Little-to-no equipment? Sometimes I find myself in the same situation. Whether it’s trying to get through a disaster or deployed with the military I’ve always tried my best to make something from virtually nothing.
Below is a super simple, minimal equipment, at-home chest and back workout. It uses some household equipment I bet you have plus I’ve included some optional things to do to make things more challenging.
At-Home Chest and Back Workout
Feet inclined push up
Use a chair or bench for your feet. If you have a pair of dumbbells use them for grips. This puts your wrists in a more neutral position. Perform each rep slowly with a two second descent and two second accent. Also, be sure your body stays straight – avoid bowing your hips toward the floor. Do as many reps as you can.
Make it harder: Good at these and need more? Try one-and-a-half reps. Go down all the way, half way up, down again, and then all the way up. That’s one rep.
Floor push up
Perform same as above, but now your feet are on the floor. Again, be sure to keep a rigid core throughout.
Make it harder: You can do the one-and-a-half reps as above and then add a five seconds hold/contraction at the top.
Banded fly (optional)
Loop a band around an upright: fence post, column, or whatever you have as a stable structure. Perform flys as you would with cables. You can perform these from a low, level, or high position.
Make it harder: Use a five second squeeze at the top of the movement.
Wide-grip pull up
Find a high enough crossbeam or use a doorway pull up bar. Use wide grips, close grips, or underhand. I use my son’s swing set.
Make it harder: It’s not hard to make these harder. I just go for more reps in less time or pick a number of total reps to get to and just as many sets as it takes to get there.
Rack row (inverted row)
Place bar around hip level ( I use a metal broom handle and two ladders), sit under the bar, place your hands on the bar with an overhand grip. Row your chest up to the bar with your feet still on the ground.
Make it harder: To place more stress on your lats lower the bar or you can place your feet on a chair or bench.
Banded pull down (optional)
Loop a band around an upright pole. Kneel down on your knees and pull the handles down toward your sides.
Make it harder: Either perform one-and-a-half reps and/or pause the squeeze in the contracted position for a count of five.
I hope you find the above helpful. Please let me know in the comments if you try it and if you have any other suggestions for at-home, minimal equipment training.
Brad Borland 