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Sure, the arms and chest may be the glamour muscles, but without leg day you can’t have that full body shredded physique that men strive to achieve!

And leg exercises will give you tons of benefits beyond just looking great.

When we say “leg day”, we are actually talking about a lot of different muscle groups in the lower body.

The major muscle groups here are the glutes, hamstrings, quads, and calves.

In addition, there are smaller muscle groups like the adductors and abductors that are also targeted on leg day.

Leg day is one of the most important strength training days for a number of reasons.

Keep reading and you'll never skip leg day again!

Leg Day Improves Your Metabolism

For one, when you work out the legs you are exercising big muscle groups.

This means that you will burn more calories during these workouts.

In addition, the lean muscle gained during these sessions will increase your resting metabolic rate and allow you to burn calories more efficiently, even at rest.

For example, studies have shown that strength training increases lean muscle mass, which then leads to increases in resting metabolic rate.

So even when you are sitting at a desk or on your couch at night, you will be burning calories at a higher rate.

Reduce Injuries with Leg Exercises

Leg day is also essential to decrease injuries in all of your activities of daily living.

A strong lower body allows you to stand, walk, run, and climb.

Having strong legs will help reduce falls and improve your overall health.

Think about it — almost every activity you do on a day to day basis requires using your lower body.

From standing up from your desk, to carrying groceries up your front steps, to doing yard or housework. All of these activities require strong legs.

This makes leg day that much more important.

The Best Leg Workouts For Men

You can perform leg exercises with or without equipment.

If you have access to a gym or weights, this will make the exercises more challenging.

However, if you are working out from home you can still get an amazing leg workout that will strengthen all of the major muscles in your lower body.

Top 6 Leg Workouts with Equipment

Free weights and machines will help you build muscle and really develop strength in your legs.

With all of the gym equipment available, it can be hard to know where to start.

But these top six legs exercises with equipment will target all of the big muscle groups in your lower body.

1. Barbell Deadlift

The deadlift is a great exercise that works a bunch of major muscle groups at once, making it ideal to include in a leg day workout.

The deadlift will target the hamstrings, glutes, and quads. In addition, you will also activate muscles in the core, upper back, and deltoids.

You should really focus on form, and not so much on using a ton of weight when you first start doing this exercise.

This is important to avoid injury.

Gradually increase your weight as you perfect your form and gain strength.

• Stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
• Hinge forward at the hips with a slight bend in the knees and grip the bar just outside of legs.
• Keep the bar close to your body as you straighten your legs and explode up.
• When the bar gets past your knees and your arms are straight, bring it against your thighs while keeping a straight back.
• Then slowly lean forward at the hips while also bending your knees a little at the same time to lower the bar back down.
• Aim for 3 sets of 8-10 reps.

2. Barbell or Dumbbell Squats

Squats are one of the ultimate lower body workouts.

Once again, you will be targeting your glutes, hamstrings, and quads all at once.

This exercise can be done with a barbell or dumbbell depending on how comfortable you are with the movement.

If you're using a barbell, you should always use a spotter, or at least a spotter rack to make sure you are safe doing this movement.

Begin with bodyweight squats if you are new to this move.

• Stand with feet hip-width apart and squat your hips down and back while you bend your knees.
• Try to keep your weight in your heels.
• Then explode back up through your heels to a standing position.
• Once you have perfected the form you can try holding dumbbells by your side to add weight to the movement.

If you have lower back issues, you can also try front-loaded squats by holding a dumbbell or kettlebell in front of your chest as you squat.

This can help decrease pressure on the low back as you move down into the squat position.

3. Leg Press

If your gym has a leg press machine, this is a great option for leg day, especially if you have low back issues.

Since the leg press machine supports your back, this will keep you stabilized as you work your quads, hamstrings, glutes, and calves as you press the weight up.

While you won’t get as much of a core workout when using the leg press machine, this is still a great lower body workout.

Research shows that the leg press is one of the best exercises to target the quadriceps, especially the inner quad muscles.

• Sit on the machine with your back and head resting comfortably against the padded support.
• Place your feet on the footplate about hip-width apart with your feet flat and your legs at an angle of about 90 degrees.
• Your knees should be in line with your feet — as you press, make sure to keep this alignment.
• Grasp the assist handles to provide support and keep your spine and head in position.
• Push the platform away with your heels and forefoot.
• Extend your legs and keep your head and back flat against the seat pad.
• Do not lock out your knees at the top.
• Then return the footplate to the starting position by gradually bending the knees.
• Aim for 3 sets of 8-10 reps.

