Move
Try our 15-minute bodyweight workout – no equipment needed
Daily exercise has many benefits for our health. And it’s something you can do from the comfort of your home. Follow along with our easy bodyweight workout below, which takes just 15 minutes and doesn’t require any equipment. You can also see our handy infographic that illustrates the steps below.
Warm up
Get your muscles loosened up and ready for exercise by jogging on the spot for three minutes.
15-minute workout
Complete each of these five exercises as many times as you can in 40 seconds. Then rest for 20 seconds before moving on to the next exercise. This is one bodyweight circuit. Repeat the entire circuit again, so that when you finish, you’ll have done two circuits.
Lunges
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart and take a big step forward with your right foot.
- Bend both knees to 90 degrees, while keeping your upper body straight.
- Lift back up to your start position.
- Repeat on the left side.
Tip: Don’t let your front knee go further than your toe line and your back knee should be hovering just above the floor.
Push ups
- Start by lying on your stomach with your hands beside your shoulders.
- Keeping your knees on the floor, raise your body upper up by straightening your elbows.
- Keep your chin tucked in and back straight.
- Bend your elbows and lower yourself back down to the floor.
Tip:To make it harder, push up from your toes, instead of your knees.
Jumping jacks
- Stand with your hands on your side.
- Jump, raising your hands and opening your legs.
- Go back to your original position, landing on the balls of your feet.
Tip:Put as much power into your jumps as you can to keep your heart rate elevated.
Plank crunch
- Start on all fours and prop yourself up on your forearms and knees, with your chin tucked in and your back straight.
- Lift your body up, creating a straight line from your knees to your shoulders.
- Starting with your right leg, bend your leg towards your middle, then move it back.
- Repeat with your other leg.
Tip:Bring your leg up slow and controlled to feel the contraction in your core.
Squats
- Start with your feet hip-width apart.
- Push your hips back and lower your body until your thighs are parallel with the floor.
- Return to standing and repeat.
Tip:Imagine you’re sitting back onto a chair behind you and make sure your knees don’t bow inwards or go over your toe line.
Repeat each of the five exercises again, doing as many as you can in 40 seconds and resting for 20 seconds in between each move.
Cool down
Finish your workout by slowly bringing your heart and breathing rate back down. Take the time to stretch out the muscle groups you’ve just worked and remember to stay hydrated. Although these exercises are designed to challenge your body, you shouldn’t feel pain when performing them. If you do feel pain, talk to your doctor or physiotherapist. They’ll make sure you’re doing them correctly or may suggest a different exercise.
Infographic: 15-minute bodyweight workout
This infographic illustrates Bupa's easy-to-follow along, 15-minute bodyweight workout . Click on the image to open a larger PDF version of the infographic (PDF, 1.7 MB).
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Sources Sources
- UK Chief Medical Officers' Physical Activity Guidelines. Department of Health and Social Care. gov.uk, published September 2019
- Musculoskeletal sprains and strains. BMJ Best Practice. bestpractice.bmj.com, last reviewed April 2023
- Sprains and strains – Risk factors. NICE Clinical Knowledge Summaries. cks.nice.org.uk, last revised September 2020
- Sprains and strains – Scenario: Management. NICE Clinical Knowledge Summaries. cks.nice.org.uk, last revised September 2020
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This information was published by Bupa's Health Content Team and is based on reputable sources of medical evidence. It has been reviewed by appropriate medical or clinical professionals and deemed accurate on the date of review. Photos are only for illustrative purposes and do not reflect every presentation of a condition.
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