You can get a defined body without expensive equipment or a gym. The magic word is: strength training at home.
Studio closed? Or all the machines are occupied again? Or you just don't feel like going to the gym? The reason doesn't really matter. You don't necessarily need a gym. You can do strength training at home - without equipment.
You can do a large number of exercises without equipment. Even if there is little space in your living room.
Muscle building exercises are the perfect complement to an outdoor workout. I like to go running very much, but I know that without strength training never have the chance to get better.
So strength training at home is big and red ringed on the calendar. And 2x per week. Always on Mondays and Thursdays. This is due to the countless advantages of this type of training.
Table of contents
What are the benefits of strength training?
Attention, please read only if you are mentally strong: From the age of 25, the body begins to lose muscle mass. You accumulate body fat more easily. There is nothing you can do about it except actively fight against it.
For us women, it's a lot harder than for men. But we don't let that put us off, do we?
That means for you: Challenge your muscles regularly.
As you build muscle, your posture will improve, you'll have less tension, and you'll feel much more confident and fit overall.
If you immediately think of heavy dumbbells and shake your head, you can rest assured. Strength training in the living room also works without expensive and heavy equipment.
There are a number of reasons how building muscle will impact your life.
You
- get in shape and feel better,
- live healthier,
- you get a whole new feeling for your body,
- you appear much more self-confident,
- can perform better,
- build up strength and benefit in everyday life when you have to carry shopping bags,
- gain respect and admiration,
- become more active and enjoy it because you can see the progress.
As you can see, there are many reasons to start building muscle at home. However, it is important that you make the decision yourself and don't let yourself be pushed.
You have to start with motivation and a goal. Then it's guaranteed to succeed!
Get the XXL guide to building muscle as a woman!
Things to know about strength training at home
As a beginner, it's perfectly sufficient if you start with your own body weight. This is mega exhausting.
You can make each exercise even harder by adding weight cuffs, using only one arm or one leg. But more about that later.
Strength training at home is always most effective when you consider circuit training. That is, several exercises that you complete in quick succession. The more modern term for this is HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) - but in principle it works in exactly the same way.
Muscle building exercises you can either do for a certain amount of time or go by repetitions. Example: 30 seconds squats or 20 squats. Whatever you like better is allowed.
You are completely flexible when training your muscles at home. You also have the option to simply run through the circuit 3x. Or to do each exercise 3x and then switch to the next.
By the way, 3x does not mean 3 squats, that would be too easy. Strength training at home must be a bit more strenuous. 3x means 3 rounds. Example: 3×15 squats.
As a beginner, you should focus on strength training without equipment and do it 2x per week. When you feel fitter, you can increase the intensity and train 3-4 times a week.
But very important: Always leave at least one day break between the units.
Increase the intensity
To keep your workout from eventually taking over an hour, you can increase the intensity differently. Vary the tempo of the movements, the number of repetitions and the number of sets in each workout.
This way you always provide new stimuli and keep the body on its toes.
You don't have to do all the exercises at every workout. It's important that you alternate, otherwise the body will get used to it and the muscle building will stall.
My tip for training:
- Beginners train on repetitions.
- Advanced on time.
Beginner
Do 3 rounds of 10-12 repetitions each. Take a break between repetitions. Work accurately and cleanly instead of quickly. It doesn't matter how long you take.
To make it more varied, combine two exercises. Example:
- 1x 10 Squats
- Break
- 1x 12 triceps dips
and then start over again until you have completed three passes.
Advanced
Do as many repetitions as you can manage. But make sure you do them cleanly! My timer is always set at 40 seconds. After that, I switch to two other exercises. Example:
- 40 seconds squats
- 40 seconds Planks
- 40 seconds triceps dips
- Break
After that, I start again from the beginning. I do not take any breaks between the individual exercises.
That's why exercising sober is not a good idea!
The best exercises for strength training at home for beginners
With these bodyweight exercises, you can build muscle and define your body without fitness equipment.
What you need for muscle training at home is a non-slip exercise mat.
As a beginner, perform the exercises slowly and in a controlled manner. Increase only slowly and as long as you manage to perform the exercises cleanly.
Depending on how you feel about working out, you can also check out our advanced strength training exercises. You can find them here in this post right under the beginner exercises.
Squats
You train: thighs and buttocks
- Stand shoulder width apart. The back is straight.
- Slowly get down on your knees.
- Lower your butt until it is level with your knees.
- Go back to the starting position and start again.
Push-ups
You train: The entire body
- Support yourself with your arms on the mat. Your hands are under your shoulders.
- The legs are open about hip width.
- Your body forms a line. Body tension!
- Lower your upper body by bending your arms.
- The view is directed downwards.
Don't worry if you can't do it! With all exercises you can adapt your strength training at home to your fitness level.
There are many preliminary exercises that you can do instead of push-ups. Then push ups later succeed all by themselves. Beginners should put on women push-ups. They are less strenuous, but also very effective.
With this How To Guide, you'll be doing real pushups soon!
Planks
You train: The entire body
- Lie down on the exercise mat.
- Place the elbows under the shoulders.
- Push yourself away from the floor. Your body will form a straight line.
- Tighten your stomach and butt so you don't sag.
- Hold the position for at least 30 seconds.
If this is too boring for you, you can also use Incorporate plank variations into trainingwhich have it neatly in itself.
Triceps Dips
You train: The triceps
- For this you need a table or an armchair.
