A colleague that I trained a few times recently approached me and confessed that he wasn’t a “weights guy”, and he asked for help on how to work out without a gym. He had to travel often to see family, and he wasn’t willing to commit to a membership at a regular fitness center. Having trained with him, I suspected that he was also intimidated by weights and felt self-conscious using them even when he did have access.
Personally, I love free weights and I get upset if a gym doesn’t have the equipment I want, so this attitude disturbs me a little. However, the guy has a fair point – not everyone wants to go to a gym. Sometimes it’s too crowded, or too expensive, or too far away, or there’s too many bros flexing and taking selfies. I understand. Equipment and facilities should not stand in the way of your health, right? So let’s dive into that.
Bodyweight
I knew a football player who kept himself in great shape by doing purely bodyweight exercises – mainstays being push-ups, pull-ups, air squats and core work. The guy was shredded and explosively fast, so it worked out for him on the field. This is as basic as you can get, and I’d say quite effective depending on your goals. These exercises will be great for building some functional muscle, especially if you're new to lifting. You aren’t going to look like Arnold, but these are great to work into your repertoire even if you’re a regular gym-goer. Make a circuit and create a full-body workout that can be varied many different ways – by tempo, by rest period, by rounds of EMOM (every minute on the minute), by utilizing chairs or couches for inclines and declines…your living room is your oyster.
11 Essential pushup variations
21 Challenging squat variations
At-home Programs
Beach Body has made a fortune with their as-seen-on-TV workout programs, from Insanity to P90X. There’s a wide, wide range of quality with these things though, so I would be very careful with your choices. Think about your goals in a deeper way than the simple “I want to lose weight” adage. Don’t be sucked in just by the “Before and after” photo collages and enthusiastic testimonials from select customers. If you have no workout experience, I would not jump into high-intensity, plyometric-based exercise, for example. Ask someone you trust who’s done the program or get a fitness professional’s opinion before you start. And choose something you are willing to commit to, not just think about doing for the next three months. Here are some of my suggestions, based on research and some personal experience:
Mind Pump MAPS Anywhere: I’ve tried and been impressed with the smart programming that Mind Pump has developed, so I feel reasonably comfortable recommending their at-home program, which requires minimal equipment and is designed to be portable.
Gymnastic Bodies: This program is recommended by the man Tim Ferriss himself, author of the bestseller 4-Hour Workweek and Tools of Titans. Check out their Instagram feed, which is mostly just their regular clients completing great bodyweight feats of strength and mobility utilizing their programming. I don’t have personal experience with their programs, but there are so many “real-life” examples displayed on their page every day that I’m pretty convinced. If you try it, let me know! They just unveiled a monthly subscription program for unlimited access, so I will be trying them myself one of these days.
Down Dog Yoga: I am not much of a yogi, but I am currently attempting to improve my terrible flexibility and mobility using this app. The instructions are crystal clear and super easy to follow, and you can customize your session by experience level, type and time. The free option is great and plenty advanced for me, but there are also advanced sessions that require a subscription.
Minimal Equipment
I have a collection of fitness odds and ends at home, because I like trying out new things and it secretly makes me happy when people come over and say “that’s quite a collection of equipment”, like I’m some workout fanatic. You really don’t need a whole collection to work out at home. If you’re looking for more than just bodyweight, there are plenty of inexpensive things you can get that won’t take up much space. Here’s what I would suggest:
- Iron Gym or similar doorway pull-up bar. This thing is affordable and as long as you’ve got sturdy doorframes, easy to use for pull-ups and chin-ups. You can also place it on the floor and do push-ups and dips as well.
- Resistance bands. These are portable and long-lasting and a great way to challenge yourself without spending a lot. Get a set that comes with a range of resistance levels for different exercises or strength levels.
- Yoga mat. You can use this for a variety of floor-based exercises, not just yoga. I like it just to have some extra cushioning on my hardwood floors sometimes. If you want to do yoga, there are so many applications and online videos you can follow that you don’t even have to pay for a studio (see above on Down Dog).
- Foam roller. See my previous post on the benefits of foam rolling. I would personally recommend one like the Trigger Point roller with a grid pattern.
Get Creative
You do not HAVE to be limited in your workouts at home.
You'd be amazed what you can do with a couple of chairs and a broomstick.
You can use your door and a book to make a stable platform for pull-ups. See this video for this simple set-up.
You can use a backpack for all KINDS of exercises, from just adding weight to it for regular bodyweight-type exercises to using it in place of even cables and dumbbells.
No matter what kind of workout you choose, be consistent and don't feel limited by your access to a commercial gym.