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Home Workouts And Workout Plans For All Levels

Work up a sweat at home with our library of home workouts, or follow a home workout plan

More Home Workout Plans

No-kit home workouts.

You probably had your fill of home workouts over the past few years, but just like the office there’s no going back (at least not five days a week, OK boss?). And besides, the current cost-of-living crunch makes splashing out on or maintaining a gym membership less appealing than ever.

To get fit at home you can do workouts here and there, but we heartily recommend using a structured training plan. It’s not hard to find one-off workouts to use each time you train, but we find following a plan helps to train regularly and consistency often matters more than the individual workout.

Below we have a training plan that requires three workouts a week and is a fantastic starting point for anyone. Each workout begins with a warm-up, which can be all too easy to skip at home ( never skip the warm-up), and the only requirements are some space and a sturdy, knee-high platform (stairs can work). Each workout combines upper-body, lower-body and core exercises for a well-rounded session, and the first workout will get your heart rate up to improve your cardio fitness as well.

Home Workout Plan

This plan has been put together by  Jared Blunden , personal trainer at  Milton Keynes PureGym .

Complete three rounds of the following without taking a rest.

1 Walkout

Reps  5

From standing, bend down, place your hands on the floor and walk your hands out to a high plank position (hands under your shoulders, arms extended, with your body forming a straight line from your head to heels), then walk your hands back to your feet and stand up.

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2 Spider-Man lunge

Reps  5 each side

Start in a high plank position. Bring your right foot forwards and place it outside your right foot, then step back and do the same on your left side.

3 Shoulder tap

Reps  10 each side

In a high plank position, reach up with your left hand and tap your right shoulder, then use your right hand to tap your left shoulder.

Rest as required during the workout, but aim to keep each break to 10-20 seconds. The first exercise is a  superset . Do all the reps of exercise 1A followed by all the reps of exercise 1B. Repeat that sequence for three times in total, then move on.

1A Jump lunge

Sets  3  Reps  10 each side

Step forwards with your right foot and lower until both knees are bent at 90°. Jump up and switch legs so you land in a lunge with your left foot forwards.

1B Burpee

Sets  3  Reps  5

From standing, drop your hands to the floor then jump your feet back so you go into a high plank. Jump your feet forwards again so they’re next to your hands, stand and jump straight up, raising your hands above your head.

2 Step-up

Sets  1  Reps  10 each side

Find a step that’s about knee-high. Step onto it, leading with your right foot. Bring your left foot onto the step as well, then step down, left foot first. Lead with your left foot on the next rep your right as you step down. Keep alternating.

3 Chest-to-floor burpee

Sets  1  Reps  5

From standing, drop your hands to the floor then jump your feet back so you go into a high plank. Lower your chest to the ground, press back up and jump your feet forwards again so they’re next to your hands. Stand and jump straight up, raising your hands above your head.

Do two rounds of the following without taking a break.

1 Downward-facing dog toe tap

Start on your hands and knees and then push your hips up and back so your knees come off the floor, your arms and legs are straight and you form a triangle with the floor. Tap your right arm with your right toes, then repeat on the other side.

2 Yoga press-up

From your downward-facing dog position, lower your chest towards the floor, then push back up.

3 Scorpion kick

Lie face down on the floor with your arms out to the sides. Bend your left knee to lift your left lower leg, then rotate your torso to bring your left foot over to touch the floor by your right hand. Repeat, alternating sides with each rep.

4 Glute bridge

Reps  10

Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Raise your hips so you form a straight line from your knees to your shoulders. Squeeze your glutes at the top, then lower back to the start.

Aim to complete up to four rounds of the following without taking any rests.

1 Squat to floor

Reps  45

Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Bend at your knees and move your hips back to lower into a deep squat so your hands can touch the floor while keeping your chest up and forwards. Drive back up to standing.

2 Unweighted renegade row

Reps  30 each side

Start in a high plank position. Hold the position while bringing your right elbow up past your back, then repeat on the other side.

3 Butterfly sit-up

Reps  15

Lie with your back on the floor, with your knees bent and out to the sides, and the soles of your feet together. Engage your abs to lift your head and shoulders off the floor, then lower with control.

Do two rounds of the following without resting.

Start on your hands and knees. Push your spine upwards so your shoulder blades move away from each other. Then roll your shoulder blades together and push your chest towards the floor.

2 Thread the needle

Still on your hands and knees, take your right arm under your left and out to the side, bringing your right shoulder down to the floor. Then repeat on the other side.

3 Kang squat

From standing, hinge at the hips and bend forwards until you feel a stretch in your hamstrings (as if doing the  good morning exercise ), then rock back and down into a deep squat. Come back up into the good morning position, then return to standing.

4 Samson lunge

From standing, step forwards into a lunge, then clasp your hands together and stretch them out above your head. Stand back up and then repeat, leading with the other leg.

This is a 20-minute AMRAP – As Many Rounds As Possible. Complete as many rounds of the following four exercises as you can in 20 minutes.

1 Elevated single-leg glute bridge

Lie on your back and rest your feet on a raised surface like a table or chair. Lift your right foot and then raise your hips so your body is straight from your neck to your left foot. Lower and repeat 10 times, then swap sides.

2 Bulgarian split squat

Stand facing away from a low table or sofa. Rest the top of one foot on the surface behind you. Lower until your back knee almost touches the floor, then push back up. Swap legs after you complete 10 reps.

3 Press-up

From a high plank position, bend at the elbows to lower your chest until it’s just above the floor, then push back up.

4 V-up

Lie on your back with your legs extended and together. Simultaneously raise your shoulders and lift your legs, keeping them as straight as possible, so you form a V shape. If you find this too challenging, start by doing it one leg at a time for five reps each side.

Once you’ve mastered the above you may be looking for your next challenge. To continue in a similar vein, this strength training for women (and men) plan continues the routine of three workouts a week and introduces different exercises to keep you progressing.

To kick things up a notch, dig out the dumbbells you purchased during the pandemic (or buy a pair using our recommendations of the best dumbbells ) and tackle this four-week dumbbell workout plan that involves doing four workouts a week. Pro tip: you can extend the length of the plan if life gets in the way or you need more time to recover between sessions.

If you prefer to stick with your own bodyweight but are willing to test yourself to build muscle, turn to this bodyweight workout plan (although you will need a pull-up bar to follow it). There are also plenty of single workouts at the bottom of that page for you to dip into, and we’ve collated some of our favourites below.

10-Minute EMOM Workout

EMOM stands for “every minute on the minute”, so in these workouts you complete a set number of reps in a minute and then rest for the remainder of the minute, going again when the next minute starts. It’s a great way to get a lot out of short workouts, like this 10-minute session where you cycle through three moves every minute, with an optional fourth you can do instead of resting.

• Press-up (Reps 5)
• Jump squat (Reps 5)
• Chest-to-floor burpee (Reps 5)
• Beast hold (Optional, for remainder of minute)

See the 10-minute EMOM workout

20-Minute Abs Workout

If you’re prepared to work hard with little rest, it really doesn’t take long to get a top-quality abs workout in, as this tough 20-minute circuit shows. Do three rounds in the time allowed, or add another two or three if you’re more experienced and have more time.

• Crunch (Reps 20)
• Crunch pulse (Reps 20)
• Reverse crunch (Reps 10)
• Lying leg raise (Reps 20)
• Plank toe tap (Reps 15 each side)
• Planks shoulder tap (Reps 15 each side)

See the six-pack home workout

30-Minute Full-Body Circuit

This session involves four rounds of six exercises, and there’s still time to fit in a proper warm-up and warm-down in the half-hour – now that’s efficient. In the main workout you’ll be working for 30 seconds and resting for 15 seconds, then taking a 90-second rest between complete rounds.

• Mountain climber (Time 30sec Rest 15sec)
• Jump squat (Time 30sec Rest 15sec)
• Bicycle crunch (Time 30sec Rest 15sec)
• Reverse lunge (Time 30sec Rest 15sec)
• Press-up (Time 30sec Rest 15sec)
• Star jump (Time 30sec Rest 90sec)

See the 30-minute home workout

Fat-Burning Bodyweight Workout

This full-body session consists of two circuits of three exercises. You do three rounds of the first circuit to get your core activated and your heart pumping, then tear through five rounds of the second circuit as fast as you can.

