How To Burn Fat And Build Muscle Without A Gym
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Read time: 4 minutes
The High Performance Journal - July 2nd, 2024
In 2020, the Covid pandemic swept the world, and everything around me closed down, including the gym.
Like most people, my home gym was non-existent. I didn't have anything to workout with and Amazon was backordered due to everyone trying to get equipment.
I wanted to keep myself in shape, but I couldn't use weights or machines to get a workout.
This is where I learned a crucial fitness lesson:
You don't need to have a gym to build and maintain muscle.
Yes, having them is a benefit but, for the most part, you can still make gains by being a little creative.
While we may not have to deal with another pandemic (hopefully), there will be times when we will have to exercise without a gym.
Also, for various reasons, some people don't like going to gyms (or can't afford to due to financial or life circumstances), and I understand.
Again, you don't need a gym membership at a fancy commercial gym to get results.
So, in this article, I will show you how I created a great home workout to keep building muscle and burning fat.
How To Burn Fat And Build Muscle Without A Gym
This article will be broken down into:
- Equipment
- Workouts
- Exercises
Before reading this article, you should know that getting a great workout for your upper body and core without a gym is simple while getting a great workout for your lower body is harder.
Home Gym Equipment
You also have less to work with, making it more challenging to apply progressive overload to your workouts.
When it comes to making gains it comes down to challenging the body.
This is why I would recommend considering adding some unique equipment to your home gym setup:
- Kettlebells
- Pull-up bars
- Gymnastic rings
- A strong table
- Resistance bands
- Plastic water jugs
- Chairs and stools
- Backpacks or duffle bags loaded with weight or water bottles for resistance
- Jump rope for cardio
These will help you build a nice home gym without making a huge investment.
Types of Home Workouts
There are a few different workouts to consider when working out without a gym.
#1 - Muscle Building
These workouts are done in straight sets and focus on training upper and lower body days or full body.
These are optimal for βbuilding muscleβ as they allow ample rest times, improving strength output.
#2 - Circuit Training
These workouts are done in βsupersets, tri-sets, or circuitsβ. They are optimal for time-strapped people because they employ a mix of cardio and strength while taking half the time to complete. This is the type of workout we use in the βLean Body 90 courseβ.
#3 - Skill Development
This is where you are trying to learn a bodyweight skill, such as pistol squats, human flags, or L-sit pull-ups.
This can be done with #1 or even #2, as building up to a bodyweight skill is a form of progressive overload.
List of Exercises for Home Workouts
Upper Body Push Exercises
- βPush-upsβ
- βIncline push-upsβ
- βDeficit push-upsβ
- βBand resisted pushupsβ
- βOne arm pushupsβ
- βGymnastic ring pushupsβ
- βCouch dipsβ
- βCouch dips legs elevatedβ
- βClose grip pushupsβ
- βDecline close-grip pushupsβ
- βPike pressβ
- βHandstand pushupsβ
- βOverhead pressβ (using resistance bands, backpack, or water jugs)
- βOne arm overhead pressβ (using resistance bands, backpack, or water jugs)
- βSide delt raisesβ (using resistance bands, backpack, or water jugs)
Upper Body Pull Exercises
- βPull-upsβ (use bands if too difficult)
- βChin-upsβ (use bands if too difficult)
- βTabletop inverted rowsβ
- βBi-lateral or unilateral rowsβ (using resistance bands, backpack, or water jugs)
- βMotorcycle row with bandsβ
- βBackpack weighted pull-upsβ
- βUpright rowsβ (using bands or water jugs)
- βRear delt fliesβ (using bands or water jugs)
Lower Body Exercises
- Squatβ (using bodyweight, kettlebell, backpack, or water jugs)
- Pistol squatβ
- Step-upsβ (using bodyweight, resistance bands, backpack, or water jugs)
- βLungeβ (using bodyweight, kettlebell, backpack, or water jugs)
- Bulgarian split squatβ (using bodyweight, kettlebell, backpack, or water jugs)
- βLateral lungesβ (using bodyweight, kettlebell, backpack, or water jugs)
- βRomanian deadliftβ (using a kettlebell, backpack, or water jugs)
- βSingle-leg romanian deadliftβ (using bodyweight, kettlebell, backpack, or water jugs)
- βGlute bridgesβ
- βHip thrusts β(using bodyweight, kettlebell, backpack, or water jugs)
- βSingle-leg calf raisesβ (using bodyweight, kettlebell, backpack, or water jugs)
- Towel leg curls
Core
- βLeg raisesβ
- βHanging leg raisesβ
- βDead bugsβ
- βPallof presses using bandsβ
- βPlanksβ
- βSide planksβ
- βMcGill Crunchesβ
- βBird Dogsβ
- βHollow body holdsβ
- βWeighted crunchesβ
- βRussian Twistsβ
- βHuman flagsβ
- βDragon flagsβ
- βL-sitsβ
Outro
When it comes to getting results in the gym you should know that you have options.
The gym is not a prerequisite for getting in shape, and there is a lot you can do using items you already have at home.
Are home workouts perfect? No. But they get the job done.
Remember, if this is your preferred method of working out it's recommended you employ
Onwards and upwards π
- Dan
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