Home Workout Without Equipment?

I am in the group wishing they had built a home gym earlier. Today I am buying plates and a bar with squat stands and a bench. I’ll probably drop close to $800 today. I already have dumbells up to 45 lbs. I am sounding a bit douchy here, as many would love to be in my unfortunate position.

Unfortunately as I live in the UK, there was a news story today saying that ALL gyms around the country are going to be closed from today “until further notice”. When that is, I’ve no idea, but I’ve got a feeling I’m now gonna be out of the gym for months, if not years if this carries on. Whilst it may seem like a very minor issue in comparison to what’s going on right now, I’m sure that a lot of you guys will understand how frustrating this can be for somebody whos life revolves around working out, eating healthy, and generally following a bodybuilding lifestyle.

I live in a very small flat, and don’t have any proper weight equipment at home such as a squat rack, bench, etc. Well, I DO have a bench, but nowhere to put a barbell so that I can do flat & incline bench, etc. The barbell & dumbbells I own have a very limited amount of weight plates, and is nowhere near the amount that I usually lift at my gym.

My question is, what is the best way around this if buying new equipment isn’t a possibility? Obviously doing higher reps, drop sets, etc is of course an option but in order to maintain my strength & muscle as best as I can, do you guys have any decent tips? I also worry about things like my Deadlift strength reducing considerably, as with the limited amount of weight plates I have, I could probably rep out 200-300 reps on Deadlift without breaking a sweat, in comparison to the amount I usually lift at the gym.

Would really appreciate the help.

Kind regards, thank you.

Damn I know I said I’d like the time off, but if this gets worse than I expected, I might take up sprints and calisthenics

Maintaining muscle mass is easier than maintaining strength IME, why? because their are so many slightly different ways to bodybuild as long as you are hitting your muscles consistently and using, as you say higher reps and maybe pre-exhausting stuff (example: flys before push ups or front raises before ohps) etc you can at the very least maintain.

With regards strength, heavy db work (if possible) one side at a time might work really well or single arm calisthenics is another option.

I’m with Stu, why does this have to be so complicated?

What’s wrong push-ups and pull-ups (use a tree or a door if you have to) for upper body, and lunges and sprints for lower body?

We could even get spicy with some sliders and bands :open_mouth:

I did 10 x 8 rows using three chairs in my house yesterday. Was aiming for 10 x 10, it really gave a great pump.

Then single leg calf raises on the stairs and for traps I did shrugs using my body weight using two chairs like a dip set up.

It’s better than nothing and at least have a great pump.

Monday is chest day. 7 x 10 push ups and then 3 x 10 dips.

How’d you pull that off?

So I lay with my back on the floor and my feet on a chair. Then the other two chairs were by each arm (like a crucifix). I used the top of the chairs like a handle and pulled myself up. They were dining chairs with wooden backs with gaps in, I wouldn’t have been able to do it otherwise.

For those who like to “embrace the suck”…

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Also Ben Bruno putiing out good content on his insta, -loads of stuff with just a broomstick…

https://www.instagram.com/p/B-AbP5Chs3-/

So I’m in NYC, there’s no gyms open (I have an incredible regular gym here) and God knows how long this goes on for. Now I’m wondering what the hell to do. I ordered the 5-90 lbs adjustable dumbbells from Amazon, then of course after charging my credit card they stealthily cancel the order (which for them means no notification, just taking it out of my order history). All I have are bands.

I was thinking of just going on Rogue or EliteFTS or something and ordering the 90 lbs dummbells, 65 lbs, 40 lbs, etc. just so I can get some crap done. If I knew for a fact that this hysteria over some crap with a 0.2% fatality rate for people under 60 would be over in a week or two, I’d take this as a vacation. But given the fear mongering I can imagine the idiot government keeping this up for months.

If this does indeed drag on for months, I’m not screwing over the progress I’ve busted my ass for. Wondering if anyone else has some suggestions.

I’m busting my butt trying to come up with something in case this is more than a 2-3 week gym closure. Kicking myself in the ass for giving away my 300+lb olympic set and bench to a friend when I moved a couple years ago, and then selling my 160lb set after the move since I had a gym membership. I just did an inventory and I have around 110 lbs of plates (all 10lb plates and under), a pair of dumbbell handles and an EZ curl bar and bench. Just ordered a decent dip station and one of the better doorway pull up bars. I live in a relatively small town and there are absolutely no places to get an olympic set but I’m still working on that. I do have a treadmill and resistance bands, I just hate to give up my bench press strength especially :^ /

Just add the bands to your plates and bench away. Add a bunch of pauses. You might even up breaking a sticking point with something new!

I’m going back to Shanghai mid April and will be stuck at home (can’t even leave the house) for 14 days . I’ll only have access to 5kg dumbbells. Any good workout channels I can do?
I’ve been using fitness blender an HASfit seems to have some decent kickboxing workouts

Hi if u have some sugestion for my program house, i think that i will not have the possibility to go to the gym for 2month easy.

4x week
Monday wenesday friday sunday and so on

1 warm-up and 3/6 sets depend of my mood and maxium reps for all of the exercices

Squat
Dips
Pull up
stiff legged deadfit
press arnold or dumbell military

2 exercices isolation

  • curl barre and so on
  • 1 other exercices for my back

Finisher abs/ Core exercices

Somethime i will change the order, exemple if monday i start by chest, wenesday i will start by the back ect.

And i will change also the exercices like " monday Dips, wenesday push up weighted… for all of them i will change for don’t stay in a routine.

The rest time will be like that " 1 minut if i don’t use weight or elastic resistance " 2 minute if iam weighted or use elastic for dips or push up

one of the 4 training will be just a circuit training Dips pull up push up supersets without rest something la 2 2 2 4 4 4 6 6 6 8 8 8 6 6 6 4 4 4… and supersets biceps/triceps

Choice of my exercices ( i had only 88 lbs maxium that i can use)

Chest: Dips, push up
Legs: Squat, front Squat
Back; pull up pronation/supination
Hamstring: stiff deadfit or goodmorning
Shoulder: arnold or military dumbbel

Isolation:
Curl barbell …
Barbell row or dumbell

Thank u, and take care of u and ur familly in this confinement,peace

Those are good exercise choices. I think if you push hard on those, consistently, and eat and sleep, you’ll get stronger. Don’t know your goals or current strength levels but this article has some good ideas on how to make bodyweight moves better muscle-builders.

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thank dude, i will read that later, if i have any question about this article i will cb

I’ve just moved over my high rep stuff with what I would usually do with a barbell to dumbbells.

And every morning just crush an intense Jump rope sesh.

I bought a home gym. I am not sure when this will be over. I have worked really hard to get the muscle and strength I currently have. Pushups, lunges and chins are good if it is two-three weeks, not if two-three months.

I suppose having a home gym has more benefits than just now. If I ever am short on time, it is faster than going to the gym. If I have children it will get lots of use.

Hi everyone
Greetings from India
So with the spread of coronavirus, gyms, swimming pools and movie theatres in many cities are being closed. I have always wanted to have a small workout space at home anyway, but now the desire is even more relevant.
So here’s what I am planning to get (at first):
Squat rack (adjustable height)
2 Olympic barbells
2 pairs of screwable db handles
Weights
1 adjustable bench
Trap bar
And maybe a cardio machine, like an airdyne bike( depending on budget)

Any suggestions are welcome!

P.s. I have a large-ish terrace available

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