An effective yet simple workout plan for the entire body must achieve two things –

1. Choose exercises that use the maximum muscles of the body for maximum effort and highest calorie burn.
2. Select exercises that use full body functional movements like a squatting or lunging movement, a pulling variation, a pushing variation, a core stability movement and a conditioning movement.

1. AIR SQUAT : The squat is essential to human movement, a proven performance enhancer and a gateway movement to the best exercises in strength and conditioning. No workout plan should be without some squat variation and the simplest and most effective one to perform at home is an Air Squat. Squat also recruits the largest muscles of the body.

Muscles worked : Glutes, quadriceps and core.

Variations : Bulgarian split squat, Split squat, Sumo Squat, Jump squat.

Form tip : Stand with feet shoulder width, toes slightly out and arms extended at the shoulder level. Breathe in and sit back pushing your hips back with bodyweight on the heels and come back up.

2. PUSH UPS : The simplest and most effective pushing movement that involves actually the whole body but primarily the pushing muscles of chest, shoulders and triceps. A push-up requires no equipment and can be easily progressed or regressed to suit the strength and fitness levels of a person.

Muscles worked : Chest, front shoulders, triceps & core

Variations : Elevated push-ups, one handed push-ups, plyometric push-ups, hindu push-ups, dive bomber push-ups.

Form tip : Get down on all fours with hands slightly wider than the shoulders and elbows fully locked out. Lower your chest towards the floor with a minimum fist distance between the floor and chest. Push back up to the elbow lockout position.

3. Inverted rows : Finding a pull up bar is tough at home and also not everyone has the strength to perform a pull up. So we use inverted rows (or bodyweight rows) as a preferred pulling movement. Inverted rows can be done using the edge of a table and they recruit the pulling muscles of upper back and biceps.

Muscles worked : Upper back, biceps and core.

Form tip : Lie down with face up and hands holding the edge of the table, elbows fully extended to start with. Pull your body for full range of motion and lower down again into a starting position.

4. Plank : An important and simple core exercises that develops stability and ability to develop tension throughout the body. Activates the deep inner muscle of the core – ‘Transversus Abdominus (TVA)’ which protects the spine by acting as a brace. Progression is easy by making the base of more unstable.

Muscles worked : TVA and all the muscles of the body contracted isometrically.

Variations : One legged plank, Stability ball plank, Moving planks etc

Form Tip : Hands on the floor (like you are about to do a push up). Ground toes on the floor and squeeze the glutes and core contracted.

5. Burpees :  Probably the most effective conditioning exercise using your full body to get the heart rate up and burn calories. It also brings fluidity of movement and can be progressed and regressed in many ways depending on the fitness levels.

Form tip : Place hands on the ground, throw your legs back to attain a plank position. Bring your legs back in, stand up and jump on the spot. Repeat

CIRCUIT

Air Squats x 20 reps

Push ups x 15 reps

Inverted rows x 10 reps

Plank x 30 seconds

Burpees x 20 reps

Perform all these exercises back to back in form of a circuit with little or no rest.

Repeat the circuit for 5-7 rounds for time.

This will ensure a comprehensive full body workout that improves your cardio and strength at the same time, without any equipment.