Want to lose weight and get in shape? Forget spending hours in the gym and buying expensive equipment. In just minutes each day you can start changing the way your body looks and feels using these 10 moves you can do right at home .
Here are 10 of the best bodyweight exercises for losing weight. They’ll help you torch calories with high intensity movement, build muscle to increase your metabolism when you’re at rest, target all your major muscle groups to lose fat and tone up evenly, increase your stamina and strengthen your posture, and give you more energy overall. All you need is yourself and enough room to move!
The 10 Best Exercises To Lose Weight At Home
No excuses. If you’re new to exercise or just short on time, this list will give you everything you need to get started seeing results in as little as 20 minutes a day.
1. Jumping Jacks – Fast Fat Burner
Muscles Targeted: Full body, legs (inner/outer thighs), shoulders, core, cardiovascular system
How to do it:
- Stand tall — feet together, arms at sides, core lightly engaged.
- Jump feet out wide (shoulder-width or more) while raising both arms overhead (form an “X”).
- Land softly on balls of feet — bend knees slightly to absorb impact.
- Jump feet back together while lowering arms to sides.
- Repeat continuously — fast but controlled rhythm.
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Sets/Reps: 3–4 sets of 20–30 seconds (or 40–60 reps)
Why it works: Instant heart-rate spike, excellent full-body warm-up, burns calories quickly, tones inner & outer thighs through lateral movement, and improves coordination.
2. Bodyweight Squats – Leg & Butt Sculptor
Muscles Targeted: Quads, glutes, hamstrings, core
How to do it:
- Stand with feet shoulder-width apart (or slightly wider), toes turned out 10–30°.
- Engage core — chest up, shoulders back, gaze forward.
- Push hips back and bend knees — lower until thighs are parallel to floor (or as low as comfortable).
- Keep knees tracking over toes — no caving inward.
- Drive through heels → stand tall, squeeze glutes hard at top.
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Sets/Reps: 3–4 sets of 12–15 reps
Why it works: The king of lower-body exercises — builds strength, shapes legs and glutes, boosts metabolism (large muscle groups = high calorie burn), improves hip mobility, and enhances posture.
3. Plank – Core Powerhouse
Muscles Targeted: Full core (transverse abdominis, rectus abdominis, obliques), shoulders, glutes, quads
How to do it:
- Start face down — place forearms on floor, elbows under shoulders, forearms parallel or hands clasped.
- Extend legs back — toes curled under, body in straight line head to heels.
- Brace core hard — pull navel toward spine, squeeze glutes and quads.
- Keep hips level — no sagging or piking.
- Neck neutral — gaze slightly forward of hands.
- Breathe steadily — normal rhythm, no breath-holding.
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Time: 3 sets of 30–60 seconds (build up weekly)
Why it works: Gold-standard isometric core exercise — builds deep core endurance, flattens the belly, strengthens stabilizers, improves posture, and burns calories through sustained tension.
4. Burpees – Full-Body Fat Melter
Muscles Targeted: Full body — legs, glutes, core, chest, shoulders, arms, cardio system
How to do it:
- Stand tall — drop into squat, place hands on floor.
- Jump or step feet back into high plank (body straight).
- Optional push-up (bend elbows, lower chest, push up) — skip if modifying.
- Jump or step feet forward to hands — land in squat.
- Explode upward — jump high, arms overhead.
- Land softly (bend knees) and repeat.
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Sets/Reps: 3 sets of 5–8 reps (or 30–45 seconds continuous)
Why it works: The ultimate calorie-torching, full-body HIIT move — combines squat, plank, push-up (optional), and jump for massive energy expenditure, leg sculpting, upper-body toning, and strong afterburn.
5. Push-Ups – Upper Body Strength Builder
Muscles Targeted: Chest, triceps, shoulders, core
How to do it:
- Start in high plank — hands slightly wider than shoulders, body straight head to heels.
- Engage core & glutes — hips level (no sagging/piking).
