21-Day Easy Bodyweight Challenge (Tone and Strengthen)

Looking for an easy workout plan to kickstart your fitness goals? Use this quick and effective 21-day fitness challenge to tone and strengthen your body.

While it’s easy to set goals for getting into shape, it’s a lot harder to figure out how to get there. A solid plan is essential to keeping you on track, and this fitness challenge can help you get there.

To get started, all you need is an exercise mat. Since these are bodyweight exercises, you won’t need any fancy weights or fitness tools. You can do these workouts in the morning, during a lunch break, or when you get home from work in the evening. That means no excuses for skipping your workout – unless, of course, it’s a rest day!

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You’ll start each day with the same quick, three-minute warm up. Then, you’ll vary up the exercises depending on the day. See the schedule below for your daily circuit and target amount of reps.

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3-Minute Warm-Up

Arm Circles | 30 sec

This dynamic warmup will loosen up your shoulders and arms, and get your blood pumping.

1. Start standing up with your feet hip-width distance apart and engage your abs.
2. Circle your arms forward and up, and then back and down to complete the circle.
3. Continue making circles for 15 seconds, then switch directions.

Standing Twist | 30 sec

Gentle twisting warms up the spine and core.

1. Stand with your feet hip-width distance apart.
2. Lift your arms level with your shoulders and bend the elbows to 90-degree angles.
3. Take an inhale, then exhale to twist your torso to the right. Inhale back to center, then exhale to twist left.
4. Continue twisting side-to-side for 30 seconds.

Leg Swings | 30 sec per side

Use a wall to support yourself in this stretch, which opens up the hips, hamstrings, and core.

1. Place your left hand on a wall and rest your right hand on your hip.
2. Shift your weight into your left foot. Engage your abs and lift your right foot off the ground.
3. Inhale to swing your right leg forward, then exhale to swing it backward. Squeeze your glutes.
4. Continue swinging your leg for 30 seconds, then switch sides.

Butt Kicks | 1 min

Get your heart pumping as you warm up the shoulders, back, hips, and quads.

1. Stand with your feet wide and your arms down by your sides, palms facing forward.
2. Inhale, then exhale as you shift your weight into your left foot and kick your right heel up to your butt. At the same time, cross your right arm over your left.
3. Inhale back to the starting position, then exhale to switch sides.
4. Continue stepping side-to-side for one minute.

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Bodyweight Exercises

Squats

Classic squats work to strengthen your thighs, booty, and core.

1. Stand with your feet slightly wider than hip-width distance apart. Clasp your hands in front of your chest and engage your abs.
2. Inhale as you sit your hips back and down to come into a squat. Keep your shoulders back and your weight in your heels.
3. Exhale to stand back up. Squeeze your glutes at the top.
4. Repeat for the set amount of reps.

Single Leg Deadlifts

This exercise strengthens your hamstrings, glutes, and core.

1. Place your right hand on your hip. Point your left toes back behind you and relax your left arm. Squeeze your shoulder blades together and engage your abs.
2. Slightly bend your right knee. Then inhale to lift your left foot up and back as you lower your chest towards the ground. Reach your left hand towards your right knee.
3. Exhale to lower back to the starting position. Repeat for the set amount of reps, then switch sides.

Modified Pushups

This is one of the best bodyweight exercises for strengthening your chest and toning your shoulders and triceps.

1. Start in a plank position on your knees, with your hands out wider than shoulder-width distance. Keep a straight line from your shoulders to your knees.
2. Inhale to lower your chest towards the ground.
3. Exhale as you press the ground away and return to the starting position.
4. Repeat for the set amount of reps.

Note: If this feels too easy, do a full pushup with your knees off the ground.

Bird Dog

This core exercise improves stability in the abs, lower back, glutes, hamstrings, and arms.

1. Start in a tabletop position. Spread your fingers wide and engage your abs.
2. Inhale to reach your right arm straight forward and your left leg straight back. Balance here for a moment, then exhale to place them back down.
3. Switch sides. Continue alternating side-to-side for the set amount of reps.

Superman Squeeze

Reverse poor posture with this exercise that strengthens the spinal muscles.

1. Lie face down on the mat with the back of your neck long. Bend your elbows to 90-degree angles.
2. Inhale to lift your head, chest, arms, and legs off the ground. Squeeze your shoulder blades together and pause for a moment at the top.
3. Exhale to release back down. Repeat for the set amount of reps.

Forearm Plank

This isometric exercise strengthens your deep abdominal muscles.

1. Start in a tabletop position on your hands and knees.
2. Lower down to your forearms and step your feet back to come into your plank position.
3. Engage your abs and thigh muscles, and press down with your forearms so that your upper back puffs up a little bit. Hold for the set amount of time.

Tip: If your lower back strains in this position, take your knees down to a modified plank.

Forearm Side Plank

Bring your side plank to the next level with this balancing pose that tones your obliques.

1. Lie on your right side with your legs stacked and your feet flexed. Prop yourself up on your right forearm and stack your shoulder above the elbow. Place your left hand on your left hip.
2. Press into your right forearm to lift your hip off the ground. Engage your abs and thighs.
3. Hold for the set amount of time, then switch sides.

Bicycles

Twisting in this exercise helps improve mobility while sculpting your abs.

1. Lie on your back with your knees bent and your hands interlaced behind your head. Lift your legs up off the mat.
2. Inhale to lift your head and shoulders off the ground. Keep your elbows wide and exhale to twist to the right, reaching your left elbow towards your right thigh.
3. Inhale to come back to center and exhale to twist to the left.
4. Continue alternating side-to-side for the set amount of time.

Climber Push Ups

This funky plank variation will make your shoulder muscles pop!

1. Begin in a modified forearm plank with your knees on the ground. Engage your abs.
2. Inhale to come up to a high plank. Leading with the right arm, set your palms directly under your shoulders.
3. Exhale to lower back down to your forearms, leading with the right arm. Continue pressing up and down for the set amount of reps, leading with the right arm.
4. End in your modified forearm plank, then switch sides leading with your left arm.
5. Repeat for the set amount of reps.

Leg Raises

This core exercise targets the lower abdominals.

1. Lie on your back with your arms down long, palms facing down.
2. Lift your legs straight up to the ceiling and engage your abs.
3. Inhale as you lower your legs halfway to the ground, then exhale to lift your legs back up.
4. Repeat for the set amount of reps.

Tip: If you feel a strain in your lower back, don’t lower your legs as much.

Bridge

This simple core exercise strengthens the lower back, glutes, and hamstrings.

1. Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet hip-width distance apart. Rest your arms down alongside your body with your palms facing down.
2. Inhale to engage your abs and lift your hips up towards the sky.
3. Exhale to slowly lower down one vertebrae at a time.
4. Repeat for the set amount of reps.

Burpee Step-Backs

Put your body into a calorie-burning cardio blast with this total body strengthening exercise.

1. Start standing with your feet hip-width distance apart and your abs engaged.
2. Bend your knees and place your palms down on the mat.
3. Step your right foot back and then your left to come into a high plank position.
4. Then, step your right foot forward and your left foot forward.
5. Stand all the way up and squeeze your glutes.
6. Repeat for the set amount of reps on this side, then switch sides.

(Your Next Workout: The 30-Day Push-Up Challenge)