4. Leg Extension Machine

A leg extension is a lever machine that will target the quadriceps muscles in the legs.

Leg extension workouts are great for isolating the front and side of the thighs.

• The exercise involves bending the leg at the knee and extending the legs (raising a padded bar), then lowering them back to the original position.
• When using a leg extension it’s important you adjust the seat so that your knees are directly in line with the axis of the machine.
• Pause at the top of the movement and squeeze your quads to add intensity.
• Aim for 3 sets of 8-10 reps.

5. Seated Leg Curl Machine

Seated leg curls are one of the main exercises for strengthening and toning the hamstrings.

Besides defining the back and front of the leg, leg curls are used for strengthening the quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes.

Another benefit is that they can help in protecting your joints and knees from becoming stressed and injured.

• Put your legs on the padded lever so it sits just below your calf muscles, and set up the lap pad so it sits on your thighs just above the knees.
• Lift your legs so they are straight out in front of you and grasp the side handles on the machine.
• Pull the padded lever down and back towards you as far as you can with your legs, hold for a second, then slowly bring it back to the starting position.
• Like the leg extension machine, when using a seated leg curl machine you should focus on your body position and the direction of your toes.
• Remember that your hamstrings are composed of three major muscles; seated leg curls tend to target your inner hamstring muscles, but can also hit the calf muscles as well.
• You can activate your calf muscles by pointing your toes in different directions.
• To target different muscles, try alternating sets of leg curls with your toes pointed up with sets of leg curls with your toes pointed downwards.

6. Walking Lunges with Dumbbells

This is another great movement that will hit the glutes, quads, and hamstrings.

It will also help you improve your balance and core stability as you target one leg at a time.

• Make sure you have a long clear space to walk across.
• Keep your upper body straight, with your shoulders back.
• Step forward with your right leg, lowering your hips until both knees are bent at about a 90-degree angle.
• Make sure your front knee is directly above your ankle and does not track over your toes.
• Keep the weight in your heels as you push back up to the starting position.
• Then repeat on the left as you walk forward.
• Keep alternating legs until you repeat 8-10 reps on each side.

Top 6 Leg Workouts Without Equipment

If you don’t have access to weights or machines, you can still get in a killer leg workout by using your own body weight.

Since you won’t be using extra weight, you will need to really focus on slowing down the movements to really feel the burn.

You will also need to increase your reps to make up for the lack of weight.

1.Wall Sits

This is an excellent exercise to improve muscular endurance while working the quads, hamstrings, and glutes

• Hold yourself in a seated position with your back against a wall.
• Try to keep your thighs parallel to the floor.
• Try to hold this position for 30 seconds to start and gradually work your way up.
• You can even put a backpack or suitcase on your lap to add some weight when you don’t have any equipment.

2. Pistol Squats

As mentioned above, squats are one of the ultimate lower body workouts since you are hitting your glutes, hamstrings, and quads all at once.

Pistol squats will challenge you by focusing on one leg at a time and will really isolate each muscle group.

This means you don’t really have to use weight to still get an amazing leg workout.

• Stand with your feet together, then lift your left foot off of the ground and extend it in front of you.
• Push your hips back and hold your hands in front of you for balance as you go down into a one-legged squat with your right leg.
• Then drive through your right heel to stand back up.
• You can use a chair to help you balance until you get the movement down.
• Aim for 3 sets of 10 reps on each leg.

3. Step Up to Reverse Lunge

This exercise targets the glutes, hamstrings, and quads.

Additionally, it has the added benefit of improving your balance, stability, and core strength.

Like the pistol squat, it isolates one leg at a time to give you a killer leg workout without needing any added weight.

• Stand with a step between 6-18 inches in front of you.
• Start at a height that you feel comfortable stepping onto.
• Step up onto the step with your right foot.
• Place your whole foot on the surface with the toes pointing forward.
• Bring your left foot up behind you and up towards your chest while balancing on your right foot.
• Hold this single-leg stance for a moment.
• Then move the raised left leg back to the ground.
• Step back with the right foot so that both feet are now on the ground where you started.
• Do 8-10 reps on the right, then switch and repeat on the left.

4. Standing Calf Raises

This is an excellent exercise to isolate the gastrocnemius muscles.

