Transferred from your local gym to a home gym? Don’t worry—you’ve got this covered. There are plenty of ways to keep your body challenged, get stronger, and get leaner. Many people have the notion that home workouts aren’t much more than doing a series of push-ups and bodyweight squats, but that isn’t so.
Obviously, you will be able to do more with your workouts if you do have access to some dumbbells or even a barbell, however, there are still plenty of ways to get fit in the comfort of your own home without them.
Here are five workouts, each designed for a different goal, to get you on your feet and moving. Whichever you choose, make sure you perform a good warm-up before you train and a cool-down afterward.
1. The Beginner’s Total Circuit
This workout has it all—abs, strength training, cardio, and even some agility. If you’re just starting out in fitness and aren’t really looking to specialize, it’s the one for you.
Work your way through the circuit doing the number of reps as indicated. Rest after each exercise for about 15-30 seconds—just long enough to catch your breath. Then carry on.
Over time, you should notice that you’re spending increasingly less time resting. When the work starts to feel too easy, it’s time to move to something more advanced.
You will need your own body, a chair or box, and a set of dumbbells for this workout. Women will want to use 5-10-pound dumbbells, while men will probably want to use 20-25-pounders.
2. Advanced Strength Builder
If you’re a little more advanced and are looking to build up your strength, this workout will do the job nicely. While you probably won’t have a maximum amount of weight available at home, you do have the ability to build up intensity by increasing the total time under tension. You can do that with dropsets, supersets, and timed sets. This workout is full of those techniques.
Work your way through the exercises as indicated. Since the workout includes dropsets, it’s helpful if you can have at least three different sets of dumbbells of descending weights on hand.
3. Fat Incinerator Cardio Booster
If fat loss is the name of your game, this program will work exceptionally well. The key here is to keep your body moving by alternating intense intervals with active periods of rest. So basically, you’re mimicking a high-intensity interval training session done on the treadmill, bike, or elliptical.
Work your way through the exercises as indicated, repeating where necessary. Note that the sets get progressively harder as you go, so if you find yourself sputtering out before you reach the end, that’s OK. Just keep working at it until you can complete the workout in its entirety.
This is a fast-paced session that won’t take very long (20 minutes at most) but will surely push your limits.
4. The 10-Minute Full-Body Energy Booster
If you’re trying to get a complete workout first thing in the morning but don’t have much time, this one is perfect. It’ll rev up your energy and get your metabolic rate going, and you can do it quickly in your living room before you hop into the shower and get ready for work.
You’ll do some cardio and strength moves in this one along with some core activation, so it’s good for those who want better all-around fitness.
5. Core Sculptor
If it’s a core workout you’re looking for, but you still want to get in a full-body workout, this is the perfect choice. You’ll alternate cardio exercises with core movements to get the best of both worlds. By the time you’re through, you’ll feel your abs burning and will know you’ve revved your metabolic engine.
