Easy no-equipment workouts for tradies

A man jogging through a park


Published March 2025  
Expert contributor Tim Douge, Accredited Exercise Physiologist 
Words by Sabrina Rogers-Anderson


When your job is physically demanding, you might feel like you’re getting all the exercise you need at work. But the truth is you may not be doing enough of the right types of exercise to make sure your health and wellbeing stay on track.

If hitting the gym for an hour after a long day on the tools sounds as appealing as sticking a fork in a power point, you can still improve your health and protect yourself from injury with shorter, no-equipment workouts. Here’s everything you need to know.

Why tradies need a workout routine

“People often assume that tradies are at higher risk of chronic disease due to lifestyle behaviours like smoking or poor diet,” says accredited exercise physiologist Tim Douge. “These factors do contribute, but the nature of the work itself also has a huge impact.”

Tim says the consistent low-intensity activity that tradies often do can create chronic inflammation in the body, which can increase the risk of chronic diseases, including heart disease, diabetes and several types of cancer. 

“Exercising regularly helps bring inflammation back down to normal and reduce that risk,” he adds.

You may also have a greater chance of trade-specific injuries. The good news is that these can be prevented by strengthening certain muscle groups.

“If you kneel a lot or climb up and down ladders, you may get knee pain,” says Tim. “Trades that work overhead a lot, like painters, plasterers and carpenters, get a lot of neck and shoulder injuries. If you carry heavy loads, you’re at risk of lower back pain and injury. So, you need to do exercises that prepare you for the loads you need to be able to tolerate.”

With mental health issues on the rise in Australian men, exercise is also an important tool to help prevent and manage these conditions. 

“Working out gives men an outlet [for their emotions] that can be social as well,” explains Tim.

How important is core strength and stretching?

While stretching isn’t as important as doing cardio and strength training, Tim says it can help reduce stress, increase circulation and maintain connective tissue health.

“Tradies often feel stiff or sore after a workday, so a good stretching session can help relieve some of that,” he explains. “And if that also means they feel more able to do more exercise, that’s the real win.”

Your ideal stretching routine will depend on how you use your body at work, your schedule and your location. Tim says the most important thing is find out what works for you.

A strong core is important for posture and for the work done every day by some tradies, but remember it won’t always protect you from injury, explains Tim. 

“It’s more important for tradies to do specific types of exercise that are relevant for their jobs,” he says. “Deadlifts and squats are good for tradies who have to do a lot of lifting, while those who do a lot of overhead work should strengthen their upper bodies.”

Finding time to work out

Tim recommends tradies try to do some cardio five or six days a week and strength training two or three times a week.

“Regular cardiovascular exercise will help control inflammation, and weight training will maintain the health of the joints and connective tissue,” he explains. “And both will have mental health benefits.”

But how can you be expected to fit in exercise on top of your job and home life? Tim says to take it easy on yourself. While you should aim to reach his guidelines, it’s important to take the demands of your job into consideration. 

“If you’ve had a long day on the tools in the heat, you may not be able to do an hour of intense activity. Just do what you feel capable of,” he adds. 

3 easy no-equipment workouts for busy tradies

Cardio workouts will get your heart pumping, while strengthening the muscle groups that you use at work can help you do your job more efficiently and prevent injury, says Tim.

After some workout options you can do anywhere? Tim suggests the following:

  1. Jogging or walking: “Try to find flat surfaces where you can increase your intensity as you see fit or you could jog up hills for an extra challenge,” he explains. “If you have sore hips or knees, jogging might not be for you. If you choose to walk instead, put some effort into it. You have to get your heart rate going, and walking up hills can be a good option.”
  2. Lower-body exercises: “Squats and wall sits are great for your quads. You should also do some single-sided exercises, like lunges, single-leg glute bridges and lateral lunges, because they’ll give you a different range of motion and change of force through the joints that you probably don't get at work,” explains Tim.  “For all these exercises, try to get the full range of motion, meaning you should do each movement as far as you can comfortably go.”
  3. Upper body: “Pilates-style movements are really good, because they move the spine through its full range of motion. Try side bends and cobra push-ups. And to build strength, do classic push-ups.”

Fitness apps to get you moving

Need a little extra help getting motivated to move? Try one of these fitness apps:

  • Get Active Victoria: Access free workouts – including 10-minute activities guided by professional instructors – to help you add more movement to your day.
  • ecofit: This free app, created by the University of Newcastle, encourages Aussies to improve their muscle strength and fitness. Get pre-designed workouts you can do anywhere, an in-depth exercise log and a workout builder, where you can design your own workouts.
  • Healthy Habits: This app from the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) aims to make overwhelming lifestyle changes feel easy. Sign up to set personalised goals to move or eat better. You can also access an educational resource hub.

Looking after your mental health

Because we’ve been helping hardworking Aussies look after their health for over 135 years, we know everyone’s mental health journey is different. And often finding support can be challenging. That’s why we’re now working on a range of mental health programs to help you, and your loved ones, to get the support you need. 


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