You can also do this exercise with a slight bend in the knees and you will hit the soleus muscle in your calves as well.

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart.
• Push down into the soles of your feet and explode up to your toes.
• Then slowly lower back down.
• Aim for 3 sets of 12-15 reps.

5. Side Leg Raises

Not only is this a great leg exercise to target your glutes, lateral quads, abductors, and abductors, you will also be engaging your core and abdominal oblique muscles.

• Lie on your right side and raise your left leg up to about 30-45 degrees and hold for a pause at the top.
• Then slowly lower the leg back down to meet your bottom right leg.
• Do 8-10 reps with the left leg, then flip over to lie on the left side and repeat 8-10 reps with the right leg.

6. Glute Bridges

This lower body exercise will strengthen the gluteus maximus and medius and will also work the quads and hamstrings.

Strengthening these muscles will not only give you a great looking butt and legs but will also help you improve your other exercises like the squat and deadlift.

• Lay on your back and bend your knees while keeping your feet flat on the ground about hip-width apart.
• Bend your elbows to 90 degrees so that only your upper arm is on the ground.
• Press your lower back down into the ground to create a posterior pelvic tilt.
• This will help you protect your lower back and engage your abs as well as your glutes.
• Drive up through your heels and upper back to lift your glutes up off the ground.
• Drive your hips up as high as possible without arching your back.
• Focus on squeezing your glutes hard.
• Squeeze your glutes for a second or two at the top and lower all the way back down to the ground before repeating.
• Aim for 3 sets of 10-12 reps.
• Do not rush through this exercise. Take time to hold at the top and feel the glutes activate.

Make Leg Day a Priority

Every workout routine needs to include top-notch leg exercises to build a strong lower body.

These exercises will improve your overall fitness and decrease your risk for injuries, all while giving you a well rounded, ripped physique.

There is no shortage of great leg workouts that can be performed either in a gym or at home.

The Fit Father Project also offers a number of lower body exercises that can be done with or without equipment, so there is never an excuse to skip leg day!

*Please know that weight loss results & health changes/improvements vary from individual to individual; you may not achieve similar results. Always consult with your doctor before making health decisions. This is not medical advice – simply very well-researched info on leg day.

Are you ready to burn some serious calories, build muscle, and get shredded? Even a shorter workout can be high in fat burning and strength building.

The key is to really up the intensity.

HIIT workouts can help you build muscle and get in the best shape of your life.

Get started with these high octane HIIT workouts for men today!

Increase Your Intensity With HIIT

Any workout is going to burn calories, however the higher the intensity of the workout, the more calories you will continue to burn, even after the workout has ended.

This is called Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption (EPOC).

So if you are short on time, the key is to really up the intensity. This ensures that even a shorter workout will be high in fat burning and strength building.

Research has even shown the fitness benefits of intense intervals of activity.

A study out of the International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism showed that two minutes of sprint intervals produced similar post exercise oxygen consumption compared to 30 minutes of continuous running at a lower intensity.

This makes HIIT an excellent option for those that are short on time but still want to get in a killer workout.

Build Muscle With HIIT

High intensity interval training is a great cardio option to burn calories in a short amount of time.

But it’s not just a cardiovascular benefit you will be getting.

HIIT involves doing intervals of an exercise at the hardest effort you can sustain for a given period of time.

You can do pretty much any exercise you choose during these intervals.

This gives you the opportunity to train multiple muscle groups so that you will build lean muscle while you simultaneously burn fat.

Research has even shown that HIIT is effective at increasing muscle size over a three week period of time.

And while you don’t want to rely solely on interval workouts to build muscle, this shows that on days when you can’t get to the gym to lift weights, HIIT is still an excellent alternative.

Get Started With These HIIT Workouts For Men

It can be hard to figure out where to begin with HIIT workouts.

The big thing to remember is to try to perform the interval exercises at the maximum effort you can maintain for the intervals.

This ensures that you reap all of the benefits of interval training.

You can design your own high-intensity interval workouts with just about any exercise.

To get started, here are some awesome examples of HIIT workouts that will improve your fitness and get you ripped in the process.

Power HIIT Workout For Men

Make sure you have a towel and water available for this short, but intense HIIT workout.

High intensity interval training has been shown to produce similar calorie burning compared to longer bouts of lower intensity endurance exercise. This is despite being much shorter in duration.

This makes HIIT workouts a great option if you are short on time but still want to get an intense and effective workout.

