  1. Assume a high plank position with your arms
    extended.
  2. Engaging your core and keeping your spine and
    neck neutral, drive your right knee up toward your chest. Extend it and
    immediately drive your left knee up toward your chest.
  3. Repeat for 30 seconds, going as fast as you can
    while maintaining good form.
  4. Complete 3 total sets.

5. Squat jumps

Plyometrics are exercises that require your muscles to exert a lot of force in a short period of time. Squat jumps are a prime example. You’ll get a lot of bang for your buck with just a few sets of these. Warning: They’re high-impact, so if your joints are sensitive, proceed with caution.

Directions:

  1. Lower into a squat position with your arms bent
    and hands together out in front of you.
  2. Explode up into a jump, pushing through and
    landing back on the balls of your feet.
  3. When you reach the ground again, squat down and
    repeat.
  4. Complete 3 sets of 10–12 reps.

6. Burpees

Another type of high-impact plyometric exercise, burpees are a full-body move that will torch calories quickly.

Directions:

  1. Start by standing straight with feet shoulder-width
    apart and arms down by your sides.
  2. Start to squat down, moving your hands out in
    front of you. As soon as they reach the ground, extend your legs straight back
    so you end up in a high plank position.
  3. Immediately after you reach the high plank
    position, jump your feet up to your palms by hinging at the waist. Get your
    feet as close to your hands as you can get, landing them outside your hands if
    necessary.
  4. Stand up and immediately go into a jump squat.
  5. After you land, extend your legs back out again,
    continuing steps 3–4.
  6. Start with 15 reps.

7. Standing side hops

Lateral (side-to-side) movements are an important component of a well-rounded exercise regimen. Standing side hops are great for hip and ankle mobility.

Directions:

  1. Start standing with your feet together and your
    arms bent at a 90-degree angle at your sides. Your knees should be soft.
  2. Keeping your feet together, jump to the right,
    taking off and landing on the balls of your feet.
  3. As soon as you reach the ground, jump back to
    the left.
  4. Repeat 20 reps for 3 sets.

8. Pullups

A standard pullup is challenging to complete, even for avid exercisers. Its payout is worth it, though. Use a pullup band for assistance and still reap the benefits.

Directions:

  1. Stand underneath a pullup bar and grip it with
    your hands, placing them slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
  2. Lift your feet off the ground and hang from your
    arms, then pull yourself up by bending your arms and pulling your elbows toward
    the ground.

9. Squat pulses

Holding a squat position and pulsing there increases time under tension, or the amount of work your muscle does during a workout. Feel that burn!

Directions:

  1. Get into a squat position with your hands
    together out in front of you.
  2. Raise up slightly, pushing through your heels,
    then back down again.
  3. Repeat for 30 seconds.
  4. Complete 3 sets.

10. Flutter kicks

Although they target your core, flutter kicks also zero in on the hips. Three sets of these will have you feeling it the next day.

Directions:

  1. Lie on your back on a mat with your legs
    extended into the air so your body forms a 90-degree angle.
  2. Slowly lower your right leg down toward the
    ground as far as it will go while maintaining contact between your lower back
    and the ground.
  3. Return your right leg to start, and lower your
    left leg down the same way.
  4. Complete 20 total reps for 3 sets.

11. Pushups

Foundational but not a cinch, pushups require upper body strength, yes, but also core and lower-body stabilization. Easily modifiable (drop to your knees or perform off an elevated surface like a bench), they’re a universal exercise.

Directions:

  1. Start in a plank position with your pelvis
    tucked in, neck neutral, and palms directly under your shoulders. Make sure
    your shoulders are rotated back and down, too.
  2. As you brace your core and keep your back flat,
    begin to lower your body by bending your elbows while keeping them tucked into
    your body. Lower down until your chest grazes the floor.
  3. Immediately extend your elbows and push your
    body back up to the starting position.
  4. Repeat for as many reps as possible for 3 sets.

12. Broad jumps

Yet another high-impact move (noticing a pattern here?), broad jumps require lots of force, thus they burn lots of energy.

Directions:

  1. Start standing with your feet shoulder-width
    apart and your arms down at your side.
  2. Squat down halfway, and use that explosive
    energy to jump forward, throwing your arms forward at the same time.
  3. Land with a soft foot and your weight slightly
    forward.
  4. Complete 10 reps for 3 sets.

13. Split squats

Any exercise that works your glutes, quads, and hamstrings — the largest muscles in your body — is bound to pay out big. Split squats are just that.

Directions:

  1. Take a large step forward with your left foot to
    form a staggered stance. Distribute your weight evenly between both feet.
  2. Bend your knees and lower your body down until
    your left knee forms a 90-degree angle.
  3. Push up and repeat for 12 reps. Switch legs and
    repeat.

Weights aren’t required for a body-burning workout. Mix and match these 13 bodyweight exercises to see results in just a month or two.

Remember: Eating a healthy, balanced diet is the other piece of the puzzle. While you won’t see real changes without addressing your diet, you can still be strong and powerful.

Nicole Davis is a Boston-based writer, ACE-certified personal trainer, and health enthusiast who works to help women live stronger, healthier, happier lives. Her philosophy is to embrace your curves and create your fit — whatever that may be! She was featured in Oxygen magazine’s “Future of Fitness” in the June 2016 issue. Follow her on Instagram.