• Dead bug (Time 30sec Rest 15sec)
• Side plank (Time 30sec Rest 15sec)
• Plank jack (Time 30sec Rest 15sec)
• Hand-release press-up (Reps 10)
• Reset jump lunge (Reps 6 each side)
• Alternating V-sit (Reps 7 each side)

See the workout to burn fat at home

Core Workout For Women

Personal trainer and menopause fitness expert Kate Rowe-Ham shared this five-move core workout for women. Aim for three to four rounds, taking up to 90 seconds’ rest between rounds.

• Dead bug (Reps 10 each side)
• Plank shoulder tap (Reps 10 each side)
• Side plank (Time 30sec each side)
• Bird-dog (Reps 10 each side)
• Mountain climber (30sec)

See the core workout for women

Nine-Move Leg Workout

Work all the major muscles in your legs and glutes with this nine-move bodyweight workout. If you do have weights to hand, it’s easy to incorporate them to increase the difficulty of each exercise.

• Squat (Sets 3 Reps 10)
• Lunge (Sets 3 Reps 10 each side)
• Pistol squat (Sets 3 Reps 10 each side)
• Good morning (Sets 3 Reps 10)
• Donkey kick (Sets 3 Reps 10 each side)
• Side lunge (Sets 3 Reps 10 each side)
• Calf raise (Sets 3 Reps 10)
• Glute bridge (Sets 3 Reps 10)
• Stiff-leg deadlift (Sets 3 Reps 10)

See the home leg workout

Workout To Improve Your Posture

The combination of stretches and strength exercises in this quick workout will help to improve your posture and the state of your back. It’s just what you need if you’re feeling creaky after a few long days spent hunched over a desk.

• Cat-cow (Sets 1 Reps 20)
• Bird-dog (Sets 1 Reps 10 each side)
• Glute bridge (Sets 1 Reps 20)
• High plank (Sets 4 20sec)
• Superman (Sets 1 Reps 15)
• Half cobra (Sets 1 Reps 15)

See the posture workout

Nick Harris-Fry is a journalist who has been covering health and fitness since 2015. Nick is an avid runner, covering 70-110km a week, which gives him ample opportunity to test a wide range of running shoes and running gear . He is also the chief tester for fitness trackers and running watches , treadmills and exercise bikes , and workout headphones .

• Joe Warner Former editor of Men’s Fitness UK

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This Upper-Body Workout Is Ideal For Women Looking To Get Strong

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Home Workouts & Exercises

Search our free database of exercises and workouts that you can do at home. Home Workouts provides concise how-to guides and muscle targeting diagrams on bodyweight, free-weight, yoga and stretching exercises.

Find a Workout

Above head chest stretch

Air bike crunches

• Hip Flexors

Alternate heel touches

Alternating leg raises

Arm circles stretch

Arm crossover stretch

Back slaps wrap around stretch

Bent leg kickbacks

Cat cow pose

Childs pose

Diamond push-ups

Double pigeon pose

Dumbbell Arnold press

Dumbbell bench press

Dumbbell bent-over rows

Dumbbell bicep curls

Dumbbell burpees

Dumbbell cuban press

Dumbbell curtsy lunges

• Inner Thighs

Dumbbell deadlifts

Dumbbell fly

Dumbbell front raises

Dumbbell goblet squats

Dumbbell incline shrug

Dumbbell lateral raises

Dumbbell shoulder press

Dumbbell shoulder shrug

Dumbbell supermans

Floor hyperextensions

Forward lunges

Four limbed staff pose

Glute bridges

Half frog pose

Happy baby pose

Hawaiian squats

Heel touch side kick squat

Jump squats

Kettlebell Arnold press

Kettlebell bent-over rows

Kettlebell chest press

Kettlebell deadlifts

Kettlebell goblet squats

Kettlebell one arm clean and jerk

Kettlebell one arm snatch

Kettlebell one-legged deadlifts

Kettlebell pistol squats

Kettlebell renegade row

Kettlebell shoulder press

Kettlebell split snatch

Kettlebell swings

Kettlebell windmills

Lying knee to chest stretch

Mountain climbers

Neck extension stretch

Oblique crunches

One leg calf raises

Pelvic tilts

Plank arm lifts

Rear Pull-ups

Reverse lunges

Seated piriformis stretch

Sphinx pose

Split squats

Sumo squats

Supine spinal twist pose

Tricep dips

To revisit this article, visit My Profile, then View saved stories .

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Adrienne So

Fitness for Beginners: How to Start Working out at Home

I consider myself an athlete, but I don’t engage in any particularly impressive physical feats. I am not “cut” or “swole.” My superpower is consistency. Barring the rare knee surgery or birthing the occasional child, I have worked out daily for more than 20 years. Physical activity is also how I avoid injuring myself while picking up my kids, and how I combat anxiety.

As the pandemic has worn on, it's become more vital to find a way to move your body every day, especially if you've discovered that the sedentary days are starting to wreak havoc on your neck or lower back. For suggestions, I enlisted the help of Cassey Ho, the animating spirit behind the wildly popular Blogilates fitness platform , as well as Ben Musholt, physical therapist, parkour coach, and the author of The Mad Skills Encyclopedia . (Disclosure: Ben is a friend, and I used to work out in his garage.)

And an FYI: This is not a guide to making "gains" or meeting your weight loss goals. It's just a bit of advice to help you get (or stay) active.

Updated January 2020: We added new information, new apps, and new equipment reviews.

Most sports manufacturers won’t tell you this, but you don’t need anything—no, not even a pair of fancy leggings or shoes—to start working out. Just do a couple of push-ups in your pajamas every time you pee, and congratulations! You’re on your way.

Still, a basic kit may help you establish a routine. Fitness expert Cassey Ho recommends starting with a yoga mat . “Obviously, a lot of us don’t have space for our own home gym,” she says, but a mat can help you define a workout space within the chaos of your living room floor.

A yoga mat will cushion your joints and keep your feet and hands secure. Parkour enthusiast Ben Musholt also notes that for apartment dwellers, it will dampen the sound of your footfalls for your downstairs neighbors. 

Ho uses her own Popflex mats ; I have a basic Gaiam mat , but I also recommend the dense, recycled Suga mat , though it's pricier.

Many free online workout tutorials will also feature workouts that use weights, like small dumb bells or a kettle bell . Musholt likes a versatile piece of equipment called a Lebert equalizer , which can be used as an overhead weight, a step stool, dip bars, and so forth. My colleague Matt Jancer also builds muscle using a weighted vest .

Alistair Charlton

Benj Edwards, Ars Technica

Gabrielle Caplan

These are nice to have, but body weight exercises will suffice for most people. You probably also have a lot of alternative weights in your house. I have danced around in my living room swinging cans of beans, jugs filled with water, and a backpack filled with books. A 3-year-old clinging to your ankle who needs to be repeatedly picked up and cuddled also works.

Musholt also notes that viewing your home as a parkour practitioner can help vary your workout. “There’s opportunities all around,” he says. You can do tricep dips off chairs or step workouts in a stairwell. I’ve also found this Ikea stepstool to be a surprisingly useful piece of workout equipment.

The best way to start working out consistently is to find something you like to do, and then do that—whether that’s running, walking your dog, or attending weekly Dance Church .

But if you're still not certain what will tickle your fancy, I recommend starting with free services. The New York Times has a quick, efficient, strength-building 7-minute workout that's easy to do on a lunch break. Musholt also devised a beginner's whole-body workout for WIRED readers .

January is also a good time to kickstart your routine with a 30-day online program. I'm currently doing the Yoga with Adriene 30-day program with Adriene Mishler, who I've started to refer to as my only quarantine friend. Her voice is soothing, the instructions are clear, and the expectations mercifully low. Cassey Ho's Blogilates also has a 30-day program, as well as a free quarantine workout . Despite the name, PopSugar Fitness has plethora of trainers of different genders, shapes and sizes. Orangetheory also offers free classes on YouTube.

