Regular workouts build muscular strength and endurance, reduce your risk of chronic disease, help you lose weight and prepare your body to perform everyday movements more efficiently. Ideally, you should do about 30 minutes of aerobic exercise most days of the week and strength-train every major muscle group at least twice a week. But if you don't have a gym membership or home gym equipment to work with, getting your workout in takes some creativity.
Pushups
Pushups are an ideal at-home exercise because you can perform variations with no special equipment. If you can't do full pushups yet, elevate your hands on a bench, a chair or even the wall to make the exercise easier. If full pushups are too easy, lift one leg slightly off the floor or elevate both feet on the couch or a low bench to make the exercise more difficult. Pushups target your chest, shoulders, core and triceps.
Calf Raises
Your major calf muscles, the soleus and gastrocnemius, power every step you take. They also help cushion the impact of every footfall. You can work your gastrocnemius by standing with the balls of your feet on a stair, pointing your toes and lifting your heels. Point your toes while seated, squatting or holding onto something sturdy to work your soleus.
Lunges
Lunges work every major muscle in your lower body. One foot should be forward and one back, farther apart than your average stride length. Drop your hips straight down until both knees are bent at a 90-degree angle. Your back heel should come off the floor. You can use nearly endless lunge variations to keep yourself entertained and target specific muscles: for example, side lunges, forward lunges, backward lunges or pendulum lunges.
Squats
Squats work your glutes, hamstrings and quads but activate your calf muscles only minimally. However, squats are easier to master than lunges and aren't as challenging for your sense of balance. Squat with hips back as if you were sitting in a chair. Stop when your knees are bent to a 90-degree angle. This exercise also works your core somewhat, as you must squeeze your abs to keep your back from arching.
Cardio
You can do aerobic exercise without any special equipment. Mixing short intervals of calisthenics like jumping jacks, high knees, skate jumps and burpees in with your strength training increases your workout intensity. You can also dance to your favorite music or do basic aerobic routines anywhere you have a fairly wide, flat space.
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