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• The Ultimate 6-Week Home Workout

Building a great physique at home is as easy as investing in dumbbells and a bench.

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Intermediate

• Strength Training

Are you so short on time that commuting 20 plus minutes to the gym keeps you from getting your workouts in? Or maybe you’ve got a different reason where you want to train at home. Either way, it’s why this program has a three-day training split, requiring only the bare necessities: a set of dumbbells and a bench. 

The first two weeks of the routine will have you focusing on strength , maintaining your reps in the 6-8 range. You’ll then slowly increase your rep range to 12 by week five and six to trigger hypertrophy . Within each workout, you’ll want to keep your rest periods between 90 seconds and two minutes during weeks one and two. As for the remaining weeks, rest periods will drop down to one minute.  

A few of the exercises in this routine are great substitutes for the ones rarely seen outside the gym. No lat pulldown at home? No problem, straight-arm lat pulls will do the job. And if you don’t have a seated calf raise machine lying around the living room, we’ve got you covered with the dumbbell version. 

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• Workout Plan

23 best home workouts + 9 virtual fitness platforms to join now

From live streams to on-demand, longer plans and YouTube videos, you'll be spoilt for choice.

Now, home workouts range from HIIT to low-impact, yoga , strength training , Barre , boxing , boot camps and Pilates home workouts , but if you're still sceptical about whether home workouts and the best home exercises are actually effective, perhaps it's time to take a little look at your exercise motivations .

Are home workouts effective?

There's no reason your at-home workout should be any less effective than a gym sesh. Any workout, when done with purpose and intensity can be beneficial, even when you're working without any home gym equipment. The key is to give it your all, committing to the session and keeping it up. As ever, consistency is essential.

You might even find it easier to keep up a routine, without the hassle of commuting to your gym or studio.

Something to keep in mind when working out from home is form. One of the downsides to BTS exercising is that you can get into bad habits without the beady eyes of trainers watching your every move, upping the chance of injury over time.

Can you lose weight with at-home workouts?

Again, they have the potential to be as effective as any others. If done properly, they will build muscle, burn fat and improve fitness (but not if you keep stopping to check your WhatsApp, soz!).

Is 30 minutes of working out a day enough?

Research shows 30 minutes of moderate intensity physical exercise — that's heart rate up, sweat awn — a day keeps the body in good working order. Of course, if you feel like doing more...

Should a beginner work out everyday?

It's best to start slow, experts advise. If you're at the start of your fitness journey, Googling: exercise for beginners , aim for 30-40 minutes, 1-2 days a week and build from there — 2-3 days, 3-4 days and so on. This gives your body time to recover and get stronger, as well as making sure you don't get exercise fatigue.

Remember, the best workout is the one you do. If you're struggling, take your expectations down a notch and try to do a shorter workout at maximum effort. From online studios (keep scrolling for 9 of the best) to training plans to YouTube workout videos, this is where to access the best home workouts, all you need to do is scroll on.

If you're looking for cardio home workouts , bodyweight workouts , kettlebell workouts , or HIIT workouts at home , we've got you covered. Or, if you're just getting going, learning the best exercises for beginners might be the place to start, instead.

23 best YouTube home workouts to try

On the days when impulse strikes and you need to stream a workout before your motivation dissipates, there's YouTube .

• Best 25-minute home workout

Trainer: FIIT trainers Gede and Adrienne

Best for: Short on space, but big on full-body sweat sessions? This workout is for you.

Duration: 25 minutes

Equipment: Yoga/exercise mat

2. Best speedy ab circuit home workout

Trainer : Brittne Babe

Best for: Work your core double-quick with this mega-speedy challenge from Brittne. Tag it on to the end of a workout or repeat for extra burn. Player's choice!

Duration: 3 minutes

Equipment : A chair

3. Best low-impact cardio class

Trainer : Talilla Henchoz

Best for: A speedy sweat that doesn't include any jumping to keep your joints (and neighbours) happy.

Duration: 15 minutes

Equipment : Exercise mat

4. Best quick at-home workout

Trainer: Kayla Itsines

Best for: If you're short on time, this fast and intense leg day session will target your lower body while also giving you an energy boost.

Duration: 7 minutes

Equipment: Yoga mat

5. Best beginner home workout

Trainer: Team Body Project

Best for: A full-body workout that strengthens muscles and improves form for *actual* beginner. No crazy combos or unachievable moves here.

Duration: 30 minutes

Equipment: Yoga mat, 2 light hand weights optional

6. Best upper body strength home workout

Trainer: Sophie Butler

Best for: Sophie Butler will show you how to hit all the muscles in your upper body in a focused dumbbell session, she'll also show wheelchair users how to adapt their training.

Duration: 45 minutes

Equipment: Pair of dumbbells

7. Best bum workout at home

Trainer: The BKBooty Fitness

Best for: A simple, no-equipment routine that works your lower body to build bigger, stronger glutes.

Duration: 10 minutes

Equipment: None

8. Best cardio and core home workout

Trainer: Gauri Chopra

Best for: Beginner HIIT calss

Duration: 20 minutes

9. Best boxing home workout

Trainer: Natalie Jill Fitness

Best for: OK, so it's not traditional boxing exactly, but give this a go if you want to build up your arm strength in order to throw some serious punches. And it'll be done in no time.

Duration: 6 minutes

10. Best functional fitness home workout

Trainer: Michelle Griffith-Robinson and Matthew Robinson

Best for: Learning the basics of functional training, helping you perfect your form and get functionally fit.

Equipment: Sturdy chair

11. Best yoga home workout for neck and shoulder pain

Trainer: Ania Tippkemper

Duration: 40 minutes

Best for: People with niggly shoulders and backs from hunching over desks and working from home

12. Best full-body Barre class

Trainer: Britany Williams

Best for: If you want a low-impact, full-body sculpting class

Equipment: Yoga mat, light dumbbells

13. Best standing core and cardio workout

Trainer: Koboko Fitness a.k.a. Kola Olaosebikan

Best for: This standing workout is perfect for anyone who likes to workout without coming down to the mat. We see you, overachievers! Burn fat with high-intensity work intervals and shorter breaks to recover. As Kola says, make sure to warm up first!

Duration: 11 minutes

Equipment: No equipment

14. Best home workout to build muscle

Trainer: BodyFit by Amy

Best for: While many home workouts focus on cardio this one proves you don't need to head to the weights section to build muscle .

Equipment: Dumbbells, yoga mat

15. Best home workout for abs

Trainer: Livestrong Woman

Best for: This super-speedy core workout will give you a tummy of steel in no time. Crunchy stuff.

16. Best at home back workout

Best for: This standing workout back workout targets all the muscles you can't see but form a key part of strengthening your core and upper body. The moves come in quick succession so make sure to watch Kola. As always, go at your own pace to make sure you're performing the moves with the correct form.

17. Best 30-minute workout at home

Trainer: HASfit

Best for: Tick those cardio boxes with a routine that requires absolutely no equipment. Oh, and it actually works your whole body rather than just your legs and glutes. Sorted.

Equipment: None, add dumbbells for extra resistance

18. Best 10-minute workout at home

Trainer: Joe Wicks

Best for: The Body Coach's short - but effective - workout can be done while the BBQ is grilling. Ready? Set? Tuck jump.

19. Best cardio sculpt home workout

Trainer: Tiffany Rothe

Best for: This is a challenging workout that Tiffany does live with you – demonstrating the cardio moves that'll help you burn fat and torch cals. Try to keep up as best you can but if you're struggling, take a beat out before tagging back in. Also – water is a must! Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate, people!

Duration: 49 minutes

20. Best HIIT home workout

Trainer: Heather Robertson

Best for: Try this routine for a high-intensity session that'll build up an appetite for the ice cream van. That's what summer is for, right?

21. Best CrossFit home workout

Trainer: Carly Rowena

Best for: If you fancy giving CrossFit a go (and read Laura 'Biceps' Hoggin's story to convince you that you should), this is an excellent introduction to the fundamentals of the popular form of strength training.

Equipment: Box, plate, kettlebell and barbell

22. Best full body workout at home

Trainer: Shona Vertue

Best for: If you're looking for a half-an-hour challenge, the Aussie yogi-PT will help you target those glutes , arms and abs. She also talks you through a drill that will help you master a handstand once and for all. Om yes.

Duration: 35 minutes

23. Best dumbbell workout at home

Best for: The Body Coach promises you can burn fat and build muscle in this half-an-hour sweat session.

9 best home workouts from studios & gyms

We've rounded up all the studios you love, keeping the good endorphins going from wherever you're located.

Fly Ldn offers a range of classes from Yoga to Barre and Pilates, as well as sweatier sessions, via an entire online portal , for just £9.99 a month (after a free 7-day trial!). Our suggestion? Anything from Chiara Becuti (former Head of Pilates and Barre). Her warm, no-nonsense attitude means you won't skip a single rep. Trust us – former WH writer Morgan Fargo swears by Becuti's 'quickie' sessions (12 – 18 minute classes focusing on glutes, core and thighs).

2. Body by Ciara

One of the true heroes of 2020/2021 lockdowns, 'Ciara London' as she's affectionately known has been keeping swathes of exercisers fit from home. For £17.99/month, her accessible workouts feature banging music and a proper 'we can do it' energy. Whether you're looking for killer live workouts, on-demand or nutrition plans, Ciara delivers. Plus, you'll gain access to her online squad which is basically what motivational dreams are made of, no?

GO TO @BODYBYCIARA

Known for their challenging strength and conditioning classes, boutique London-based 1Rebel has over 300 streamable workouts through an on-demand content hub, 1Rebel TV , which is updated weekly. Live or whenever you want, 1Rebel have you sorted. We suggest you take advantage of the three classes for £49 beginners offer — try before you buy and all that.

GO TO 1REBELUK

4. Psycle London

Spin and strength studio Psycle dropped their Psycle At Home section during lockdown – unlimited home workouts, including Barre, Ride, Strength and Yoga. With a 14 day free trial for the on-demand classes (then £29 per month), we suggest you move sharpish on such a mega deal. Classes range from 20 to 60 minutes and are led by their superstar instructors. If you like something a little more real-time, head to one of their four London studios or join via Zoom – peep at their full live timetable to find a class that suits you.

GO TO PSYCLE LONDON

5. Blok London

Blok (one of London's leading callisthenics , cardio and low-impact studios) has an online platform – BlokTV – to make training from home even easier. For £20 a month (after a free trial month, woopwoop!), tune in for unlimited training – this goes down to £15 per month when you pay annually. Whether you're after something high intensity, restorative or low impact (amongst many, many others), there's something for all. Love that for you.

GO TO BLOK LONDON

6. Fitness First

UK-wide gym franchise Fitness First has extended their offering to make it work #homestyle, with online platform 'FFX On Demand'. Packed with both live and on-demand sessions, expect the trainers and workouts you love from the comfort of your own sitting room. You can access the full whack — their three main on-demand categories: Strength, Cardio and Body & Mind, as well as access to all their gyms — for £59 per month. Wanna get strong? This is where you belong.

GO TO @FITNESSFIRST

Beloved spin and exercise studio, Digme have an at-home offering – live, on-demand and playback classes, from cycle to HIIT, strength, run, yoga and breathwork. HELLO, 30-day free trial! (Then it'll cost you £25 per month.)

GO TO @DIGMEATHOME

You might know them for their signature at-home spin bikes or their ' Tread ', but Peloton is also an on-demand fitness service that streams both live and pre-recorded classes that don't require either! From yoga to strength training, running, cardio, meditation, Barre and stretching, you can get your whole routine sorted – all in one app. Our fav instructors? Alex Toussaint for his super high vibes, Robin Arzon (because if anyone's going to make you work, it's her), and mega strong Jess Sims. TBH, they're all fab. With a 30-day free trial for Peloton App One, or free for limited classes on the Peloton app, all you need to do is jump in.

