Resistance Training at Home: 5 Essential Exercises

Going to the gym isn’t always an option. We all have days when we’re not feeling too great or everything is a mess. A busy schedule, daily stress, and tiredness can affect our motivation to work out. This is where resistance training can be a more convenient option.

You can always use what you have at home to get a heart-pumping workout and reach your training goals. 

Resistance training isn’t limited to weight lifting or gym machines. The human body is capable of doing amazing things — you just need some practice and motivation. 

Have you ever tried to do one-arm handstands? What about handstand clap pushups, hanging sit-ups, or single-leg squat jumps? Trust us — these movements are a lot more challenging than your typical workout!

The truth is, there are hundreds of different exercises that can be done from home. As Harvard Health notes, your body offers the cheapest equipment available. If you also have some dumbbells or elastic bands, that’s even better! 

A few months ago our team published a guide on how to build a home gym from scratch without breaking the wallet. Check it out to see what you could get for your budget and then watch this video for inspiration.  

Not sure where to start? Below we’ll share some of the best resistance training exercises you can do at home — with or without equipment. But first, let’s see what resistance training is all about. 

Resistance Training Is More than Lifting Weights 

Most folks associate resistance training with weight lifting, but they’re not the same thing. 

Try running in water, for example. It’s a lot more challenging than running on pavement because your body is working against an external force. The same happens when you lift weights or do push-ups, pull-ups, and other bodyweight exercises. 

Resistance training involves any exercise that requires your muscles to work against an external force, whether it’s a dumbbell, medicine ball, resistance band, or your body weight. Weight training, on the other hand, is limited to movements that require using weights or gym machines. 

Elastic bands, sandbags, and even your body weight can be just as effective as free weights for building size and strength. 

Plyometric exercises like box jumps, lunges, box drills, and plyo push-ups are all examples of resistance training and can be quite challenging. Even water or sand can offer resistance. 

Isometrics falls into this category, too. When you’re doing isometric exercises, you create force with your muscles. In the long run, this training method can increase muscle strength and improve overall conditioning. 

Simply put, weight lifting isn’t the only way to build mass and get stronger. You can just as well push a sled, kick a punching bag, or use your body weight to create resistance. 

Get Started with Resistance Training at Home 

Clinical evidence points out that resistance training can reduce chronic disease risk, improve mobility, and maintain physical function as you age. It’s also a simple, effective way to bring your cholesterol levels down, keep your bones strong, and lower blood pressure. 

A 2012 review in Current Sports Medicine Reports notes that resistance training exercises may ease low back pain and alleviate the discomfort associated with bone diseases.

In clinical trials, subjects who engaged in resistance training lost up to four pounds and gained over three pounds of lean mass in as little as 10 weeks. Their resting metabolic rate increased by a whopping 7%. 

Our advice is to see this guide on how to start working out from home. For a full-body workout, check out Franco Columbu’s at-home routine and customize it based on your needs and fitness level. 

5 Exercises for at Home Resistance Training

But enough with the talk. Let’s take a look at the best resistance training exercises that don’t require a gym membership!

1. Master the Pistol Squat

As you already know, the squat is one of the best lower body exercises out there. It hits your quads, glutes, hamstring, and calves while building strength in your back and core muscles. Plus, it’s a highly functional movement. 

The pistol squat takes things to a whole new level. 

This exercise engages the entire posterior chain while improving your balance, flexibility, and coordination. It also makes it easier to spot and correct muscle imbalances. 

According to the Australian Fitness Academy, pistol squats are safer for your spine compared to the back squat. Additionally, this movement challenges your balance, which in turn may improve proprioception through the leg and core. 

So, are you ready to upgrade your leg workouts? Here’s how to do the pistol squat with perfect form:

1. Stand with your feet together and your arms at your sides. 
2. Lift one leg off the floor and extend it in front of you. Try to keep it straight. 
3. Raise your arms in front of you. Brace your core and look straight ahead. 
4. Slowly bend your standing leg until the thigh is parallel or below parallel to the floor. Lean your torso forward. Maintain a neutral spine. 
5. Return to the starting position in a controlled fashion. Squeeze your core muscles to maintain your balance and stability. Repeat. 

If you’re a beginner, place one hand on a stable surface — like a table or sofa — for support. For a more challenging exercise, perform the pistol squat on a BOSU ball. Another option is to hold a kettlebell or weight plate in your hands at chest level. 

2. Do Dips at Home for Stronger Pecs and Arms 

Bicep and tricep exercises typically require some sort of equipment, like dumbbells, barbells, or cables. But this doesn’t mean you can’t get a great arm workout at home. 

Take dips, for instance. 

This upper body exercise can add size to your arms, sculpt your chest, and build core strength. The main muscle worked is the triceps, but your delts, pecs, traps, rhomboids, biceps, and back muscles come into play, too. 

Depending on your training goals, you may use a narrow grip to target the triceps or a wider grip to focus more on the chest. For an extra challenge, wear a dip belt or a weighted belt. 

This movement is usually performed on a dip bar. If your home gym is equipped with parallel bars, you may use them for dips. This isn’t your only option, though. 