Once you have some idea of what you like to do, it's easier to invest in real gear (if you need it at all). For example, I have less trouble dropping a hundo on a running jacket , since I know I'll use it every day. For in-home options, Peloton is the clear winner of the Pandemic Olympics, but new competitors are springing up every day. If you're a serious cyclist, the Wahoo Kickr will probably be a better fit. For casual athletes, the Myx system is actually a more cost-effective alternative to the Peloton.

If you miss travel, I also like NordicTrack's treadmills and Studio Cycle . If you have the money, but a little less space, you might want to consider investing in a Tempo or a Mirror , which can be mounted on a wall. These in-home gym systems have a wide array of workouts and screens that help you check your form.

I also maintain a list of the Best Fitness Watches and Trackers . If you prefer one kind of fitness tracker over another, Fitbit and Garmin have their own proprietary workout apps and coaching services. This may take some experimentation to find your personal preferences, as a runner and a biker, I like to use Strava to record runs on a Garmin or Apple Watch .

If you're looking for gear ideas in a specific sport, I encourage you to check out our Best Running Gear guide , as well as our guides to the Best Workout Earbuds and Headphones and the Best Biking Accessories . If you need a device to stream some of these free workout services to your TV, take a look at our guide to the Best Streaming Devices .

Let's be honest. You're probably tired of doing sit-ups in front of Netflix and taking those stupid little walks to get out of the house. Now is a great time to try out something different. Again, the Peloton app is unquestionably the most popular app, and you don't even need a bike. It offers 10 different kinds of workouts, including strength training, guided outdoor running sessions, and meditations—and the first two months are free.

Two of Peloton's major competitors recently debuted new health programs, too. If you're an Apple stan, try Apple Fitness+ to coordinate workouts between your watch, iPad, and Apple TV. If you need more accountability, Fitbit recently debuted a 1:1 coaching service . I tried it, but checking in with an online coach as well as my husband, boss, co-workers, kids, friends, and family felt more oppressive than encouraging. I also liked Obé Fitness . It has a free trial full of brutal workouts, with instructors ensconced in a disconcertingly empty, white Clockwork-Orange-like room.

If, like me, you have set training goals for imaginary races that will take place only in your head, you'll want specialized training apps. Nike Training Club , Strava , or Aaptiv are all popular. 

Whatever your niche interest is, the odds are that 10 months into a pandemic, someone has started a workout app around it. Personally, I like the MuTu system and MommaStrong for rebuilding my core after having two children.

My niche interest, the thing that usually gets me going, is that I love to dance. If you haven't fallen down the rabbit hole of learning TikTok dances, Steezy has a variety of dance styles on a clean and easy-to-navigate site that you can stream to your television. I also like online barre classes from Pure Barre , The Bar Method , and Barre3 . If you have a Samsung TV (2018 or newer), you can access many of these services for free .

Your gaming console is also a workout opportunity. For example, on the Nintendo Switch , I like Just Dance , Ring Fit Adventure , and Mario Tennis Aces .

My other niche interest is the best Hemsworth . He has also launched a workout app . Personally, I find the app a little difficult to navigate and the food recommendations impossible to follow with two picky young kids, but you may be a better Hemsworth than me. 

Finally, if you used to attend fitness classes before the pandemic, I encourage you to contact your old in-person instructor to see if they offer private Zoom classes.

If working out with El Hemsworth on a daily basis isn’t enough of an incentive for you to get off the couch, you can try other simple tips to jump-start your exercise habit.

• Set a recurring appointment in your calendar app.
• Make sure you have clean, comfortable workout clothes.
• Start small and stop if it hurts. Don't injure yourself.
• Cross-train and try a lot of different things!
• You set that recurring appointment, right?!

For Ho, putting an appointment in your calendar means you'll mentally set aside the time for working out and get a reminder about it. Making a date with a friend is another incentive—nothing will make Zoom more appealing than seeing your best friend (and Chris Hemsworth) at the start of your day.

Your workout apparel can also be minimal, especially if you're staying inside your house. But it may help you to get motivated if it's clean, organized, and fits well. The less energy I put into digging through my laundry basket for a clean sports bra or matching pair of socks, the fewer excuses I have for ditching my plans, and the more time I have for actually working out. In the winter, that usually means slipping on a base layer and some running shoes .

Finally: This is the worst possible time to go to a hospital. Most coaches recommend consulting a doctor before starting a new routine to rule out possible heart or respiratory problems, but that’s not easy to do at the moment.

Musholt has a simple rule of thumb to avoid injuring yourself: “If a movement is hurting, that’s the biggest indicator that you should stop.”

It’s normal to be sore afterward, but a motion shouldn’t hurt while you’re performing it. For example, if you're a new runner and you feel pain in your shins, stop running. Walk home and try again later. Modify workout instructions to match your fitness level, whether that means transferring a push-up to a chair instead of the floor, or doing half-burpees instead of full ones. Ho also recommends building in warm-up and cool-down times to stretch before and after workouts. “You never want to just jump into something,” she says.

My advice is to cross-train, or try different activities every few days. If you’ve discovered you like running, throw in a few of Runner’s World's 7-minute strength training sessions . If a barre workout has your glutes burning the day after, go for a walk with your kids, partner, or dog.

“In times of uncertainty, what makes us feel better is when we have a plan of some sort,” Ho says. Right now, there’s a lot going on that you can’t control. But for the next 30 minutes, you can do whatever you want —whether that’s a jog around a forest while listening to a podcast or a dance around your living room with your kids. This much, at least, is up to you.

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The Online Home for Strength Sports

The Best Upper-Body Workouts Workouts You Can Do At Home

Getting it done on your home turf..

Best At-Home Upper Body Workouts

Building your at-home workouts.

Whether it’s a one-off session or your preferred training method, it’s highly likely that you’ll find yourself performing an at-home workout at some point. Stepping into your own basement or garage gym can be a dream come true. There’s no commute, no other people, and one doing curls in the squat rack . But in reality, you might be a little short on training equipment. 

It’s still possible to get a great workout without fancy machines or an abundance of free weights . But training your upper body at home may take a bit more creativity than you’re used to. Here’s how to clock some serious time “pumping iron” without the lines, distractions, or noise of a box gym. These are five upper body home workouts — with options for weights and without weights.

Best At-Home Arm Workout

Best at-home chest workout, best at-home shoulder workout, best at-home back workout, best at-home core workout.

Training your arms might be one of the more challenging muscle groups without a dumbbell rack or cable machine . Without a fully-stocked home gym to help you isolate your arms , you’ll be targeting them primarily with more compound-style exercises. 

Chin-ups just need a pull-up bar and work wonders for your biceps and grip strength. Push-ups and floor presses can help target your triceps. Just be prepared for a more taxing experience than your normal preacher curl .

The Workout

All you’ll need here is a chin-up bar , or in a pinch, some exposed ceiling joists in an unfinished basement. Given the full-body nature of these exercises, performing them for as many repetitions as possible ( AMRAP ) is your best bet here.

It’s worth pointing out that you should only perform these exercises on stable surfaces and with secure anchor points. Safety first.

• Chin-Up : 3xAMRAP
• Eccentric Tempo Chin-Up : 2xAMRAP
• Isometric Biceps Curl (Resistance Band OR Dumbbells) : 3×15
• Close-Grip Push-Up OR Dumbbell Floor Press : 4×10
• Bench Dip : 3×12
• Bodyweight Skull Crusher : 2xAMRAP

If you have some dumbbells and are opting for floor presses, feel free to do more than 10 reps if your weights are light . Press and lower very slowly to help push yourself toward failure with each set.

Blasting your chest from home can be a lot more similar to your gym workouts than you think. You can emulate most heavy pressing exercises with a variety of push-ups tailored to your strength or structure. 

You can also use some floor sliders to help create the perfect at-home version of a pec flye. Prepare for a grueling chest workout . Jut be careful not to faceplant.

Training your chest at home will employ a number of different training techniques. This means employing strategies such as tempo training and pause reps. You’ll also be manipulating how much of your own bodyweight is involved in each exercise to challenge yourself appropriately.

The goal of assigning these techniques is to keep the tension on your chest – stimulating your pecs with enough volume before you find it too hard to hold the right positions to make gains. 

