So, you’re looking to get in shape? Fantastic! The first step to any goal is simply acknowledging what you want.
Yet, now you’ve said you want to change how you look and feel, you’re slowly realising you don’t have the time…or the money…or possibly even access to a gym.
Some of the reasons for working out at home might not even be due to circumstance; you might just not enjoy commercial gyms. The loud environment, everyone grunting and groaning, and gym owners constantly trying to push new memberships or products in your face.
This means one thing and one thing only: the universe just doesn’t want you to get fit. It wants you to sit on the couch and eat ice cream, watching re-runs of your favourite show in an old pair of jogging bottoms.
Actually, that’s not quite the case. Whether you have equipment or not, here are loads of ways you can burn fat and build muscle from the comfort of your own home. You don’t need to buy a special celebrities DVD that has you doing 6 hours of ab work a week, nor do you need to invest a ridiculous amount of money creating a home gym. Your home contains a variety of items you otherwise wouldn’t have associated with health and fitness. Not to mention, your body is the most versatile piece of exercise equipment in the world. Commercial gyms are understandably not for everyone, but that doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice your health.
Below you will find two workouts. The first will be completely equipment free, based off your own bodyweight and objects you’d commonly find around the house (chair, wall, etc.). The second will be a workout centred around minimal equipment. If you’re going to make training at home a regular part of your lifestyle, then there are certain items which can make exercise a lot easier and more effective. It doesn’t mean you can’t get a good workout in without any equipment at all, it’ll just be harder to keep progressing. The recommended pieces of equipment by Coast2Coast are:
- A pull-up bar: you can get a full one on a stand to put in your garage or simply get one that wedges into a door frame that you can put up and take down as and when needed.
- Kettlebells: kettlebells allow you to do almost any exercise you can do with a dumbbell or barbell. Cleans, snatches, swings, curls, shoulder presses, flyes – the list is endless. Keeping a range of kettlebells, such as an 8kg, 16kg, and 20kg, will allow you to complete a wide range of exercises to challenge your entire body.
- Bands: bands can wrap around your body and a static item to offer a diverse option of exercise. You can alter the resistance based upon the band you buy and also the degree of stretch you place in the band itself.
- Dip bars: not just for building up the shoulders, chest, and arms, you can use dip bars to train your abs, too.
Each of these allows for you to train multiple parts of your body at once, making them extremely cost-effective. The list is in order of importance, but you may already know which you like and which you don’t. It will also depend on the space you have in your house alongside your budget. Pull-up bars and bands tend to be relatively cheap (sub £10) whereas kettlebells and dip bars will be above £20. Though, as I’ve said, if this is a long-term solution, then the investment is definitely worth the reward.
Both of these workouts are based upon an exercise regime called ‘HIIT’ or High Intensity Interval Training. Essentially, HIIT involves periods of high intensity to challenge your body’s cardiovascular and muscular systems, followed by periods of low intensity to allow you to rest and recover. Combining these together means that you can build muscle, lose fat, and improve your cardiovascular health in half the time you would doing standard cardio! For each 20 minute HIIT session, you’d have to spend around 40-50 minutes jogging on a treadmill. Not too bad, right? This makes it perfect for when you’re in a tight squeeze for time but still want to get in a good workout. Not to mention, HIIT doesn’t require any equipment whatsoever so wherever you are, be it your living room or a hotel bedroom, you can get your muscles aching and heart racing. It’s also far more interesting than just pounding the pavement, putting your whole body to the test.
Equipment-Free Home Bodyweight Workout
The exercise periods should last 30 seconds and the rest periods should last for 10 seconds. Make sure to take complete a 5-minute warm-up and cool-down either side of the workout consisting of a light jog and active stretches.
If you can’t complete a full push-up, then do them on your knees. If you still can’t do a push-up, then do them leaning against a wall.
Full Body shorter routine:
- Air Squats
- Standing Rest
- Push-Ups
- Standing Rest
- Burpees
- Standing Rest
- Mountain climbers
- Standing Rest
Repeat x 5 (Total time – 13 minutes)
Full body longer workout separated into lower and upper:
- Air Squats
- Standing Rest
- Chair/Couch Step-ups
- Standing Rest
- Reverse Lunges
- Standing Rest
- Mountain Climbers
- Standing Rest
Repeat x 3 and then immediately move on to:
- Push-Ups
- Standing Rest
- Plank
- Standing Rest
- Chair dips
- Standing Rest
- Bear crawls
- Standing Rest
Repeat x 3 and then rest. (Total time – 16 minutes)
Equipment-Based Home Workout
Full body shorter routine:
- Kettlebell Squat x 10
- Light jog on the spot
- Burpees x 10
- Light jog on the spot
- Banded side walks x 10 (each side)
- Light jog on the spot
- Hanging knee/leg raises x 20
- Light jog on the spot
Repeat x 5 (Total time – 13 minutes)
Full body longer workout separated into lower and upper:
- Kettlebell squats x 10
- Standing Rest x 20 seconds
- Kettlebell swings x 15
- Standing Rest x 20 seconds
- Bicycle crunches x 15 (each side)
- Standing Rest
- Kettlebell hip thrusts
- Standing Rest
Repeat x 3 and then immediately move on to:
- Kettlebell Squat Press x 10
- Standing Rest x 20 seconds
- Kettlebell floor press x 10
- Standing Rest
- Bear crawls
- Standing Rest
- Hanging knee/leg raises
- Standing Rest
Repeat x 3 and then rest. (Total time – 16 minutes)
…
Once you get into the groove with HIIT you can start to develop your own workouts based upon your goals and preferences. Feel free to alter the times of each period as well how many exercises you do and what exercises you do.
You can always use the gym as and when you need it. For instance, if you want to learn a new exercise to try at home, then you could get one personal training session to get them to show you how to do them correctly. As well as this, if you don’t have time to go to the gym as much as you want to but still enjoy it, then use these workouts when you’re a little bit pushed for time. The best thing about these workouts is that they can be completed anywhere at any time, so they’re easy to fit in with your schedule.
If you don’t have the money for equipment but like the idea of the workouts, then look at what you can find around the house to use instead. Things like milk jugs you can use for rows, or filling up a backpack with heavy items to use as a kettlebell or simply to make the bodyweight exercises even harder. You don’t need a gym to get in shape, you just need your body and a healthy dose of determination. Anything can be achieved once you put your mind to it.
Find out about all of my previous clients as well as more information on my online and local personal training services. Or book a free consultation