This HIIT workout emphasizes power moves that will have your heart pumping and will also target all of your major muscle groups.

Since this is a high-intensity workout, you don’t want to jump in cold.

Warm-up with some light cardio for 3-5 minutes. This could be easy jogging, jump rope, or jumping jacks. Really anything to get the heart and muscles warmed up.

Set 1

• Burpees with push-up for 20 seconds, rest 10 seconds
• Tuck jumps for 20 seconds, rest 10 seconds
• Mountain climbers for 20 seconds, rest 10 seconds
• Spiderman push-ups for 20 seconds, rest 10 seconds

Repeat the circuit three times. Rest for one minute. Then move on to Set 2.

Set 2

• Alternating jump lunges for 20 seconds, rest for 10 seconds
• Side to side push-ups for 20 seconds, rest for 10 seconds
• Jump squats for 20 seconds, rest for 10 seconds
• Tricep dips for 20 seconds, rest for 10 seconds

Repeat the circuit three times. Then cool down for 5-10 minutes

20 Minute Treadmill HIIT Workout

You can use a treadmill to get an amazing HIIT workout. You can also do this outside if you don’t have access to a treadmill.

The pace that you choose will be dependent on your current level of fitness.

A simple rule of thumb is to use the rate of perceived exertion to gauge the intensity level as follows:

RPE Level

• 1: Very light, sitting around watching TV
• 2-3: Light activity: can maintain for several hours. Can breathe and talk without any difficulty
• 4-6: Moderate Activity: Breathing a little more heavily. Can have short conversations
• 7-8: Vigorous Activity: Becoming uncomfortable, can speak a few words at a time
• 9: Very Hard Activity: Can barely breathe, difficult to even speak one word
• 10: Max Effort: Feels almost impossible to maintain for more than a few seconds. Completely out of breath

0:00-5:00: Start walking or jogging at an easy pace, around an RPE of 3-4. Increase the incline to 1-2% so that by the end of the first five minutes you are at an RPE of 6.

5:00-7:00: Increase your speed while maintaining the incline so that you are at about an RPE of 7

7:00-9:00: Now, increase the incline another 1-2% while maintaining the same speed, working at an RPE 8

9:00-12:00: Reduce your speed, but maintain the incline, working at an RPE 7

12:00-15:00: After that short break, Increase your speed again and, if you can, increase the incline. This will be the hardest part of the workout. Try to work up to an RPE 9 by the end of this 3-minute interval.

15:00-20:00: Time to cool down! Gradually reduce your speed and incline. Finish at an RPE 3-4.

This is a pure cardio high-intensity interval workout. Even though 20 minutes may not seem like a lot, when you push yourself during these HIIT intervals you will see amazing fitness benefits.

Rowing Machine Interval Workout

If you have access to a rowing machine, this is another great way to get in a high-intensity interval workout.

Rowing machine exercises are an excellent way to fit in a cardio workout while also getting an awesome upper and lower body strength-building workout.

Start with a 5 minute warm-up at an easy pace with an RPE of about 3-4.

For the intervals, you can try a few different options.

Workout 1: Row at an RPE of 8-9 for 40 seconds, then follow with 20 seconds of easy rowing at an RPE of 4-5. Repeat this 10-15 times.

Workout 2: Row at an RPE of 6-7 for 4 minutes, then slow down to an RPE of 3-4 for 2 minutes. Repeat this 3-4 times.

Cool Down: Row for 5 minutes at a leisurely pace.

Dumbbell HIIT Workout

If you have access to a pair of dumbbells these can be used to get a killer HIIT muscle-building workout from just about anywhere.

Perform each exercise for 30 seconds, then move to the next. Rest for one minute, then repeat three times.

• Bicep curls
• Tricep kickbacks
• Shoulder press
• Lawnmower rows
• Squats

Resistance workouts with weights have been found to help reduce cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, even at less than an hour total for the week.

So adding weights into your interval workouts can give you even more bang for your buck.

HIIT workouts are a great way to get your heart rate up and build muscle in a short period of time.

Be sure to pick a weight that you can continue lifting for the thirty second interval while still maintaining proper form.

Improve Your Fitness and Get Shredded With HIIT Workouts For Men!

Try incorporating some of these HIIT workouts into your weekly schedule.

And if you are looking for more ideas for workouts, you can check out some of the programs offered by the Fit Father Project.

