Freestyle Exercises Without Equipment

Push-ups are a great exercise that require no expensive equipment.push ups image by Steve Lovegrove from Fotolia.com

Forget the excuses about why you don't exercise. If you feel you don't have time or money to go to a gym and you can't afford fancy exercise equipment, the good news is you don't need any of that. Getting in shape only takes some effort and dedication to an exercise routine and healthy lifestyle. Lots of exercises require little or no equipment, so trips to the gym or buying a treadmill are not necessary.

Push-ups

The push-up is an effective exercise that only requires the body. Push-ups strengthen and tone arm, shoulder and chest muscles and improve overall upper body strength. The exercise is simple, but should be done in a particular way to yield the best results. Your hands should be placed palms down just outside of the shoulders as you lay on your stomach. Your feet support the bottom of your body with the toes down at the mid-line or shoulder width. Keep your body in a straight line from neck to legs and keep your head still in a comfortable position. Use your arms to push your body up off the floor with all of your weight supported by the hands and toes. Go all the way up but do not lock the elbows. Then lower your body until your elbows are bent at least to 90 degrees.

Sit-ups are another effective exercise that requires no equipment. Sit-ups target the muscles in the upper and lower abdomen, providing the exerciser with a flat, muscular stomach. Sit-ups are a simple exercise done by lying on your back with your arms crossed on your chest and your knees bent slightly so that your feet rest flat on the ground. Although it is not necessary, it can be helpful to have a partner hold your feet down on the ground while you do sit-ups to prevent the use of a kick to help raise your body. Using your abdominal muscles only, raise your upper body into a sitting position until your elbows touch your thighs. Once you reach the top of the sit-up, lower yourself slowly back to the ground and allow the abs to feel the resistance of gravity as you go down.

The invisible jump rope is an exercise that requires no equipment whatsoever and is ideal for people who lack the coordination to use a real jump rope. The action involved in jumping rope helps condition the body and builds strength in the core, legs and ankles. But there is no need to use an actual rope to get the same result. Perform the exercise by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart and pretend you are holding a jump rope in your hands. Your elbows should remain at your sides throughout the exercise. Jump by springing on your toes and rotate your arms from the elbow down as if you are flinging the rope around and jumping it.