Training from home has a negative reputation as a "lesser" option for exercise or that it pails in comparison to working out at a gym. That couldn't be further from the truth!
In the information to follow, I will explain all you need to know about effective at home training that will not only help you improve your health or lose fat, but will also accompany you in reaching whatever fitness endeavor you have in mind. This style of training is exactly how I have gotten amazing results for myself and my clients all while using the minimum equipment found within the average home gym (links to the exact products you would need found throughout).
Some Important Considerations Before Moving Forward
Training for fat loss, muscle building, and health are all very similar. When it comes down to it, the average person looking for any of these three goals will experience all of these goals being achieved simultaneously if they are training properly, and this can be all be done from the comfort of your home gym (or a gym with limited equipment).
Working out in your home gym is a great option for those who don't feel super comfortable in a large gym or those who are short on time (parents or busy people in general), and as mentioned before, you can achieve all your goals from the comfort of your home. So, without any further discussion let's get into the information you came for, a guide to make all this possible.
Sections
Heading #1: What Equipment Do You Need In Your Gym?
When it comes to exercise equipment, there is no need to get overly complicated or go spending a ton of money. You don't need the newest piece of exercise equipment. You don't need something that takes up tons of space.
In all reality you could get in adequate resistance and cardiovascular training using body weight and bands. With that being said, there are a few pieces of equipment that will add exponential results and enjoyability to your training. Those being:
DUMBBELLS - If you plan to workout solely at home, getting yourself a few sets of dumbbells will add an extreme amount of opportunity to your workouts and will allow you progressively improve your body. If it is within your price range, buy some dumbbells ranging from light weight for isolation exercises such as curls or lateral raises to heavier weight that you can use for lower body, chest, and back exercises. A good set of dumbbells could look like 10lbs, 15lbs, 30lbs, 40lbs, and 50lbs. If you're a stronger individual, adding a heavier set such as 70lbs or 80lbs for high effort lifts could prove useful. Regardless, these dumbbell options will suffice!
(Here are links to my favorite dumbbell sets at reasonable prices - Torque Fitness (shown here), Titan Fitness, Rogue Fitness)
BANDS - As mentioned above, bands are a great option for at home training and training in general. Having a few sets of differing resistance rubber bands can add all kinds of options to your training. Bands are super cheap and can be used for everything from upper body to lower body to core. When it comes to what you should be looking for in your bands, the goal is to have bands of varying resistance, some very light and some quite heavy. You also have the option for bands with handles or bands without handles. This is completely up to you but I prefer bands with hands as it makes it easier to do things such as rows, curls, triceps extensions ,and more. Regardless, this should be a nonnegotiable for your home!
(Here are links to my favorite bands at reasonable prices - Fitness Gear, GoFit Extreme (shown here), Serious Steel)
BENCH - If you want to get the most out our at hoe training it would be much more difficult to do so without the use of a bench. Lacking a bench in your home gym will result in the elimination of some of the most important and fundamental exercises that should be a part of your training (as we will discuss in detail later). My recommendation when it comes to purchasing a bench is to purchase an adjustable bench. This will allow for much more options from an exercise selection standpoint and much more use for the cost in comparison to simply purchasing a flat bench. When shopping for a bench, my only recommendation is that you purchase one with a solid base of support for stability and one that also has a wide enough bench pad for optimal stability on pressing and rowing exercises.
(Here are links to my favorite benches - Rep Fitness Adjustable Bench (shown here), Bowflex Adjustable Bench, Titan Fitness Bench)
OLYMPIC BAR (OPTIONAL) - If you want to have more options for at home training, I recommend getting a weight lifting bar (barbell) with some weights to accompany it. This can add some more fun to your training over time and it also allows for you to capitalize on the foundational exercises you will learn about in the coming information. I would be selling you short if I did not address the fact that this will be a bit more expensive of an investment, but having this piece of equipment will add numerous options to your training catalogue.