Not only will you find an assortment of new exercises and workout ideas, but you will also receive nutrition guidance and motivation to stay committed to your health and fitness.

As a busy dad, life can get hectic.

But just because you are completely swamped doesn’t mean that you have to miss out on being active.

High-intensity interval workouts are an efficient way to improve your cardiovascular fitness, lose weight, and get a shredded physique.

*Please know that weight loss results & health changes/improvements vary from individual to individual; you may not achieve similar results. Always consult with your doctor before making health decisions. This is not medical advice – simply very well-researched info on HIIT workouts for men.

Have you ever noticed how you spend more time sitting than standing or exercising? Weight gain is generally seen as an accepted fact of life and aging, sedentary lifestyles are just a factor in this.

You don’t need to start running marathons to lose weight and get in great shape. What you need are the right approach and specific exercises. The moment you try the dead bug exercise for core strength you’ll understand what I mean.

I have to admit the name makes me chuckle, but the exercise really works, and there are no bugs in sight!

Even better, I found it easy to squeeze into a 10 minute routine in the morning. I coupled it with this free workout in the evening and a change in my eating habits. It made a huge difference to my core strength, weight, and energy levels.

I challenge you to try it today!

Discover The Dead Bug Exercise

Doing dead bugs for core strength has become a very popular add-in for many athletes. The reason is simple, it really does strengthen your core.

In fact, this is not a new exercise, it has been a fundamental part of Pilates for many years and allows you to strengthen your core without damaging or straining your back.

Research, specifically by Dr. Stuart McGill, shows that doing dead bugs for core strength is better than traditional crunches and other core training exercises.

His research shows that the core muscles are designed to stiffen while muscles create movement.

This combination allows for the best possible range of movement, flexibility, and strength.

In short, traditional crunches build core muscle but don’t boost the stability of your body and do increase the risk of a back injury.

Once you try the dead bug exercise you’ll realize how it can make a difference.

For example, try sitting in a chair with your back pressed against the back of it. Now lift your arms over your head without sticking your ribs out and arching your back.

If your lower back comes away from the back of the chair you’re transferring the strain on your body to your lower back.

That’s the signal that core strength needs to be improved. Fortunately, that’s why we’re here!

A weak core means the potential to injure your back preventing you from developing the strength you need to boost stability and performance with other exercises.

For reference, the name is simply because you look like a dead bug when you complete the exercise, but you definitely don’t feel like one with your increased core strength!

In fact, you’ll be much better than a dead bug at getting back on your feet.

Instructions: One Step At A Time

Let’s get started, follow these simple instructions and you’ll be doing the dead bug exercise in no time! Once confident you can take a look at the variations and challenge yourself to complete all of them within a month.

• • Get In Position

Lie on your back with your lower back against the floor, your legs bent at the knee with your feet flat on the floor, shoulder-width apart.

Don’t forget that your lower back has a natural curve, you should be able to fit 3 fingers under it when laid on your back.

Your arms should be by your sides palms down.

• • Arms Up!

Now lift both your arms up to the sky. Keep them straight with your hands directly above your shoulders.

Contract your abs and focus on keeping them contracted as you complete the exercise.

• • Knees Up!

Now bring both knees up, keeping the leg bent at 90°. Your knees should be directly above your hips and your calves parallel to the floor.

• • Get Moving

Now lower your left leg to the floor, straightening as you do so.

At the same time, you’ll need to lower your right arm as close to the floor as possible, the arm should be above your head, still straight, and palm facing upwards.

Your arm and leg need to move together and they mustn’t touch the floor, but they should come as close as possible!

Your other arm and leg shouldn’t move from the starting position and the movement must be slow and coordinated. Doing the dead bug fast will not improve core strength

• • Switch Legs

Bring your left leg and right arm back to the starting position and then lower your right leg and left arm.

Keep the movement slow to avoid maintaining motion through momentum instead of core muscles. If you use momentum your lower back will lift off the floor.

• • Repeat

Now you just need to return your right leg/left arm to the starting position, that’s one rep.

Ideally, you’re aiming for 3 sets of 8-10 reps but you can work up to this.

You’ll know when to stop as you’ll either feel exhausted or your abs will be shaking.

Variations Of Dead Bug

You may be surprised to find there are actually several variations of dead bugs for core strength:

• • Change your limb order, such as 2 arms and 1 leg or even doing all of them at the same time.

