Buzz
While many offer suggestions for home workouts (including us), preparing for weeks of home training demands more than just ideas—it requires a structured plan.
As someone driven by setting goals and adhering to a schedule to prepare for events, I understand the challenge. Even if you’re not as competitive as I am (I’m extremely competitive, by the way), training at home without proper equipment can feel directionless.
I consulted strength coach and powerlifter Greg Nuckols on maintaining progress while training solo and what to anticipate upon returning to the gym. (Nuckols also shares his own guide to gym-free training here). Surprisingly, the outlook is quite positive!
“As long as you can apply sufficient tension to a muscle to challenge it effectively, you won’t face significant issues building or maintaining muscle mass,” he explains. What a relief.
Embracing an off-season can be beneficial, in fact
Without access to heavy weights, your workouts might lack the intensity you’re accustomed to (though there are workarounds, which we’ll discuss shortly). If heavy barbell squats were your go-to, but you now lack a bar or rack, your training approach must adapt.
However, transitioning to higher reps with lighter weights “could actually be advantageous in the long run for many strength athletes who typically focus on low-rep training,” Nuckols notes.
Soccer players and other seasonal athletes often have a structured off-season, shifting their focus from sport-specific skills to building a broader fitness foundation. For lifters, this could mean prioritizing hypertrophy (muscle growth) with higher reps and lower intensity, allowing more recovery time, or incorporating conditioning work.
“If there was ever a perfect time to focus on cardio,” Nuckols remarks, “this is undoubtedly it.”
Organize your workout area
One reason we yearn for the gym is its distinct identity as a dedicated space. It’s a special building or room where you escape daily life to focus solely on your workout. Replicating this atmosphere is challenging when you’re doing pushups in your living room.
However, you can make an effort. If another area of your home can be transformed, utilize it. I’ve been parking the car outside to free up the garage for workouts. Others have turned their decks into yoga studios. If a private space isn’t available, Nuckols suggests facing the wall during exercises to avoid distractions like dirty dishes or your gaming console.
To enhance the ambiance, incorporate music. Headphones can effectively eliminate a host of distractions.
Get creative with equipment
Home workouts aren’t restricted to bodyweight exercises, but they do require ingenuity. Even with minimal resistance—like a pair of dumbbells—you’re still making progress. Nuckols explains that reaching failure within approximately 60 reps means you’re still benefiting.
If you’re yearning for something closer to heavy lifting, consider these alternatives:
Heavy-duty resistance bands (Nuckols recommends these from EliteFTS), which can offer hundreds of pounds of resistance when combined. Most powerlifting exercises can be adapted for resistance bands.
A pull-up bar. The over-the-door style fits most doorways and doesn’t require tools for setup.
A backpack filled with books or other heavy household items. Use it for wearing, hugging, or carrying during various exercises.
A five-gallon water jug. “It’s essentially a 40-pound dumbbell, albeit a bit awkward,” Nuckols notes. Water weighs roughly eight pounds per gallon.
Scout your home for more inspiration. (For instance, my daughter enjoys climbing on my back during pushups, which I must admit is surprisingly effective!)
Develop or locate a plan
Even if my focus has shifted away from meet preparation, having a structured plan helps me navigate the upcoming weeks and months. Creativity doesn’t mean you have to improvise every session.
If you’re on a bodybuilding-style program, Nuckols suggests minimal changes. Simply replace exercises you can’t perform with alternatives that target the same muscles using the equipment you have.
For powerlifting programs (centered on squats, bench presses, and deadlifts), heavy resistance bands can mimic most movements. While not identical, this approach allows you to stick to your existing program.
If transitioning to bodyweight workouts, Nuckols advises selecting programs from credible sources: “Choose those who’ve specialized in bodyweight training for years, not those who primarily focus on barbell training and suddenly offer a bodyweight program. It’s unlikely to be effective.” (Both of us have heard positive feedback about the Recommended Routine from r/bodyweightfitness.)
You might experience a slight dip in strength, but it won’t hinder your long-term progress
This isn’t your standard training routine—it’s your off-season, after all.
If you can’t perform your usual exercises, you might feel a bit out of practice when you return to the gym. In fact, any prolonged shift in your workout routine can lead to some rustiness. The upside is that maintaining a baseline level of strength through consistent training ensures your progress will bounce back.
As Nuckols explains: When people return to the gym, “they’ll step under the bar and realize, oh no, my maxes have dropped by 20%, maybe even 30%. They’ll panic, thinking they’ve lost all their progress. But as long as you’ve engaged in some form of productive training during quarantine, you’ll regain the majority of that strength within a month or two.”
