Best No-Equipment Exercises to Improve Endurance

No-equipment exercises are becoming all the rage nowadays. Now that there are options available to work out without equipment (bodyweight exercises, yoga, etc), people are moving away from traditional weight-based exercises to build strength and endurance.

Physical endurance is something everyone should have to a certain degree. It's essential for athletes and sportspersons, but even people who wish to stay fit in general will benefit hugely from building their endurance. If you wish to run for longer, or enjoy your favorite sports, physical endurance is a must.

In this article, we will discuss some no-equipment exercises that will help you build your physical endurance. These exercises are meant particularly for runners, as they mimic running patterns while strengthening the body.

When you train your muscles with the following exercises, you will help support your long running efforts by preventing muscle fatigue. Muscular endurance can be increased and targeted muscle groups can be strengthened with these exercises.

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No-equipment Exercises to Build Endurance for Runners

Running is an excellent way to stay fit. (Image via Pexels/Tirachard Kumtanom)

The following no-equipment exercises should be sufficient to build muscular endurance in the beginning.

1) Jump Squat

Jump squats train the thigh and glute muscles. (Image via Pexels/Ivan Samkov)

Jump squats are one of the best no-equipment exercises everybody should do regardless of whether they intend to run or not. Squats train the thigh muscles and glutes, which are extremely important for standing upright and balancing the body.

Instructions

Keep your arms by your sides and feet slightly further apart than hip width. Put your weight onto your heels, and drop your hips to enter a squat position. Powerfully launch yourself off the ground and forward while extending your arms. When you land, soften the blow, and immediately drop into another squat. Repeat. Try ten reps.

2) Reverse Lunge to A-Skip

This is one of the better running form mimicking no-equipment exercises that also targets and strengthens the calves, hamstrings, and quads.

Instructions

The correct stance is hip-distance apart feet and hands by the sides. Take a backwards step with your right foot, bending both knees to about 90 degrees so that the right knee hovers just off the ground and the left thigh is parallel to the floor.

Keep your left knee over your toes. Stand up by putting your weight on your left foot. While balancing on the ball of your left foot, bring your right foot up to your chest. Put your right foot down again to complete one repetition. Get ten reps on each side.

3) Side Plank with Leg Lift and Hip Dip

Training the core is of the utmost importance. (Image via Pexels/Airam Datoon)

This is one of the full body no-equipment exercises that work out the upper and lower body in addition to the obliques.

Instructions

Lie on your left side with your elbow directly under your shoulder and left forearm resting on the ground. Line up your hands with your hips, knees, and feet. Lift your hips off the ground by contracting the abs. This is your starting position.

Put your right foot up, and bring it down gradually again. Lower your hips towards the floor, and bring them back to the starting position. Repeat. Try ten reps, and change sides.

4) Lateral Lunge to Butt Kick

Side lunges are great for training theinner thighs and balance. (Image via Pexels/Victoria Akvarel)

This is one of the best no-equipment exercises, as it strengthens the hips, helping you develop a more efficient footstrike, and improve your running speed.

Instructions

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Take a large step to your left. Drop your hips back and down while putting your weight on your heels as you perform a squat. Maintain a straight right leg and an uplifted chest. Press down with the left foot, and push up to stand.

Repeat on the right, and drive the left arm forward and right arm back while lifting the right heel to the glutes. Drive the right arm forward and left arm back while lifting the right heel to the glutes. For the next five seconds, maintain the alternating butt kicks to complete one repetition. Try ten sets.

5) Plank Hold to Mountain Climber

This calorie-burner is one of the best endurance-building no-equipment exercises for runners.

Instructions

Start in a high plank position with shoulders over wrists and feet hip-width apart. Maintain the position for ten seconds. Bring the right knee to the chest, and step it back into the plank position.

Step back into the plank position, and bring the left knee to the chest. Repeat this pattern till you have completed ten reps. Perform ten sets of the plank hold and ten of mountain climber.