• Single-Arm Push-Up OR Floor Press : 3×10 per side
• Paused Push-Up : 3xAMRAP
• Bench Dip : 4×15
• Tempo Slider Pec Flye OR Floor Dumbbell Flye OR 1 ½ Rep Push-Up : 3xAMRAP

You might not have the type of floor surface at home to effectively use tempo sliders. Instead, you can opt for floor dumbbell flyes or 1 ½ r e p push-ups for an added challenge.

Your shoulders will be uniquely challenging to train without weights or with minimum equipment. You’ll need some pretty dynamic movements to roast them without a normal complement of cables or dumbbells. 

Rest assured that you should still be able to accomplish what you need to with just what you can find in your own home . Taking advantage of different angles of movement will be a huge asset here.

Being able to overload shoulder work without a lot of weights requires you have a trusty wall or set of stairs nearby. With that in mind, your core will also get a strong blast of work to keep you stable during your more inverted positions. 

Throwing some pauses and tempo work in the right places are easy ways to add big (and safe) intensity to your workout. 

• Handstand Push-Up OR Arnold Press : 3xAMRAP
• Paused Decline Push-Up OR Dumbbell Rear Delt Raise : 3×15
• IYTW : 3×12 per position
• Tempo Chaturanga Flow : 4×10

You might not be used to integrating yoga into your strength workou t, but there’s no time like the present to learn. Your back will thank you.

Emulating all of the standard-issue back exercises without a gym may require a bit more thought than usual. The back as a muscle group is very difficult to isolate with just bodyweight due to how impactful small changes in grip can be. 

However, with something as simple as a towe l, you can still target a great spread of smaller muscle groups from your own home. Add some dumbbells to the mix if you’ve got them and you’re good to get those gains .

Using pull-ups and chin-ups here will help hit your lats and mid back. Bringing in a study table can help you perform inverted rows . The addition of a towel will dramatically alter the muscle emphasis of each exercise by freeing up your grip orientation. 

Lastly, some bread and butter prone Y-raises — with or without weights — can help finish off your upper back without a single dumbbell in sight.

• Pull-Up : 3xAMRAP
• Chin-Up : 2xAMRAP
• Table Inverted Row OR Dumbbell Row : 3×10
• Towel Inverted Row OR Towel Dumbbell Row : 3×10
• Prone Y-Raise : 2xAMRAP

If you’re opting for weighted prone Y-raises, you’ll probably want to use the lightest pair of dumbbells you’ve got. These are challenging even as a bodyweight exercise , and the point is the quality of movement rather than a heavy load.

Training your core from home is likely one of the easier transitions if you’re used to the gym. Plenty of core exercises that you do in the gym are easily recreatable in the comfort of your own home. 

Don’t mistake that comfort for ease, though. If anything, this will be one of the harder workouts you’ll perform outside the gym.

In a pinch, a simple variety of planks can provide the foundation of your at-home core routine. However, regular old planks don’t need to be the only go-to here. Spice things up with abdominal pikes, dynamic variations, and high-intensity body saws. 

Grab a yoga mat and a towel — this one will be sweaty.

• Abdominal Pike : 3×15
• Thread-The-Needle : 3×10 per direction
• Plank Medley: 3×30 seconds per position
• Body Saw : 3×20 seconds

If you’ve never done a plank medley, brace yourself . These call for a side plank , a front plank, and finally the opposing side plank.

Having access to machines and a wide range of free weights makes overloading each muscle a bit more straightforward. You can progressively overload your muscles by — among other methods — steadily increasing the weights you use for most exercises.

However, you can still use the principles of progressive overload while training from home with a minimal set-up. You’ll use many of the same tips and tricks for upping the intensity that you’d deploy at the gym.

Intensifiers

Upping your intensity without weights — or with minimal weights available — is far from impossible. Use strategies like 1 ½ reps and paused reps to get your muscles closer to failure . 

This might mean using fewer reps than a workout may call for, depending on your experience level. As long as you’re pushing yourself hard and hitting a high rate of perceived exertion , you should be good to go.

Unilateral Training

Without a ton of weight to use, performing unilateral exercises immediately adds intensity to your workout. Unilateral exercises break your workout individual sides. This helps combat side-to-side strength and muscle imbalances . 

When you’re using this strategy with your bodyweight, you’ll also be shifting more of your bodyweight to one side. Single-arm push-up variations are a great example here.

You can make your workout immediately more challenging by adding slower eccentrics and pauses in the hardest positions of an exercise to reach muscular fatigue. This tempo training puts your muscles under tension for a longer period of time. That’s a great recipe for muscle growth , with or without heavy weights.

You can try adding a peak isometric contraction to help ensure repetition quality when you don’t have weights. Aim for a maximum voluntary contraction — squeezing your muscle at its peak as hard as you can for a good solid second — during each repetition.

Performing as many rounds or repetitions as possible can be a mainstay in your home training. This method will teach you to approach and hit failure even when you’re training with minimal equipment. Just be sure you’re not rushing through reps with sloppy form for the sake of a higher rep count . Quality over quantity will lead to better gains.

Rest Periods

Finally, minimizing how long you’re resting between sets can help increase your workout intensity dramatically. Not allowing a muscle to fully recover before hitting it again can really double up on the metabolic burn , speeding the rate at which you’ll experience muscle failure with each subsequent set.

Instead of going for two to three minutes of rest like you might in a gym, try limiting your downtime to 30 to 45 seconds when training at home.

Benefits of Training at Home 

Training from home may seem like a bigger challenge than working out in a gym, but there are plenty of valuable perks to offset the lack of a barbell. Completely controlling your training environment, getting creative , and emphasizing the fundamentals are all huge benefits that you shouldn’t overlook.

Control Over Your Training Environment

Sometimes, you’re just not in the mood to fight over equipment or maneuver the hustle and bustle of a commercial gym. Having the option to train in the privacy of your own home, with full control over music selection , rest times, and cleanliness to your satisfaction can be hard to beat.

Not only that, but having your own private space can seriously boost the efficiency of your workouts.

Forced Creativity

There are definite pros and cons of working out from home without weights. A gym can help you target all the small muscle groups of the upper body with specific machines . Without these options, you will need to have a deeper understanding of your anatomy and much more creativity to get the job done.

In the long run, spending some time creating at-home workouts can ensure you’re able to make gains under any circumstances .

Master Your Mechanics

One of the biggest benefits of working out from home is how much time you’ll have to spend on calisthenics . Without machines or free weights, you will likely have to make exercises such as push-ups or pull-ups staples of your upper-body workouts. These exercises target many muscles of the upper body to varying degrees.

Moreover, bodyweight movements teach you to work as one synchronous unit. When or if you return to the weight room, you should notice your lat pulldowns feel much stronger after you’ve banged out a few (thousand) pull-ups.

Get After It at Home 

Training from home is something you’re destined to tangle with at some point or another, either by necessity or just out of plain preference. Although it might be a bit more challenging to get a good workout at home than in a gym, using sound training principles at home can bridge the gap.

Being creative and making subtle adjustments to your usual exercises can have a huge impact on your ability to effectively target each muscle group of the upper body. Master your calisthenics, embrace the high-repetition grind, and you can make some serious upper body gains from the comfort of your own home. 

Featured Image: Ground Picture / Shutterstock

About Eric Bugera, CSCS, CISSN

Eric Bugera, CSCS, CISSN, MSc, BSc, is a career personal trainer and educator with a range of academic and field experience. He is passionate about lowering the barrier to entry for new gym-goers and trainers alike, mostly by reliving all of his mistakes article by article.

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BarBend is an independent website. The views expressed on this site may come from individual contributors and do not necessarily reflect the view of BarBend or any other organization. BarBend is the Official Media Partner of USA Weightlifting.

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The goal of our vertical jump program is to unlock your true athletic potential and take your leaps to new heights! Not only will you experience an impressive increase in your vertical jump, but you’ll also witness remarkable improvements in speed, explosiveness, overall strength, and athletic performance.

To fully reap the benefits of our program, we recommend committing to all of the suggested videos each day. By following this comprehensive approach, you’ll optimize your progress, ensure balanced muscle development, and maximize the overall effectiveness of the program.

If you find the program challenging, don’t worry! We encourage you to go at your own pace and make modifications that suit your fitness level. One option is to split the workouts into two sessions, allowing for shorter work times and longer rest times. By tailoring the program to your needs, you’ll gradually build strength and endurance while ensuring a sustainable and enjoyable fitness journey.