The goal with having a barbell is for you to have the availability to overload your body a bit more easily than you would be able to with just dumbbells or bands. The barbell is recommended for more advanced and experienced trainees, but is not off limits to anyone. If you choose to go this route, my recommendation is that you start with minimal weight and buy weight as needed over time. For females, start by purchasing a barbell and 90-120lbs worth of plates to go along with it. For males, start by purchasing a barbell and 135-200lbs worth of plates to go along with it. This should be a good starting place for most.
(Here are links to my favorite barbell plates - Rep Fitness (shown here), Rogue Fitness, Vulcan)
(Here are links to my favorite barbells - Rep Fitness (shown here), Force USA,
OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS (OPTIONAL) - While the above mentioned equipment will be just enough to get all the results you want and need, there are a few other pieces of equipment that would take your home gym to the next level. This equipment will allow for more variability within your training and will also make your training less redundant over the long haul. This is also equipment you could consider purchasing after training for a consistent period rather than right at the onset of your journey. With all that being said, these pieces of equipment will be on the more pricey end of things. These include:
(1) Cable Machine - Purchasing a cable machine for your home gym will add a ton of variability to your training, mainly through the added options to your isolation training (single joints movements such as arm exercises). Here are my top 3 recommendations that are budget friendly -- Rep Fitness Plate Loaded Machine , Merax Cable Staton, Valor Fitness Cable Crossover Machine
(2) Landmine Attachment - A landmine attachment is a small piece of equipment that will add a whole spin to your training. This attachment allows for a ton of added exercise options. Here are the best landmine attachment options -- Rep Fitness Landmine, Yes4All Swivel Platform, EveryStrong Landmine Base
(3) Safety Squat Bar - The safety squat bar is another piece of equipment that isn't necessary for you to make progress, but it is a fun piece of equipment to have as an option. It is great for loading squat and lunge variations without the limitation of grip strength. Here are the bet safety squat bar options -- Titan Fitness Bar, Rep Fitness Bar, Rogue Fitness Bar
Heading #2: What should your at home training look like?
Training at home doesn't have to be complicated, intricate, or perfect. What it does need to be is consistent, intentional, and routined.
This section of the article will speak to all individuals who are just getting started on their health journey, have only been one it for a few years, or those who can't seem to get the results they desire despite years of effort, and are beginning to question if their workouts are the issue. If that sounds like you, I want to point out that the biggest issue most individuals experience in their journey is simply a lack of knowledge around what they actually should be doing to get results. This section is intended to resolve all questions.
In order to make this section concise and full of applicable information I will break things down into three main points:
(1) How To Train To Get Results (effort, type of training, etc)
(2) How To Structure Your Workouts
(3) How To Keep Progressing Long Term
These three points are the main considerations you need to make when it comes to building a solid at home workout and using that workout to actually get results for a long time (a good workout done wrong is pointless). So, with any more discussion, let's get to it!
(1) How To Train To Get Results
Training at home isn't all that different from going to the gym. The primary differences being that you have less equipment options to choose from and you have to create your own environment (meaning, you don't have the normal energy found in a gym). With that being said, the most important thing is that you understand what matters most when it comes to getting results. When having a focus on losing fat, improving health, and feeling better the most important things are as follows:
Train both cardiovascular and strength qualities (do weights & cardio). Being lean, fit, and healthy is not achieved through one lane of training. If you want to optimize fat loss and feel at your very best, your body needs both a strength and cardiovascular stimulus. While health guidelines will provide you with specific time goals for cardiovascular and strength training I like to opt for this recommendation: do both cardiovascular training and strength training 2-3 days per week. If you do this, you will be heading in the right direction. If you are looking for a more specific guidelines, check out this article breakdown (Cardio Vs. Lifting).
You have to train hard, and harder than you may think. What "hard" means exactly is up for debate, but what I can say is that you need to learn to push your body in order for it to actually adapt. This means learning to push close to failure and all the way to failure on occasion, and the less you workout, the more you need to do so. Since this article isn't designed to be a discussion on training effort guidelines, I will refer you over to a T Nation article discussing this topic (Tip: When to Train to Failure, When to Avoid It).
