Who needs the gym? Three bodyweight workouts to keep you fit in lockdown

A lunchtime gym session, an after-work spin class or a Saturday-morning run is, for many of us, an integral part of our routine. But, with gyms closed and a lot of the world’s population confined indoors, it’s time to learn new ways to stay active at home.

About the author

Anna Sheehan is a personal trainer and fitness coach at F45 Blackwall, a group fitness studio in London, where each week she brings her love of high-intensity interval training to hundreds of people of all fitness levels. Find her on instagram @2toned.fit   

As a fitness coach, I often work with bodyweight movements, many of which are easily transferred from the gym to the home.

Here, I have put together three workouts that will keep your blood pumping and your heart rate up, and use your whole body. The following video includes a demonstration of a full-body routine, as well as separate upper-body and lower-body workouts, with tips on proper form below.

Each routine should be programmed as 45 seconds of work, followed by 15 seconds of rest, moving from one movement to the next (though do adjust the work-rest ratio to suit your fitness level — 30:30, for example, if you’re new to this kind of exercise). After completing the list, take a two-minute break, then repeat the whole circuit twice more.

Please be aware of your surroundings while undertaking the following activities, and make sure you have a safe space. There is a level of risk with all physical activity. 

1. Full body workout

Warm up: 45 seconds per move, 15 seconds of rest in between

1. High knees Lift your knees up to waist height

2. Forward punches Keep your feet moving as you alternate your punches

3. Squats Plant your heels firmly on the floor and keep your gaze and chest up as you lower your body down

Exercises: 45 seconds per move, 15 seconds of rest in between. Repeat the circuit three times, with a two-minute break between rounds

1. Squat jumps, 180 rotation Increase your heart rate by making the jump as explosive as possible

2. Russian twist To make this harder, pick your feet up and lean back further

3. Press-ups Make sure your shoulders, elbows and wrists are stacked on top of each other 

4. Strict burpees Remove the jump and press from a regular burpee 

5. Mountain climbers To work your obliques, bring your knee to the opposite elbow 

6. Tricep dips Pause at the bottom for a one or two count, then press back up powerfully

7. Jumping lunges Pump your arms to make this a full-body move 

8. Jackknife To add extra burn, don’t drop your shoulders between each rep 

9. Superman/woman pull-back Squeeze your glutes and core as tight as possible and take a short pause at the top

10. Burpees Do these as hard and fast as possible — this is the burnout move!

2. Upper-body workout

Warm up: 45 seconds per move, 15 seconds of rest in between (starts at 0:55 in the video)

1. Superman/woman (upper body only) Keep your legs on the floor, only move the upper body here

2. Forward punches Keep your feet moving as you alternate your punches

3. Press-ups (on your knees), with an alternate arm loop between each press. This is just a warm-up, so keep your knees on the floor unless you are very advanced

Exercises: 45 seconds per move, 15 seconds of rest in between. Repeat the circuit three times, with a two-minute break between rounds

1. Side-arm bend (right arm) Slower is better to burn out those triceps. Keep your lower body still and on the floor throughout

2. Side-arm bend (left arm) The same on the other side

3. Press-ups with a forward reach Every time you place your arm back, remember: wrists, elbows and shoulders should be stacked

4. Tricep dips Hand placement is key — keep your fingers pointing towards your feet 

5. Walking plank Keep it even. Alternate your leading arm each time 

6. Back push-ups Squeeze between your shoulder blades to pull your body upwards 

7. Bicycle kicks Keep your shoulders up off the floor the whole time to maintain that tension in the core 

8. Arm-raised pulse Keep the movement small. It will feel easy at first but the longer your arms are up there, the more it will burn

9. Straight arm, straight left sit-up If you struggle to keep your legs straight, a slight bend at the knee will make this a bit easier

10. Burpees Squeeze in as many reps as you can in 45 seconds  

3. Lower-body workout

Warm up: 45 seconds per move, 15 seconds of rest in between (starts at 2:03 in the video)

1. Hip opener to squat Alternate the leg you open

2. Double-pulse squats Each time you drop into your squat, add a small pulse to the bottom before coming all the way up again

3. Backwards lunges (alternate legs) This is just a warm-up, so take it slow and make sure you drop the back knee down to 90 degrees

Exercises: 45 seconds per move, 15 seconds of rest in between. Repeat the circuit three times, with a two-minute break between rounds

1. Deep squats Keeping your gaze and chest up, drop down as low as your flexibility will allow. Focus on depth, not speed

2. Sprinter lunges (right side) Keep this to one side for the whole 45 seconds, don’t alternate. Push up as explosively as possible in that jump, swinging your arms for momentum

3. Curtsy lunges (right side) Take a small step with your right leg behind your left leg and drop down. Squeeze your glutes to maintain balance

4. Glute bridges Squeeze your glutes to lift your body upwards, avoiding any arch in your back

5. Sprinter lunges (left side) Same as above 

6. Curtsy lunges (left side) Same as above

7. Walking squats Alternate your leading leg to keep things even

8. Side lunges (alternating legs) Your bodyweight should be in your bent leg

9. Squat pulse Stay deep in the squat for the full 45 seconds

10. Jump squats Drop it down as low as possible and jump up as high as possible. How many reps can you get in 45 seconds?

This piece is part of a new series from FT Globetrotter on home fitness and health during the coronavirus crisis

Read how to make home exercise simple for beginners, the young, old and desk-bound, or find some of the best online HIIT classes to try

Up next: FT staff share their favourite digital workouts to sweat, stretch and de-stress in small spaces