Building muscle or bodybuilding at home is surprisingly straightforward and doesn’t require any fancy gym equipment. All it takes is a little creativity and a commitment to work out regularly. If you’re looking for safe, even muscle toning a home workout could be perfect.
Working Your Upper Body & Core:
Push-ups are a core part of any home workout routine, with each variation doing different things for different muscles. Make sure your form is good when you’re performing your reps in order to get the most from them. Your spine should be completely straight and in line with your bottom. Your palms should generally be wide for a chest workout, but you can make them narrower for an arm workout. In addition, try combining incline and decline push-ups to work different areas of muscle mass.
Do handstands against the wall to build your shoulders and back:
Not for the faint of heart, handstands can nonetheless be great multi-muscle workouts. To get into position, crouch with your back to the wall and plant your hands on the ground while “walking” your feet slowly up the wall. From there, use your toes for balance, and slowly lower your head to the ground and push back up to complete one rep. Try to get three sets of ten in
Do dips to work out your arms:
For best results, you will need a sturdy bench, table, or chair with a height of about 1 to 2 feet (0.3 to 0.6 m). Place your hands behind you and bend about 90 degrees. Keep your feet firmly on the ground. Bend back to the ground until your arms are bent at length. Repeat for up to three sets of up to 15-20 reps.
Do planks:
Planks are a great way to work your entire core, and they are easily adapted for an extra challenge. To do one, get in a push-up position. However, instead of placing your palms on the ground, rest on your forearms. Tighten your butt muscles and straighten your spine — you should be able to rest a broom between your neck and butt. Hold this position for one minute, rest, and repeat two more times.
Do crunches to build your abs and core:
Crunches are still some of the best deep abdominal workouts out there, so get working. Lay on your back with your feet planted and your knees bent. Supporting your neck with your hands, raise your shoulders 6-8” off the ground, hold for one second, then slowly lower yourself back down. Immediately bounce back up, keeping your eyes on the sky and making low, deliberate movements. Aim for three sets of six to twelve reps.