Focus on a balanced diet that includes lean protein sources like chicken, turkey, fish, eggs, tofu, or legumes. Incorporate complex carbohydrates such as whole grains, sweet potatoes, and brown rice for sustained energy. Don’t forget to include plenty of fruits, vegetables, and stay hydrated by drinking enough water throughout the day.

On these days, allow yourself to engage in recovery exercises, such as gentle stretching, to promote muscle relaxation and rejuvenation. You can also explore the benefits of yoga, which not only enhance flexibility and balance but also promote mindfulness and stress relief. Taking a leisurely walk in nature can be a soothing way to relax your mind and body. Additionally, activities like foam rolling can help release muscle tension and improve mobility. Remember, it’s essential to listen to your body and choose activities that provide the rest and rejuvenation you need.

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Effective 20-Minute, Full-Body Workout You Can Do at Home

Adam is a health writer, certified holistic nutritionist, and plant-based athlete. He has published with outlets such as Livestrong, Verywell Fit, Everyday Health, The Beet, The Healthy, and others. Adam lives with his wife and two kids in Nelson, British Columbia, Canada where you can usually find him running trails, working out in his home gym, or writing in a coffee shop.

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• Next in Working Out At Home Guide How to Do a Cardio Workout at Home and Make It Worthwhile

When it’s time to workout, do you ever feel like pressing the snooze button on your fitness? If so, you’re not alone. A recent study conducted by OnePoll found that eight in 10 Americans reported having less motivation for exercise now than before the pandemic, and 67% of participants said they tend to put off exercise. We’re all guilty of skipping workouts on occasion. Between commute times, expensive gym memberships , and hectic schedules filled with responsibilities pulling you in every direction, it’s a miracle any of us find time for exercise some days. Fortunately, there’s a way you can build and maintain your fitness while still making time for everything else you have on the go. How? By incorporating full-body at-home workouts into your routine.

“Working out at home is great for people who don't have a lot of time or an irregular schedule," says Jennifer Fidder, CPT, CPPC, CTRL, certified personal trainer and owner of Jennifer Alice Training and Coaching LLC . "You can get a workout in before you head out the door, in between meetings (if you work from home), or while the kids are getting ready for bed."

In general, some activity is always better than nothing. In 20 minutes you can get in a HIIT (high-intensity interval training) or circuit workout that will get you closer to your goals, Fidder says. Read on for an effective, high-intensity 20-minute workout that will work your whole body and requires minimal equipment. The best part is it’ll boost your fitness, increase your energy, and lift your spirits—all from the comfort of your home.

Benefits of 20-Minute Workouts at Home

If there are any positives from the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s the collective realization that at-home workouts are a convenient way to save time and stay fit when you can’t make it to the gym. According to a 2019 study published in the International Journal of Exercise Science , home-based exercise training programs, when combined with a healthy diet, are an effective means of improving cardiometabolic health.

You don’t have to sacrifice hours of precious time to get fit. The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) recommends that healthy adults should do a minimum 30 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity five days per week or engage in just 20 minutes of vigorous activity three days per week. Examples of vigorous activity include HIIT workouts , running, cycling, swimming , brisk walking , and playing cardio-intensive sports like basketball or soccer.

“It’s not the duration of the training that matters, but the intensity at which it’s performed and the quality of the movements," says Antoine Hamelin, CPT, a personal trainer and CEO of First Step Fitness . "Thus, one can work on many different muscles and produce great results in as little as 20 minutes, given that the choice of the exercises and the weights used are appropriate and that the exercises are done with good form.”

Plus, regular exercise offers several health benefits, such as increased strength, more energy, better sleep, improved balance, lower risk of falls as you age, less stress and anxiety, healthier body weight, improved cardiovascular health, and reduced risk of disease. Regular exercise also offers significant mental benefits, such as boosting your mood for up to 12 hours and improving your working memory.

To help kickstart your fitness motivation, here’s a 20-minute high-intensity workout that will work your entire body and get you one step closer to reaching your fitness and health goals.

20-Minute Full-Body Workout

This 20-minute workout—courtesy of Hamelin—is designed to build muscle , improve posture, and burn fat. The exercises are to be performed consecutively with short rest times to keep the intensity high. This will elevate your heart rate, causing your body to burn more calories than a traditional weightlifting workout.

This is a circuit-style workout, meaning you should perform each exercise consecutively without breaks. After completing all four exercises, rest for 60 to 90 seconds. Then, repeat the circuit four times. You’ll need a few pairs of dumbbells and a resistance band . Here's how to get started.

Dumbbell Squat

Squats are beneficial for everyone because they work the major muscles of your lower body and improve core strength and stabilization. Squats also activate the stabilizing muscles surrounding your knees and ankles. Here is how to do a dumbbell or kettlebell squat.

• Stand with feet shoulder-width apart.
• Hold a dumbbell (or kettlebell) in front of the chest with your shoulders and neck relaxed. Select a weight that’s difficult to do 10 reps but not approaching failure.
• Bend your knees and lower into a squat. Stop when your knees reach 90-degree angles.
• Contract your glutes while keeping your core stabilized.
• Drive your body back up to the starting position without locking your knees.
• Perform 10 repetitions before moving on to the next exercise.

Bent-Over Dumbbell Row

Whether you use dumbbells, barbells, resistance bands, or machines, rows are beneficial for people of all fitness levels. Dumbbell rows build stronger back muscles , tone your arms by working the biceps, enhance core stabilization, improve your posture, increase grip strength , and widen your range of motion . Here is how to do a bent-over dumbbell row.

• Tilt your upper body forward from the hips while keeping a straight back (with a slight arch in your lower back) and chest facing the floor.
• Hang your arms in front of you while holding dumbbells that are difficult enough to do 10 reps but without reaching failure.
• Pull your elbows back toward your hips while lifting the weights.
• Pause at the top of the movement for 1 second before slowly lowering the weights back down to the starting position.
• Complete 10 repetitions before moving to the next exercise.

Lying Leg Curl with Resistance Band

Leg curls target hamstrings and calf muscles, making your legs stronger and more flexible. As a result, stronger legs improve your overall stamina and balance. Here is how to do a lying leg curl with a resistance band.

• Loop a resistance band around something secure in your home to use as an anchor point.
• Wrap one end of the band around your heel.
• Lie face down on the floor with your legs stretched out fully and your heel raised holding the band.
• Lift your heel toward your butt, pause, then slowly return to the starting position.
• Do 10 repetitions for each leg before moving on to the next and final exercise.

Flat Dumbbell Chest Press

Like the previous exercises, the dumbbell chest press delivers several benefits that can help people of any fitness level build upper body strength. The dumbbell bench press activates several muscle groups in your upper body, including the triceps, pectoral muscles, and anterior deltoids.

Other benefits include improving your range of motion through your shoulders and elbows, activation of stabilizer muscles in your arms, core, shoulders, and back, and enhanced muscle symmetry from using dumbbells. Here is how to do the flat dumbbell chest press.

• Lie down with your back flat on the floor while holding two dumbbells at chest height.
• Press the dumbbells up until your arms are fully extended.
• Avoid locking your elbows.
• Lower the dumbbells slowly back down to the starting position.
• Perform this movement for 10 repetitions.
• Rest for 60 to 90 seconds before repeating the circuit.

How to Make Your At-Home Workout Effective

To get the best bang for your buck when it comes to at-home workouts, Fidder advises keeping your heart rate up. You also should consider limiting breaks between exercises, supersets, circuits, or HIIT workouts when you only have a short amount of time to workout.

Meanwhile, Hamelin indicates that in order to make your at-home workout as effective as possible, you should warm-up for 5 minutes using a cardio machine or do a light set of each exercise first. Once you are ready to start, use a 10 to 12 repetition bracket for most exercises.

Hamelin also suggests using a weight that makes the exercise challenging on the last two to three reps as well as maintaining proper form while focusing on the muscles that you are targeting. You also want to stay hydrated during the workout by drinking at least 500 milliliters of water and eat a high protein and complex carbohydrate meal within 1 hour following your workout.