GO TO PELOTON

9. ClassPass

Before COVID-19, ClassPass was the go-to app for those of us who like to switch up our workouts and where we do them. Now, as well as trying out new classes and studios, through its live-streamed and on-demand platform, you can choose between audio or video workouts. The guided runs are a personal WH fav. It's 14 days free, then £69/month.

Best virtual training plans for women

For those of you after something more plan-like than one-off workouts, check out these home workout plans – guided, week-by-week structures to work through from the (dis)comfort of your own home.

Kayla Itsines' Sweat plans

From low-impact plans to high-intensity programmes, Kayla's Sweat plans are a cult favourite. You have the option of either downloading the OG PDFs or using Kayla's SWEAT app – designed to help guide you through each programme.

Easy to follow and with a whole community waiting for you on Instagram you'll be getting fit with a whole host of women in the same boat.

GO TO SWEAT

Fit Body by Anna Victoria

Anna Victoria , a.k.a the California-based fitness star, has devised an app featuring three different programmes (Shred, Tone and Sculpt) that users can cycle between.

Each program incorporates high intensity and strength training moves of varying degrees meaning you'll build muscle and burn fat – all from home. We love to see it.

GO TO FIT BODY

Evolve You by Krissy Cela

Krissy Cela gained genuine worldwide fame with her weight training YouTube gym videos. Now, with the endless programmes on her app, Evolve You , keen exercisers can build their own personalised schedule of workouts – from three to five sessions per week.

GO TO EVOLVE YOU

Make sure to check out the best home workout apps and fitness apps , too.

What equipment do I need for home workouts?

Well, it depends. For a dumbbell focused workout, you'll need one or two of the heavy things. For a bodyweight workout just turn up ready to get it done – preferably with a water bottle to hand. Most workouts will signpost what you need before the first exercise starts so listen out for any cues. Alternatively, save some space and plump for kit that can work. for many things, like:

• Adjustable dumbbells that can be made heavier or lighter for cardio and strength training workouts;
• Resistance bands for workouts but also stretching and mobility exercises;
• Wrist and ankle weights are good to add resistance to Pilates and barre workouts but also increase the intensity of other low-impact workouts like walking .

Hex Dumbbell 10kg

SONGMICS Hex Dumbbells Set

Anchor's Adjustable 20kg Dumbbells

Umi Neoprene 1kg Dumbbells

What's the main difference between gym and home workouts.

Besides being in a gym, there doesn't have to be a ginormous discrepancy between what you're able to achieve at home vs. in the gym. Yes, your local Fitness First will have some equipment you don't (looking at the multiple gym benches , squat racks and treadmills ) but there's loads of home gym equipment you can kit your living room floor/patio out with.

From dumbbells , kettlebells , resistance bands , yoga mats , yoga blocks, wrist and ankle weights , there are loads of resistance training exercises you can do with home-friendly gym kit.

Remember, lots of your furniture can double for gym fodder. Use a step for step-ups , the edge of your sofa for incline push-ups and two tins of food or filled water bottles for substitutes for weights. The key is to do what you can with what you have.

When it comes to effort, though, there doesn't need to be a difference between your output in the gym and what you do at home. It can feel more difficult to motivate yourself without the environment of the gym but discipline (aka still putting your all into your home workouts) will help to train your brain to recognise your home workouts as just as important. Keep reading for how to make your home sessions just as effective as your gym workouts .

Is it effective to work out at home?

We understand that a home workout can seem like it would be less intense or less effective than its gym-based counterpart but that just isn't true. Who's to say you can't work just as hard from your living room floor? No one, that's who!

But, to make sure you get in an awesome session, take note of these best practice tips :

• Your workout is still just as serious as it was in the gym. Put the phone down.
• If you're working from home, try to keep a schedule that gets you up and moving at the same time each day.
• Clear enough space before you start that you don't need to modify the exercises due to not bothering to move the coffee table.
• Just because you're not moving as much at the moment, doesn't mean every session has to be high intensity. Mix it up with low-impact workouts or take a rest day to foam roll and stretch.
• Prep your kit. A decent exercise mat is non-negotiable.

Can I get results from at-home workouts?

100%. You absolutely can. In fact, with your workout on your doorstep (like, literally) it's easier than ever to make sure you don't fob it off because you CBA to travel to the gym or get dressed in a going-out-in-public appropriate outfit. Want to work out in your favourite pyjama bottoms and a sports bra ? You can do that at home – it's allowed!

The fewer barriers to your workout, the more likely you are to a) get it done and b) stick with it – both key factors of seeing and feeling the results of your efforts. Remember, though, an awareness of your nutrition, sleep and stress management will also play into any results you may be chasing.

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Gym Rat No More: 18 At-Home Exercises to Build Muscle

Ready to build some muscle but stuck at home? Forget a gym membership or a fancy home gym, because you don’t actually need ’em.

Just the weight of your body or a pair of dumbbells is enough to get your swole on at home.

Home workouts 101: How to build muscle 

Let’s start with the basics: Your workout routine should include a mix of cardio and strength training. Strength training can involve some hand weights or just your body weight.

As you get stronger and need more of a challenge, weights will be your new best friend. But don’t sleep on cardio . It’s still a necessary (and sometimes evil) part of any exercise plan. For optimal muscle-building, focus on HIIT cardio workouts a few times a week.

So how often should you work out ? According to a 2016 research review , strength training at least 2 days a week is ideal to grow your muscles. So start with 2 or 3 days of full-body weight training, 2 days of cardio, and 2 days of rest.

As you get stronger, you can add a fourth weight day and try splitting the days between upper- and lower-body workouts. And be sure to reserve at least 2 days per week to let your body rest and recover. Your plan could look something like this:

Bodyweight exercises to build muscle at home

You actually don’t have to pump iron to get stronger. All you need is yourself and some creativity to get those muscles moving.

1. Push-up: 3–6 sets of 6–12 reps

The push-up is one of the most efficient bodyweight exercises you can do to build strength in your chest and triceps. But it also gives your shoulders, core muscles, lower back, and lower body a workout.

How-to: Lie facedown and place hands on the floor, slightly wider than shoulders. Push up to lift shoulders, torso, and legs until arms are fully extended. Only your hands and toes should be touching the floor. Slowly lower your body until chest almost touches the floor, then repeat.

Pro tip: Push-up variations are nearly endless. If you’re a beginner, you can start with wall push-ups or knee push-ups . Feeling advanced? Give pike push-ups a try.

2. Burpee: 6 per minute for 15 minutes

Need a more explosive exercise? The burpee may be the ultimate bodyweight exercise mash-up, working your chest, core, arms, back, glutes, and legs for a full-body cardio workout .

How-to: From a standing position, lower yourself into a squat and put both hands on the floor, just wider than your feet. Jump feet back into a plank position. Do a push-up, returning to the plank position. Draw your legs back up into a squat, then jump up explosively with your hands above your head. Repeat.

3. Pull-up: 3 sets of 2–5 reps

The pull-up can be intimidating, especially when you’re just starting out. But it’s a great bodyweight exercise to work your shoulders, upper back, and biceps. Start with just a few reps and work your way up as you get stronger .

How-to: Grab the pull-up bar with an overhand grip, wrapping your thumbs around the bar. “Play dead” — start in a dead hang from the bar. Squeeze the bar with your hands and engage the muscles of your upper body and core. Pull up until chin clears the bar. Slowly lower yourself back into the dead-hang position. Repeat.

Pro tip: For pull-ups at home, you can buy a portable pull-up bar that fits in a doorframe.

1. Plank-up: 3 sets of 5–10 reps

Doing any type of plank exercise will make your arms stronger, but doing plank-ups is especially effective for strengthening the triceps and biceps muscles in your arms.

How-to: Start in plank position, with elbows and toes on the floor, core engaged, and torso elevated. Raise yourself into a push-up position by extending one arm at a time, keeping your body straight. Lower onto your elbows one arm at a time. Repeat.

2. Triceps dip: 2 sets of 10–12 reps

You’ll need a chair, box, ledge, bench, or staircase to do triceps dips . This move will quickly strengthen your triceps (and your pecs!), which tend to need a targeted workout to grow.

How-to: Start seated in a chair (or on a step, etc.). Grab the edge of the chair with hands on either side of hips. Lift up and out into a hovering position beyond the chair edge. Extend legs until mostly straight. Slowly lower yourself toward the floor until elbows are roughly parallel with shoulders. Push down into your hands to raise back up until your arms are straight again. Repeat.

3. Inchworm: 3 sets of 4–6 reps

This bodyweight move is (almost) as much fun as it sounds. This is one creepy-crawly exercise that will have you feeling like a little kid again while building your triceps, shoulders, chest, abs, glutes, and quads.

How-to: Stand with knees slightly bent. Bend at your hips and slowly reach down and touch your toes. Place hands on the floor, then “crawl” them away from your torso until you’re in a plank position . Take insect-size steps forward until feet meet hands. Repeat.

1. Step-up: 3 sets of 15 reps (each side)

Got a staircase? Or a box? Then you can do this leg workout . Step-ups are a simple beginner exercise that can give you stronger quads, glutes, and hamstrings. Just take one step at a time.

How-to: Go to the stairs in your home or, if you don’t have a staircase, place a sturdy box in front of you. Step up onto the box or the first stair with your right foot, then your left. Reverse, stepping back down with right foot, then left. Repeat, switching the leg you start with each time.

Pro tip: For added difficulty, raise your knee toward your chest when you take the second step onto the box or stair.

2. Lunge: 3 sets of 15 reps (each side)

There are dozens of lunge variations you can do, but even just a classic lunge builds up your quads and glutes. Plus, it strengthens your hamstrings.

How-to: From a standing position, take a big step forward with one leg. Lower your body toward the floor until upper thigh of front leg is nearly parallel to the floor and back knee is just above the floor. Raise up by putting pressure on the heel of your front leg. Repeat by taking that big first step with the opposite leg.

3. Squat: 3–5 sets of 8–12 reps

Squats are popular with weightlifters, which can lead to the misperception that they can be done only with weights. But even squatting with your bodyweight alone can give you strong leg muscles if you do it with good form .

How-to: Stand with feet slightly wider than shoulder width. Extend arms straight with palms facing down. Inhale and push hips back slightly as you bend your knees. Look straight ahead and keep chin up, shoulders upright, and back straight. Squat as low as you comfortably can, aiming to have your hips sink below your knees. Engage your core to push upward explosively from your heels.

How to build muscle at home with dumbbells

If you prefer to start with weights or you’re ready to step up your workouts, you don’t need giant gym equipment. Just a set of dumbbells will do it. But you can also switch things up with kettlebells or resistance bands .

1. Chest press: 3–6 sets of 4–8 reps

The chest press targets your chest, shoulders, and triceps — primarily your pectorals and deltoids. In a gym, you’re likely to see people doing chest presses with a barbell, but you can easily do them at home with dumbbells too.

How-to: Lie faceup on a bench or the floor with knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Hold the dumbbells at the sides of your chest, brace your core, and press the dumbbells straight up. Then lower the dumbbells nice and slow before repeating.

2. Lying dumbbell fly: 3–6 sets of 4–8 reps

Your chest strength will soar doing dumbbell flyes, which can be done on a bench or lying on the floor. You’ll hit your pectorals, deltoids, and biceps with this move.

How-to: Lie on a bench or the floor with your knees bent. Hold the dumbbells directly above your chest, with palms of hands facing each other. Lower the dumbbells in a slow arc to your sides, bending elbows as far as feels comfortable (or until they touch the floor, if you’re not using a bench). Keeping elbows bent, raise the dumbbells back above your chest again, then repeat.