- Inhale → bend elbows, lower chest toward floor (elbows ~45°).
- Go as low as possible (chest nearly touches).
- Exhale → push powerfully up, squeeze chest/triceps at top.
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Sets/Reps: 3 sets of 8–12 reps
Why it works: Builds upper-body strength, boosts metabolism, tones arms/chest/shoulders, deeply engages core for stability — creates balanced physique and better posture.
6. Lunges – Balance + Strength
Muscles Targeted: Quads, glutes, hamstrings, core, hip flexors
How to do it:
- Stand tall — feet hip-width apart, core engaged, chest up.
- Step forward with right foot — lower until right thigh is parallel (back knee hovers above floor).
- Keep front knee over ankle — don’t let it go past toes.
- Push through right heel → return to standing.
- Alternate legs continuously.
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Sets/Reps: 3–4 sets of 10–12 reps per leg
Why it works: Unilateral move tones legs & glutes, burns calories, improves balance & coordination, corrects left-right imbalances, and strengthens stabilizers.
7. Bicycle Crunches – Oblique Sculptor
Muscles Targeted: Rectus abdominis (upper & lower), obliques, hip flexors, transverse abdominis
How to do it:
- Lie on back — hands lightly behind head (elbows wide — don’t pull neck).
- Lift shoulders/upper back off floor — engage core.
- Raise legs — knees bent, shins parallel to ceiling.
- Exhale → bring right elbow toward left knee while extending right leg (hover low).
- Twist torso — squeeze obliques hard.
- Inhale → switch sides (left elbow to right knee).
- Alternate smoothly — keep lower back pressed down.
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Sets/Reps: 3–4 sets of 15–20 reps per side
Why it works: One of the highest core-activation exercises — dynamic twisting torches obliques & rectus abdominis, carves waist, tightens midsection, boosts calorie burn.
8. Plank to Push-Up – Core + Chest Burn
Muscles Targeted: Core (full), chest, triceps, shoulders
How to do it:
- Start in forearm plank — elbows under shoulders, body straight.
- Push up onto right hand, then left hand — move into high plank.
- Lower back down: right forearm first, then left.
- Keep hips level — no rocking or twisting.
- Move slowly & controlled.
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Sets/Reps: 3 sets of 12–15 full transitions
Why it works: Dynamic transition builds upper-body strength while keeping core under constant tension — burns calories, tones arms/chest, improves shoulder stability, and strengthens full core.
9. Glute Bridge – Glutes & Core Awakener
Muscles Targeted: Gluteus maximus, hamstrings, core (transverse abdominis), lower back stabilizers
How to do it:
- Lie on back — knees bent, feet flat hip-width apart, heels close to glutes.
- Arms by sides (palms down) or across chest.
- Engage core — press lower back flat into floor.
- Exhale → drive through heels, squeeze glutes hard, lift hips toward ceiling.
- Hold 1–2 seconds at top (maximum contraction).
- Inhale → lower with control, stopping just above floor.
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Sets/Reps: 3–4 sets of 12–15 reps
Why it works: Simple yet powerful — strengthens glutes & lower back while engaging lower abs, lifts hips, improves posture by reducing anterior pelvic tilt, and tones posterior chain for balanced midsection.
10. Mountain Climbers – Cardio + Core Killer
Muscles Targeted: Core (rectus abdominis, obliques, transverse abdominis), hip flexors, shoulders, quads, cardiovascular system
How to do it:
- Start in high plank — hands under shoulders, body straight.
- Engage core & glutes — no sagging hips.
- Exhale → quickly drive right knee toward chest (foot hovers or taps floor).
- Return right leg to plank with control.
- Immediately switch — left knee to chest.
- Alternate quickly but controlled — like running in place.
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Sets/Reps: 3–4 sets of 20–30 seconds (or 20–30 reps per side)
Why it works: High-energy move boosts heart rate and challenges core — burns fat fast, strengthens abs, improves coordination, and creates a pulled-in, flat stomach through rapid movement.
