Simple Home Workouts: How to Incorporate Exercise into Your Week with Minimal Equipment

kerribrown901
Sep 9, 2025
7 min read

In today’s fast-paced world, finding time to exercise can feel overwhelming. Yet, adding workouts into your week does not have to be difficult or require a gym membership to get started. With a bit of creativity and determination, you can incorporate effective workouts into your daily routine right from home, using little to no equipment. This blog post will walk you through practical home workouts that seamlessly fit into your busy schedule.

The Benefits of Home Workouts

Working out at home comes with many benefits. First of all, it saves time. You avoid the commute to the gym, allowing you to focus that time on your fitness. For instance, if you usually spend 30 minutes traveling to and from the gym, you can use that time to complete a full 30-minute workout at home instead.

Furthermore, home workouts can be more budget-friendly. You can dodge expensive gym memberships that often times you don't even end up going! According to a study by the American Council on Exercise, individuals can save up to 60% or more annually by opting for home workouts over gym memberships.

Exercising at home also offers greater flexibility. You can choose when and how long you want to work out, allowing for easy scheduling around work or family commitments. The comfort of being at home helps you feel relaxed and focused, leading to a more enjoyable workout experience.

Setting Up Your Home Workout Space

Creating a designated workout area in your home can boost your motivation significantly. You don’t need an expansive space; even a small corner can be effective. Here are practical tips for setting up your workout area:

Choose a Quiet Area: Identify a spot in your home where exercise is possible without distractions. This could be a spare room, your living room, basement or garage.
Keep It Organized: Clear the area of clutter to create a calming environment, making it easier to concentrate on your workout.
Add Essential Gear: While you don’t require much equipment, having a yoga mat, a foam roller, a set of mini bands, long resistance bands, or a set of dumbbells can enhance your workouts. A study by the National Institutes of Health found that just ten minutes of resistance training can stimulate muscle growth. Talk about getting a good return on investment!
Incorporate Music: Prepare a playlist that energizes you. Research shows that listening to music can increase aerobic endurance by up to 15%, making workouts more enjoyable.

Bodyweight Exercises: No Equipment Needed to Start!

Bodyweight exercises are a great way to begin your fitness journey at home. These movements allow you to use your own weight as resistance, making them suitable for all fitness levels. Here are some recommended bodyweight exercises for your routine:

Hip Bridge

Hip or glute bridges are a great exercise to get your glutes, core and hamstrings firing. Start by laying on your back on the yoga mat, have feet flat and hip width apart. Think about squeezing both glutes together and engaging in the core as you lift your hips off the ground. Only go as high as you can for good engagement and no pulling or pain in your low back. If you want to feel more hamstrings, walk your feet away from your bum and try again. You can also make these harder by adding. a dumbbell to the hips or a mini band by the knees.

Push-Ups

Push-ups are a time-tested exercise that develops your chest, shoulders, and triceps. Modify your approach based on your fitness level. For beginners, start with knee push-ups or elevate you hands on the wall or a table. You always want to adjust the exercise to your starting point and make it harder as you get stronger. You could progress to standard push-ups from your feet. For added challenge, try varying your hand placement, wearing a weighted vest or elevating your feet!

Squats

Squats are fantastic for fortifying your legs and glutes. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, lower your body as if sitting back into a chair, and then return to standing. Make sure you are using your quads, glutes and core during this movement. If you feel any pain in your back you may want to come in for a Functional Movement Screen to learn proper movement patterns for exercise. If you continue to workout with incorrect movements you can cause high pain and injuries, if you want more info book a free call here. If you are already moving well and want more of a challenge, you could add a weights, a mini band to your knees or add a jump, which can increase calorie burn by up to 50% compared to standard squats.