3. Pullover: 3 sets of 10–12 reps

Build up your lats, pecs, and abs like a lumberjack chopping wood (without worrying about an ax or your aim). This dumbbell exercise can be done on a bench, the floor, or a stability ball. Just be sure to keep a good grip on the dumbbell!

How-to: Lie faceup with feet on the floor. Hold a single dumbbell in both hands and raise it above your chest. Slowly extend the dumbbell overhead while slightly bending your elbows, then bring it back to the starting position. Be sure to start this one with a low enough weight that you can manage it comfortably. Don’t risk dropping the dumbbell on your chest or head!

1. Biceps curl: 3 sets of 10–15 reps

This classic biceps exercise builds your arm strength and grows those arm muscles you want to flex in the mirror.

How-to: While sitting or standing, hold dumbbells straight down at your sides. Bend your elbows and bring the weights up toward your shoulders, rotating your arms until palms of hands face shoulders. Slowly return to the starting position and repeat.

2. Triceps extension: 3 sets of 8–12 reps

You’ll raise your arms in triumph with this triceps-building exercise , which requires some good concentration and form. You can do this move standing or seated.

How-to: Stand with feet hip-width apart, holding a dumbbell with both hands. Raise the weight overhead with arms straight, then bend elbows and lower the weight behind your head. Raise the weight back above your head, then repeat. Keep upper arms as still and steady as possible to maximize the workout.

3. Wrist curl: 3 sets of 12 reps

This move not only increases hand strength but also builds muscle in your forearms . This often-overlooked muscle group is used for everything from turning a doorknob to moving a computer mouse.

How-to: Sit on a bench or chair, holding a light dumbbell in each hand. Place your forearms on your thighs, with wrists on top of knees and hands extended beyond knees. Palms can face up or down. Slowly curl the weights up, then lower them. Move only your hands, not your arms. Repeat.

1. Dumbbell squat: 3 sets of 12–15 reps

Squats alone work your major leg muscles, but adding weight can really help those muscles pop. You can also add dumbbells to any squat variation if you need a challenge.

How-to: Stand with feet hip-width apart, holding a dumbbell at each of your shoulders. Sit down into a low seated position, keeping weight in your heels. Pressing through heels, push hips forward and up to return to a standing position.

2. Dumbbell walking lunge: 3 sets of 10 reps (each side)

Dumbbells add an extra degree of difficulty to lunges, and so does switching it up with a lunge variation . Adding dumbbells to walking lunges helps you build up your quads and glutes like your standard lunge and also works your grip strength.

How-to: Stand, holding a dumbbell in each hand. Lunge forward with your right leg, lowering until your knee is at a 90-degree angle. Push through your front foot to stand. Repeat by lunging with the other leg.

3. Calf raise: 3 sets of 15–20 reps

Have you ever stood on your tippy-toes to grab something off the top shelf? Then you’ve done a standing calf raise—it’s really that simple. It’s also an easy desk exercise for WFH life.

How-to: Stand, holding dumbbells at your sides, right by your hips. Lift your heels, keeping toes on the floor and the weights by your sides. Lower heels back to the floor.

Pro tip: For a seated calf raise, place the dumbbells on top of your knees and lift your heels, either one leg at a time or both together.

Your 30-day muscle-building workout plan

Take these 18 exercises and work them into a weekly routine to kick off your monthlong plan. Here’s a schedule to help you build muscle while boosting your cardio and staying limber.

Last medically reviewed on December 18, 2020

2 sources collapsed

• Physical activity. (2020). https://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/basics/adults/index
• Schoenfeld BJ, et al. (2016). Effects of resistance training frequency on measures of muscle hypertrophy: A systematic review and meta-analysis. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40279-016-0543-8

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The 12 Best At-Home Workouts You Can Do Without Any Equipment 

By Christa Sgobba, C.P.T.

The best at-home workouts don’t necessarily require a ton of equipment—or any equipment—other than your own bodyweight. That’s good news for many exercisers who may not have dumbbells , kettlebells , resistance bands, or other equipment at home, especially after the closures of gyms and fitness studios (and the recommendations to practice social distancing ) due to the new coronavirus .

If you don’t have a lot of equipment, at-home bodyweight workouts are clutch and allow you to keep up your fitness routine. You might think your options are limited if you don’t have a whole rack of equipment at your disposal, but that’s definitely not the case. You can use bodyweight exercises to work nearly every muscle in your body, from your quads (squats) to your butt (glute bridges, anyone?) to your chest (yes, you can do a push-up!) to your core ( plank variations for the win!).

They’re not just great for building strength, though: Bodyweight workouts can double as a cardio routine, especially when you choose moves that are easy to ramp up in intensity and perform them in such a way—usually circuit-style, with limited rest—that challenges you cardiovascularly.

Plus, there are a ton of bodyweight exercises out there, meaning the possibilities for bodyweight workouts are nearly endless, and we’ve rounded up a bunch of them for you here. Want to really home in on your lower body? Workout #1 may be for you. Looking to get just as sweaty as when you run? Try #6. And if you’re looking for a way to strengthen your shoulders and arms, #11 may be one to try.

Whatever your intended goal of the workout, the list below of the best at-home workouts that require only your bodyweight has you covered. Try a bunch of these workouts from SELF to figure out your favorites!

A Lower-Body Workout With Cardio Burnout

This isn’t your regular old leg workout—there are a few exercises in here that we bet you haven’t tried yet, like the runner’s-lunge-to-balance (great for speed and agility) and the corkscrew (a dynamic plank variation that’ll seriously test your core strength). Created by Amy Eisinger, C.P.T., this workout will test your endurance all the way through. And then just when you think you’re done, there’s a cardio burnout at the end that’ll give you one last challenge. You can make it easier or harder by tweaking the amount of rest you take between exercises in the circuit.

Try the workout .

A 20-Minute HIIT Workout That’s Kinder on Your Joints

Lots of at-home HIIT workouts are chock-full of plyometric moves (read “lots of jumping”), which is great for some people, but not the best choice for those who may have some problems with their joints. This HIIT workout, which was created by Equinox group fitness instructor Colleen Conlon , is kinder on the joints than most HIIT workouts, since it includes lower-impact moves like side kick throughs and crab toe touches. There still are some moves that are a little higher impact, like skater hops, so if you’re not sure if this workout would be safe for you, talk to your doctor or physical therapist first.

A Full-Body Cardio Challenge

Want an at-home cardio workout that works your whole body? Then you’ll have to give this routine, created by Eisinger, a try. The circuit will cycle through five moves, which work everything from your legs (squat pulse), core (tuck-up), and shoulders (frogger). Once you complete the circuit for your chosen number of rounds, you’ll finish with a AMRAP (as many reps as possible) finisher.

A Plank-Based Workout to Light Up Your Core

Yes, you can work your arms with just your bodyweight. And a great way to do that is through variations of the plank, where your shoulders and triceps really put in the work. Created by certified trainer Lita Lewis , this workout will start with skaters to get your blood pumping, and then take you to the floor for the next three plank-based moves: push-up, shoulder tap, and plank forearm reach. The second circuit is heavy on the plank variations too, with the plank jack and forearm plank. You’ll be tasked with holding the plank for a good chunk of time with these moves (since they’re back-to-back-to-back), so if it’s too hard to maintain with good form, drop to your knees to make it a bit easier.

By Jessica Kasparian

By Malia Griggs

By Kathleen Felton

There Are No Burpees or Mountain Climbers in This Routine

Not a fan of burpees or mountain climbers? Then this HIIT workout is the routine for you. Created by Conlon, this total-body bodyweight workout gets you moving in multiple planes of motion to work all your different muscle groups. The exercises she chose—moves like the lateral shuffle and explosive crab reach—allow you to move at a pace where you can really ramp up the intensity, which is vital for HIIT workouts. Hint: Try performing each move 10 times on its own at a comfortable intensity before moving into the workout, so you are familiar with any new exercises.

A 4-Move 30-Minute Cardio Workout

With this full-body at-home cardio workout, which was created by Eisinger, the goal is to move through three moves—froggers, bird-dog crunches, and a three-point toe touch—as quickly as possible. This 30-minute workout doubles as a cardio routine (no running required), so give it a shot if you are looking to get sweaty. You can choose rest-work periods based off your fitness level, so it’s a great workout for those who are just getting started.

An Abs Workout That’s Done in 8 Minutes

The good thing about abs workouts is that they’re pretty easy to do at home without any equipment. The not-so-good part? Abs workouts can be superhard, which is why we’re all for one that’s over in eight minutes. With this at-home workout, which was created by Amy Marturana Winderl, C.P.T., you’ll spend 30 seconds on five separate exercises, including dead bug, forearm plank rock, and plank up-down, taking no rest between the moves until the circuit is complete. After three rounds, your abs will definitely be burning.

Try the workout.

A 5-Minute Plank Workout That Challenges More Than Your Core

Planks are known for working your abs, but if you do them right, you’ll seriously challenge your shoulders, legs, and butt too. Created by Marturana Winderl, this bodyweight workout uses five variations of the plank, including plank up-downs (which light up your shoulders and triceps) and plank jacks (to give a cardio element). Check out these tips to make a plank more effective before you get started, so you can make sure you are making the most of every exercise.

The 4-Move Bodyweight Workout That’ll Seriously Work Your Butt

Sure, there are some kinds of equipment that work really well for butt exercises—we’re looking at you, mini-bands —but you actually don’t need anything at all (besides your bodyweight) to get your glutes working. This four-move workout, which was created by Cori Lefkowith, NASM-certified personal trainer and owner of Redefining Strength in Costa Mesa, California, proves you don’t need any equipment for a good butt workout. Moves like frog bridges and straight-leg fire hydrant ensure you are working your gluteus maximus, medius, and minimus.

A 3-Move Cardio Workout for Beginners

There are only three simple moves in this workout created by Eisinger—the skater, three-point toe touch, and flutter kick—but it’s a great way for you to get the moves down and ease into at-home workouts. If you’re just getting started, try each move for 30 seconds with 30 seconds of rest. As you get more comfortable with exercising, you can increase your work time and decrease your rest for more of a cardio challenge.

A Core Workout That’s Great for Your Arms

This workout, created by TruFusion trainer Alyssa West, primarily works your core, but thanks to exercises like the push-up, plank-to-dolphin, and diamond push-up, your arms will get a serious workout too. There are nine exercises in the workout, which seems like a lot, but it only takes 15 minutes to finish. Your shoulders and triceps will totally be feeling it by the time you’re done.

A 10-Minute Pilates Workout for Your Butt and Core

To really home in on specific muscles, sometimes small, controlled movements are key. That’s one of the biggest benefits of Pilates-based workouts, and this routine, which was created by Manuela Sanchez , certified Pilates instructor at Club Pilates in Brooklyn, uses that to its full advantage. You can do this circuit once or twice as its own workout, but it’s also great to really get your glutes muscles warmed up for a more leg-intensive workout.

11 Best Leg Workouts to Kick Up Your Lower-Body Routine

20 Arm Exercises Without Weights You Can Do at Home

13 At-Home Leg Exercises That Require No Equipment

SELF does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Any information published on this website or by this brand is not intended as a substitute for medical advice, and you should not take any action before consulting with a healthcare professional.

Home Workouts & Exercises

Search our free database of exercises and workouts that you can do at home. Home Workouts provides concise how-to guides and muscle targeting diagrams on bodyweight, free-weight, yoga and stretching exercises.