- Place the palms on the table. The fingers point towards you.
- The legs are bent and the back is straight.
- Lower your butt until you almost reach the floor.
- Push yourself back to the starting position with the strength of your arms.
This is what you have to pay attention to when doing triceps dips!
Crunches
You train: The straight abdominal muscles
- Lie on the floor in the supine position.
- Angle the legs.
- Place your hands on the back of your head.
- Direct your gaze upwards at an angle.
- Lift your chest off the floor. As you do so, curl your torso slightly. And return to the starting position. But never put your head down.
- You don't have to sit up! Light bobbing is enough!
Crunches are not for some reason among the most effective abdominal exercises for women. They should not be missing from any full body workout!
Lateral planks and twist in
You train: the lateral abdominal muscles
- Support your body in a lateral position with your left elbow. The elbow is under your shoulder.
- The body forms a line.
- The left leg is in front of the right.
- Stretch your right arm in the air.
This is the starting position.
- Tense your body.
- Pass the right arm under your body.
- The hips remain level and stable.
- Stretch the arm through again as in the starting position.
Knees up
You train: thighs and buttocks
- You start with a lunge like in picture 1.
- Stand up and pull the knee up until it is level with the hip.
- And again put down and go into a lunge.
These 16 butt exercises will change your life!
Reverse fly with bent arms
You train: The upper back
- Lie on your stomach. Angle your arms to the sides. The elbows are at the level of the shoulders
- Place the legs on the tips of the feet.
- Raise the arms and torso upward and pull the shoulder blades toward the spine.
- Lower the arms and upper body again, but without touching the floor.
Advanced we can lift the legs off the mat here at the picture. This exercise strengthens your back and can have a positive effect if you are tense from sitting every now and then. Therefore, it may be in our collection about Exercises for a strong back not be missing.
Pelvic bridge
You train: the thighs and the back
- Lie flat on your back. Stand with both legs about hip-width apart.
- Arms rest on the floor at the sides of your body.
- Tighten your abdomen, buttocks and back and lift your pelvis until your body forms a line.
- Hold the position for 3 to 5 seconds. Lower the pelvis again, but without putting it down and then press it back into the air!
Strength training at home for advanced
Once you find the beginner exercises too easy, you can either increase the number of repetitions or make it even harder for yourself.
There is a lot of small and inexpensive workout equipment that can turn a simple exercise into a pretty difficult one. These include kettlebells, dumbbells, Minibands* or weight cuffs.
Kettlebell push up
You train: the entire upper body and abdomen
- Lie on your back and bend your legs.
- Grab a kettlebell.
- Tilt the handle toward you at an angle. Only in this way are your wrists not bent and stable.
- Lift the shoulders off the mat. Stay in this position and push the kettlebell away from you until the arms are almost extended.
- You should be able to do 10 repetitions of 3 passes!
Attention: Do not hold the kettlebell directly above your head and rather use one that is too light than one that is too heavy!
These are the 12 best kettlebell exercises for beginners!
Mountaineer with weight
You train: arms, back, abdomen, legs, buttocks
- For those who are bored with normal strength training at home, this exercise is for you.
- Put on a weight cuff on the right and left leg.
- The arms are under the shoulders. The legs are stretched.
- Tighten the abdomen.
- Alternately pull the left and right knee to the chest.
- 10x right, 10x left = 1 pass. Make 3 passes.
Bye Bye Angle Arms! These exercises will tone your arms!
Kettlebell circle
You train: shoulders and arms
- You can also use a medicine ball or a dumbbell for this.
- Stand up straight. Bend your knees slightly.
- Grab the weight and circle it around your head.
- All that moves during this exercise are your arms. Head, hips and co. remain stable and do not move from the spot.
Here's what you need to know about building muscle as a woman!
Upright planks with kettlebell
You train: The entire body with emphasis on the upper body
- You start in an upright plank.
- Your right hand is under your shoulder. In the second hand you hold a kettlebell.
- Pull the kettlebell toward the upper body.
- Make sure your hips don't tilt to the side.
Advantages of muscle training at home
I love my workout routine. What can't be missing is strength training at home. Training within your own four walls has many advantages. Excuses like "no time", "too cold, too wet", "too far away" or "no desire for traffic jams" no longer stand a chance.
Once you have your training equipment together, you can start at any time. While you have to drive to and from the studio, you have already completed some of the exercises at home.
You don't need to buy expensive equipment or subscribe. As a beginner, your body weight is enough. As an advanced exerciser, get a pair of dumbbells and a kettlebell and you're ready to go again.
However, you need to be a little more disciplined. Most of the time, people who do strength training at home fail because of themselves.
30 tips for weight loss that really work!
The inner pig sneaks in and tells you, "Oh gosh, come on, lie down on the sofa for a minute. Just a quick little power nap!" Don't trust him! It's a trap :)
Always keep your goal in mind. Then it will work much better!
Who benefits from strength training at home
- Anyone who is physically fit and healthy
- Who has little time and wants to train flexibly
- Anyone looking for a sporty balance to the stress of work
- Anyone who spends many hours sitting at work
- Anyone who has had enough people around during the day and wants peace and quiet in the evening
- People who want to save money
- Anyone who is just starting to build muscle
Our conclusion
Once you realize that strength training at home works, you'll save a lot of money that you would have spent on the gym. Don't let your inner self bring you to your knees and always keep your goal in mind. Then you're sure to succeed in building muscle at home.
Good luck!
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