Table Of Contentmagazine
COMPLETE GUIDE TO
NEW!
UPDATED
AND
EXPANDED
HOME
WORKOUTS
BUILD MUSCLE
BURN FAT
SAVE MONEY
193
EXERCISES
DEMONSTRATED
IN DETAIL >>>>
magazine
COMPLETE GUIDE TO
HOME
WORKOUTS
By Jon Lipsey
Design Ian Jackson, Stephanie Gatto
Subeditors Michael Donlevy, Jo Williams
Photography Tom Miles
Model Tom
C O M P L E T E H O M E W O R K O U T
Contents
Getting started
7 - 27
Bodyweight
28 - 51
Dumb-bells & gym ball
52 - 105
Extra kit
106 - 135
Barbell & bench
136 - 169
Kettlebells
170 - 189
Home gym machines
190 - 199
Nutrition
200 - 208
4 Men’s Fitness
C O M P L E T E H O M E W O R K O U T
Getting started | Introduction
Training begins now
Working out at home is an accessible way of getting fitter and stronger.
This book tells you everything you need to know to hit your muscle targets
elcome to the Men’s section and show you how to
Fitness Complete use big moves for maximum
W Guide To Home muscle growth.
Workouts, a comprehensive If you’re really serious about
training resource for anyone building a home gym, you
who wants to exercise at may want to invest in a cardio
home. By using the exercises, machine or a multigym. The
advice and workouts in this home gym machine section
book, you’ll develop a lean will tell you what qualities you
and muscular physique. The should be looking for so you
moves and training systems make the right purchase.
we’ve selected will give you What you eat has as much
great results whether you’ve of an impact on your body
been working out for years shape as the amount of
or are a complete beginner. training you do. That’s why
All you have to do is make we’ve included a chapter that
sure that you structure your gives you clear advice about
workouts to give your how to eat healthily, where
muscles progressively fresh food is in and gimmicky
tougher training challenges. diet plans are off the menu.
Working out at home is There’s also a sample meal
incredibly accessible because plan and a thorough guide to
you can start without having sports supplements.
to buy any kit. If you want
to make fantastic progress, How to use this book
buying simple equipment such You can use the Complete
as dumb-bells and a gym ball Guide To Home Workouts
will allow you to do a wide whether you’re a beginner or
variety of workouts, helping an experienced exerciser. The
you to keep progressing and kit guide sections give you
stay motivated. The exercise demonstration dumb-bells and gym balls, advice on how to buy home
and workout pages of the which includes a gear guide, workout kit. The exercise
What’s in the guide? book are split into chapters 65 muscle-building moves demonstration pages show
This book starts with a clear involving different bits of kit. and 15 sample workouts. The you how to perform effective
and full guide to basic training The first contains all the best extra kit chapter explores moves with perfect form, while
theory. By understanding the moves you can do by using how adding a few simple the workout pages give you
key variables involved in a bodyweight alone, as well items such as a pull-up bar, examples of common training
workout, such as the number as some sample workouts medicine ball and resistance methods. You can then
of sets and reps you perform, you can use depending on band can allow you to train in design your own workouts
you stand a better chance what you want to get out of new and productive ways. The by arranging the exercises
of achieving the body you’ve your training sessions. That’s barbell, bench and kettlebell according to the principles of
always wanted. followed by a chapter on chapters complete the training your chosen training method.
