Tips

Training without equipment: Effective training using your own body weight

Want to work out at home but don't have any equipment? No problem—your body is the best workout tool you have.

Training with your own body weight isn't just a good temporary solution if you're just starting out or don't have any equipment yet—it can also be incredibly effective in the long term.

In this article, you'll learn how to build strength, endurance, and stability with simple exercises – without any equipment. We'll also show you how to structure your workout, where the limits are, and how you can expand it later with simple tools.

Why bodyweight training works

The body is designed for movement – and that's exactly what bodyweight training demands.

Unlike many machines in the gym, it forces you to activate entire muscle chains, stabilize your core, and consciously control your movements.

Advantages at a glance:

You don't need any equipment
You can train anywhere – at home, outdoors, or on vacation
You improve strength, coordination, and mobility at the same time
You learn to control and use your body better

It's the perfect introduction for beginners – and even advanced athletes can set strong stimuli with variations, tempo, and number of repetitions.

The best exercises for training without equipment

Here is a selection of effective exercises that you can do without any equipment – on a mat, carpet, or the living room floor:

1. Lower body

Squats (bodyweight squats)
Classic but effective. Make sure you keep your posture upright and your knees stable.
Lunges
Ideal for legs and buttocks – dynamic or static, forward, backward, or sideways.
Glute bridge
Great for the gluteal muscles – can be intensified with a one-legged variation.

2. Upper body

Push-ups
Chest, shoulders, triceps – classic with many variations: wide, narrow, on knees, with rotation.
Dips on the couch
Perfect for triceps and shoulders – easy to do with furniture at home.
Superman
Strengthen your back muscles and posture – important to balance out sedentary activities.

3. Core

Planks (forearm support)
Full-body tension – slowly increase the hold time, variations: sideways, with leg lifts.
Mountain Climbers
For abdominal muscles and endurance – fast, dynamic, effective.
Russian twists
For the oblique abdominal muscles – can be performed with or without weights.

What are the limitations? And when is equipment worthwhile?

Of course, pure bodyweight training reaches its limits at some point – especially in terms of strength. If you want to build muscle or specifically target individual muscle groups, you will sooner or later need additional weight.

Then it makes sense to supplement with simple tools such as resistance bands, dumbbells, or a TRX. This will add new stimuli to your training – without turning your living room into a gym.

➡ Want to know which tools are particularly suitable for beginners? Then check out the article “These 3 tools are all you need for a versatile workout at home.”