Sometimes the biggest barrier to exercising is time. One solution to that dilemma: Exercise at home. You don’t need a lot of fancy exercise equipment to get a good workout. You just need a wall.

WellTuned spoke with Aubrey Schmissrauter, an employee wellbeing specialist at BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee, to learn more about putting your walls to work for your body.

“You don’t have to spend a lot of money on equipment or even join a gym to build strength,” says Aubrey. “Give the wall workout a try.”

All you need is a wall 

Aubrey Schmissrauter: Why try using a wall to exercise? It accomplishes several goals:

It removes barriers to exercise. Going to the gym takes time. It takes planning, commitment and follow-through. It can also be intimidating. Finding exercises that you can do at home removes those barriers. This makes exercise more accessible to everyone, anytime, anywhere.

It can help you build strength. Strength training should be a key component of everyone’s exercise routine. First, muscle burns calories more efficiently than fat, which can help you lose weight or maintain a healthy weight. Strength training can also help you maintain muscle mass and keep bones strong and healthy, which reduces the risk of injury.

It saves money. If you don’t want to invest in special equipment or commit to a gym membership but still want to exercise, the wall workout may be for you. In fact, exercises that don’t require special equipment are often more beginner friendly.

Try these exercises using a wall 

Aubrey Schmissrauter: Here are some wall exercises that you can try. But always check with your doctor before starting a new exercise program.

1. Wall push-up. Stand facing a wall and place your palms on the wall, with your arms straight in front of you. Slowly walk your feet back away from the wall, until your body is diagonal. Then bend your arms and lean in toward the wall. Hold briefly, then push away. Repeat.
2. Wall sit. Stand with your back against a wall, with your feet shoulder-width apart. Slowly slide down the wall until your legs are bent at a 90-degree angle. (It will look like sitting in an invisible chair.) Start by holding the squat for about 20-30 seconds. Later, you can work your way up to longer wall
3. Wall sit with dynamic abduction. Once you’re comfortable with wall sitting, try this variation. Get into the wall sitting position and then move both thighs slowly outward and then back in. Repeat. (For an extra boost, you could try using a resistance band around your legs.)
4. Wall glute bridge. Place a mat on the floor and lie down on your back, with your feet flat against the wall and your knees bent. Slowly lift your hips off the floor, while keeping your feet pressed against the wall. Hold for a few seconds, then lower your hips to the floor. Repeat.
5. Wall leg lift. Stand next to the wall and use one hand for support. Lift your outside leg as high as you can to the side, then slowly lower. Don’t rotate your hip while you lift your leg and lower it. Try to do 12 repetitions for each leg.

When doing these exercises — or any other exercise — be mindful of your body position. If the exercise causes any pain, stop and reassess your body position before trying it again.

WellTuned: 8 ways to boost strength without a gym

“Over time, you will begin to build strength and confidence,” Aubrey says. “Before you know it, you’ll be ready to try other wall exercises, do more sets or incorporate hand weights or resistance bands into your workout.”

More from Aubrey Schmissrauter on WellTuned

Get more information about specific health terms, topics and conditions to better manage your health on bcbst.com. BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee members can access wellness-related discounts on fitness products, gym memberships, healthy eating and more through Blue365®. BCBST members can also find tools and resources to help improve health and well-being by logging into BlueAccess and going to the Managing Your Health tab.