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Fitness coach 'proves you don't need a gym to build a killer body'; shares 5 simple exercises you can do whenever

Published on: Feb 28, 2026, 17:17:32 IST
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Standing exercises deliver results that help you on the journey of dream summer bod. (Picture credit: Instagram)
Standing exercises deliver results that help you on the journey of dream summer bod. (Picture credit: Instagram)

If you frequently prefer to do home workouts, check out these standing exercises which target multiple muscle groups, from core to shoulder. 

With winter wearing off and the days getting longer, you are eternally on the fence about whether to ditch that extra layer or carry it with you. That's when you know summer is around the corner. And with summer approaching, everyone starts craving their dream body.

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Winter may have been a bit of asetback, with us huddled in heavy blankets and loading up on extra calories to beat the chill, but it is time to get back on track. As the weather warms up and the layers come off, it is the perfect moment to shake off the sluggishness, reset your routine and start moving again.

But the path to achieving that desired summer body does not mean investing in a big-time gym subscription and beelining to the gym every day. While that is one way, it is not the only way. Because of time constraints or other reasons, many people cannot always make it to the gym, but that does not mean you won't exercise and go casual with your toned-body dreams.

Fitness coach Melissa Wood took to Instagram to share a set of home workouts in her January 19 post, where she demonstrated a series of standing exercises, demonstrating with her toned figure, 'proof you don't need a gym to build a killer body.'


What is standing exercise?

Standing workouts are exercises that do not require you to lie down, sit or kneel. Instead, what do you do? You stay upright while moving your legs and arms, keeping your core engaged in the routine.

She explained why standing workouts work, “Standing workouts burn from head to toe, whenever, wherever. It’s the perfect way to get a workout in, rain or shine.”

These workouts are convenient because they can be done indoors when it is raining, outdoors when it's sunny or even in a small corner at home.

5 standing exercises

The trainer recommended five standing exercises that can deliver results. Often, one wonders whether home workouts can prove to be as effective as gym sessions. However, when done with proper form, consistency, and intensity, they can be just as productive! Even while standing, you can engage multiple muscle groups and stay in form.

Here are the exercises:

  • Standing twists: Holding a weight, you rotate your torso from side to side, moving your upper body in a semicircular motion.
  • Single leg lift with chest fly: Standing on one leg, lift the opposite leg while opening and closing your arms
  • Standing reaches: Stretch your arms and move them horizontally acorss body.
  • Standing woodchop: Diagonally move your arms, holding a weight.
  • Leg lift with side crunch: Raise one leg to the side while crunching torso towards it.

Note to readers: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them. This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice.

  • Adrija Dey
    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Adrija Dey

    Adrija Dey’s proclivity for observation fuels her storytelling instinct. As a lifestyle journalist, she crafts compelling, relatable narratives across diverse touchpoints of the human experience, including wellness, mental health, relationships, interior design, home decor, food, travel, and fashion that gently nudge readers toward living a little better. For her, stories exist in flesh and bones, carried by human vessels and shaped through everyday endeavours. It is the small stories we live and share that make us human. After all, humans and their lores are the most natural and raw repositories of stories, and uncovering them, for her, is akin to peeling an orange under a winter afternoon sun. Always up for a chat, she believes the best stories come from unfiltered yapping, where "too much information" is kind of the point. A graduate of Indraprastha College for Women, University of Delhi, and an alumna of the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), Delhi, Adrija spends her idle hours cocooned with herbal tea and a gripping thriller, scribbling inner monologues she loosely calls poetic pieces, often with her succulents in attendance. On lazier days, she can be found binge-watching, for the nth time, one from her comfort-show holy trinity: The Office (US), Brooklyn Nine-Nine, or Modern Family. Dancing by herself to her peppy playlists, however, is an everyday ritual she swears by religiously.Read More

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