The Ultimate Home Gym Workout Plan (Perfect for Beginners)

The first thing you need to ask yourself is whether you just want to lose weight, build up muscle mass, or a combination of both.

And you also want to take a look in the mirror to see which muscle groups and body parts you want to change the most.

For some people, it will be getting rid of body fat around the belly and developing a stronger core.

Others might be looking for big biceps and shoulders.

And some of you might just want to drop a few pounds and become physically more healthy with great workout routines that are fun and easy to do at home.

What I would say here is that if you want to build up more lean mass, then aim for muscle hypertrophy in every set. That means feeling the burn after 8-10 reps.

And if you want to lose some fat and look a bit leaner without big muscles, then aim for about 15 reps in each set.

I’ll get to the sample sets shortly.

Many people shy away from working out at home because they think they need a multi-gym machine that can cost thousands of dollars.

And while I would recommend such an investment if you really want to get fit and strong at home, you can achieve a lot of the same goals with body weight and just a few cheap pieces of essential equipment for your home gym.

I’ve developed an exercise routine below that you can easily adapt to minimal equipment and still get great compound and isolation exercise movements [1].

• Triceps Extensions: The triceps extension is always on top of my arm days, and you can do triceps kickbacks either with bands or dumbbells. 
• Wide-Grip Pull-Ups: This is an excellent exercise to build up strength in your upper back and shoulders. 
• Chest Press: You can do this with bands attached to a door frame and pushing your arms away from your body. Or, if you have dumbbells, then do this as a bench press. 
• Biceps Curls: Bicep curls are another vital part of a weekly routine as they perfectly isolate the glory muscles. 
• Lateral Raises: This is one exercise I always recommend because you don’t want huge biceps and triceps with a skinny shoulder area. 

Day 3: Cardio Day

I prefer my cardio days on a rowing machine to a treadmill as I find a good rower will activate your legs, core, arms, and shoulders.

But you can choose whatever suits you, and it could even involve heading out for a cycle or run.

Here are my favorite lower body exercises, and most of them are practical for people without multi gyms or other expensive machines.

• Leg Extensions: If you have a multi-gym machine, then this will be a lot easier. Alternatively, you can attach a resistance band to the door and do a standing single-leg extension. 
• Squats: If you don’t have weights, then go as deep and slow as you can, and once you’ve built up the strength, you can do single-leg squats. 
• Calf Raises: Ideally, grab a pair of dumbbells and do a minimum of 12 reps. You can go for a higher rep range to get the burn. 
• Lunges: These aren’t practical with bands, but if you have some free weights, you can easily do walking lunges. 

Day 5: Full Body HIIT And Core

For this day, you’re not focusing on one body part. You want to make sure that you target all areas.

My recommendation is to pick eight of your favorite exercises from above and cycle through them at least twice, with just a short break after each set. 

You should also add these core workouts:

• Leg Raises: Lay down on your yoga mat, and while keeping your back on the ground, lift your legs to 45 degrees and then slowly lower them down. 
• Sit-Ups: Do as many as it takes to feel the pain.
• Plank: Aim for at least 90-120 seconds and extend as long as possible.