Every now and then, I get on a kick where I simply can’t stand the thought of going to the gym. Sometimes it’s in the summer, and I’d just rather be outside for as much of the day as possible. Sometimes it’s in the winter, and the weather is too cold and dreary for my to even consider leaving the house except under the most pressing circumstances. Regardless of the season or the reason, when these anti-gym phases roll around, I like to do my own workouts without weights.

The living room, the back yard, or a pretty spot on my favorite trail run are all great places to get in strength workouts without weights. With just a little knowledge and some creativity, almost any setting can become a workout space.

For the lower body, squats and lunges are classic, comprehensive exercises that can be modified to challenge any fitness level. Indoors, or in a static outdoor workout, try alternating sets of these with an upper body or core exercise. Outside, a tree can support back support during an isometric squat (just hold it as long as you can). When you’re out on a walk, run, or bike rid, take a quick “strength break” and do an endurance set of squats or lunges (go until your legs force you to stop!).

For the core and upper body, the push up is king among non-weighted exercises. By varying the position of your hands on the ground, or raising or lowering one end of your body (us a stair, tree stump, rock, couch… you get the idea) you can make the push up target almost all of your mid and upper body muscles.

Of course there are also bicycle crunches, planks, and a myriad of other core exercises that can be done on the ground. If you’re looking for workouts without weights that do involve some equipment, try using a resistance band, exercise ball, or some kind of balance trainer. With the band you can create the effect of almost any weighted, gym exercise. The ball or a balance trainer are small enough to be convenient in your home, but challenge your stability in a variety of positions, making any exercise more challenging. Combine bands, balance trainers, and body weight exercises to devise a number of challenging workouts without weights.

Whether you’re bored with weights, or just want to work out outside for a change, you have options. Workouts without weights can be highly effective for maintaining strength and muscle mass; what’s more, they can be fun. Just remember to pay attention to your form, and (as always) work to fatigue. Whatever combination of exercises you choose, you’ll feel great.

Some people love the gym; some people hate it. I go through phases of both sentiments. Sometimes it feels really good to hop onto a machine, look at the diagram stuck on the side, and go to town pushing, pulling, pressing, or curling; without really even thinking about what I’m doing. On those days I sit a lot. I sit while doing calf raises, I sit while working my quadriceps on the leg extension machine, and I either sit or lie down (depending on which machine is free) while I do hamstring curls. But sometimes I’m not in the mood to sit, or even to walk into the gym. Luckily for me on those days, getting a good leg workout without weights isn’t too difficult.

For a comprehensive leg workout without weights, it is important to target all of the major leg muscle groups: the quadriceps (front of the thigh), hamstrings (back of the thigh), and calf muscles. A good lower body workout typically includes the gluts as well, and as you’ll see a leg workout without weights is no exception. Here are a few exercises, and variations for different strength levels, to get you going in the gym or in your backyard.

1. The Squat

You know it; you love it. (Ok, so maybe the second part isn’t entirely true.) The most important thing about performing a squat exercise is to do it with good form. Watch yourself in a mirror until you know by feeling that you’re doing it right. Your bottom should drop down and back as you bend at the knees. Lower legs do not move, and knees should not push forward. Keep your upper body as straight as possible. If you have to lean forward more than a little to counter balance, or if you see your knees have moved forward from their starting place (directly above the ankles), you’ve gone as far as you should. Return to the starting position and do it again.

For a variation, try squatting down with both feet on the ground, then lifting one foot as you return to your starting position. The one-legged squat is even more of a challenge. Try to keep your upper body centered during either of these options.

Plyometric squats are a good way to build fast-twitch muscle fibers. Squat down, then push up powerfully so that you pass the starting position and jump off the ground. Land back in a squat, and repeat. Make sure you’re doing this on a forgiving surface: I don’t recommend the sidewalk.

2. The Lunge

When performing the lunge, keep your upper body centered between your legs. The back leg should extend behind with a slight bend; the front should start at just more than a 90 degree angle. Keeping your upper body tall and not allowing your front knee to push over your toes, lower your body as far as is comfortable, and push back up to the starting position. Repeat, alternating which leg is in front with each set or repetition, as preferred.

To get in shape for ski season, add this endurance lunge to your strength training routine: With your back foot raised 6-8 inches (on a step or something similar), perform as many lunges as possible with good form. Rest and repeat, putting the opposite leg back on the step. For a higher intensity version of this lunge, hop (both feet) a few inches to the side as you come out of each lunge, ad return on the next repetition. This lateral movement emphasizes the inner and outer fibers of the thigh muscles, that may not get as much attention as those centrally located.

The plyometric lunge is one of my favorite leg exercises, because it’s hard! Begin with one leg forward. Drop into a lung, and push up forcefully, so that you pass the starting position and your feet leave the ground. In the air, move the back leg forward and vice-versa, so that you land in the opposite lunge. See how many of these you can do with good form.

3. Calf Raises
A few good sets of squats and lunges should have all parts of your legs begging for mercy (especially if you’ve gone the plyometric route), but if your leg workout without weights doesn’t feel complete without a separate calf exercise, here you go. Balance on a step (or other raised edge) with the balls of your feet. Holding onto a stable object for balance if necessary, raise and lower your heels (and by extension, the rest of your body) in a smooth, controlled movement. (Yep, it’s just like that machine in the gym!) You can also work one leg at a time by simply keeping one foot off the ground.

Hopefully now you’ve got a few ideas of how to put together an effective leg workout without weights. So the next time you just don’t feel like hitting the gym, pick a location with good scenery, and get to work. Your legs won’t ever know you missed a day.

This, my friends, I like to call the push up. Of course that’s not the only option, but if you’re looking for a good chest workout without weights, this classic move is a great place to start. Performing these exercises with your knees on the floor, rather than your feet, is a simple modification if full push ups are too difficult. If your wrists are weak or the execution of a push up just feels uncomfortable, try using a pair of handles, or even working with the knuckles of your fists on the floor, rather than flat hands.

Though the push up seems fairly straightforward, it can actually provide you with a number of different workouts—that is, you can strengthen different muscles in different ways—just by changing the position of your hands on the ground.

For a basic push up, your hands will be spread a little wider than your shoulders. Moving them in (toward one another) will cause the triceps to work more. Moving them out farther will engage the lateral fibers (closest to the armpits) of your chest muscles.

To strengthen the more diagonally oriented chest muscle fibers, change your starting position so that one hand is slightly forward of your shoulder and the other is slightly back. Do a set of push ups in this position; then switch the positions of your hands.

To recreate the effects of exercises like the dumbbell press or chest fly that produce that “squeezing” sensation as your hands come together in front of your chest, go get a couple of paper plates and try this. Set the plates on the ground so that you can put one hand on each and be in your starting push up position: wrists below shoulders. One at a time, move a paper plate out to the side, perform a push up, and slide the plate back to its starting position. For an added challenge, try sliding both plates out before you do a push up; then sliding them back to the center simultaneously.

Try any of these with your hands (less difficult) or feet (more difficult) raised slightly, or with one foot lifted slightly off of the floor. Sometimes the slightest change can create an entirely new challenge.

Of course, the push up is not the only way to get an effective chest workout without weights. Resistance bands allow you to recreate many of the exercise you might perform in a gym, in an outdoor setting or in your own home. But if you’re looking for a great upper body and core workout with no equipment at all (paper plates aside), you can’t do better than going back to the basics.