With many gyms closed down nowadays and people still yearning to get in their workouts, this has created some difficulty for the fitness world. Many people have given up altogether, but not you! There are a variety of home workouts that can be completed on your own terms.
I’m sure that if you’re reading this article, you’re looking to see the best ways to still put in the work and stay fit/healthy. Good for you! This is already a step in the right direction.
Not everybody has the luxury of owning a home gym. Without the proper equipment, it is easy to assume that you’d be unable to get an effective workout in. This is not true.
There are certainly ways to still get in awesome workouts in the comfort of your own home. No gym, no equipment, and no other weights required!
Home workouts are great for many reasons:
- You could workout on your own terms
- You can take as much or as little time as you want, depending on your schedule
- Not having to worry about others asking you “Hey, are you done with that machine yet?”
- Privacy
- And most importantly, in my opinion, working out at home saves time!
Upper-Body Home Workouts (without weights)
Without further ado, the below are great ways to get in an upper-body workout at home without the use of any weights.
I’d also like to state that, from my experience training without weights, it is best to complete exercises in a circuit. This means back-to-back from one workout to the next, without rest until the circuit is complete. Training this way will keep your heart rate elevated throughout the workout, aiding in higher caloric burn. This will also ensure the workout is completed quickly, saving you valuable time.
Home Workout Exercise #1: Push-Ups
Main muscles worked: Pectoralis Major, Pectoralis Minor, Triceps
As one of the most popular home workouts, push-ups are a favorite! Lower yourself down to the floor and on your knees. Starting with your hands on the floor at shoulder-width placement, raise your butt up in the air until your body is fairly level with the floor.
Lower your body until your chest nearly touches the floor, keeping your elbows pointed at a 45° angle, and explode back up quickly. The tempo should be 3 seconds on the eccentric (downwards) part of the movement, and 1 second on the concentric (upwards) part of the movement. Be sure to contract your chest. Depending on your level of fitness, you should aim to perform as many as you can, but leave 5 or so left in the tank to ensure you remain optimal for the remainder of the workout.
*If you are unable to do regular push-ups, then you can perform them on your knees the same way as you would on your toes. Perform these consistently until you’re able to work yourself up to performing regular push-ups.
Home Workout Exercise #2: Pull-Ups
Main muscles worked: Latissimus dorsi, biceps, rhomboids
One of the overall best exercises to perform, pull-ups are always something that should be incorporated into your routine. They are great for developing strength, size, functionality, and coordination.
Immediately after completing your set of push-ups, start by placing both hands over a bar of some sort, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Get into a dead-hang position, and pull your body up towards the bar, ensuring your chin clears the top. Like push-ups, you should aim to keep your elbows flared out at a 45° angle. Lower your body back down into the dead-hang position, and repeat. The tempo should be 2 seconds on the concentric, and 3 on the eccentric.
For these, aim to leave 2-3 left in the tank after each round of the circuit. The reason is the same as before; to ensure you remain functional throughout the rest of the workouts/circuits.
*If these are too difficult for you, a great way to progress is by starting from the top position of the movement (chin over bar) and lowering yourself slowly back down to the starting position. Start by holding onto the bar, then jump upwards, hold the top position for 3 seconds, and lower yourself back down for another 3 seconds. After practicing this progression method for a few weeks, you should be able to complete regular pull-ups!
(Alternate) Exercise #2: Inverted Rows
If you do not have a bar of some sort available to perform pull-ups on, don’t worry! There are other ways to work your back and biceps at home aside from pull-ups. One of my favorites is inverted rows.
In the below images, I happen to be using a bench press bar, but if you don’t have one, try to get creative! I’ve seen and heard of people using mop handles to perform this exercise. I’m sure you could come up with something!
Start underneath the bar, and position your hands like you would for the pull-up (slightly wider than shoulder-width). With your heels on the floor, pull your body upward until your chest nearly touches the bar, making sure to contract your back muscles. Aim for a 2 second contraction and 3 second negative. Leave 3-5 reps in the tank, and I guarantee you will feel your back and biceps burn!
Home Workout Exercise #3: Pike Push-Ups
Major muscles worked: Anterior deltoid, lateral deltoid, triceps
Without weights at your disposal, the shoulders can definitely be a more difficult muscle to work at home. Fortunately for you, pike push-ups are a great way to build up your shoulders!