Find a Workout

Above head chest stretch

Air bike crunches

• Hip Flexors

Alternate heel touches

Alternating leg raises

Arm circles stretch

Arm crossover stretch

Back slaps wrap around stretch

Bent leg kickbacks

Cat cow pose

Childs pose

Diamond push-ups

Double pigeon pose

Dumbbell Arnold press

Dumbbell bench press

Dumbbell bent-over rows

Dumbbell bicep curls

Dumbbell burpees

Dumbbell cuban press

Dumbbell curtsy lunges

• Inner Thighs

Dumbbell deadlifts

Dumbbell fly

Dumbbell front raises

Dumbbell goblet squats

Dumbbell incline shrug

Dumbbell lateral raises

Dumbbell shoulder press

Dumbbell shoulder shrug

Dumbbell supermans

Floor hyperextensions

Forward lunges

Four limbed staff pose

Glute bridges

Half frog pose

Happy baby pose

Hawaiian squats

Heel touch side kick squat

Jump squats

Kettlebell Arnold press

Kettlebell bent-over rows

Kettlebell chest press

Kettlebell deadlifts

Kettlebell goblet squats

Kettlebell one arm clean and jerk

Kettlebell one arm snatch

Kettlebell one-legged deadlifts

Kettlebell pistol squats

Kettlebell renegade row

Kettlebell shoulder press

Kettlebell split snatch

Kettlebell swings

Kettlebell windmills

Lying knee to chest stretch

Mountain climbers

Neck extension stretch

Oblique crunches

One leg calf raises

Pelvic tilts

Plank arm lifts

Rear Pull-ups

Reverse lunges

Seated piriformis stretch

Sphinx pose

Split squats

Sumo squats

Supine spinal twist pose

Tricep dips

45 of the Best Exercises to Boost Your Home Workout Gains

You don't necessarily need the gym to build the body you want. You just need this guide

But moreover, working out from home might help you to nail the single most important factor when it comes to building muscle and boosting your fitness levels : consistency . With no commute, no opening hours and no one hogging the dumbbells, excuses not to get that session in start to become thin on the ground.

You may be tempted to label bodyweight movements as strictly for beginners and not much cop for building serious muscle, but you'd be wrong. A recent study looked at the effectiveness of the press-up as a muscle-building tool. Published in Journal of Exercise Science & Fitness, o ver the course of an 8-week training period, the researchers found that, when compared with a similar load to 40%1RM (rep max) bench press, t he press-up was as effective for muscle hypertrophy and strength gain .

Your own bodyweight is great for cardio , too. In-fact, according to researchers at the University of Pristina, it makes no difference to your overall health and general fitness whether you embark on a routine of jogging or bodyweight exercises. The scientists split a number of students into three groups: one did endurance training, another took part in strength-based circuits, and the third did nothing. The results showed that the groups who exercised lost weight and had lower body fat measurements at the end. However, what was remarkable was how similar the results were, with the researchers concluding that both kinds of exercise were equally beneficial for your cardiovascular system.

The bottom line is this: you don't need a gym membership to get fit. Fitness can be free. And with MH 's help, bringing your work(out) home with you can be as fun as it is effective.

Below is our collection of some of the best no-fuss exercises to try at home, whether you're a complete beginner or a seasoned gym-pro, coupled with an explanation the muscles they work, and most importantly, how to do them properly.

We've divided the moves up into categories based on what parts of the body they work and what kit they require to help you to put them into practice in a solid regime, but if you're struggling to put them into a workout routine, don't worry- we've also included a selection of the best basic but effective home workouts for you to try.

Bodyweight Only Exercises

Primary Muscles worked: Chest , shoulders, triceps

Assume a strong plank position, hands stacked directly below elbows and shoulders (A) , bend your elbows to slowly lower your chest to the floor (B) . Keep your upper arms from flaring as you push back up explosively to a straight arm position. Repeat.

Feet elevated push-up

Primary Muscles worked: Chest, shoulders, triceps

Kick both feet up onto a box or bench. Place your hands on the floor, shoulder width apart, and create a strong plank position (A) . Bend your elbows to slowly lower your nose to the ground, pause here (B), keep your upper arms from flaring out as you push back up explosively. Raise or lower the box height to increase or decrease the difficulty, respectively.

Hands elevated push-up

Primary Muscles worked: Chest, shoulders , triceps

Place your hands shoulder-width apart on a bench or box, assuming a strong plank position ( A ), bend your elbows to slowly lower your chest to the bench, pause here (B) . Keep your upper arms from flaring out as you push back up explosively to a straight arm position. Repeat. Raise or lower the box height to decrease or increase the difficulty, respectively.

Close-grip Push-up

Primary Muscles worked: triceps

Assume a strong plank position with your hands almost touching on the ground and core tight (A) , bend your elbows to slowly lower your chest to the floor (B) . Keep your upper arms tight to your body as you push back up explosively to a straight arm position. Repeat.

Pike push-up

Primary Muscles worked: Shoulders, triceps

Assume a strong press-up position with your hands shoulder width apart. Walk your hands backwards towards your feet until your hips are almost above your shoulders (A) . Lower your cost slowly towards the ground by bending at the elbow (B) Pause as your nose makes contact before explosively pushing back up.

Bench/box dip

Primary Muscles worked: Triceps

Sit on the edge of a box or bench, with your legs outstretched. With your hands next to your hips, support your weight with your arms as you shift off the edge of the box ( A ). Flex at the elbows to lower your body until you feel a stretch across your chest ( B ). Straighten your arms explosively to push back up. Elevate your feet to increase the difficulty.

Primary Muscles worked: Full body, cardio

Hinge, squat and drop your hands to the ground, shoulder width apart (A) . Explosively kick both legs backwards and assume a strong plank position, avoiding any ‘hip sag’ (B) . Quickly jump your feet back in and return to standing (C) . Repeat, keeping your torso straight a rigid throughout.

Hinge, squat and drop down, placing both hands on the floor between your feet. Jump your feet back into the top of a press-up and lower your chest to the ground ( A ). Straighten your arms to press back up and hop your feet back forwards (B) . Jump into the air explosively, touching your hands together above your head (C).

Strict handstand push-up

Kick up against a wall into a handstand position with your hands no more than 30cm from the wall, a little over shoulder width apart (A). Bend at the elbows slowly lowering your head to the ground or a mat, pause here (B) , push back up, keeping your feet together and body rigid.

Primary Muscles worked: Quads , glutes

Standing tall with your chest up (A) , sink your hips back and bend at the knees, squatting down until the crease of your hips passes below your knee (B) . Drive back up explosively and repeat, try to keep your heels on the ground and torso upright.

Primary Muscles worked: Quads, glutes

Lean slightly forward as you squat down ( A ), before using your arms to assist as you explode up, jumping as high as you can ( B ). Cushion your landing with bent legs, then sink immediately back into another squat and repeat. Aim for the maximum possible height you can achieve on each and every rep.

Forward lunge

Stand tall with your chest up ( A ), take a step forward with one leg, bending the at the knee until the back knee gently touches the ground ( B ). Stand up explosively, pause and repeat with the opposite leg. Alternate legs unless otherwise other stated.

Reverse lunge

Stand tall with your chest up ( A ), take a long step backward with one leg, bending your front leg until your back knee gently touches the ground ( B ). Stand up and forward explosively, pause and repeat with the opposite leg. Alternate legs unless otherwise other stated.

Split Squat jump

Primary Muscles worked: Quads, glutes, cardio

Step one foot backward and sink into a deep lunge, with your rear knee lightly touching the floor ( A ). Explode upwards into a jump, switching legs mid-air ( B ) to land in a lunge position with the opposite leg forward. Repeat the movement, alternating legs each rep and aiming to jump as high as possible.

Pistol squat

Stand tall lifting one foot from the ground (A), bend at the opposite knee, slowly squatting towards the floor, keeping your lifted leg straight and out in front of your body. Once the crease of your hip passes below your knee, pause (B) and drive back up to a standing position.

Cyclist squat

Raise your heels up on a weight plate or block, keeping your heels within 6 inches of each other. Stand tall (A). Sink your hips back and bend at the knees, squatting down until the crease of your hips passes below your knee (B) . Drive back up explosively stopping just short of locking your legs out to keep the tension on the quads. Repeat.

Butterfly sit-up

Primary Muscles worked: Abs

Lay flat on your back with your legs bent, the soles of your feet together and your hands behind your head ( A ). Tense your abs as you sit up and forward, touching your hands to your feet ( B ). Reverse the move, touching the floor behind your head on each rep.

Mountain climber

Primary Muscles worked: Abs, shoulders, cardio

Assume a strong plank position, hands stacked directly below elbows and shoulders. Explosively bring on knee towards your chest and then back out (A) , immediately repeat with the other leg. Keeping your back straight and hips low quickly alternate legs (B) aim for a fast, controlled rhythm.

Straight arm plank

Primary Muscles worked: Abs, shoulders

Assume a strong, straight armed plank position, creating a rigid structure from your ankles to your shoulders (A) . Focus on tucking in your pelvis and squeezing your core, hard. Create as much tension as possible throughout your entire body and hold it for as long as you can (B) .

Plank shoulder tap

Assume a strong plank position, arms straight, hands stacked directly below your shoulders (A) . Keeping your torso rigid and fighting rotation, reach one hand up and tap the opposite shoulder (B) , place the hand back down and immediately repeat with the opposite arm. Repeat, alternating arms in quick succession.

Pull-Up Bar, Suspension Trainer or Gymnastics Ring Exercises

Primary Muscles worked: Lats

Grasp a pull-up bar with an overhand grip, hands slightly over shoulder width apart. Lift your feet from the ground and hang freely ( A ). Pull yourself up by flexing your elbows and pulling your shoulder blades down and back. Think of bringing driving your elbows down into your pockets. When your chin passes the bar, pause ( B ) before lowering slowly to the starting position. Try to avoid excessive swinging.

Primary Muscles worked: Lats, biceps

Grab a pull-up bar with your palms facing your body. Lift your feet from the ground and hang freely ( A ). Pull yourself up by flexing your elbows and pulling your shoulder blades down and back. Think of bringing driving your elbows into your pockets. When your chin passes the bar, pause ( B ) before lowering slowly to the starting position. Try to avoid excessive swinging.

Ring/ suspension pull-up

Hang with straight arms beneath a set of rings or suspension straps. Lift your feet from the ground and hang freely ( A ). Pull yourself up by flexing your elbows and pulling your shoulder blades down and back. Think of bringing driving your elbows down into your pockets. When your chin passes the height of your hands, pause ( B ) before lowering slowly to the starting position. Try to avoid excessive swinging.

Ring/ Suspension Trainer Row

Hang, parallel to the ground, with straight arms beneath a set of rings or suspension straps. Create tension throughout your entire body to form a rigid ‘plank’ position (A) . Flex at the elbows, pulling yourself up towards the rings. Don’t allow your elbows to flare and keep your hips from sagging. Squeeze your biceps at the top of each rep before slowly lowering yourself back down to the starting position.

Ring/ suspension trainer dip

Primary Muscles worked: Chest, triceps

Support your full bodyweight above your gymnastics rings or suspension straps with your palms facing inward and your arms locked out straight (A) . Lean forward slightly and bend your elbows, slowly lowering yourself until you feel a deep stretch in your chest (B) . Drive yourself back up to the top and repeat, ensuring your elbows don’t flare outward. Control your tempo to avoid swinging.

Ring/ suspension trainer push-ups

Assume a strong, straight armed plank, above a set of gymnastics rings or suspension straps (A) . Flex at the elbows to slowly lower yourself until your chest passes below your hands (B), pause here before explosively pressing back upwards. Keep the ring straps steady and close to your body throughout. Raise the rings or elevate your feet to decrease or increase the difficulty, respectively.

Forward leaning rest

Assume a strong, straight armed plank, above a set of gymnastics rings or suspension straps (A) . Turn your biceps out slightly and focus on tucking in your pelvis and squeezing your core, hard. Create a rigid structure from your ankles to your shoulders and hold it (B) .