• • Try different directions such as one knee bent, the other leg straight out but up at 45° and the same with your hands. You’ll really feel your core burning.

• • Legs only. In this one rest your hands on your stomach and slowly straighten one leg, returning it before doing the other. As always, focus on your core to ensure the exercise is effective.

• • Add a Foam roller, keeping your feet on this and stopping it from moving really focuses your mind and helps to ensure you’re doing the exercise correctly.

• • Add a resistance band between your legs or fixed to a static object. It makes every move harder and more effective.

• • Use a yoga block between your foot and the wall. This will ensure one leg stays in position while you work the other side. Don’t forget to swap after 8-10 reps. This version is fantastic if you’re trying to build sprinting strength.

Boosting Effectiveness

Once you’ve been doing dead bugs for core strength for a while you’ll realize that this extremely effective exercise can be improved upon.

The first thing to consider is adding weights to your ankles and wrists. Use the strap on weights as they are safer.

These will dramatically increase the effort it takes to complete each maneuver and boost the effectiveness of the exercise.

Alternatively, you can add in a kettlebell or weighted ball, try holding it above your head as you move your legs up and down or even start cycling in mid-air.

You can also adapt the basic exercise by touching the knee that hasn’t moved with the other hand. This uses all your limbs and helps to ensure your core is being worked while your back remains in the right position.

The Power Of A Strong Core

You’ve seen the six-pack abs on magazines and perhaps thought it’s too hard to get them.

However, doing dead bugs for core strength will give you these muscles, they’re already there, you just need to strengthen them.

Of course, to get your 6-pack muscles showing you’re going to need to consider your diet; the right nutrition is essential.

But, building a strong core doesn’t have to be about getting the 6-pack look. It is actually really important for everyday life.

A strong core allows you to perform any exercise more effectively. It will boost your stability and improve your balance, effectively reducing the likelihood of falls.

To really understand the power of a strong core you need to realize that this collection of muscles main job is to stabilize your spine and allow rotation.

They also ensure forces are transmitted from the lower body to the upper and vice versa, ensuring your move effectively, efficiently, and explosively when you need to.

A weak core dramatically increases your chances of back injuries. The 6-pack abs are simply the outer core muscles, you need to be working the inner and the outer.

A good core doesn’t just protect your back, it will increase your mobility and flexibility.

Check Out These Alternatives

The first thing to understand is that the dead bug exercise is a type of anti-extension and anti-rotation exercise, that’s why they are so effective at building a strong core.

But, no matter how good an exercise is you need variety in order to keep your interest and continue to build strong core muscles.

The simple fact is that your body is incredibly good at adapting, changing your workout routine is essential to ensure it continues to be effective.

So, here are some great alternatives to boost core strength effectively.

The Plank

The great thing about the plank is there is virtually no limit to the possibilities.

You can try the standard starting pose, elbows on the ground and toes with your body straight, you can upgrade to arms straight with just your hands on the ground, or you can try one of many other variations.

Try one hand and one leg, or raising your legs when planking. They all work your core.

Back Extensions

You’ll need the right bench for this as your body needs to be face down over the bench with your legs and waist supported. You then bend from the waist up and down.

Ab Wheel Rollout

The classic ab wheel rollout requires a strong core to allow you to pull the ab wheel back to yourself; it’s not as easy as it looks.

Stability Ball

There are loads of options when using a stability ball that will help build core strength. Try simply sitting on it and having to maintain your balance, lying on it to lift your legs, or trying to plank of it. The burn in your core will be evident.

Farmers Walk

This classic exercise builds strength throughout your body while strengthening your core.

Holding a Dumbell

Try holding a dumbbell in your hand for as long as possible without bending; it’s effective at strengthening your core.

Walk Outs

Stand up, place your hands on the floor as close to your feet as you can and then walk them as far away from your body as possible. Return and repeat!

Sounds easy until you try it but you’ll feel the burn in your core.

Resurrection

The exercise may be dead bugs for core strength but it’s going to leave you feeling more alive than ever before.

Building your core strength is essential to your overall fitness and ability to move around without pain. Although there are several exercises that you can adapt to help you achieve this, the dead bug is one of the most effective.

The fact that you can do it for 5 minutes every morning when you get out of bed makes it possible for anyone to add it into their daily routine. You will feel the benefit and you will be raving about it to all your friends.