Men’s Fitness 7
C O M P L E T E H O M E W O R K O U T
Introduction | Getting started
Muscle myths
Don’t let these common muscle myths hamper your training
Myth: Weight training will and perform exercises Myth: It’s safer to lift target muscles and prevents
make you bulky that burn lots of calories. weights slowly injury by eliminating room
Reality: Even if you train Crunches burn comparatively Reality: In rehabilitation, for error. But the restrictive
regularly and push yourself to few calories, so they’re not patients are told to perform movements of machines
your limit, you won’t suddenly good for getting rid of your exercises at a slow tempo might actually increase the
sprout huge muscles. Training gut. And doing hundreds of to retrain their bodies to risk of injury. Machines are
properly will increase your any exercise is an inefficient execute movement smoothly, fixed and rigid and therefore
muscle size, but this happens way of training because if you a tactic that has crept into limit natural movement,
over time. If you don’t want can do that many reps the gyms. But as long as you’re whereas when you use
your workouts to have a movement isn’t challenging always in control of the free weights your body
muscle-building effect, you enough to stimulate new lifting and lowering phases naturally makes adjustments
need to adjust key variables, muscle growth. of an exercise you won’t throughout the exercise’s
such as how many reps you set yourself up for an injury. range of motion according to
perform, so they have more of Myth: Running is better for Indeed, performing reps with your strength level, speed of
either a strength or endurance fat loss than lifting weights speed trains the muscles to movement, and proficiency.
effect than a muscle gain one. Reality: Intense weights react quickly in unexpected,
sessions will burn plenty real-world situations, which is Myth: More training means
Myth: Endless crunches will of calories and have a how you really protect yourself more muscle
give you a six-pack fat-loss effect. High-intensity from injury. It also activates Reality: Muscle growth
Reality: Doing crunches circuits give you an aerobic more muscle fibres, leading happens while you’re
will strengthen and define workout, which improves to greater gains. recovering, not while you’re
your abs but it will do little to your heart and lung function, working out. If you don’t
remove any body fat that’s as well as strengthening Myth: Machines are safer leave enough time between
hiding them. You can’t lose muscles. Running is good than free weights sessions, you won’t let your
fat from any one part of your for developing your heart Reality: The makers of muscles complete the repair
body so, if you want to shift and lungs but won’t build weights machines advertise process that makes them
your spare tyre, eat healthily much muscle. that their equipment isolates bigger and stronger.
Advice for beginners
If you’re new to weight training, follow this advice to avoid injury
Warm up properly every exercise. Each exercise in this book core during an exercise. To do this, start by
Always warm up properly before doing any comes with detailed notes on form. If you ensuring that you are standing or sitting up
serious exercise (see p20). This will help you don’t have good form you won’t get the full straight with your hips in line with your torso.
to stay injury free. benefit of the exercise and may injure yourself. Now imagine that someone is about to punch
you in the stomach and you have to tense
Stop if it hurts Start light your abdominal muscles to take the blow.
If you feel pain at any time during your Pick a weight you can manage easily the first You need to maintain that contraction
workout, stop immediately. The saying ‘no time you perform any lifting exercise. This throughout the move to protect your lower
pain, no gain’ is popular in with old-school PE way you can concentrate on performing the back from muscle strains.
teachers who don’t know what they’re talking exercise perfectly, and then you can build
about. Working through pain could do serious up the weight over time. Keep training
damage to muscles, joints or tendons. For more advice on training, as well as
Brace your core detailed workouts and eating plans, see
Watch your form You can help to stabilise your body and Men’s Fitness magazine every month.
Maintain perfect form for every repetition of reduce your injury risk by engaging your Go to mensfitness.co.uk for more details.
8 Men’s Fitness
C O M P L E T E H O M E W O R K O U T
Getting started | Introduction
Home vs gym
Working out at home and working out in a gym both have advantages
and disadvantages. Here’s how to get the most out of a home set-up
ne of the best things Expensive you to perform a wide variety Find your space
about working out gym fees can of exercises. Adding a couple Before you start, make sure
O at home is that it’s be off-putting of accessories such as a you have enough space to
accessible. In fact, you could medicine ball, pull-up bar and exercise without damaging
start right now, even if you kettlebell will further increase either yourself or a priceless
don’t have any kit. That’s your options. Finally, a barbell family heirloom. A 2m by
because you can do lots of and bench will let you lift 2m space should just about
challenging exercises, such as heavy weights for real strength be enough.
press-ups and chair dips, just and size gains. Choosing a room with
by using your bodyweight. If you’re really serious about a high-ish ceiling is also
You can’t do everything fitness you can add a squat advisable, if you want to avoid
with bodyweight alone, but rack and cardio machines, but cracking your head or hands
the good news is you don’t if you’re starting out the simple during jumping moves. And
need lots of kit to lose fat and and cost-effective kit in the wherever you work out, don’t
build muscle. A gym ball and workout chapters can whip compromise form if you’re
a set of dumb-bells will allow you into excellent shape. tight for space.