Train with heavy weight. This goes alongside the previous point in regards to training hard, but I want you to understand that you must use weights that push you if you want to truly get results. I don’t care if you are 18 or 81, you should be exercising with weights that make you get uncomfortable, and I don't means weights that may injury you. What I mean by uncomfortable is picking weights you have never done and weights you know are hard for you. Don't overthink things. If you want to make the most of your at home training, train hard with weights that push you.
Pick a routine you can follow through with consistently. When it comes down to what your training should look like from a structure/schedule standpoint, there is not a "right" or wrong routine. With that being said, what I have found works best for my clients and individuals just getting started in the gym is a 3-4 day full body routine. This consist of 3-4 days per week of full body weight and cardio training (concurrent training), with 1-3 days per week of cardiovascular only training. In my opinion, this routine works best for fat loss, health, and the average person because it allows for more flexibility, less stress of missing workouts, or any of the downsides of a body part split routine. More on how to structure your week later.
(2) How To Structure Your Workouts
You may be wondering, “how do I make sure I follow all of these requirements with the few pieces of workout equipment I have at home ?”. Well, the truth is that you need to stick to the foundational exercises listed below and your training needs to be very similar on a week to week basis. You will not change your body if you are choosing poor exercises and on top of that, switching those exercises every single workout will never allow your body to change for the better. The exercises shown below should consist of 70-80% of your training and then the other 20-30% can come from isolation/axillary exercises.
When it comes to actually programming your weekly, monthly, and yearly routine to accommodate these exercises, cardio needs, and other isolation movements we need to take into consideration that you are not an athlete and therefore you don't necessarily need a perfectly structured program with correct reps, sets, and weight percentages. Instead, what you need to lose body fat, stay in shape, and feel good is simply a proper workout structure accompanied with the correct exercises. Remember, the things of most importance are that you workout hard, use both weights and cardio, and that you do that consistently.
Now, with that being said, having a good workout structure is important to progressing over time as well as for covering all guidelines for optimal training. Shown to the left is a workout template for a full body training split routine. This is a great workout structure for anybody who is just getting into training or anybody who simply wants to optimize lifestyle and health. If you want to take things a step further, you could add in 1-2 days of solely cardio exercise in addition to the template shown.
On the other end of the spectrum would be an individual who is more advanced and wants to optimize training/performance over their lifestyle. For that person, this is not the place to expand on how they could go about doing this, but that information is out there.
Heading #3: Recapping Your At Home Training Needs
All things being considered, at home training is an amazing way to achieve your physical and health goals. You don't need a big gym with tons of equipment. You don't need a crazy workout routine. You don't need to workout 7 days per week. All of your goals are possible from the comfort of your home gym if you:
- Train both cardiovascular and strength qualities (do weights & cardio).
- Train hard, and harder than you may think.
- Train with heavy weight.
- Pick a routine you can follow through with consistently.
Alongside doing the four things mentioned above, you need to structure your workouts in a manner that will allow you to get your biggest bang for you buck. The template shown above is an easy way to guarantee that you do just that.
This template can be followed with minimal equipment such as simply having dumbbells and a band and can also be followed with more exercise options such as utilizing a smith machine or a barbell. Regardless of what exercise equipment you have available in your home gym, results can be attained ( links for equipment above ).
Conclusion
Remember this: the results you attain through any means of exercise is relative to the time you put into said efforts. If you want to get results, whether that is in your at home gym or at your local gym, you have to put in the effort and do so for a consistent period of time. Even more so, if you want to sustain those results, you have to be consistent forever, which is the ultimate goal of health and fitness. Lastly, if you want a seamless and easy to follow program for your at home training, make sure to check out my free training ebook. This program will helped you build muscle, burn fat, and simply get results! Download Here - Free Program
By: Jonathan Lutz - ONLINE NUTRITION & FITNESS COACH
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