Learn how to build muscle at home with Men’s & Women’s Health-approved exercises for all fitness levels. Pushups aside, I think it’s safe to say we all dislike working out at the gym. Cathy Lee, founder of Goodman’s of Edinburgh, said that “there, people’s senses had a workout even without physical movement”, and I certainly agree with her. With the help of smart devices and gadgets geared toward the self-sufficient need for physical training, it makes total sense to incorporate physical activity in our home. When situated in a room in a house, pants can definitely still be worn; however, there are no busts in these pants. Also, the comforts of working out and training sports are very stimulating.
And of course, let’s be realistic about it: home exercise eliminates the awkwardness of people looking at you whilst you create that funny face that straining tries to finish the last rep. This is the best manual you will find packed with core exercises effective for weight training for both men and women at home, with wit and wisdom, practical advice, and even some pleasantly formatted starter templates. Who’s ready to do just this? Then let’s get to it!
Therefore, why working out at home and developing that conditioned body is possible. Those days when the only way to build muscle was going to the nearest well-equipped gym are over. Even if it is in the living room, backyard or kitchen (you may want to steer clear of the squat rack just by the fridge though unless you want to tempt yourself with snacks halfway through your workout). With the support of these types of exercises, limited equipment and consistency, more than respectable strength can be attained.
Here is the problem why home workouts work.
No time frame: The time taken to travel to a gym is greatly eliminated. So, excuses are out of the equation.
Individual aspects: You do not have to follow a general working plan as in the case of going to the fitness center. Instead, you will develop the program suitable to your physical condition at a given moment.
Discretion: You do not have dismissive eyes of your fellow gym freaks that are watching you doing that new complicated maneuver.
Economical: You do not have to incur overheads on the gym membership fees or expensive equipment.
Putting a little effort, adding the right exercises, and some chuckles to get you past the discouraging workouts just a little, and you shall be on the way to be even stronger than ever. In this article, we are going to look at some of the greatest muscle building exercises to carry out at home.
Push Up: The Quick Fix for A Chest.
When it comes to exercises that do not involve equipment, push-ups dominate the pile. It entails the arms and chest. The shoulders and the core muscles too are not left out; one is able to engage all of them in this single motion. The most appealing fact? There is no shortage of ways to perform this exercise; so, expect a twist and expect a twist now.
How to Do It:
- Stand in a high plank position, your feet apart at shoulder width. Place your palms on the ground.
- Shop between your elbows until when your chest hovers above the ground.
- Return to the first position, and as you do so make sure that your abs remain tight to prevent any flop.
Variations:
Knee Push-Ups: If it is your first time performing push-ups, kneel down with head forward to initiate movement.
Elevated Push-Ups: Become a little advanced and try to place toes of a foot on a higher block like a stool or table.
Diamond Push-Ups: Pushups where the palms are brought closer together to create the feature of a diamond shape to work on the triceps more.
Funny Thought: “At times, just remember that you are shoving the Earth away from yourself. Yes, go you.”
Squats: The Leg Day Essential
At all costs, this rule doesn’t apply when attempting to do muscle workouts at home. Any lover of fitness understands it’s no need to fight for your quads, hamstrings, glutes and core muscles because they are not negotiable. In fact, with squats, any area can be made more perfect.
How to prepare:
- Position your feet in an even manner with your torso.
- Maintain an upright position and fold your hips backwards as if lying against a chair.
- Putting more weight in your heels, stand up again.
Variations:
Bodyweight Squats: This is helpful for the new generation.
Jump Squats: Followed by a thermal jump at the peak and belly squat for completeness.
Pistol Squats: Stand on one foot, and you will get additional work from stability muscles the squat for one additional leg and more difficult the squat.
Squat Progression Table
| Level | Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beginner | Bodyweight Squats | 3 | 12-15 | 30 sec |
| Intermediate | Jump Squats | 4 | 10-12 | 45 sec |
| Advanced | Pistol Squats | 4 | 6-8 | 60 sec |
Funny Thought: “You know you’ve done squats properly if taking an easy dump has the same reward as scaling up the Mt. Everest”.
Planks: The Core Crusher
Planks always look easy but are astonishingly effective exercises for core stabilization. A strong core is necessary for just about all of the other exercises, and planks focus on the midsection and lower back, gluteal muscles, and shoulders, in addition to the abdominal muscles.
How To Do It:
Begin in a forearm plank position, elbows under your shoulders and body straight in line.
Brace your abdominal muscles during these movements and remain in that position for maximum time duration.
Variations:
Side Planks: You can work your obliques and the stabilizers by balancing on one side contraction.
Plank with Arm/Leg Lift: Instead of just bearing weight you can also lift each arm or leg to make it more of a balancing exercise.
High Plank: As in above but instead of leaning on your forearm, place your hands on the ground in a pushup position to engage shoulders more.
Funny Quote: “Incase 60 seconds of plank sounds onerous, do not worry… the alternative is much worse – you sit for a meeting”.
Unilateral Lower Body Builder
Lunges are great in that each leg can be worked out on a unilateral basis, ensuring that muscle is developed evenly. They also work on your balance, which requires yet more of the supportive stabilizer muscles.
How to Do it:
- Step one leg forward and lower your hips down till the knees are bent at an angle of 90 degrees.