Keep these important safety tips in mind when exercising at home:

• Warm up and cool down properly for 5 to 10 minutes.
• Start slowly and increase your activity level gradually.
• Pay attention to your body and avoid exercising when you're sick or fatigued. 
• Reduce your workout intensity or stop completely if you feel faint after exercise, exhausted during the day, or experience persistent joint aches and pains after exercise.
• Stay hydrated and consider drinking fluids containing electrolytes.
• Wear comfortable clothing and footwear appropriate for the exercise you’re doing.
• Use proper form when exercising, never sacrificing form to rush through sets or lift weights that are too heavy.
• Avoid exercising in hot, humid conditions .

A Word From Verywell

Whether you’re planning your first workout routine or fitness is your lifelong passion, adding 20-minute full-body at-home workouts to your regimen can significantly benefit your body, mind, and well-being. The workout provided above is a great example of a workout you can do in the comfort and convenience of your home while exercising your whole body.

Use it as a guide for creating your own full-body workouts that you can switch up and do at your leisure. As always, speak with a healthcare provider before starting any new workout routine. They can answer any questions you may have and give the best advice on getting started with your at-home workouts.

Twenty minutes is sufficient for getting in a quality workout. However, it may not be long enough depending on the type of workout you’re doing and what your fitness goals are. For example, if your goal is to build lots of muscle mass, you’ll need to focus more on muscle hypertrophy training and 20 minutes won’t be long enough.

Instead, to make your 20-minute workouts effective, do high-intensity workouts where you choose at least two different muscle groups and perform two to three exercises per muscle. Alternatively, you can do multiple compound movements that target different body parts, such as squats for your lower body or bent-over rows for your back.

To optimize efficiency, repeat your workouts, or do a different one, every other day to cause enough muscle stimulation to increase strength and fitness.

Building muscle doesn’t follow a time-related rule but a stress-response one. Performing two to three sets of 10 to 12 repetitions that are challenging is enough to make any muscle stronger. Your intensity, form, and quality of workout are what matters, not necessarily the duration of it.

In addition, knowing you only have 20 minutes to work out can help you reduce unproductive activity and eliminate distractions like checking your phone, or taking long rests, which allows you to focus entirely on your workout.

There’s no shortage of perks when it comes to working out from home. At-home workouts save you time because you don’t need to commute to the gym. Home workouts also are a great option for people who don’t like going to a gym for whatever reason. Plus, you can easily build a home gym at an affordable cost and get a great workout anytime you want.

OnePoll for Curad. Americans say that getting back to their pre-pandemic shape has proven to be more daunting than expected .

Roberts CK, Segovia DE, Lankford DE. Effects of home-based exercise training systems, combined with diet, on cardiometabolic health . Int J Exerc Sci. 2019 May 1;12(2):871-885. PMID:31156746

American College of Sports Medicine. Physical activity guidelines .

National Institute on Aging. Real-life benefits of exercise and physical activity .

Sibold JS, Berg KM. Mood enhancement persists for up to 12 hours following aerobic exercise: a pilot study . Percept Mot Skills . 2010 Oct;111(2):333-42. doi:10.2466/02.06.13.15.PMS.111.5.333-342

Harvard Health Publishing. 10 tips for exercising safely .

By Adam Meyer Adam is a health writer, certified holistic nutritionist, and plant-based athlete.

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Everyone struggles with homework sometimes, but if getting your homework done has become a chronic issue for you, then you may need a little extra help. That’s why we’ve written this article all about how to do homework. Once you’re finished reading it, you’ll know how to do homework (and have tons of new ways to motivate yourself to do homework)!

We’ve broken this article down into a few major sections. You’ll find:

• A diagnostic test to help you figure out why you’re struggling with homework
• A discussion of the four major homework problems students face, along with expert tips for addressing them
• A bonus section with tips for how to do homework fast

By the end of this article, you’ll be prepared to tackle whatever homework assignments your teachers throw at you .

So let’s get started!

How to Do Homework: Figure Out Your Struggles 

Sometimes it feels like everything is standing between you and getting your homework done. But the truth is, most people only have one or two major roadblocks that are keeping them from getting their homework done well and on time. 

The best way to figure out how to get motivated to do homework starts with pinpointing the issues that are affecting your ability to get your assignments done. That’s why we’ve developed a short quiz to help you identify the areas where you’re struggling. 

Take the quiz below and record your answers on your phone or on a scrap piece of paper. Keep in mind there are no wrong answers! 

1. You’ve just been assigned an essay in your English class that’s due at the end of the week. What’s the first thing you do?

A. Keep it in mind, even though you won’t start it until the day before it’s due  B. Open up your planner. You’ve got to figure out when you’ll write your paper since you have band practice, a speech tournament, and your little sister’s dance recital this week, too.  C. Groan out loud. Another essay? You could barely get yourself to write the last one!  D. Start thinking about your essay topic, which makes you think about your art project that’s due the same day, which reminds you that your favorite artist might have just posted to Instagram...so you better check your feed right now. 

2. Your mom asked you to pick up your room before she gets home from work. You’ve just gotten home from school. You decide you’ll tackle your chores: 

A. Five minutes before your mom walks through the front door. As long as it gets done, who cares when you start?  B. As soon as you get home from your shift at the local grocery store.  C. After you give yourself a 15-minute pep talk about how you need to get to work.  D. You won’t get it done. Between texts from your friends, trying to watch your favorite Netflix show, and playing with your dog, you just lost track of time! 

3. You’ve signed up to wash dogs at the Humane Society to help earn money for your senior class trip. You: 

A. Show up ten minutes late. You put off leaving your house until the last minute, then got stuck in unexpected traffic on the way to the shelter.  B. Have to call and cancel at the last minute. You forgot you’d already agreed to babysit your cousin and bake cupcakes for tomorrow’s bake sale.  C. Actually arrive fifteen minutes early with extra brushes and bandanas you picked up at the store. You’re passionate about animals, so you’re excited to help out! D. Show up on time, but only get three dogs washed. You couldn’t help it: you just kept getting distracted by how cute they were!

4. You have an hour of downtime, so you decide you’re going to watch an episode of The Great British Baking Show. You: 

A. Scroll through your social media feeds for twenty minutes before hitting play, which means you’re not able to finish the whole episode. Ugh! You really wanted to see who was sent home!  B. Watch fifteen minutes until you remember you’re supposed to pick up your sister from band practice before heading to your part-time job. No GBBO for you!  C. You finish one episode, then decide to watch another even though you’ve got SAT studying to do. It’s just more fun to watch people make scones.  D. Start the episode, but only catch bits and pieces of it because you’re reading Twitter, cleaning out your backpack, and eating a snack at the same time.

5. Your teacher asks you to stay after class because you’ve missed turning in two homework assignments in a row. When she asks you what’s wrong, you say: 

A. You planned to do your assignments during lunch, but you ran out of time. You decided it would be better to turn in nothing at all than submit unfinished work.  B. You really wanted to get the assignments done, but between your extracurriculars, family commitments, and your part-time job, your homework fell through the cracks.  C. You have a hard time psyching yourself to tackle the assignments. You just can’t seem to find the motivation to work on them once you get home.  D. You tried to do them, but you had a hard time focusing. By the time you realized you hadn’t gotten anything done, it was already time to turn them in. 

Like we said earlier, there are no right or wrong answers to this quiz (though your results will be better if you answered as honestly as possible). Here’s how your answers break down: 

• If your answers were mostly As, then your biggest struggle with doing homework is procrastination. 
• If your answers were mostly Bs, then your biggest struggle with doing homework is time management. 
• If your answers were mostly Cs, then your biggest struggle with doing homework is motivation. 
• If your answers were mostly Ds, then your biggest struggle with doing homework is getting distracted. 

Now that you’ve identified why you’re having a hard time getting your homework done, we can help you figure out how to fix it! Scroll down to find your core problem area to learn more about how you can start to address it. 

And one more thing: you’re really struggling with homework, it’s a good idea to read through every section below. You may find some additional tips that will help make homework less intimidating. 

How to Do Homework When You’re a Procrastinator  

Merriam Webster defines “procrastinate” as “to put off intentionally and habitually.” In other words, procrastination is when you choose to do something at the last minute on a regular basis. If you’ve ever found yourself pulling an all-nighter, trying to finish an assignment between periods, or sprinting to turn in a paper minutes before a deadline, you’ve experienced the effects of procrastination. 