Hanging knees raises

Primary Muscles worked: Abs, grip

Hang from a bar, gymnastics rings or set of suspension straps. Ensure that your legs are straight, in front of your body, and that your feet are together ( A ). Engage your abs and pull down on the bar, raising both of your knees towards your chest ( B ). Pause for a beat, before lowering your legs to the start position under control. Swinging is cheating.

Dumbbell Exercises

Standing Shoulder Press

Primary Muscles worked: Shoulders

Clean a pair of dumbbells onto your shoulders. Take a breath, squeeze your glutes and create tension through your core. (A) With no assistance from your legs, Press both dumbbells up overhead (B) Lower them under slow control to your shoulders and repeat.

Clean a pair of dumbbells onto the front of your shoulders. Take a breath and brace your core. (A) Dip at the knees and using your legs to help (B) drive the dumbbells up overhead. Lower them under slow control to your shoulders and repeat.

Single arm push press

Clean a dumbbell onto the front of your shoulders. Take a breath and brace your core. (A) Dip at the knees and using your legs to help (B) drive the dumbbell up overhead. Lower it under slow control to your shoulder and repeat. Squeeze the opposite fist to create tension.

Sit flat on the floor with your legs open and outstretched and a pair of dumbbells on your shoulders. (A) Take a breath and brace your core, keeping your torso upright press your dumbbells overhead (B). Lower under control to your shoulders and repeat.

Floor press

Lay flat on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the ground, holding a pair of dumbbells. Press the weights up above your chest, locking out your elbows ( A ). Lower them slowly until your upper arms are resting on the floor ( B ) pause here before explosively pressing back up. Keep your elbows from flaring throughout.

Upright row

Primary Muscles worked: Shoulders, back

Stand tall holding a pair of dumbbells at your waist, in front of your body. (A) Keeping your core tight pull the dumbbells up towards your chin, driving your elbows up and back (B). Slowly lower back down to your waist under complete control. Avoid excessive movement in your torso and ‘dropping’ the dumbbells too quicklyd.

Bent-over row

Primary Muscles worked: Back

Hold a pair of dumbbells at your sides and hinge at the hips until your chest is parallel to the floor, dumbbells hanging at your shins ( A ). Maintaining a flat back, row both dumbbells towards your hips ( B ), squeeze here and lower under control to the start before repeating.

Three point row

Hold a dumbbell in one arm and hinge at the hips, letting the dumbbell hang and placing your empty hand onto a bench, box or wall for support ( A ). With a flat back and rigid core, shift your weight onto your supported hand and row the right dumbbell up into your hip ( B ). Pause briefly, then lower the weight under control. Repeat.

Front-rack forward Lunge

Clean a pair of dumbbells up onto your shoulders and stand tall ( A ), take a step forward with one leg, bending the at the knee until the back knee gently touches the ground ( B ). Stand up explosively, pause and repeat with the opposite leg. Alternate legs unless otherwise other stated.

Front-rack reverse lunge

Clean a pair of dumbbells up onto your shoulders and stand tall ( A ) take a long step backward with one leg, bending your front leg until your back knee gently touches the ground ( B ). Stand up and forward explosively, pause and repeat with the opposite leg. Alternate legs unless otherwise other stated.

Goblet squat

Stand tall holding a dumbbell close to your chest in the ‘goblet’ position ( A ). Sink your hips back and bend your knees, dropping into a deep squat ( B ), your elbows should be almost between your knees at the bottom. Drive back up explosively, keeping your torso upright and dumbbell steady throughout.

Front-rack squat

Clean a pair of dumbbells up onto your shoulders. Take a breath and brace your core. (A) sink your hips back and bend at the knees, squatting down until the crease of your hips passes below your knee (B) . Drive back up explosively and repeat.

Primary Muscles worked: Hamstrings, glutes

With a pair of dumbbells on the floor just outside of your feet, hinge down with a flat back and soft knees to grip them ( A ). Squeeze your lats and stand upright, picture ‘pushing the ground away’ with your feet ( B ). Take a deep breath and reverse the movement to the ground. Squeeze your empty fist to create tension on the opposite side. Avoid excessive rounding of the lower back throughout.

Romanian deadlift

Stand tall holding a pair of dumbbells at waist height ( A ). With a slight bend in the knees, push your hips back and slowly lower the bells towards the ground, pinning your shoulders down and maintaining a flat back. Push your hips back until you feel a stretch in your hamstrings (B) , pause and explosively return to an upright position.

Plank pull-through

Assume a press-up position next to a dumbbell. Reach through from the opposite side, and grip your weight (A) , drag or lift the bell under your body to the opposite side, keeping your midline rigid (B). Alternate back and forth, keeping your hips from rotating, throughout.

Russian twist

Primary Muscles worked: Abs, obliques

Sit on the ground with your knees bent and your feet planted on the ground. Holding a single dumbbell with both hands ( A ), twist from side to side, lifting and touching the kettlebell to the ground either side of your body, under control ( B ) Keep your feet planted throughout.

Renegade row

Primary Muscles worked: Back, abs, shoulders

Drop into a strong plank with both hands gripping dumbbells ( A ). Keeping your hips from rotating, shift your weight onto your left hand, row the right dumbbell towards your hip ( B ). Pause briefly, then lower the weight under control. Repeat on the opposite side. Continue in this fashion, alternating arms.

The Best Home Workouts for Beginners to Seasoned Gym Pro's

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The Online Home for Strength Sports

5 At-Home Workouts for Strength, Muscle Growth, Power, and More

Stuck at home or don't have access to a gym no sweat. actually, yes sweat, because these workouts will help you hit your goals..

• The Workouts
• The Benefits
• How to Warm Up

Regardless of your goals or experience level, you don’t need fancy home gym equipment to get in a solid workout. Sure, it can be nice to have fun toys to play with. But all you need to gain strength, build muscle, get your heart rate up , or dip your toes into exercise is your own body.

Working out at home can be a formidable weapon, mainly if you utilize strategies like tempo training to increase your time under tension . Getting stronger in your own living space will involve disciplining your mind as much as your body, so consider meditating or doing some deep breathing before your home training session. These five home workouts can help you crush your fitness goals, whether you want to get stronger , build muscle, develop power, improve your cardio, or find a home workout for beginners.

Best Home Workouts

• At-Home Workout for Strength
• At-Home Workout for Muscle Growth
• At-Home Workout for Power
• At-Home Workout for Beginners
• At-Home Workout for Cardio

Best Home Workout for Strength

If you want to get stronger, it’s normal for your instinct to reach the heaviest weight plates possible. Heavy lifting, if your goal is to be strong, is going to be part of your training routine. That said, it’s completely possible to develop strength outside of a barbel-laden gym. This home workout for strength will help you reduce weak spots in your movement and make you a lot stronger at the same time.

The Workout

Depending on your training experience, you can perform this workout up to three or even four times a week. Just make sure you’re sleeping enough and make recovery a priority. Rest for two minutes between sets to maximize each effort. In this case, it’s better to rest a little longer so you can eke out more efficient reps than to rest shorter and ultimately complete fewer reps.

• Pull-Up or Bedsheet/TRX Inverted Row : 3 x two reps short of failure, 3-1-2-1 tempo
• 1 ½ Rep Chair Bulgarian Split Squat : 3 x 15 per side
• Spider Push-Up : 3 x two reps short of failure per side
• Suitcase Deadlift *: 3 x 15 per side
• Push-Up : 3 x two reps shy of failure
• Bodyweight Squat : 4 x 30-second AMRAP (as many reps as possible) 

*Literally load up a sturdy suitcase as heavy as you’d like, and perform these lifts with a firm grasp on the side handle

If you’re unsure on how to utilize tempo training, check out this handy guide . 

Best Home Workout for Muscle Growth

When you think about what it takes to build muscle, your mind probably flows to images of people curling dumbbells and pressing kettlebells overhead. But free weights aren’t a requirement for packing on mass. When it comes to packing mass onto your frame, progressive overload is the most important factor. Weights are beneficial because it’s easier to simply pick up a heavier dumbbell than you used the week before. However, you can add additional stress to your muscles by adjusting your lifting tempo, shortening your rest time between sets, and increasing the number of reps you do each week. 

Perform this workout two or three times a week. You might be able to increase that number to four if you are accustomed to a higher training frequency. Rest for at least 90 seconds between sets. Use that time to take long, slow breaths. This will help you remember the importance of breathing during tempo training .

• Pull-Up or Bedsheet/TRX Inverted Row: 4 x three reps short of failure, 3-1-2-1 tempo
• Plyo Push-Up : 4 x three reps short of failure
• 1 ½ Rep Chair Bulgarian Split Squat: 3 x 10 per side, 3-1-2-1 tempo
• Reverse Lunge : 3 x 15 per side, 3-1-2-1 tempo
• Chair Dip : 3 x two reps shy of failure, 3-1-2-1 tempo
• Push-Up: 4 x 30-second AMRAP

Best Home Workout for Power

Barbell lifts and other weighted exercises are tremendously effective for developing power. But you can indeed develop pow e r with just your body weight . As with all plyometric exercises , the goal is to land as softly as you can, with bent elbows and knees, to take it as easy as possible on your joints. 

Even if you’re landing softly, power workouts don’t tend to be the quietest. If you live above neighbors, you can modify these exercises to not make such a bang on their ceiling. With the jump squat, for example, sink into the deepest part of the squat as slowly as possible. Then, explode up with a lot of force, but only allow your heels to actually leave the ground. Keep your knees on the ground with plyo push-ups so you can land softer with your hands. Of course, you can also take this workout outside (weather permitting).

You’ll still build power, just with less of a bang. You might want to double the rep schemes to compensate for the more constrained movements. Regardless of any modifications, rest as needed between sets.

• Jump Squat : 4 x 30-second AMRAP
• Plyo Push-Up: 4 x 30-second AMRAP
• Chair Step-Ups with Knee Drive: 4 x 15 per side
• Lateral Bound : 4 x 15 per side
• Broad Jump : 4 x 15

Best Home Workout for Beginners

You don’t need lifting experience to become a successful athlete. You just need the willingness to take things slow, pay strict attention to your form, and listen to your body. If you can’t do a full push-up, there’s absolutely no shame in that — take your time and build up to it. Everyone’s body is different, and your job while working out at home is to learn more about your own body’s needs.

The keys to any workout are proper form and listening to your body. Those are really the only two things you need to get started with this beginner home workout. If once a week is what feels best for you, then perform this once a week. If you’d like to commit to two or even three times per week, then go for it. 

The trick is to commit to something you can stick to so that you can spend more time being proud of yourself for accomplishing what you set out to instead of beating yourself up for getting temporarily off course. Rest as needed between sets, but try to time yourself if that feels okay just to keep track of how you’re doing.

• Modified Push-Ups *: 3 x 5-10
• Reverse Snow Angel : 3 x 12
• Reverse Lunge: 3 x 10
• Superman : 3 x 12
• Low-Chair Bodyweight Squat**: 3 x 10

* Perform these with your hands braced against a wall or on the ground from your knees.

**Find a low, stable chair or stool and position yourself to sit back on it. Just when your butt is low enough to barely graze the chair, push yourself back to standing.

Best Home Workout for Cardio

No traditional cardio equipment at home? No problem. Home workouts can be excellent ways of getting in your cardio training without even having to dig out your running shoes . You won’t need any equipment, but this is still a high-intensity workout. So make sure you’re listening to your body and drinking plenty of water.

You can perform this workout between two and four times a week, depending on your experience level and the quality of your recovery. Rest as needed between sets, but try to keep track of your rest time. Your goal, over the weeks, will be to gradually and naturally reduce the amount of time you feel you need to continue with quality reps. That will help you measure how much your endurance is improving.