- Use your front heel to help you come back to the standing position.
- Change legs in the process and do it again.
Variations:
Lunges in the Walk Style: There will be added difficulty in advance after every step.
Lunges in a Reverse fashion: Instead of forward to lunge step backward and this will be more friendly to your knees.
Lunges With a Jump: Attach a jump lunge after a lunge to add some cardio workout.
Funny thought – “Lunges – Basically wimpiz gallery up the stairs the following day is everyone’s most overblown achievement in history – Mount Everest”.
Pull-Ups: The body’s best friend for the upper body
You girls have it easy – there’s always a lot of chance that there’s a pull-up bar stashed in one of your closets. It is fairly undisputed that pull ups for women are one of the best back, biceps, shoulder builders there are.
How to do it:
- Using an overhand grip, take hold of the bar with your hands shoulder width apart or slightly wider.
- Lift and retract until the chin clear the bar maximally, then reverse the motion.
Variations:
- Chin Ups: For a greater bicep emphasis, take an underhand grip with a fairly wide grip.
- Assisted Pull Ups: If you can’t pull yourself up yet perhaps use a resistance band as an accelerator.
- Wide grips pull ups: Widen your grip to concentrate on your lats more.
Glute Bridges: The Lower Body Shaper
Incorporating glute bridges is indispensable especially if the goal is to maintain a strong and toned posterior chain. The motion specifically affects the gluteal muscles, the hamstring muscles, and the lower back muscles.
How to Do It:
- Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat in the floor.
- Push through your heels to raise your hips toward the ceiling and clench your butt muscles to the maximum right at the top.
- Come back down and do it again.
Variations:
- Single Leg Glute Bridge: Execute the exercise on one leg for unilateral glute activity.
- Elevated Glute Bridge: Keep your feet on an elevated surface to increase the movement range.
- Resistance band Glute Bridge: use a resistance band that is placed surrounding the thighs when doing the movement.
Funny Quote: “Glute bridges: Since all glute bridges cannot pack a punch, this structure is in a ‘slouch’ high on the list of deeply effective LED and display solutions for the most critical applications.”
Burpees: A full body energy shredder and all-in-one exercise.
Whether you hate them or love them, burpees are one of the best full body exercises to build strength and endurance. They use your chest, arms, legs and core—not to mention condition the heart.
How to Do It:
- Stand upright, squat down and put your palms flat on the ground.
- Shift backward into with your legs held in a plank position. After that, try and jump your legs forward, coming to the standing position.
- Regarding this last part, it is possible to jump when coming up to render the movement completed.
Variations:
- Tuck Jump Burpees Tuck Jump: Towards the end of the exercise, use a tuck jump as well for an added stick out.
- Burpee with Push-Up: Do not forget to do an additional push-up at the bottom for advanced upper body work.
Funny Quote: “Burpees: the self-hate exercise. ‘Who needs a Spa Days? My poor knees are telling me otherwise.’”
Dips: Non-IP and Chest Shape-Up
Regardless of if the chair, bassinet or table is on the shore, dips are a great exercise for toning the arms, adding mass to the chest and strengthening shoulders as well.
How to Do It:
- Sit on the edge of the chair with hands placed behind on the backrest and legs outstretched on the floor in front.
- Bend the arms to lower the body and then place it back to the starting position.
Variations:
- Bench Dips: Dips on a bench or chair that adds weight.
- Straight Leg Dips: For added challenge, keep legs straight while performing dips.
- Weighted Dips: Put on weighted backpack during dips exercise for tougher execution.
Comical Thought: “Dips: Every time guilt from binging twists around your neck, you go for a dip into a pool of regret.”
Putting Everything Together: Sample Workout to Increase Muscle Mass
To give you the best benefit of all these uniform exercises, here is a sample workout of the entire body which you can follow at home.
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Push-Ups | 4 | 12-15 | 45 sec |
| Squats | 4 | 15-20 | 45 sec |
| Planks | 3 | 45-60 sec hold | 30 sec |
| Lunges | 3 | 12 per leg | 45 sec |
| Pull-Ups/Rows | 4 | 8-10 | 60 sec |
| Glute Bridges | 4 | 15-20 | 45 sec |
| Burpees | 3 | 10-12 | 60 sec |
| Dips | 3 | 10-12 | 45 sec |
Final Thoughts: Making Exercise at Home Fun
It is not only possible to build muscles at home, but it can also be enjoyable, especially if one or two jokes are introduced to help one forget the soreness. Whether you are nursing your burning shoulders after completing a difficult set of burpees, or hauling through that plank just enough to last a few seconds longer, keep in mind that Rome wasn’t built in a day; practice makes perfect. The best part? You’re doing it all without a crowd of sweaty people at the gym, without worrying about the ‘horrific’ mirrors or without queuing up for the turn to use the apparatus.
So, wear your shoes properly, stay hydrated, warm yourself to the heater, exclude any expectations of outside disturbance and do everything with your favorite songs at home. And if restless people at home prevent you from working out in peace, then think this way: there are no trees where muscles grow, but there are trees that grow in the living room!
Funny Quote to End On: “Working out is like being in a relationship, it takes time determination and hard work. And the reward? Every bit of pain is worth it.”