Home weight training - exercise meaningfully

Bodyweight strength training is a form of resistance training that does not necessarily require any special equipment. The main advantage of this kind of training is its accessibility, low cost and the option to train whenever, wherever and for as long as you like.

The amount of work you put in is to a certain extent proportional to the results. A smaller volume of training will let athletes at least maintain a basic level of fitness and for non-exercisers it brings reconditioning and it can have a positive effect on the weight-loss process.

A higher volume of training increases muscle strength, improves movement coordination, strengthens the deep stabilising system, makes fat burning easier, allows you to build muscle mass to a certain extent and improve your fitness. Any form of exercise is also beneficial for cardiovascular and mental health.

How to put a workout together

Bodyweight training at home is attractive for very busy people. With a little willpower it is easy to fit into your schedule. There are three approaches that will help you stay active or keep in shape even when you are short of time or equipment.

The classic approach

Set aside 20-90 minutes for a workout two or three times a week. In a single session you can train the whole body or focus on a specific part of the body in each session. Do one exercise in at least 3 sets and choose the number of repetitions at 70-80 % of your maximum, so that you can maintain correct exercise technique on every repetition.

Alternative approaches

One of the alternative approaches is to do a predetermined number of repetitions of one or more exercises in the morning before breakfast or before your active day begins. You can train this way every day, every other day or, say, three times a week. Popular exercises for this format are press-ups (50/100) or squats (50/100/200) or the plank (2/3/5 minutes). You typically do not reach the target number in 1 set, but across several sets completed in the shortest possible time.

An example of an alternative home workout for beginners and advanced trainees alike

Another way is to break up your day with smaller sets of exercise. It is enough to do a simple set of a chosen exercise/exercises (e.g. 20 press-ups or 30 squats) 4-8 times a day. A good opportunity to fit in one set can be the time before breakfast/a snack/lunch/dinner, during a coffee or tea break, a short pause at work or simply whenever you have a free moment during the day. This method is very beneficial for non-athletes and it helps athletes to maintain a basic level of physical fitness when they cannot train the way they are used to.

There is a whole range of bodyweight exercises and you can use them to strengthen most of the muscles in our body. If you want to learn about different exercises and their variations, correct technique and which muscles they strengthen, you can read our article “The best exercises to do at home”.