8 Exercises You Can Do Without a Gym (Using Nothing But a Plyo Box)

 

One of the things I really try and stress on 12 Minute Athlete is that you really don’t need much equipment at all in order to get in good shape.

We do a lot of bodyweight-only based workouts here on the site and in the app, and when I do include equipment, I try and make it fairly simple and easily accessible – no fancy machines or overcomplicated pieces of equipment here.

One of my favorite pieces of equipment to use is as simple as it gets: a basic, wooden box.

A wooden box (or it’s rubber platform equivalent) is an all around awesome piece of equipment because it’s virtually indestructible, will last a lifetime, and there’s really an endless amount of ways to use it to improve strength and conditioning.

No access to a box? Don’t worry, just get creative—a high bench of some sort or even some stairs usually works great as a substitute. Just make sure whatever you’re using is really sturdy (so, probably avoid wobbly chairs) especially if you’re jumping on it so you don’t get hurt.

Here are 8 of my favorite exercises you can do using nothing but a sturdy plyo box:

Step ups

 

Good for: Conditioning, leg strength

How to do it: Get in front of a box or a sturdy elevated surface. Step up onto the box with one leg, then bring the other leg up as you straighten both legs. Step back down and repeat on the opposite side, and repeat.

Feel free to add weight to this exercise to increase the challenge—a sandbag, kettlebell, or dumbbells are all great options.

Lateral step overs

 

Good for: Conditioning, coordination, leg strength

How to do it: Stand to the side of a box or elevated surface such as a bench. Step onto the box with one leg, then bring the other leg up so that you’re standing on top of the box. Step down with one leg, then bring the other leg down to the ground. Continue going the other direction, speeding up as you get more comfortable with the movement.

Once again, you can add weight if you want to up the difficulty. Or just try and go really fast!

Burpee step overs

 

Good for: Conditioning, leg strength

How to do it: Stand to the side of a box or elevated surface such as a bench. Do a burpee, then step onto the box with one leg, then bring the other leg up so that you’re standing on top of the box. Step down with one leg, then bring the other leg down to the ground and immediately do another burpee. Continue going the other direction, speeding up so you go as fast as you can.

Elevated push ups

 

Good for: Arm, chest, and core strength

How to do it: Start in a plank position with your feet on a box or elevated surface with your hands on the floor in front of you. Lower down into a push up so that your chest gets close to the floor, then push back up and repeat.

Elevated knee touches

 

Good for: Arm and core strength

How to do it: Start in a plank position with your feet on a box or elevated surface with your hands on the floor in front of you. Tighten your core and push through your shoulders, then bring one knee towards your elbow on the same side. Return your leg towards the starting position and repeat on the other side.

Box jumps

 

Good for: Conditioning, leg strength

How to do it: Stand in front of a box or sturdy raised surface. Jump up onto the box, landing with both feet on top. Jump back down from the box, then immediately jump back up.

Burpee box jumps

 

Good for: Conditioning, leg, arm, and core strength

How to do it: Standing in front of a box, get into a squat position with your hands on the floor in front of you. Kick your feet back into a push up position and lower body to the floor. Return your feet back to the squat position as fast as possible, then immediately stand up and jump up onto the box. Jump back down and repeat.

Bulgarian split squats

 

Good for: Leg strength

How to do it: Stand in a split stance with your leg elevated on a box, bench, or elevated surface. Keep your front foot flat on the ground and lower your body until your knee is close to the ground, then lower back up and repeat. Make sure and switch sides.