4 strength training exercises you can do at home without dumbbells or barbells

These strength training exercises will help improve your functional strength as well as increase your metabolism.

By: Longjam Dineshwori | | Updated: June 8, 2020 10:37 am

Kettlebell swing will help strengthen your hamstrings, glutes, shoulders, and calves.

Strength training exercises don’t just help increase your muscle strength; they can also have major effects on your physical health. Many experts agree on the benefits of strength training that include reducing blood pressure, improving cholesterol, and reducing risk of diabetes. What’s more, it can also improve your ability to perform daily activities, such as lifting heavy objects or moving furniture. This is because strength training helps improve your strength, coordination, as well as flexibility. Also Read - 5 expert-approved exercises to fight the effects of aging

Traditionally, strength training is done using dumbbells and barbells. But now you can’t go to a gym to get access to this equipment due to the lockdown. Worry not! You can still work out at home to reap the benefits of regular strength training – without dumbbells or barbells. Bodyweight exercises like push-up will give you almost similar results. If you want better results, you can add some common weightlifting moves, such as overhead squats and deadlifts, to the routine. For these exercises, you can use household items such as weighted water jugs or gym bags. Fill the gym bag and the water jugs with dirt, sand, or litter to increase their weight. Now, let’s look at some of the strength training exercises you can do at home. Try to perform these exercises three times a week in the beginning. Also Read - Should you strength train or do cardio first while working out? (Query)

Overhead Squat

This exercise mainly targets the quads, but it also helps strengthen the glutes, hamstrings, lower back, shoulders, triceps, and the abdominal muscles. Also Read - Easy floor workouts to lose stubborn back fat at home

How to do it

Stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder width.
Lift the gym bag above your head and keep your arms straight
Keep your back straight, start squatting
Once your hips are parallel to your knee joints, hold the position for one second.
Rise back up into the starting position.
This is one repetition. Do 5 repetitions. You can gradually increase to 12 repetitions but not more than that. If you can easily achieve 12 repetitions, you may add more weight to the bag.

Deadlift

It will target your back, glutes, hamstrings, and quads. To perform this exercise, you will need the weighted gym bag.

How to Do It

Stand behind the gym bag with both feet close to each other.
Now grab the ends of the gym bag and lift it off the ground to the level of the hips
Make sure your back is straight.
Once you bring yourself into a standing position, stick your chest out and contract your shoulder blades.
This is one repetition. Complete at least five repetitions.

Kettlebell Swing

This exercise will help strengthen the hamstrings, glutes, shoulders, calves as well as target your abs. A weighted water jug is all you need to perform this strength training exercise.

How to Do It

Grasp the handle of the water jug with both hands and hold it below your pelvis.
Slightly bend your knees, keeping your back straight, and hinge at your hips
Keep your arms straight. This is the starting position.
Now, quickly squat back up into a standing position while thrusting the jug forward.
Once the water jug reaches chest level, return to the starting position.
This is one rep, aim to do 20 repetitions.

Single Leg Split Squat

This squat variation will work more on the glute muscles, but also strengthens the quads and hamstrings. To perform this strength training exercise, you will need two weighted water jugs, and a table or chair about knee’s height.

How to Do It

Hold a water jug in each hand and keep your arms straight by the sides of your body.
Prop backward one of your feet onto the chair. Make sure your toes are resting comfortably on the surface.
The other leg should be straight. This is the staring position.
Slowly, bend the straight leg down into a squatting position, but the knee shouldn’t go past your toes on the chair.
Continue squatting down until the knee of the leg on the chair almost touches the floor.
Hold it for a second and return to the starting position by straightening your front leg.
This is one repetition. Complete at least five repetitions.

Published : June 7, 2020 4:39 pm | Updated:June 8, 2020 10:37 am

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