Home gym advantages
It’s cost effective the urge to do a workout, you can. The drawbacks record your progression and
You can do a huge variety And if you want to train at anti- If you’re very short of space, you give you advice and motivation
of moves with a gym ball, dumb- social hours, you can do that too. may find working out at home when you need it. Gym staff are
bells and a pull-up bar, the difficult. But provided you have also on hand to offer technique
combined cost of which can be You don’t have to the space, there isn’t much you advice if you’re unsure how
under £50. The more kit you buy queue for kit can’t do with the kit included in to perform a lift. Follow the
the more expensive it’ll be, but Unless you invite friends to join this book. There are, however, comprehensive form guides that
you can build a versatile home you, you’ll be the only one using some bits of kit you’d find in accompany every exercise in
gym without breaking the bank. your kit. That means no waiting a commercial gym that can this book, though, and you’ll be
If you stick to your plans and around for someone else to finish enhance your workouts. If you demonstrating perfect form.
achieve your fitness goals, you’ll their sets and you can make sure don’t have a squat rack (a stand Unless you’re prepared to
be glad you made the investment. you stick to your rest periods. that holds a barbell so you don’t spend serious cash, your home
have to lift it off the ground every gym won’t have the variety of
You’ll save time No gym villains time you want to perform a lift), for cardio machines offered by
A major benefit of working In your own home you example, you’ll find it hard to do commercial gyms. But this doesn’t
out at home is that you don’t have won’t have to contend with heavy squats and bench presses. have to hamper your fitness.
to travel if you want to train. posers on mobile phones, people Another advantage commercial Running outside can give you
with hygiene issues and ugly gyms have over home set-ups great cardiovascular workouts, as
It’s flexible naked men who spend far too is the support network. A good can performing weights circuits
Your home gym will always long towelling themselves off personal trainer can work out a where you do exercises back to
be open so if you suddenly get in the changing rooms. programme tailored to your goals, back with light weights.
Men’s Fitness 9
C O M P L E T E H O M E W O R K O U T
Introduction | Getting started
Home gym kit Get motivated
Al the home workout kit shown in You’ll need to stay
this book is available from either motivated to achieve
Escape Fitness (escapefitness.com) your goals. Here’s
or Fitness Superstore how to maintain your
(fitness-superstore.co.uk). workout enthusiasm
Set realistic, measurable goals
Don’t set yourself up for a fall by aiming
for something unrealistic such as losing
two stone in two weeks. A measurable
goal, such as wanting to lift 80kg on the
bench press, will give you focus and you
can track your progress.
Change your routine
Every two weeks you should make
a change to your routine. It could be
something simple such as the order of
your exercises or introducing variations of
a move. Doing that keeps your workouts
fresh and gives your body the stimulus
it needs to keep progressing.
Give it five minutes
On days where you’re struggling for
motivation, get changed into your workout
gear and do five minutes of your routine.
The chances are that you’ll want to carry
on and do your full workout. If you don’t
want to carry on, you need to look at
your overall programme to work out why
you’re so unmotivated.
Take a step back
If you’re really struggling, ask yourself
what’s making things difficult. Are you
doing the same thing over and over again,
are you stressed or not inspired by your
environment? There will be a reason. As
soon as you’ve identified that obstacle
you can try to do something about it.
Keep a training diary
Recording and seeing your progression
down on paper gives you great motivation.
You don’t have to record every detail of
your workout, you could just write down
your performance for the two biggest lifts
in your workout. That will also help you
realise when you need to change your
routine because you’ll easily spot when
you’ve stopped progressing.
10 Men’s Fitness