This exercise is similar to the push-up, except your butt is pointed up in the air. Your body should be in an “L” formation before descending for your first repetition (see pictures below).
Begin the movement with your hands flat on the ground and shoulder-width apart. Elevate your feet on something such as a table, bench, or bed. With your butt in the air, lower your body toward the ground by bending with your elbows and leading with your head. As your head gets closer to the ground, bend your neck back slightly for an increased range of motion, and push yourself back up into the starting position. Try to keep your elbows flared outwards during this movement. The goal here should be to contract your shoulders as you press upwards.
The tempo here should be 2-3 seconds on the negative portion of the repetition and 1 second on the press. If the movement with elevated legs is too difficult for you, perform this the same way except with your feet on the ground. Aim to leave 2-3 reps left in the tank by the conclusion of this set. Try it out!
Home Workout Exercise #4: Abdominal Crunches
Major muscles worked: Rectus abdominis
The core should never be neglected during an upper-body workout, as it is essential to have a strong core. Having a strong core certainly betters your main compound lifts, as well as helps with posture, balance, and stability. For these reasons, do not forget to train your core!
Luckily, several core workouts can be done anywhere without the use of a gym/equipment. I personally train my core at home all the time due to the amount of time you can save as opposed to training it in a gym. One of the most basic core exercises is abdominal crunches.
Start by laying down on the floor, with your knees bent and heels close to your butt. With your hands placed behind your ears, bring your chest up to your knees, contracting the abs throughout the movement, and lower yourself back down to the starting position. I cannot stress the importance of contracting your abs during this movement!
The best way to do this is by blowing out all the air in your lungs/belly as your contract your abs. This will allow your muscles to more easily contract. The tempo during this movement should be 1 second up, 1-second contraction, and 2 seconds for the eccentric portion. Aim to perform as many reps as you can!
Home Workout Exercise #5: Windshield Wipers
Major muscles worked: Rectus abdominis, external abdominal oblique
While abdominal crunches work the top part of your abs, windshield wipers work the lower and sides of your abs. This exercise is a bit more difficult than crunches—but is another excellent movement that will really help bring in the detail of your core.
Start by laying flat on the ground as if you were preparing to make a snow angel. With your arms extended outwards (as if you are making a “T” pose), bring your legs up off the ground and point them upwards. Now, keeping your core tight and your legs as straight as possible, bring your feet down to the floor on the left side of you, nearly touching the floor, and back to the starting position. Repeat this movement for the right side of your body, keeping in mind to mimic a windshield. This is one repetition.
The goal here should be for you to straighten your legs/hips back up from the bottom by tightening your core, not by lifting your legs consciously! Doing so will engage your abs and ensure you’re working them to the degree this exercise requires you to.
Aim for 10-12 repetitions for this movement, depending on your level of fitness. Besides, at this point during the circuit, I can almost guarantee you will be feeling the burn pretty intensely!
*If this movement is a bit too difficult for you at this point in the workout, you can perform this with your knees bent instead.*
So Now What Do I Do After Completing One Round?
Great job! You completed one round of this circuit. One “round” means that your completed all five aforementioned exercises back-to-back, with no more than 15 seconds of rest in between exercises.
As mentioned earlier, you should aim to complete 3-4 total rounds of this circuit, again depending on your fitness level. Some of you just starting out may only be able to complete 1-2 rounds which is fine! Everybody starts somewhere. On the other hand, some of your more conditioned and experienced athletes may be able to complete four rounds without a problem. In this case, go for another round!
One thing remains certain here—always be sure to push yourself! You don’t have to push to failure every set, but as long as you continue this routine and get more comfortable with the movements, things will come easier to you.
Summary
All the exercises above, regardless of experience level, can be implemented into your weekly workout routine for progression. Again, if you’re just starting off on your fitness journey, push to the extent to which your feel comfortable, and gradually add intensity to each workout.
These are all exercises that can be executed in the comfort of your own home and at your own time and pace. From my experience, when individuals are comfortable and enjoying the workout, they are much more likely to stick to the routine. This will allow you to develop consistency, and consistency is the key ingredient for progress, whether in fitness or any other facet of life.
The key to all of these workouts is progressive overload (i.e. improving every workout). Whether lifting with more weight, repetitions, better form, or completing the workout faster, progress is progress. This is exactly what you should be aiming for, and I can guarantee you will progress effectively and efficiently by following this methodology.
Enjoy reading and learning about fitness? Check out my other posts here!
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