A chair, a plyo box, or a bench will do the trick, too. Simply follow these steps: 

1. Sit against a chair or bench with your legs extended in front of you. 
2. Bend your elbows and place your hands on the seat of the chair. Keep your chest open and your shoulders down. 
3. Lift your body by pressing into your palms. 
4. Pause for a moment and then lower yourself back to the floor until your elbows are bent 90 degrees. 
5. Push yourself back up and repeat. Avoid locking your elbows at the top. If you do it right, you should feel your triceps burning. 

Another option is to position yourself between two sturdy chairs and place your hands on their backs. 

Likewise, you can use a countertop, the back of a straight couch, or any objects that are the same height and parallel to each other.

3. Fire Up Your Glutes with the Single-Leg Deadlift 

A well-thought-out deadlift program can add size to your legs, build strong back muscles, and boost sports performance. After all, there’s a reason why the deadlift is referred to as the queen of exercises. Along with the squat, it’s one of the best movements for size and strength gains. 

While it’s possible to use kettlebells, dumbbells, or resistance bands for deadlifts, nothing can beat the good old barbell. If you don’t have one, you can always try single-leg deadlifts, which are just perfect for at-home workouts. 

This unilateral movement will fire up your glutes and improve your balance. It also enforces the hip hinge movement pattern and improves mobility through the legs, back, and hips. Plus, it puts less strain on the spine compared to traditional deadlifts. 

Not sure how to do a single-leg deadlift?

Follow these instructions:

1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Hold a dumbbell or kettlebell in each hand or use your body weight until you learn the movement. 
2. Lean forward, shifting your weight onto the right leg. Bring the other leg behind you. Keep your chest up and your back straight. 
3. Lower yourself with a slow, controlled motion until your torso is parallel to the floor. Your arms should be hanging down and your left leg should be fully extended behind you. Maintain a slight bend in your right leg. 
4. Slowly return to the initial position and repeat. Do the same on the opposite side. 

Push into the ground and brace your core to stay in balance. Don’t swing your hips. Keep your non-working leg in line with your torso and squeeze your glutes at the top of the movement. 

This exercise can also be performed with a suspension training system, like the TRX. Simply grab the handles of the TRX instead of using dumbbells and then follow the steps outlined above. 

4. Work Your Back with Banded Rows 

Training your back at home isn’t an easy task since most exercises require gym machines and heavy weights. 

The good news is, resistance bands can provide a great workout as long as you know how to use them and keep your routine varied. 

For example, did you know that resistance bands can be used for dozens of row variations? You could do seated or standing banded rows, place the band higher or lower, attach them to free weights, use one arm or both arms, and more. 

Here’s how to perform seated banded rows at home:

1. Sit on the floor with both legs extended in front of you. 
2. Loop a resistance band around your feet, holding its ends in your hands. 
3. Brace your core and pull the band while squeezing your shoulder blades. 
4. Pause at the top of the movement and then slowly return to the starting position. Repeat. 

Use two bands for extra resistance. Wrap them around a pole at different points (higher or lower) to hit your back muscles from different angles. You may also loop one end of the end around a pole and perform the movement with one arm at a time.

5. Do Russian Twists for Ab Definition

This simple yet effective movement targets the obliques and builds core strength. Since it only requires a dumbbell or exercise ball, it’s ideal for at-home workouts. 

Depending on what equipment you have available, you may also use a weight plate, a kettlebell, or a small sandbag. 

Russian twists won’t get you rid of belly fat and love handles. However, if you’re already lean, this exercise can make your abs look more defined. 

The key is to perform it with good form and avoid common mistakes, like rounding your back. Keep these tips in mind: 

1. Sit on the floor with your knees bent. Hold an exercise ball in your hands in front of your stomach. 
2. Brace your core and raise your feet a few inches off the ground. 
3. Bring the ball to your right hip in a controlled manner and pause for a second. Keep your lower back locked in place. 
4. Rotate your torso and bring the ball to your left hip. Make sure it doesn’t touch the ground. Repeat. 

Beginners may keep their feet on the floor. The higher you lift your legs and feet, the more your abs will work. Keep your legs straight and your feet off the floor to make this movement more challenging. 

Build Size and Strength at Home

As you might have noticed, we haven’t mentioned push-ups, pull-ups, chin-ups, and other classic exercises that require no equipment. If you’re a regular reader of our blog, you should already know how to perform these movements correctly. 

See our training videos for other at-home exercise ideas. Make sure you check out Arnold’s full-body workout to build mass at home! 

The beauty of training at home is that you have the whole place for yourself. 

There are no waiting lines, no sweat stains from strangers, and no weird looks when you’re trying something new or different. You just need to stick to your workouts and seek ways to make them more challenging. 

What you eat matters too.

To go with these very effective workouts, you need an equally potent protein power. We suggest our Vintage Brawn formula for the best results so that none of your hard work and sweat goes to waste.

In the meantime, share your home workouts below! Let us know if you have any favorite exercises or want to know how to target a specific muscle. 

Remember, we’re here to help you grow and become a better athlete.