If you’re a chronic procrastinator, you’re in good company. In fact, one study found that 70% to 95% of undergraduate students procrastinate when it comes to doing their homework. Unfortunately, procrastination can negatively impact your grades. Researchers have found that procrastination can lower your grade on an assignment by as much as five points ...which might not sound serious until you realize that can mean the difference between a B- and a C+. 

Procrastination can also negatively affect your health by increasing your stress levels , which can lead to other health conditions like insomnia, a weakened immune system, and even heart conditions. Getting a handle on procrastination can not only improve your grades, it can make you feel better, too! 

The big thing to understand about procrastination is that it’s not the result of laziness. Laziness is defined as being “disinclined to activity or exertion.” In other words, being lazy is all about doing nothing. But a s this Psychology Today article explains , procrastinators don’t put things off because they don’t want to work. Instead, procrastinators tend to postpone tasks they don’t want to do in favor of tasks that they perceive as either more important or more fun. Put another way, procrastinators want to do things...as long as it’s not their homework! 

3 Tips f or Conquering Procrastination 

Because putting off doing homework is a common problem, there are lots of good tactics for addressing procrastination. Keep reading for our three expert tips that will get your homework habits back on track in no time. 

#1: Create a Reward System

Like we mentioned earlier, procrastination happens when you prioritize other activities over getting your homework done. Many times, this happens because homework...well, just isn’t enjoyable. But you can add some fun back into the process by rewarding yourself for getting your work done. 

Here’s what we mean: let’s say you decide that every time you get your homework done before the day it’s due, you’ll give yourself a point. For every five points you earn, you’ll treat yourself to your favorite dessert: a chocolate cupcake! Now you have an extra (delicious!) incentive to motivate you to leave procrastination in the dust. 

If you’re not into cupcakes, don’t worry. Your reward can be anything that motivates you . Maybe it’s hanging out with your best friend or an extra ten minutes of video game time. As long as you’re choosing something that makes homework worth doing, you’ll be successful. 

#2: Have a Homework Accountability Partner 

If you’re having trouble getting yourself to start your homework ahead of time, it may be a good idea to call in reinforcements . Find a friend or classmate you can trust and explain to them that you’re trying to change your homework habits. Ask them if they’d be willing to text you to make sure you’re doing your homework and check in with you once a week to see if you’re meeting your anti-procrastination goals. 

Sharing your goals can make them feel more real, and an accountability partner can help hold you responsible for your decisions. For example, let’s say you’re tempted to put off your science lab write-up until the morning before it’s due. But you know that your accountability partner is going to text you about it tomorrow...and you don’t want to fess up that you haven’t started your assignment. A homework accountability partner can give you the extra support and incentive you need to keep your homework habits on track. 

#3: Create Your Own Due Dates 

If you’re a life-long procrastinator, you might find that changing the habit is harder than you expected. In that case, you might try using procrastination to your advantage! If you just can’t seem to stop doing your work at the last minute, try setting your own due dates for assignments that range from a day to a week before the assignment is actually due. 

Here’s what we mean. Let’s say you have a math worksheet that’s been assigned on Tuesday and is due on Friday. In your planner, you can write down the due date as Thursday instead. You may still put off your homework assignment until the last minute...but in this case, the “last minute” is a day before the assignment’s real due date . This little hack can trick your procrastination-addicted brain into planning ahead! 

If you feel like Kevin Hart in this meme, then our tips for doing homework when you're busy are for you. 

How to Do Homework When You’re too Busy

If you’re aiming to go to a top-tier college , you’re going to have a full plate. Because college admissions is getting more competitive, it’s important that you’re maintaining your grades , studying hard for your standardized tests , and participating in extracurriculars so your application stands out. A packed schedule can get even more hectic once you add family obligations or a part-time job to the mix. 

If you feel like you’re being pulled in a million directions at once, you’re not alone. Recent research has found that stress—and more severe stress-related conditions like anxiety and depression— are a major problem for high school students . In fact, one study from the American Psychological Association found that during the school year, students’ stress levels are higher than those of the adults around them. 

For students, homework is a major contributor to their overall stress levels . Many high schoolers have multiple hours of homework every night , and figuring out how to fit it into an already-packed schedule can seem impossible. 

3 Tips for Fitting Homework Into Your Busy Schedule

While it might feel like you have literally no time left in your schedule, there are still ways to make sure you’re able to get your homework done and meet your other commitments. Here are our expert homework tips for even the busiest of students. 

#1: Make a Prioritized To-Do List 

You probably already have a to-do list to keep yourself on track. The next step is to prioritize the items on your to-do list so you can see what items need your attention right away. 

Here’s how it works: at the beginning of each day, sit down and make a list of all the items you need to get done before you go to bed. This includes your homework, but it should also take into account any practices, chores, events, or job shifts you may have. Once you get everything listed out, it’s time to prioritize them using the labels A, B, and C. Here’s what those labels mean:

• A Tasks : tasks that have to get done—like showing up at work or turning in an assignment—get an A. 
• B Tasks : these are tasks that you would like to get done by the end of the day but aren’t as time sensitive. For example, studying for a test you have next week could be a B-level task. It’s still important, but it doesn’t have to be done right away.
• C Tasks: these are tasks that aren’t very important and/or have no real consequences if you don’t get them done immediately. For instance, if you’re hoping to clean out your closet but it’s not an assigned chore from your parents, you could label that to-do item with a C.

Prioritizing your to-do list helps you visualize which items need your immediate attention, and which items you can leave for later. A prioritized to-do list ensures that you’re spending your time efficiently and effectively, which helps you make room in your schedule for homework. So even though you might really want to start making decorations for Homecoming (a B task), you’ll know that finishing your reading log (an A task) is more important. 

#2: Use a Planner With Time Labels

Your planner is probably packed with notes, events, and assignments already. (And if you’re not using a planner, it’s time to start!) But planners can do more for you than just remind you when an assignment is due. If you’re using a planner with time labels, it can help you visualize how you need to spend your day.

A planner with time labels breaks your day down into chunks, and you assign tasks to each chunk of time. For example, you can make a note of your class schedule with assignments, block out time to study, and make sure you know when you need to be at practice. Once you know which tasks take priority, you can add them to any empty spaces in your day. 

Planning out how you spend your time not only helps you use it wisely, it can help you feel less overwhelmed, too . We’re big fans of planners that include a task list ( like this one ) or have room for notes ( like this one ). 

#3: Set Reminders on Your Phone 

If you need a little extra nudge to make sure you’re getting your homework done on time, it’s a good idea to set some reminders on your phone. You don’t need a fancy app, either. You can use your alarm app to have it go off at specific times throughout the day to remind you to do your homework. This works especially well if you have a set homework time scheduled. So if you’ve decided you’re doing homework at 6:00 pm, you can set an alarm to remind you to bust out your books and get to work. 

If you use your phone as your planner, you may have the option to add alerts, emails, or notifications to scheduled events . Many calendar apps, including the one that comes with your phone, have built-in reminders that you can customize to meet your needs. So if you block off time to do your homework from 4:30 to 6:00 pm, you can set a reminder that will pop up on your phone when it’s time to get started. 

This dog isn't judging your lack of motivation...but your teacher might. Keep reading for tips to help you motivate yourself to do your homework.

How to Do Homework When You’re Unmotivated 

At first glance, it may seem like procrastination and being unmotivated are the same thing. After all, both of these issues usually result in you putting off your homework until the very last minute. 

But there’s one key difference: many procrastinators are working, they’re just prioritizing work differently. They know they’re going to start their homework...they’re just going to do it later. 

Conversely, people who are unmotivated to do homework just can’t find the willpower to tackle their assignments. Procrastinators know they’ll at least attempt the homework at the last minute, whereas people who are unmotivated struggle with convincing themselves to do it at a ll. For procrastinators, the stress comes from the inevitable time crunch. For unmotivated people, the stress comes from trying to convince themselves to do something they don’t want to do in the first place. 