• Jumping Lunge : 4 x 30-second AMRAP
• Reverse Snow Angels: 2 x 30 second
• Inchworm: 3 x 8
• Lateral Bounds: 4 x 30-second AMRAP
• Sumo Squat with Punching : 4 x 45 seconds

Benefits of Home Workouts

You might typically think of home workouts as paltry replacements for getting to the gym. But working out at home is a pretty powerful training tool in its own right. It’ll force you out of your lifting comfort zone and bring benefits to your gains that will serve you well when you do decide to pick up a barbell again.

Convenience

First and foremost, working out at home is convenient. You don’t need to commute to the gym or remember to pack your gear in your work bag. No more strategizing for how you can get the least sweaty so you can avoid gym showers on your way to the office. With your own shower a few feet away, you can work as hard as you’d like at home — and still be in time for your next meeting.

Fortify Mental Discipline

Although it might seem oxymoronic, it takes many lifters more mental discipline to train at home than it does to train in a gym. There’s a ritual of going to the gym, and many athletes find it comforting. But when you’re at home, it’s easier to be overcome by momentum and a lack of separation between relaxation and training time.

Because of this, it’s often easier for athletes to skimp on training when at home. But if you can create a routine and a dedicated space — it doesn’t have to be big — for working out at home, you’ll train your mind to believe that you can perform well any time, anywhere. That training mentality will serve you very well on the platform when it’s time to put on your lifting face.

Improve Coordination and Kinesthetic Awareness

When you’re training with only what you have around the home you’re bound to become more aware of your body. The chair you’re using for dips is stable, yes, but it’s also slightly tilted to one side. The suitcase you’re using for deadlifts is so bulky that you need to engage all your stabilizers to keep it from scraping your leg.

By training with uneven implements, you’ll be taking a leaf out of the Strongman book and truly engaging your whole body — and mind — in each exercise. You’ll have to figure out the best approaches for each lift, and it’s bound to improve your kinesthetic awareness and overall coordination. That will help when you’re back on the platform because the more coordinated and aware of your body you are, the cleaner your lifts will be. And cleaner lifts mean moving more weight.

How to Warm Up for Home Workouts

You’ll mostly be relying on your body weight for resistance during home workouts. It’s therefore pretty easy to dismiss the need for a thorough warm-up . “It’s not like I’m tossing three plates on the bar ,” you may tell yourself. But just because you’re working out with your body weight doesn’t mean you’re not doing rigorous work — and you need to warm up accordingly.

You’ll help make your body more resilient against injury by warming up, and you’ll give yourself a more effective workout. For example, when you’re looking to go all-out with push-ups , activating your shoulders , waking up your lats , and pre-engaging your chest will all lubricate the movement to make you more efficient. And when you’re more efficient, you’re stronger and an overall better athlete.

Home Workout Warm-Up

• Cat-Cow : 3 x 10 breaths
• Forearm Plank: 3 x 20 seconds
• Inchworm With Hip Opener : 3 x 8 per side
• Lateral Lunges: 3 x 10 per side
• Bodyweight Squats: 3 x 15 per side, with a full pause at the bottom of each rep
• Down Dog to Up Dog Flow : 3 x 10 breaths

Wrapping Up

Whether you’re working out while traveling for the holidays or just trying to keep your program as simple and commute-free as possible, there are home workouts for you. Assess your goals and starting point, then get after it — because even if you’re used to hauling heavy weights, you have nothing to lose and everything to gain from training at home.

Featured Image: Maridav/Shutterstock

About Alex Polish, ACE CPT

Alex Polish (they/them) is a transmasculine powerlifter, teacher, and author. They are an American Council on Exercise-certified personal trainer focused on gender and body justice in fitness spaces, and they hold an additional certification in Kettlebell Athletics.

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BarBend is an independent website. The views expressed on this site may come from individual contributors and do not necessarily reflect the view of BarBend or any other organization. BarBend is the Official Media Partner of USA Weightlifting.

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At-Home Strength Workouts for All Levels

Malia Frey is a weight loss expert, certified health coach, weight management specialist, personal trainer​, and fitness nutrition specialist. 

Verywell / Ben Goldstein

• Beginner Workout
• Intermediate Workout
• Advanced Workout

When people think about working out, they often assume it means strenuous cardio and resistance training at the gym. But the truth is you don't need a gym membership or even much equipment (maybe just a power rack ) to get a good sweat on, build muscle, and maybe even lose some weight (if that's your goal) in the comfort of your own home.

If performed correctly and consistently, these beginner, intermediate, and advanced home workouts below can be every bit as effective as a gym workout. The key is to focus on strength training, because building muscle through resistance exercises helps to boost lean mass.

You can eventually incorporate cardio into your workout but start by getting the basics correct. By seeing and feeling the results early on, you will be more likely to keep with the program over the long term.

Beginner Home Workout

This beginner's workout plan targets the large muscles that provide stability and core strength. You don’t need any special equipment. You can do the exercises together in one workout session or split them up throughout the day.

Aim to do 2–3 sets of 10–12 repetitions (reps) of each exercise. If you can only do four or six to start, that's OK. The aim is to perform an exercise so you are slightly shaky by the final rep, but not so much so that your form suffers. Every week, aim to increase the reps until you are finally able to do three sets of 12.

Here are the four exercises to launch your home workout program:

Perfect form is essential when doing a push-up. Start with a variation you can complete with good technique, such as dropping your knees to the floor. Progress to the next level when you can do 10 to 12 reps without dropping you back, stopping short, or shaking unsteadily.

Start by doing a set of simple back lunges , which help build your glute muscles and thighs. Use a wall or chair for balance if needed. When you are able to do 10 to 12 lunges on each leg without support, try the front lunge or another variation.

The squat works the major muscles in your lower body and helps to shape firm buttocks and thighs. Always perform a squat with your feet hip-distance apart. Your hips should sink behind you as if you are sitting in a chair.

At the gym, you might use a barbell or another type of weight for your squat. At home, you can perform it weightless or use small handheld weights or a kettlebell to add a challenge.

A plank exercise strengthens the abdominal muscles and those that support your back. Begin by holding the plank position for 15 seconds. As you get stronger, progress to 30 seconds and eventually 90 seconds.

Intermediate Home Workout

As you begin to master the beginner workout, you can incorporate additional exercises to build visibly stronger arms, legs, and abdominal muscles, such as with a suspension trainer. For this intermediate plan, you can purchase a set of dumbbells or use soup cans or other household items in their place. Many simple gifts can help a home-based athlete train.

Start by adding one or two of these exercises to your routine. You can then mix it up as you get stronger, creating workouts of six to seven exercises of your choosing (focusing on the upper body, lower body, full body, or core).

Here are six you can easily do at home:

Biceps Curls

To begin a bicep curl , stand with feet hip-distance apart and one dumbbell in each hand. Maintain good posture as you raise and lower the weights, bending at the elbow. Do two to three sets of 10 to 12 reps. Increase the weight when you're able to complete the sets with relative ease.

Lateral Raises

Verywell / Ben Goldstein 

Stand with a dumbbell in each hand to start your lateral raise. Your palms should be facing inward towards the mid-line of your body. Raise your straight arms to shoulder height and lower slowly.

Do two to three sets of 10 to 12 reps. If you find that you are bending your elbows, you are lifting too much weight. Lower the weights and keep your arm straight.

Triceps Dips

For tricep dips, use a stable chair and place your hands on the seat next to your hips. Press into your palms to lift your body and slide forward just far enough that your butt clears the edge of the chair. Lower yourself until your elbows are bent between 45 and 90 degrees, then slowly push yourself back up to the starting position with control.

Complete two to three sets of 10 to 12 reps.

Bent-Over Rows

To get into the proper position for this exercise. tilt forward from the hips so that your chest is facing the floor and your arms are hanging beneath you. Pull your arms toward your chest as if you are rowing a boat.

Wall Squats

For this variation of wall squats , stand with your back to a wall and sink down to a seated position with your thighs parallel to the floor. Let the wall support your back. Now hold the position for 20 to 30 seconds. As you build strength, challenge yourself to hold the squat for a minute or more.

Overhead Press

The overhead press can be performed while standing or seated in a straight-back chair. With your back pressed firmly against the seatback, press the dumbbells over your head with your upper arms positioned in a straight line from elbow to elbow. Extend the arms fully without locking the elbow, pausing momentarily before returning to the starting position.

Do two to three sets of 10 to 12 reps.

Advanced Home Workout

In this advanced workout program, you will need a set of resistance bands and an exercise ball. These tools can help further strengthen the muscles used for stability.

There are four exercises you should add to the plan:

Stability Ball Push-Ups

If you can complete a standard push-up with good form, try performing the stability ball push-up with your lower body positioned on the ball. Start with the ball under your knees and, as you get more comfortable with the exercise, move the ball closer to your feet.

Banded Side Steps

To do the banded side step , step on the middle of the resistance band and grab one handle in each hand. The band should be looped under your feet. Now, step to the side with your right foot while keeping your left foot on the band.

Do five steps to the right and five steps to the left to complete a set. Rest and repeat for three to four more sets.

Lunges With Overhead Extension

For lunges with an overhead extension, step forward into a lunge position, while pressing your arms into an overhead press. You can use a set of dumbbells or a medicine ball here. Sink into a deep lunge. Return to the starting position. Do five reps on each side to complete a set. Rest and repeat for two to three more sets.

Lat Pulldowns

For lat pulldowns, you can do this same exercise at home with the help of a resistance band. Hitch the center of your resistance band to a hook on the door. Place the ball against the door. Grabbing a handle in each hand, take a seat facing away from the door.

Slowly pull the bands down until your elbows are fully pressed to your sides. You will feel the effort in the back muscles adjacent to your armpits, called the latissimus dorsi. Raise to the starting position and repeat, aiming for two to three sets of 10 to 12 reps each.

A Word From Verywell

To create a balanced exercise program, work out two to three times per week. Be aware that your weight may drop at first but then increase slightly as you build muscle mass. By this stage, your success should be measured not only in pounds and inches but how you feel look and feel .

If ever you reach a plateau, simply increase the intensity and/or duration of your workout. Your body will respond in kind, as it responds to the challenge and helps you build more strength and confidence.

Willis LH, Slentz CA, Bateman LA, et al. Effects of aerobic and/or resistance training on body mass and fat mass in overweight or obese adults . J Appl Physiol . 2012;113(12):1831-7. doi:10.1152/japplphysiol.01370.2011

By Malia Frey, M.A., ACE-CHC, CPT  Malia Frey is a weight loss expert, certified health coach, weight management specialist, personal trainer​, and fitness nutrition specialist. 

The Best At-Home Workouts to Help You Stay Healthy and Fit, According to Personal Trainers

You don't need much space or equipment to get moving.

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You don't need a fancy gym membership or expensive exercise equipment to get you in amazing shape. The best workouts can oftentimes be done right in your home and use your bodyweight to work practically every muscle in the body. Whether you set up an exercise mat and resistance bands in the corner of your bedroom or have a larger area to break a sweat, you don't need much space or equipment to get moving.

For people who have a home gym, working out can be simple, but for those of us used to training in a studio, we have to get a little creative. "If you're home without any equipment, your body is your own machine! Work it," says corrective exercise specialist Tatiana Lampa , ACSM CPT, NASM CES and founder of the Training with T App .

Certified Personal Trainer Rachael DeVaux , RD, CPT, PES , suggests grabbing anything that resembles dumbbells like: laundry detergent, bags of produce, or milk jugs, for your own makeshift gym. "Investing in some resistance bands from Amazon can offer a huge variety of different exercises as well," she adds.

Tip: If you're not used to working out at home, Elise Young, CPT, FMS, of Elise's Body Shop , says it's important to designate a spot in the house that feels like a good fit for some movement. "This is a stressful time and we must adjust to the place we are currently in. Lay out a mat or towel and make that your spot."

