Whats in your home gym?
I wanted to share with you what my top five bits of equipment for if you are on a budget and maybe a little short on space. Each bit of equipment listed below requires very little space, is super versatile and simple to transport about.
Gym rings are such a great piece of equipment and probably my favourite. You can get a full body session in with countless variations of pulling movements, pushing movements, ways to challenge your core and also lots of ways to incorporate them in your lower body sessions too! Besides this you can take them with you anywhere, plus rings offer loads of regressions for specific movements, think feet assisted pull ups or walking taller for elevated push ups.
Where to train:
Hook up your rings on a tree and play with hangs, rows etc. You can use an anchor point on your ceiling perhaps, fix them over the top of a door or a pull up bar. They are light and easy to take away with you where ever you go.
Workout
5 x 3-5 Ring pull ups ( or feet assisted)
18 Min ALT EMOM ( Alternate movements each minute and rest the remainder or each)
1- 10 Ring Push ups
2- 15 Ring Pike ups
3- Max Air squats (No rest on this one)
Another bit of kit that is easy to travel about with, store away without it being in the way and also give you a great full body workout is the kettlebell. You can use your kettlebell for unilateral work such as single arm pressing or loading up single leg squats etc. You could grab two of the same weight to load up your session and work more bilaterally or grab a couple of different weights to challenge your body in different ways. There are so many movements to add to your kettlebell session, but thats for another blog!
Where to train:
Grab your kettlebell and take it outside, down the local park, use it in your living room or garage etc. Add it in to your running workouts and give this workout below a go!
Workout:
5 Rounds for time :
Run 400 m (scale to 300 m if a standard 400 m run takes you 2 mins plus)
30 KB swings ( A weight you can keep moving on)
Another piece of kit thats super versatile and easy to transport is a set, or a single dumbbell! Once again you can use these for bilateral and unilateral work. Generally we can manage heavier load in terms of lower body compared to upper and therefore I recommend you get two sets. That said, if you can only manage one set for now then you can still challenge your lower body with a light weight using eccentrics, isometrics, slow tempo and high volume.
Where to train:
Take them anywhere with you on a farmer carry down the road, your workout in the park or once again at home. Give the short and sweet workout below a go...
Workout:
21- 15 - 9 - 6 - 3
Dumbbell thrusters
Burpee over the dumbbells
21 reps of each then 15 and so on....
A great tool that comes in serious handy when you are doing your warm ups or need help with muscle activation. A full set is a good way to go and also look at therrabands too. I like to use a thin band to prep my shoulders before any upper body session with YTW pulls or internal and external rotational work. You can use them for presses overhead, pull downs, glute activation work, challenge stability with movements such as single leg banded lunges or aid your push ups and pull ups. If you have other equipment available you can also use them to add further resistance such as banded KB or barbell deadlifts, Banded goblet squats etc. They are also again easy to take anywhere with you.
Where to train:
Take them with you outside, use at home, or keep in your bag for your gym visit and prep for your session.
Workout: 3 Rounds
1- 10 YTW rows in each position
10 x banded passthroughs
2- 5 x 5 Paloff Get ups each side.
3- 20 Minute Amrap ( As many rounds as possible)
10 x Banded floor press
20 x Bent over banded rows
30 x Banded squats
The final piece of kit to make my top 5 is the sandbag. Such a simple bit of kit that you could adjust the load depending what you need it for or maybe get multiple bags for different loads if you prefer. I love a good sand bag session whether thats Squats, Deadlifts, Cleans, carries, Push or pull! Once again another super versatile piece of kit! Check out my previous blog on sandbags to see specific movements with video demos.
Where to train:
Take it with you on an adventure and challenge yourself with some carries, cleans and squats!
Workout Every 3 minutes for 24 mins :
50 m Run with the sandbag
8 x Sandbag cleans to shoulder (alternate sides)
12 x Sandbag Squats
I hope you found this article useful. Feel free to message me if you would like some further advice on how to use your equipment or what bit of kit to buy next! Don't forget I also offer online programming, if this would help you in your training from home then fire me an email.
Thanks,
G