Exercise Equipment

I want to start waking up and doing some sort of routine right in my home before I take a shower. What I want are some basics that I can just start doing, such as push-ups, curl ups, and squats. What are some other exercises where they’re no weights and it’s more about repetition?

There are perhaps hundreds of different kinds of calisthenic or bodyweight exercises you can perform. Search online for "bodyweight exercises" and you’ll find all the information you’d ever need. No need to buy Matt Furey’s books, one of several outspoken bodyweight-only exercise advocates, since they don’t go into great detail on exercise performance anyway (although they are interesting and I have several).

Some more possibilities: handstand pushups or holds, planche, front lever (gymastic exercises), tables, hindu pushups, hindu squats, bridging, jumping jacks, broad jumps, high jumps, sprints, jump ropes (without rope), mountain climbers, pullups or holds, bear crawls, crab walks, jogging (in place), walking, marching, tumbling, etc., etc. If some of these become too easy for you (pushups, pullups, squats), try them with one arm or leg.

There is valid rationale for using only bodyweight training, and it could provide for all of one’s training needs. It certainly works for gymnasts and many other athletes.

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