Below, we've rounded up several of our trainers' favorite at-home work out movements to try and incorporate into your routine. DeVaux suggests choosing six exercises, breaking them up into two circuits, and completing each exercise for 12-14 reps, three rounds through each circuit. Before starting any exercise regimen, always be sure to consult your physician or healthcare practitioner.

Legs and Glutes Workouts

Try air squats, side step squats, sumo squats, jump squats, and even weighted squats. You can even try holding a large bottle of detergent to get some added resistance with your squats, just make sure the lid is on tight.

Front lunges, back lunges, and even side-to-side lunges are an excellent exercise for targeting the large muscles of the lower body. For an advanced movement, try jump lunges to get your heart rate up.

Glute Bridge

This is a great bodyweight exercise to help warm-up the glutes and several muscles prior to incorporating more range of motion and any weights. You can enhance a glute bridge with resistance bands, and really make sure that you engage your core in addition to your glutes. Start with a regular glute bridge and work your way up to the single-leg bridge, which is very effective because it targets your hamstrings, glutes, and core.

Look for a durable box or sturdy bench to bang out some low-impact step ups. This move is great for balance, stabilization, and building strength. Hold some weights or detergent bottles on either side of the body for extra resistance.

Perfect this movement with your bodyweight and then grab a weight for extra resistance, engaging the glutes the entire time. Change things up by focusing on timing; lower down on a slow three-count, then squeeze the glutes as you return back up to standing position on a one-count.

Turoff says this effective and simple exercise activates your glutes, hamstrings, and quads. Try a 1:1 approach by working for 30 seconds and resting for 30 seconds, then repeating 3-4 times until you feel the burn.

Abs and Arms Workouts

A fantastic full-body workout, push-ups work almost every muscle with a huge emphasis on upper body and core strength. Even if you can't do a regular one, consider dropping to your knees or doing them against a countertop to make the transition easier. Try DeVaux's push-up progression here .

" Couches and chairs are a great alternative to a bench and allow for a ton of different movements," says Young. This makes for the perfect solution when doing dips to target the tricep muscles.

Probably the most effective core workout, planks really do benefit the entire body and require a ton of stabilization throughout your core. Try planks on your forearms, and work up building strength in a side plank if possible.

Shoulder Taps

While you're holding a strong plank, consider incorporating shoulder taps to build stability and strength. Shoulder taps work you transverse abdominals and obliques as well.

Grab a weight or detergent bottle for added resistance, and pick your feet up off the floor for an even harder challenge.

Full Body Workouts

This high-intensity, plyometric exercise is perfect for getting your heart rate up and is a fantastic finisher to any workout. Try doing burpees tabata style: push for 20 seconds, then rest for 10 seconds. Repeat four to eight times for a full-body endurance workout!

Mountain Climbers

Build strength, endurance, and cardiovascular stamina with mountain climbers. Try them at different paces; go fast if you want to get your heart rate up, or slow down and engage your core for some awesome ab work.

Superman Hold

Turoff loves this full-body move as an effective way to build strength in the lower back, something that is often neglected when exercising. Try to hold for 15-30 seconds and keep working your way up to a minute.

It doesn't take much experience or space to start jumping rope. This total-body workout boosts both cardio and strength. Plus, a jump rope is an affordable and compact piece of exercise equipment.

Stefani (she/her) is a registered dietitian, a NASM-certified personal trainer and the director of the Good Housekeeping Institute Nutrition Lab, where she handles all nutrition-related content, testing and evaluation. She holds a bachelor’s degree in nutritional sciences from Pennsylvania State University and a master’s degree in clinical nutrition from NYU. She is also Good Housekeeping’s on-staff fitness and exercise expert. Stefani is dedicated to providing readers with evidence-based content to encourage informed food choices and healthy living. She is an avid CrossFitter and a passionate home cook who loves spending time with her big fit Greek family.

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The Best 30-Minute Workout at Home for Every Muscle

Are you having a hard time finding an hour or more to exercise? Do you want to improve your fitness level without having to go to the gym? This 30-minute workout at home gives you the tools to build strength and muscle in the comfort of your living room in half an hour or less.

All you need is a set of dumbbells, your own body weight, and to be prepared for a high-intensity session that will leave you sweaty but feeling great.

This workout is available in our workout tracker , which you can download for free using the button for your device:

Click here to jump directly to the 30-minute workout!

Who Is the 30-Minute Workout at Home For?

This workout is for anyone who wants to get in shape and stay fit and healthy with short but highly effective strength training workouts. It’s perfect if you have a busy schedule and can’t dedicate hours to a fitness routine, enjoy quick but effective at home workouts, or want to squeeze in a superb 30-minute full-body workout during your lunch break.

• If your goal is to gain muscle and size, it will help you gain lean mass when combined with a moderate caloric surplus.
• If you’re on a weight-loss diet, it will ensure you’re losing fat, not muscle.

Regardless of age, sex, or training experience, this 30-minute workout routine is ideal for almost anyone who wants to maximize their results in less time with a combination of compound exercises and isolation work – all with dumbbells.

“Almost anyone,” because high-level bodybuilders and powerlifters need more specialized and extensive training for the best results. But even then, you can use this workout to tide you over if you ever find yourself with little to no time to train or without a gym.

Benefits of Full-Body Workouts

Full-body workouts have been around since the dawn of strength training. They are the best way to maximize the benefits of a strength workout when you have a short period of time to train.

• You exercise your whole body in one go. Instead of having separate days for different body parts, you get a complete workout in less time, which is great for busy schedules.
• Since you’re working all major muscle groups in a single session, it doesn’t matter if you happen to miss a workout. Miss a session on a split routine and your entire schedule gets thrown out of whack.
• Training your whole body in the same session often means a higher calorie burn during the workout, a great way to boost fat and weight loss.
• It’s easier to track strength improvements because you’re doing the same exercises more frequently.

Can You Build Muscle and Strength Using Only Dumbbells?

You might think that you need a fully equipped gym to get an effective workout.

That is not true. Your body has no idea if the resistance and tension you place on your muscles come from a barbell, an exercise machine, a resistance band, your own bodyweight, or a pair of dumbbells. 

As long as you practice progressive overload, meaning you train a little heavier or do one more repetition when you can, your muscles respond by getting bigger and stronger.

Dumbbells are incredibly versatile, and you can train your entire body without any other equipment. These are a few of the many benefits dumbbells offer:

• You can train every single part of your body with just one set of equipment. You can do curls for your arms, squats for your legs, presses for your chest, and even deadlifts, all with dumbbells.
• Dumbbells allow you to work out at home without spending money on expensive training equipment or a recurring gym membership. Dumbbells are a one-time investment and last you a lifetime.
• Dumbbells are small and portable, ideal for when you work out at home or have limited space for training equipment. You can get an excellent workout for your entire body in your living room.
• With dumbbells, you don’t have to worry about getting stuck under a heavy weight if you work out alone at home. You don’t need a spotter, as you can drop them to the floor if you get stuck. Just make sure you have a protective mat on the floor, or failing a set can get very expensive!
• Last but not least, dumbbells have proven to be one the most effective tools to build muscle and gain strength for more than a century. There is no need to change a winning concept.

What Equipment Do You Need for StrengthLog’s 30-Minute Workout at Home?

A set of dumbbells.

You can use regular dumbbells, but if you don’t want to collect enough of them to fill a dumbbell rack, you should consider getting a pair of adjustable ones. 

You will require heavy dumbbells for some exercises, and light dumbbells for others. 

Adjustable dumbbells allow you to change the load on the fly with the flip of a switch, and you won’t have to find room to store half a dozen dumbbells of various sizes.

A yoga mat or a soft carpet for comfort and to protect the floor will also be helpful.

StrengthLog’s 30-Minute Workout at Home: The Exercises

This 30-minute workout is divided into four parts: two circuits consisting of three exercises each and two superset bouts.

You perform three rounds of each circuit and two rounds of each superset. Rest ~30 seconds between rounds and ~60 seconds between different circuits and supersets.

Perform each circuit or superset with as little rest between exercises as possible. For example, after one set of goblet squats, you immediately move into dumbbell floor presses.

Goblet Squat

Dumbbell floor press, dumbbell row.

Do one set x 10-12 reps of each exercise in a row, rest for 30 seconds, then do them again for a total of three rounds .

Rest: 60 seconds

Dumbbell Lunge

• Dumbbell Shoulder Press

Dumbbell Curl

Do one set x 10-12 repetitions of each exercise, rest for 30 seconds, then do them again for a total of three rounds .

Do one set of each exercise: 10-15 reps of push-ups and 30-60 seconds in the plank. Rest for 30 seconds, then do them again for a total of two rounds .

Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift

• Oblique Sit-Up

Do one set of each exercise: 6-8 reps of deadlifts and 10-15 reps of sit-ups. Rest for 30 seconds, then do them again for a total of two rounds .

You can view the 30-minute workout at home in detail with sets and repetitions for all the different exercises in StrengthLog .

Warming Up for the 30-Minute Workout at Home

Increasing your heart rate, blood flow, and muscle temperature makes your muscles more flexible and ready for movement. 

A warm-up prepares your body for your training session, may reduce the risk of injuries, and should precede all great workouts. A proper warm-up also helps to improve your range of motion and coordination.

Here’s a step-by-step warm-up routine for a full-body workout.

Start with a few minutes of light cardio to boost your heart rate and body temperature. A brisk walk, a light jog in place, or jumping jacks will do the trick.

After the cardio, do some dynamic stretches that involve your major muscle groups:

• Arm circles : Extend your arms out to the sides and make small circles in the air, gradually increasing the size of the circles.
• Torso twists : Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and twist your torso from side to side, keeping your hips stationary.
• Leg swings : Stand with your feet hip-width apart and swing one leg forward, keeping it straight, then swing it back and repeat with the other leg.
• Squats : Hold a light dumbbell to your chest and do nice and deep goblet squats.

Do 15–20 reps of each movement, and your body should be warm and ready to go.

StrengthLog’s 30-Minute Workout at Home

Let’s break the 30-minute workout at home down, with detailed descriptions of every exercise.

30-Minute Workout: Circuit 1

You start the workout with a three-exercise circuit consisting of goblet squats , dumbbell floor presses , and dumbbell rows .

Perform each exercise in order, resting as little as possible between exercises. Once you finish one round, take a 30-second breather, then start over. Do this for a total of three rounds .

Easy to learn, yet effective regardless of fitness level and experience: that’s the goblet squat in a nutshell.

The goblet squat targets your core muscles, quadriceps (the muscles at the front of your thigh), and glutes. The instruction gif above shows the kettlebell version of the exercise, but a dumbbell works equally well.

Holding a dumbbell in front of your chest helps you squat right by removing much of the mobility requirements of the regular barbell squat . It’s an excellent exercise for all levels, whether you’re just starting out or you’ve been lifting weights for a while.

How to Perform Goblet Squats

• Stand with your feet hip-width, holding a single dumbbell or kettlebell with both hands at chest level, close to your body, and with your toes pointing slightly outward.
• Inhale, brace your core muscles and keep your chest up with your shoulders back and down.
• From the starting position, squat down as deep as you can comfortably go. At the bottom of the squat position, your elbows should be inside your knees.
• Straighten your legs and return to the standing position, exhaling and pushing your hips forward as you rise.
• Repeat the movement for your desired number of repetitions.

Without resting, adjust your dumbbells to the appropriate weight and get your yoga mat out – it’s time for the dumbbell chest press on the floor.

The  floor press  is a great exercise for building your chest, shoulder, and triceps muscles using nothing but dumbbells. It’s a compound exercise with complete stability where you can use heavy weights.