Just don’t forget to add in a free workout to your dead bug exercise and some of the exercise variations on this list it will boost its effectiveness and your results.

You can also check out the Fit Father Project for other inspirational exercises and to share your results; we’re here to help!

*Please know that weight loss results & health changes/improvements vary from individual to individual; you may not achieve similar results. Always consult with your doctor before making health decisions. This is not medical advice – simply very well-researched info on the dead bug exercise.

With everyone stuck in quarantine and gyms across the world closed, many people are looking to develop a home workout plan to maintain their fitness.

The good news is, you can stay in top shape without ever leaving your house!

The trick is to develop a home workout plan that incorporates cardio, strength training, and flexibility exercises so that you can target all aspects of fitness.

These workout plans can all be done with zero to minimal equipment so there is no excuse to not continue your fitness goals even when you are stuck at home.

Keep Your Body Healthy

A recent review of numerous studies has found that regular exercise training has an overall anti-inflammatory effect and aids in immune regulation.

With everything that is happening in the world right now, this is more important than ever.

Keep Your Mind Healthy

If you are already active and working out on a regular basis, missed workouts are likely to have you feeling a bit down.

A disrupted workout schedule could even bring on depression or enhance anxiety.

Adding home workouts is a great way to keep your mood up even if you can’t get to the gym.

Many people use exercise as a way to combat anxiety and depression.

This is another reason why home workouts are needed when you can’t get to your gym. Regular exercise has been found to decrease both anxiety and depression.

The Ultimate Home Workout Plan

This workout plan breaks down each day to ensure that you are benefiting from both strength and cardio workouts, while also ensuring adequate rest.

There may be the tendency to “do more” now that many people are stuck at home with more time on their hands.

But “more is better” will only lead to increased injuries and fatigue.

Monday: Bodyweight Strength Training

Studies have shown that you can achieve similar muscle growth using high weights with low reps or high reps with low weight, as long as the exercise is done to failure.

So on the days where you aren’t able to use free weights, you can still challenge yourself by increasing reps of bodyweight exercises to fatigue your muscles.

Another way to challenge the muscles is to modify your positions to add resistance.

This means that even without weights or equipment, you can still get a killer workout using just your bodyweight.

This bodyweight workout will target the upper and lower body and requires no equipment.

Perform eight to 10 reps of each move then move to the next exercise.

Repeat the whole circuit two to three times depending on your current level of fitness.

Standard Push-Ups

• Position your hands under your shoulders with your feet straight behind you.
• Lower your chest towards the ground, pause, and extend your arms to push back up.

Push-ups are the ultimate bodyweight chest workout. When you don’t have access to a gym to do bench presses, there are your go-to.

Tricep Dips

• Place your hands on the edge of a stable surface, like a chair.
• Place your feet out in front of you.
• Lower your body until your upper arms are parallel to the floor, then push back up.

This bodyweight exercise will target your triceps. You can change the position of your feet in front of you to vary the intensity of this move.

The closer your feet are to your body, the easier the exercise will be. To really challenge yourself, place your feet up on another chair to perform this exercise.

Bodyweight Squats

• Start in a standing position.
• Drive your hips back and bend at the knees until your thighs are parallel to the floor.
• Then drive your legs back up to the top.

Squats are an excellent way to build your quads, glutes, and hamstrings.

You can add intensity to this exercise by exploding up into a jump before landing and starting the next rep.

Pike Push-Ups

• Start in a pushup position.
• Lift your hips so that your body forms an upside-down V.
• Your legs and arms should stay as straight as possible.
• Bend your elbows and lower your upper body until the top of your head nearly touches the floor.
• Pause, and then push yourself back up until your arms are straight.

This bodyweight exercise will target the shoulders as you are lowering your body from a higher angle than a standard push-up.

Reverse Fly Hold

• Stand upright and hinge forward at the hips with your hands hanging in front of you.
• Extend your hands up to the sides until they are parallel with the floor.
• Pause at the top, and then bring the arms back down.

While this may seem like an easy move, by holding the pause at the top and squeezing your shoulder blades together you can still get a good burn in the lats, traps, and deltoids.

You could even hold two soup cans or water bottles in each hand to add a little resistance when weights aren’t available.

Glute Bridge

• Lie on your back with your arms extended to the sides.
• Keep your feet on the ground and bend your knees.
• Drive your hips to the ceiling as you squeeze your glutes.
• Pause, then return your hips back to the floor.

