How to Strength Train with Your Bodyweight at Home
We’re on day 6785436 of lockdown, the gyms are still closed and will most likely remain that way for a little while longer. This has meant us gym bunnies have been forced to get creative at home with our workouts. If you were lucky enough to get your hands on some equipment you may be able to keep up a fairly usual routine with a few adaptations here and there. For those of you that haven't got any equipment or very little you'll need to get even more creative. Training with your bodyweight can be very effective and something we should probably do a little more of anyway. After all, it’s our bodies we move around all day, everyday.
If you're new to training and taking this time to get a stronger and more active this can still be applied to you too. However, you may want to stick with the basics first before trying to increase the intensity too much too soon. Ease your body in slowly, you’ll thank me for it!
I’ve put together a few of my tips to help increase the intensity of your workout using your bodyweight alone. All these principles can of course be applied to training with resistance as well.
Repetitions and Sets
You’ll be used to training in a certain rep range and for a number of sets when in the gym. You’ll likely need to increase your reps and sets to add more volume to your workouts. Instead of 3-4 sets of 8-10, you may need to up it to 4-5 sets of 15-20 reps depending on the exercise. Aim for the last few reps to be more challenging but you’ve still got enough left in the tank for 2-3 more reps. You should then be working to 70-80% of your maximum.
Tempo
This one is super simple. Slow it down! The longer your muscles are under tension the harder they have to work. I’m always telling clients to slow down, even in the gym. For example, tempo squats can be a real burner. Try counting down for 4, pause for 2 and return. You’ll soon know about that one.
Reduce your Rest Time
Now this doesn’t mean turning your strength session into a HIIT session. They are two very different workouts. However, if you’ve been training with low reps using heavy weights your rest time may have been up to a few minutes. Whilst using bodyweight, you’re not going to need as much rest and recovery time in between your sets. The time will depend on the exercise and your usual recovery time but reduce it and see how it feels.
Make it Explosive
In short, jump! Making a squat into a jumping squat or box jump. Jumping lunges or press ups with a clap in are all forms of explosive plyometric movements. These types of movement help to build power in your muscles, working those fast twitch muscle fibres. You’ll likely want to keep your reps relatively low for these and make sure to allow for adequate recovery in between sets. You’ll use a lot more energy for these types of movements.
*Please remember that explosive movements aren’t for everyone. If you have any joint issues, injuries or are new to exercise these aren’t recommended. Build your foundation and strength first before adding these in.
Make it Unilateral
Think single leg squats, step ups, deadlifts, side planks and even single arm press ups (if you’re feeling brave). Now you should be incorporating a bit of single leg and arm work when you’re training at the gym any way so why not do it at home as well. By focusing on one leg or arm at a time you’re shifting your load to one extremity therefore increasing the intensity.
These exercises are also great for runners and cyclists, which I know a lot of us are doing much more of currently. When you run, walk or cycle you’re always powering through one leg at a time, never on both. Training each leg individually helps to balance out any weaknesses we might have and ensure our left and right side are both working optimally.
Use more Muscle Groups
What I mean by this is bang for your buck exercises. Instead of just focusing on one exercise at a time, try adding two together. For example, a forward lunge with a torso rotation. Now you’re not only using all the muscles in your legs but creating more tension through the legs as you hold the lunge position for a rotation. You’ll also be targeting your core. An example for upper body could be a plank walk out to press up.
Bodyweight Exercises to do at Home
The list for bodyweight exercises to do at home is endless but here’s a few of my go to exercises and the variations. I’ve not included any cardio or HIIT bases exercises here as these focus more on strength.
Squats - standard, heels elevated, single leg, jumps
Lunges - static, walking, overhead, reverse, deficit, plyometric
Glute bridges - pulses, isometric holds, marches, single leg
Wall sits
Single leg step ups and deadlifts
Press ups - normal, narrow or wide, eccentric, pike, incline or decline, spiderman, explosive
Plank variations - high, low or side hold, knee/toe/shoulder taps, drags, rotations
Pull ups - wide or narrow grip
Rows - standard or inverted
Back extensions - superman, superman with W, Y or T.
Core exercises - deadbugs, russian twists, planks, bear crawls, sit ups, mountain climbers
Hopefully these will give you some ideas of the types of things you can be doing at home but if you need any help just pop me a message.
I'd also like to mention here that yes it's important to stay active and healthy, however, we're in a pandemic not a bootcamp. Now is not necessarily the time to be trying to hit PB's and make huge changes to your body. Yes I'm a Personal Trainer and completing workouts at home but I'm also resting up and listening to what my body needs. I've slowed my pace to gentle bike rides, walks or stretching on days where I feel that's all I can manage. If you're stressed, tired or feeling a bit 'bluegh', adding a 30 minute HIIT session to your day isn't going to help. It's just going to add more stress to your body. Nourish it, it's the only one you've got. Take this time to enjoy the slower pace and rest a little.