While the dumbbell floor press takes your chest muscles somewhat out of the equation due to the limited range of motion, you can target them by focusing on squeezing your pecs at the top of the movement.

Note : if you do have a training bench at home, do the regular dumbbell chest press instead.

How to Perform the Dumbbell Floor Press

• Sit on the floor with your legs straight and a pair of dumbbells beside you.
• Pick the dumbbells up and place them in your hip creak.
• Lay down while you bring the dumbbells up to your chest.
• Press the dumbbells to straight arms, bend your knees, and place your feet flat on the floor.
• Lower the dumbbells slowly until the back of the arms hit the floor, keeping your lower and upper back on the floor at all times.
• Reverse the motion and push the dumbbells up to straight arms again.
• Repeat the movement for your desired number of repetitions, then gently drop the dumbbells to the floor to finish the set.

Once again, with as little rest as possible, get ready for the next exercise. This time, you’re targeting your upper back with one of the best exercises for the purpose: the dumbbell row.

The dumbbell row is a fantastic exercise for the entire back of your upper body: your lats, rhomboids, trapezius, and rear deltoids. As a bonus, it even hits your biceps.

You don’t need a training bench to perform the dumbbell row. Anything stable you’ve got in your home, like a chair, a couch, or even a staircase, will do fine.

When rowing with your right arm, place your left leg on the chair and your right foot on the floor. Conversely, put your right leg up and your left foot down when rowing with your left arm.

How to Perform Dumbbell Rows

• Place a dumbbell on the floor beside a bench or chair. Stand facing the bench or chair and place your left hand and left knee on top of it. 
• Grip the dumbbell with your right hand and pull the dumbbell up, keeping your elbow close to your body.
• Pull the weight until it touches the side of your body, around the belly button level. Keep your back flat and parallel to the ground throughout the movement.
• Contract your lats and squeeze your shoulder blades together at the top of the movement, then lower the dumbbell back down to the start position with your arm fully extended.
• Go for a complete range of motion with a nice stretch at the bottom, then repeat the movement for your desired number of repetitions.
• Place your right knee on the bench or chair, grip the dumbbell with your left hand, and repeat the movement for the other side of the body.

That’s your first circuit done! Take half a minute to rest, then get right back into it by starting over with another set of goblet squats.

Once you have completed three rounds , you’re ready to move to the next circuit. But first, take a minute to regain your breath and let your muscles recover.

30-Minute Workout: Circuit 2

Circuit number two consists of another three exercises: lunges , overhead presses , and biceps curls , all with dumbbells. They translate smoothly into one another, and the muscles worked don’t overlap, so you should be able to maintain a steady pace without getting overly fatigued.

Like last time, perform each exercise in order, resting as little as possible between exercises. Take a 30-second rest after one round, then start over. Do this for a total of three rounds .

The dumbbell lunge has a lot going for it. Not only is it one of the best lower body exercises for your thighs and glutes – it also works your hamstrings to a lesser degree, and it helps you train your balance, coordination, and body control.

For variation, you can step backwards instead of forwards as in the instruction gif above. Doing so involves your hamstrings a bit more, and some people feel that the reverse lunge is easier on their knees.

How to Perform Dumbbell Lunges

• Stand up straight with your feet shoulder-width apart with a dumbbell in each hand by your sides. Your palms should be facing your body.
• Take a big step forward and sink as deep as your comfort and flexibility allow into a lunge position. The front knee should be directly above your ankle, and the back knee should hover just above the ground. Your rear knee should not touch the floor.
• Return to the starting position by pushing yourself back with the front leg.
• Repeat the movement for the desired number of repetitions, switch legs, and perform the exercise on the other side.

Without resting, move into the second exercise of the circuit, the dumbbell shoulder press.

Dumbbell Overhead Press

The dumbbell overhead press is one of the best overall upper body exercises, perfect for a 30-minute workout when you want the most bang for your lifting buck. It works multiple muscle groups in your upper body, including your shoulders, triceps, and traps. In addition, it effectively engages your core to keep your body stable as you push the dumbbells over your head.

Remember to maintain good form even when you get tired at the end of the set, and avoid using your entire body to move the weights.

You can also perform the dumbbell press seated, but doing so removes some of the core action from the exercise.

How to Perform the Dumbbell Shoulder Press

• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand. Bring the dumbbells up to shoulder level with your palms facing forward.
• Engage your core and press the dumbbells up overhead, fully extending your arms.
• Pause momentarily at the top of the movement, then slowly lower the dumbbells back down to shoulder height.

Once you’ve completed your last rep, lower the dumbbells to your sides and get ready for the third and last exercise of the circuit.

Some people claim that you don’t need to train your biceps directly, and while it is true that they get their fair share of work when you train your back, the dumbbell curl makes sure they don’t get left behind.

It’s the perfect final exercise to close the second circuit of your 30-minute workout: it is easy to do and allows your larger muscle groups to rest up and prepare for your next bout while you’re getting things done.

How to Perform Dumbbell Curls

• Hold a pair of dumbbells in an underhand grip (palms facing forward), arms hanging by your sides.
• Curl the dumbbells up towards your shoulders by only moving your forearms.
• Don’t let your upper arms travel back during the curl. Keep them at your sides or move them slightly forward.
• Reverse the movement and lower the dumbbells back to the starting position.
• Repeat the movement for the desired number of repetitions.

Whew! That’s the second circuit done! If it was your first round, you still have two more to go. Rest for 30 seconds and get back to work!

Once you have done three rounds of the circuit, take a minute to recover, then get ready for the superset part of this 30-minute workout at home.

30-Minute Workout: Superset 1

The toughest parts of the workout are over, but you’re not quite done yet. The first of two supersets await you: push-ups combined with the plank .

The push-up is a classic exercise for training your chest muscles using your own body weight. In addition, it works your shoulders, triceps, and core muscles. It’s as close to a perfect exercise for at-home workouts as you can get because it doesn’t require any equipment and can be done anywhere.

You can make the exercise easier by standing on your knees or harder by using a resistance band to increase the load:

How to Perform Push-Ups

• Place your hands on the floor or an exercise mat, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
• Assume the push-up position by extending your legs straight behind you, keeping your toes on the ground. Your body should form a straight line from your head to your heels. If you’re doing the kneeling variant, form a straight line from your head to your knees instead.
• Engage your core muscles to keep your body stable and maintain a neutral spine position. Avoid arching your back or letting your hips sag.
• Lower your body towards the ground by bending your elbows while inhaling. Keep your elbows close to your body at about a 45-degree angle from your torso. Your chest should lead the way.
• Continue to lower your body until your chest is just above or lightly touches the floor. Keep your body in a straight line throughout the descent.
• Push through your palms and straighten your arms to raise your body back up. Exhale as you push up.

Once you’ve completed your reps, stay on the floor, as it is time for the second exercise of the superset, everyone’s favorite: the plank.

The plank is an excellent exercise for your entire core. When done right, it doesn’t require any additional weight to strengthen every muscle fiber in your midsection.

In the plank position, move your elbows closer to your head and focus on squeezing your glutes as you hold the plank position. Research shows these two slight modifications make the plank five times more effective! 3 In addition, they make the exercise that much more challenging, meaning 30–60 seconds is enough.

Do kneeling planks if you can’t hold the position for 30 seconds.

How to Perform the Plank

• Stand on your elbows and feet (or knees).
• Brace your abs and lower back, and form and hold a straight line from your head to your feet. If you’re doing the kneeling variant, form a straight line from your head to your knees instead.

Take 30 seconds of rest, do one more round of push-ups and the plank, rest a minute, then get ready for the final act of StrengthLog’s 30-minute workout at home. And you guessed it: it’s another superset! This one features more core work and one of the best exercises for your entire posterior chain.

30-Minute Workout: Superset 2

This is it: the home stretch. Keep the tempo up and grind out the final supersets to complete this 30-minute workout in time.

The dumbbell Romanian deadlift is a variation of the dumbbell deadlift and the most efficient way to develop your hamstrings using dumbbells. It’s also a great exercise for the rest of your posterior chain, including your glutes and lower back.

How to Perform Dumbbell Romanian Deadlifts

• Stand with your feet hip width apart and a dumbbell in each hand at arm’s length by your sides.
• Inhale, brace your core slightly, and lean forward by hinging your hips. Imagine pushing your hips backward as if you were trying to close a car door with your butt. Keep your back straight and maintain a neutral spine throughout the exercise.
• Lower dumbbells down the front of your legs, keeping them close to your body. Your back should remain straight, and your knees should slightly bend.
• Continue to lower the dumbbells until you feel a stretch in your hamstrings. Keep going until your back is almost parallel to the ground or as far as your flexibility allows. Avoid rounding your back.
• Return to the starting position by pushing your hips forward and bringing your torso back up to a standing position. Keep the dumbbells close to your body during the ascent.

Once you’ve completed your Romanian deadlift reps, immediately get down on your back for the finishing move, the oblique sit-up.

Oblique Sit-Ups

The oblique sit-up works both your six-pack muscle (the rectus abdominis) as well as your obliques located at the sides of your abdominal area. It improves your core stability and helps you get stronger in movements that require trunk rotation.

If you’re struggling to complete full sit-ups, feel free to do oblique crunches instead.

How to Perform Oblique Sit-Ups

• Lie down on your back with your knees bent at a 90-degree angle and your feet flat on the floor. You can place your hands behind your head or across your chest, but be careful not to pull on your neck during the exercise. Use your dumbbells or something stable to stick your feet under so they don’t lift from the ground.
• Lift your shoulders off the floor and twist your torso to one side, bringing your right elbow towards your left knee. As you twist, exhale, and squeeze your obliques.
• Lower your upper body back to the starting position while keeping your core engaged. Avoid resting your head or shoulders on the ground.
• Repeat the movement for the desired number of repetitions, then twist your torso to the other side, bringing your left elbow toward your right knee. You can alternate sides in a controlled and rhythmic manner instead of doing one side at a time if you prefer.

After the first superset, take a short rest and repeat the two exercises one more time.

Congratulations! You’ve successfully completed this 30-minute full body workout! Give yourself a pat on the back – you deserve it.

How Often Should You Do StrengthLog’s 30-Minute Workout at Home?

This 30-minute exercise program is designed for two or three weekly workouts.

If you can only do it once per week, it is much better than not working out at all. However, you should get at least two sessions for the best results on your fitness journey.

Two weekly workouts produce much better results than one, but the jump from two to three, while still significant, is less dramatic than going from one to two.

In short, if you can squeeze in three 30-minute weekly workouts – fantastic. If you can’t, two are sufficient to make progress and get stronger.

Just make sure you have a rest day between workouts. Your muscles don’t grow bigger and stronger during your workouts but when you rest and recover afterward.

Follow the 30-Minute Workout at Home in Strengthlog

Want to start   StrengthLog’s 30-Minute Workout at Home?

It’s available exclusively in our  workout tracker app .

While this program requires a premium subscription, StrengthLog itself is entirely free. You can download it and use it as a workout tracker and general strength training app – and all basic functionality is free forever.

It even has a bunch of free programs and workouts. However, our more advanced programs (such as this one) are for premium users only.

Want to give premium a shot? We offer all new users a free 14-day trial of premium, which you can activate in the app.

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• Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research: January 2015 – Volume 29 – Issue 1 – p 246-253. Bench Press and Push-up at Comparable Levels of Muscle Activity Results in Similar Strength Gains.
• Journal of Exercise Science & Fitness. Volume 15, Issue 1, June 2017, Pages 37-42. Low-load bench press and push-up induce similar muscle hypertrophy and strength gain.
• Sports Biomechanics, Volume 13, 2014 – Issue 3. An electromyographic comparison of a modified version of the plank with a long lever and posterior tilt versus the traditional plank exercise.

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