All You Need Is 20 Minutes For This At-Home Bodyweight Workout

Bodyweight workouts have been my go-to style of training for years, and they can be just as effective (if not more so) than a standard gym routine when it comes to building strength and fitness.

The following home bodyweight workout should take you no more than 20 minutes to complete, and it'll work your entire body with a special focus on legs, glutes, and core. You can do it entirely equipment-free, or get creative and craft your own sandbags by filling up a backpack full of books and other heavy objects (dumbbells or other weights work, too).

How to: Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Sit your hips back, bend your knees, and lower down until your thighs are parallel with the floor (without allowing your knees to jut over your toes). Then jump up explosively, landing with your feet close together. Lower down into a narrow squat, then jump up and land with feet hip-width apart, in a regular squat. That's one rep. Complete 20, alternating between narrow and regular squats.

Jump-free modification: Remove the jump by stepping into each squat instead. 

How to: Start standing with feet hip-width apart. Shift your weight to the right leg, which should be straight with a soft bend in the knee. Drive your right foot back behind you, keeping your leg straight or slightly bent as you hinge from the hip, tipping forward until your torso is parallel to the floor. Be sure to keep your hips squared-off the entire time. Bend your arms and squeeze your shoulder blades back as you bring your hands up toward your chest. Lower your arms, then pull your left leg forward and lift your torso back to standing. That's one rep. Complete all 10 reps on one side before switching sides.

How to: Start from a standing position, with your feet hip-width apart. Take a big step forward, bend your knees, and lower down until both knees are bent at 90-degree angles, and your back knee is a few inches from the floor. Jump up explosively and switch legs so your rear leg is in the front, and front leg is in the rear. Repeat in the opposite direction. That's one rep. Complete 20.

How to: Start by standing with feet hip-distance apart, with toes turned slightly outward. Sit your hips back, bend knees, and lower down until your thighs are parallel with the floor. Press through your heels to return to start. Be sure to keep your core tight, torso upright, and squeeze your glutes on the way up. That's one rep. Complete 15.

How to: Stand with your legs wider than hip-width apart, so you're in a standing straddle position. The longer your legs, the wider you'll need to stand. Lean toward your right leg, bending down as far as possible while keeping your core engaged and chest up. Press through your right heel and glute to return to start. Repeat on the opposite side. That's one rep. Complete 10.

How to: Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet about hip-width apart. Squeeze your glutes as you raise your hips up, until your torso forms a straight line with your thighs. Pause briefly, then lower back down. That's one rep. Complete 10.

How to: Get into a high plank position with your shoulders directly over your hands. Lower down to your forearm on one side, then follow with the other side. Straighten one arm and then the other until you're back in the starting plank position. That's one rep. Complete 10, switching starting arms when you repeat.