Planks

Planks effectively strengthen your core. For the first level of a plank, begin by laying on your yoga mat belly down and elbows under shoulders, then think about lifting your hips up while keeping your knees on the floor. Once your hips are up you want to think about squeezing your glutes together, engaging your core and driving the elbows down towards your knees and knees up to the elbows to get the best engagement. Hold this position for as long as possible, aiming to increase your duration with each session. You should lower back down if you feel your low back, if your shoulders get tired or you just can't hold it anymore. Once you can hold that kneeling plank for over 1 minute, you can try the next level from elbows and toes. Studies show that planking can improve core endurance and stability significantly. There are so many other fun challenges for planks such as: leg raises, banded step outs, banded hand taps and more.

Lunges

Lunges enhance leg strength and balance. Start with your feet together at the top of your mat, step backward with one leg, lowering your hips until both knees are bent at roughly a 90-degree angle. Alternate legs for as many reps you can handle keeping good form and without pain. According to a fitness study, performing lunges can increase lower body strength by approximately 20% in just four weeks. Body weight lunges can be made harder by adding dumbbells, holding your baby and/or increasing the reps.

Incorporating Cardio into Your Routine

Cardiovascular exercise is crucial for heart health and calorie burning. You don’t need specialized equipment to elevate your heart rate. Here are engaging ways to add cardio to your home workouts:

Jumping Jacks

A simple and effective exercise, jumping jacks can be performed anywhere. They raise your heart rate while engaging multiple muscle groups. Aim for 30 seconds to a minute of continuous jumping jacks to reap their benefits. If you struggling with leaking or feel you cannot jump, grab this free pelvic floor and core corrective exercise document.

High Knees

High knees are another effective exercise to pump up your heart rate. Stand still and run, lifting your knees to your chest as high as you can. Perform high knees in intervals of 20-30 seconds, which can lead to significant calorie burn. If you have stairs in your house you could do stair climbs too!

Dance Workouts

Turn on your favourite music and dance! This fun activity not only gets you moving but also boosts your mood. Research shows that dancing can burn up to 300 calories in a single hour, depending on the intensity.

Creating a Weekly Workout Schedule

To stay consistent with your exercise routine, consider drafting a weekly schedule. Here’s a simple example:

Monday: 20 minutes of bodyweight exercises (push-ups, squats, planks)
Tuesday: 20 minutes of cardio (jumping jacks, high knees, stairs, dance)
Wednesday: Rest day or light stretching/yoga
Thursday: 20 minutes of bodyweight exercises (Hip Bridges, push-ups)
Friday: 30 minutes of cardio (dance or a brisk walk)
Saturday: Total body workout combining bodyweight exercises and cardio
Sunday: Rest day or yoga/stretching

Adjust your schedule based on personal preferences and available time. The goal is to find a routine that fits your lifestyle and stick to it! If you want help creating a home workout plan i would love to support you! I build custom workout plans for clients through my app or as a written document so they know exactly what to do each week. Programs should be changed and updated every 4-6 weeks as you get stronger and improve on everything as our bodies need stimulus to change. Click here to book a free call and see how I could help you create a program for your goals!

Staying Motivated

Maintaining motivation can be challenging when working out at home. Here are some practical tips to keep your spirits high:

Set Realistic Goals: Begin with small, attainable goals and gradually raise your expectations as you progress. If 30 minutes seems like a lot, aim for 15 to start out.
Track Your Progress: Use a journal or an app like mine, to record your workouts. Seeing your improvements can provide valuable motivation.
Find a Workout Buddy: Collaborating with a friend, even virtually, can make exercising more enjoyable and help you maintain accountability.
Review your Goals: Always come back to your goals to keep you motivated. Do you want to lose 10 lbs so you can play with your kids pain free? Whatever it is, write it down and review it often to help you stay on track and motivated.

Your Path to Fitness

Incorporating workouts into your week using minimal equipment is not just possible but can also be enjoyable! By leveraging bodyweight exercises, adding simple cardio, and creating a structured schedule, you can reach your fitness goals right from home. The most crucial aspect is to stay consistent and have fun while exercising. So, roll out that mat, pump up the music, and get moving! And remember, I am here for any of your questions or extra support needed towards your goals!

Email: kbhealthcoach1@gmail.com