Here are some common reasons students are unmotivated in doing homework : 

• Assignments are too easy, too hard, or seemingly pointless 
• Students aren’t interested in (or passionate about) the subject matter
• Students are intimidated by the work and/or feels like they don’t understand the assignment 
• Homework isn’t fun, and students would rather spend their time on things that they enjoy 

To sum it up: people who lack motivation to do their homework are more likely to not do it at all, or to spend more time worrying about doing their homework than...well, actually doing it.

3 Tips for How to Get Motivated to Do Homework

The key to getting homework done when you’re unmotivated is to figure out what does motivate you, then apply those things to homework. It sounds tricky...but it’s pretty simple once you get the hang of it! Here are our three expert tips for motivating yourself to do your homework. 

#1: Use Incremental Incentives

When you’re not motivated, it’s important to give yourself small rewards to stay focused on finishing the task at hand. The trick is to keep the incentives small and to reward yourself often. For example, maybe you’re reading a good book in your free time. For every ten minutes you spend on your homework, you get to read five pages of your book. Like we mentioned earlier, make sure you’re choosing a reward that works for you! 

So why does this technique work? Using small rewards more often allows you to experience small wins for getting your work done. Every time you make it to one of your tiny reward points, you get to celebrate your success, which gives your brain a boost of dopamine . Dopamine helps you stay motivated and also creates a feeling of satisfaction when you complete your homework !  

#2: Form a Homework Group 

If you’re having trouble motivating yourself, it’s okay to turn to others for support. Creating a homework group can help with this. Bring together a group of your friends or classmates, and pick one time a week where you meet and work on homework together. You don’t have to be in the same class, or even taking the same subjects— the goal is to encourage one another to start (and finish!) your assignments. 

Another added benefit of a homework group is that you can help one another if you’re struggling to understand the material covered in your classes. This is especially helpful if your lack of motivation comes from being intimidated by your assignments. Asking your friends for help may feel less scary than talking to your teacher...and once you get a handle on the material, your homework may become less frightening, too. 

#3: Change Up Your Environment 

If you find that you’re totally unmotivated, it may help if you find a new place to do your homework. For example, if you’ve been struggling to get your homework done at home, try spending an extra hour in the library after school instead. The change of scenery can limit your distractions and give you the energy you need to get your work done. 

If you’re stuck doing homework at home, you can still use this tip. For instance, maybe you’ve always done your homework sitting on your bed. Try relocating somewhere else, like your kitchen table, for a few weeks. You may find that setting up a new “homework spot” in your house gives you a motivational lift and helps you get your work done. 

Social media can be a huge problem when it comes to doing homework. We have advice for helping you unplug and regain focus.

How to Do Homework When You’re Easily Distracted

We live in an always-on world, and there are tons of things clamoring for our attention. From friends and family to pop culture and social media, it seems like there’s always something (or someone!) distracting us from the things we need to do.

The 24/7 world we live in has affected our ability to focus on tasks for prolonged periods of time. Research has shown that over the past decade, an average person’s attention span has gone from 12 seconds to eight seconds . And when we do lose focus, i t takes people a long time to get back on task . One study found that it can take as long as 23 minutes to get back to work once we’ve been distracte d. No wonder it can take hours to get your homework done! 

3 Tips to Improve Your Focus

If you have a hard time focusing when you’re doing your homework, it’s a good idea to try and eliminate as many distractions as possible. Here are three expert tips for blocking out the noise so you can focus on getting your homework done. 

#1: Create a Distraction-Free Environment

Pick a place where you’ll do your homework every day, and make it as distraction-free as possible. Try to find a location where there won’t be tons of noise, and limit your access to screens while you’re doing your homework. Put together a focus-oriented playlist (or choose one on your favorite streaming service), and put your headphones on while you work. 

You may find that other people, like your friends and family, are your biggest distraction. If that’s the case, try setting up some homework boundaries. Let them know when you’ll be working on homework every day, and ask them if they’ll help you keep a quiet environment. They’ll be happy to lend a hand! 

#2: Limit Your Access to Technology 

We know, we know...this tip isn’t fun, but it does work. For homework that doesn’t require a computer, like handouts or worksheets, it’s best to put all your technology away . Turn off your television, put your phone and laptop in your backpack, and silence notifications on any wearable tech you may be sporting. If you listen to music while you work, that’s fine...but make sure you have a playlist set up so you’re not shuffling through songs once you get started on your homework. 

If your homework requires your laptop or tablet, it can be harder to limit your access to distractions. But it’s not impossible! T here are apps you can download that will block certain websites while you’re working so that you’re not tempted to scroll through Twitter or check your Facebook feed. Silence notifications and text messages on your computer, and don’t open your email account unless you absolutely have to. And if you don’t need access to the internet to complete your assignments, turn off your WiFi. Cutting out the online chatter is a great way to make sure you’re getting your homework done. 

#3: Set a Timer (the Pomodoro Technique)

Have you ever heard of the Pomodoro technique ? It’s a productivity hack that uses a timer to help you focus!

Here’s how it works: first, set a timer for 25 minutes. This is going to be your work time. During this 25 minutes, all you can do is work on whatever homework assignment you have in front of you. No email, no text messaging, no phone calls—just homework. When that timer goes off, you get to take a 5 minute break. Every time you go through one of these cycles, it’s called a “pomodoro.” For every four pomodoros you complete, you can take a longer break of 15 to 30 minutes.

The pomodoro technique works through a combination of boundary setting and rewards. First, it gives you a finite amount of time to focus, so you know that you only have to work really hard for 25 minutes. Once you’ve done that, you’re rewarded with a short break where you can do whatever you want. Additionally, tracking how many pomodoros you complete can help you see how long you’re really working on your homework. (Once you start using our focus tips, you may find it doesn’t take as long as you thought!)

Two Bonus Tips for How to Do Homework Fast

Even if you’re doing everything right, there will be times when you just need to get your homework done as fast as possible. (Why do teachers always have projects due in the same week? The world may never know.)

The problem with speeding through homework is that it’s easy to make mistakes. While turning in an assignment is always better than not submitting anything at all, you want to make sure that you’re not compromising quality for speed. Simply put, the goal is to get your homework done quickly and still make a good grade on the assignment! 

Here are our two bonus tips for getting a decent grade on your homework assignments , even when you’re in a time crunch. 

#1: Do the Easy Parts First 

This is especially true if you’re working on a handout with multiple questions. Before you start working on the assignment, read through all the questions and problems. As you do, make a mark beside the questions you think are “easy” to answer . 

Once you’ve finished going through the whole assignment, you can answer these questions first. Getting the easy questions out of the way as quickly as possible lets you spend more time on the trickier portions of your homework, which will maximize your assignment grade. 

(Quick note: this is also a good strategy to use on timed assignments and tests, like the SAT and the ACT !) 

#2: Pay Attention in Class 

Homework gets a lot easier when you’re actively learning the material. Teachers aren’t giving you homework because they’re mean or trying to ruin your weekend... it’s because they want you to really understand the course material. Homework is designed to reinforce what you’re already learning in class so you’ll be ready to tackle harder concepts later.

When you pay attention in class, ask questions, and take good notes, you’re absorbing the information you’ll need to succeed on your homework assignments. (You’re stuck in class anyway, so you might as well make the most of it!) Not only will paying attention in class make your homework less confusing, it will also help it go much faster, too.

What’s Next?

If you’re looking to improve your productivity beyond homework, a good place to begin is with time management. After all, we only have so much time in a day...so it’s important to get the most out of it! To get you started, check out this list of the 12 best time management techniques that you can start using today.

You may have read this article because homework struggles have been affecting your GPA. Now that you’re on the path to homework success, it’s time to start being proactive about raising your grades. This article teaches you everything you need to know about raising your GPA so you can

Now you know how to get motivated to do homework...but what about your study habits? Studying is just as critical to getting good grades, and ultimately getting into a good college . We can teach you how to study bette r in high school. (We’ve also got tons of resources to help you study for your ACT and SAT exams , too!)

These recommendations are based solely on our knowledge and experience. If you purchase an item through one of our links, PrepScholar may receive a commission.

Ashley Sufflé Robinson has a Ph.D. in 19th Century English Literature. As a content writer for PrepScholar, Ashley is passionate about giving college-bound students the in-depth information they need to get into the school of their dreams.

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