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Exercises without equipment are a great way to get into shape. Sometimes, there's no need for expensive machines or special equipment—just you and your body are enough. If you're new to exercise, that may sound intimidating, but it doesn't have to be! You can start with simple bodyweight exercises like push-ups and planks that will help build strength and endurance in your upper body muscles.
Check out the five exercises that require no equipment to get you started on your fitness journey.
Best Equipment-Free Upper Body Exercises For Beginners
1) Deficit Push-up
The deficit push-up is the easiest on this list, but it still requires a bit of strength. If you struggle to do this, it is best to start with bodyweight rows.
To do a deficit push-up, here is what you need to do:
- Place your hands on an elevated surface (like a bench), and get into position with your arms fully extended and feet on the ground.
- Keep your back straight as if you were about to be tackled by someone.
- Lower yourself until your chest touches or nearly touches the bench.
- Slowly push yourself back up again until arms are fully extended.
2) Close Grip Pushup
In a close grip pushup, your hands are placed on the ground with a thumb's distance between them. This puts more emphasis on your triceps as opposed to regular pushups, which will impact your chest muscles more.
Check out the steps to do this exercise effectively:
- Lie facedown on the floor with arms extended straight out in front of you and palms flat against the floor.
- Keeping elbows slightly bent at all times, lower your body until upper arms are parallel to the floor or slightly below it (depending on fitness level).
- Push back up to starting position by extending your arms fully so that your body forms a straight line from fingertips through heels.
- Do not allow knees or hips to rise off the ground when doing this exercise.
- Keep them firmly planted on the floor throughout the movement sequence for optimal results.
3) Split Stance Push-ups
As the name suggests, a split stance push-up is one where you're in a base position that's split between two points. You can do these anywhere, but they're also great if you don't have access to any equipment or want to work out at home.
To perform this variation of the standard push-up, all you have to do is follow these steps:
- Start by kneeling on the floor and placing both hands firmly on either side of your body, with one arm ahead of the other.
- Keeping your core tight and back flat throughout all movements, press through each knee until they are directly under your hips (you should be in an elevated position).
- From here, lower yourself down into a full push-up position before returning back up again for one rep.
- Repeat for reps as needed!
4) Bench Dips
Bench dips are one of the best exercises you can do to blow up your triceps, and the best part is, you can use virtually any raised surface to do it. It is versatile as it targets all the heads of your triceps, making it invaluable on your tricep days. To perform this exercise, you’ll need a bench or chair.
Here's how to do it:
- Start by placing your hands on the edge of your bench so that they are shoulder-width apart and slightly bend your arms (you can start with bent legs if it makes you more comfortable).
- In this position, your body should be at an incline.
- Lower yourself until your arms are at a 90-degree angle.
- Push yourself back up again until they are straightened out in front of you again.
- Repeat this motion for as many repetitions as desired (typically 10-15).
5) Plank Up And Downs
Up-down planks are an easy workout to do at home or the gym. This exercise targets every muscle group in both the upper and lower body, making it ideal for beginners who would like to get started on building strength without investing in any equipment. It also works well as something you can do between sets or while waiting between exercises at the gym—you'll want to rest 30 seconds or more between sets if you use it like this.
Here is what you need to do:
- If you have access to a bench, lie down with your chest on the bench and lift yourself up into a plank position by thrusting your hips forward so that only your toes and hands are in contact with the floor.
- Your arms should be straight, and you have to hold this position for as long as possible.
- Slowly lower yourself back down to the starting position before repeating for 10-15 reps (depending on fitness level).
Conclusion
There are a lot of great no-equipment upper body exercises for beginners. You can also try other types of pushups like diamond pushups or side planks, as well as movements that work your core muscles like planks and sit-ups.
