5 Exercises That Require Minimal Equipment

There is a misconception that the best workouts require the most equipment. Don’t get me wrong, while having access to an abundance of equipment is nice, it is not a necessity. In fact, some of the most effective exercises utilize a minimal amount of equipment.

This week I am sharing 5 awesome exercises that use little to no equipment.

#1) Pike Pulses

This exercise strengthens the hip flexors, and improves lumbo-pelvic stability. This exercise is SO much tougher than it looks.

Coaching Tips:

Sit on the floor. Fully extend your knees and plantarflex your feet. You should have a slight forward lean in your torso.
Place your hands so they are ahead of you and are on either side of your legs, and rest your fingertips on the floor.
While keeping your knees fully extended and feet plantarflexed, perform pulses.
With this exercise, some spinal flexion is okay. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, torso, spine, or hips to rotate, or weight to shift from hip to hip.
For the duration of the exercise, keep your core muscles braced.
In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.

#2) Copenhagen Side Plank

This exercise strengthens the adductors, improves lumbo-pelvic stability, and shoulder and scapular stability.

Coaching Tips:

Get into a side plank position, either on your hand or forearm. If you are on your hand, your shoulder should be directly above your hand. If you are on your forearm, your shoulder should be directly above your elbow.
Bend your knee to 90 degrees, and place your knee and lower leg on a bench, or fully extend your knee and place your ankle and foot on a bench. Keeping the knee straight will make the exercise more challenging.
Avoid this position if it bothers your knee or any other parts of your body.
You may keep the leg that is closest to the ground bent at 90 degrees, or fully extended.
Your head, torso, hips and knee should be in a stacked position.
Before you go, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), and brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine).
Now engage your adductors and core muscles and hold your body in a side plank position for the target amount of time.
Think about pressing your body towards the ceiling using your inner thigh (adductors). Do not mindlessly hang out on your leg.
Pay attention to your non-working/supporting side. Push away from the floor and protract your shoulder blade (move it away from the spine). Do not mindlessly hang out.
Keep the leg that is closest to the floor in a fixed position.
For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your hips to drop. Your head, torso, hips, and knee (or foot) should remain in a stacked position. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, torso, spine or hips to rotate, or hips to pike or collapse. Your torso and hips should remain square to a wall that is ahead.
In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.

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#3) Single Leg Band Resisted Deadlifts

This exercise strengthens the posterior chain muscles, and helps improve balance.

Coaching Tips:

Place a resistance band under your foot, and hold the band in either hand. There should be a significant amount of tension in the band for 100% of the movement.
Stand on one foot, and have a slight bend in your knee.
Keep your arms rigid, lats engaged, and pretend you are crushing something in your armpits.
Form a tripod base by placing your weight on the back portion of your foot, and keep your toes down, particularly your big and baby toes. These parts of your foot should remain in contact with the floor for the duration of the exercise. Pretend you are suctioning or screwing your foot to the floor.
Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degree breath around your spine), brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine), and tuck your ribs towards your hips (close the space in your midsection).
Initiate the movement with your hips and push them backwards as far as you can. Imagine a rope is pulling your hips backwards or that you are trying to press your hips back against a wall. Do not perform the movement by squatting, rounding your back, dropping your chest towards the ground, or a combination of the above.
When you reach your full range, engage your posterior chain muscles and press your body away from the floor and back to the starting position. Lower does not mean better if your form deteriorates. Go to a range where you can maintain proper form.
Perform the lockout by squeezing your glutes and hamstrings and extend your hips, and extend your knee.
For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso and hips should remain in a stacked position. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, or torso, spine or hips to rotate. Your torso and hips should remain square to the ground.
Keep your non-working leg straight (or knee locked at a 90 degree angle), close to the midline of your body, and foot dorsiflexed. This will help keep your torso and hips from rotating.
Do not allow your knee to fall inside or outside of your foot.
Exhale after you have pressed away from the ground and are approaching the top position.

#4) Prone Band Resisted Psoas Marches Using Stability Ball

This exercise strengthens the hip flexors, improves lumbo-pelvic stability, and shoulder and scapular stability.

Coaching Tips:

Place a resistance band around your feet.
Place your hands on a stability ball. Your shoulders should be roughly above your hands. Spread your hands and pretend you are suctioning them to the ball.
Your body should be in a straight line from your head to heels.
Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degree breath around your spine), brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine), and tuck your ribs towards your hips (close the space in your midsection).
Now lift one foot off the floor and bring your knee in towards your torso. Return your leg and foot to the starting position with control.
Reset and repeat using the opposite leg, or perform all reps on the same side before switching legs.⁣ ⁣⁣
For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, excessively round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, or torso, spine or hips to rotate. Do not allow your torso or hips to drop. Your torso and hips should remain square to the floor.⁣ ⁣⁣
Aside from the leg that is performing the “march,” the rest of your body should remain in a relatively fixed position.⁣ ⁣⁣⁣
In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.

#5) Roller Hamstring Curls

This exercise strengthens the posterior chain muscles, most notably, the hamstrings.

Coaching Tips:

Lie on your back on the floor. Your head, torso and hips should be in a stacked position.
Bend your knee, and place the back of your foot on a roller.
Before you go, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine), tuck your ribs towards your hips (close the space in your midsection), and squeeze your glutes.
Now use your hamstrings to control the movement as you extend your knee and roll the roller forward.
Once you reach your end range, use your hamstrings to “curl” the roller back to the starting position, and in a controlled manner.
For the duration of the movement, your head, torso, and hips should remain in a stacked position. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, or torso, spine or hips to rotate.
Keep your knee on the non-working side bent, and in a fixed position.
In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.