This is a great exercise to target your glutes and hamstrings, and will also help strengthen your lower back.

Elbow Plank

• Place your forearms on the ground with your elbows below your shoulders and legs extended behind you.
• Engage your core and hold this position for 30 seconds.

This is not only an abdominal exercise. It is also great for shoulder stability and muscle endurance of the lower back, neck, and legs.

Tuesday: Cardio/Interval Training At Home Workout

You want to be sure to challenge your cardiovascular system in any workout program.

Interval training is perfect for at-home cardio.

This can be done with minimal to no equipment and a small area of free space.

Warm-Up

Perform each movement for 30 seconds, then move right into the next move

• Jog in Place
• Jumping Jacks
• High Knees
• Arm Circles (15 seconds forward, 15 seconds backward)

Repeat twice through, rest for one minute, then move into the main set.

Main Workout

Perform each exercise as fast as you can for 30 seconds then rest 30 seconds.

Squat with Front Kick

• Squat down, stand back up, then kick forward with the right leg.
• Bring the right leg back, squat again, then kick forward with the left leg as you stand.
• Continue alternating sides.

Bear Crawls with Push-Ups

• Squat down and walk your hands out into a plank.
• Do a pushup, then walk the hands back and stand up.

Side to Side Plank Abs

• Start in a plank position.
• Hop both feet up to the right, bringing your knees to the outside of your right elbow.
• Hop back into a plank position, then bring your knees to the left.
• Continue alternating sides.

Tricep Dips with Leg Extension

• Using a chair or step, lower into a tricep dip.
• As you push up, straighten your right leg and reach your left hand to your right toe.
• Lower your leg and repeat, alternating sides.

Push-Up to a Side Plank

• Start in a plank position and lower down into a push-up.
• As you push back up, rotate your body to the right, moving your right arm straight up into a side plank.
• Rotate back, do another push-up, and then do a side plank to the left.
• Continue alternating sides after each push-up.

Superman Pulses

• Lay on your stomach on the floor or exercise mat.
• Extend your arms in front of you.
• Contract our glutes and back to raise your arms, legs, and chest off of the floor.
• Pulse your arms up and down by squeezing your shoulder blades together.
• Lower your arms, legs, and chest back down after the 30-second interval.

Cool Down
Cool down with some gentle stretches, such as hamstring and quad stretches for the legs, and tricep and shoulder stretches for the arms.

Wednesday: Rest

A good at-home exercise program needs rest days, just like any workout program.

Use today to let your body recover from the previous workouts.

Thursday: Strength Training

Back to resistance training today!

You can do the same workout from Monday, or add in these bodyweight exercises.

Narrow (Military) Push-Ups

• These are similar to standard push-ups, but with a narrow hand position.
• Come down slowly while maintaining a tight core and straight back.
• You can come to your knees if you find your back is arching or you cannot push yourself all the way to the top.

This bodyweight exercise will target your triceps when your hands are placed in a narrow position as your pectoral muscles cannot assist as much from this angle.

Always remember to maintain good form, and come down to your knees if necessary.

Arm Hauler

• Lie on your stomach with your chest lifted and arms behind you.
• Extend your arms out to the side and then swing them around until they meet in front of your face.
• Then slowly swing the arms back behind you again.
• Keep your chest lifted throughout this exercise.

This exercise will engage the lats as you move your arms in front and extend the arms behind your body.

Wall Sits

• Stand with your back flat against a wall and feet shoulder-width apart.
• Walk your feet in front of you about two steps and slide your back down the wall until your thighs are parallel to the ground.
• Hold this position for 30 seconds.
• Rest for 30 seconds then repeat two more times.

This exercise will strengthen your quads, glutes, calves, and hamstrings.

As you gain strength, try to increase your hold time to a minute.

Progressively challenge yourself by adding more time to this exercise.

You could even place a backpack or briefcase in your lap to add weight to this exercise.

Side Planks

• Stack your legs and place your right hand on the ground below your right shoulder.
• Hold this position for 30 seconds while engaging your core.
• Then switch sides and repeat.

While the elbow plank targets the rectus abdominis muscles of the core, this exercise will target the oblique muscles to give your fully defined abs.

Friday: Stretching and Balance At Home Workout

Strength and cardio are the most talked-about parts of a workout plan, however, stretching and balance exercises are just as important.

At least one day of the week should be devoted to these exercises to maintain healthy muscles and connective tissue.

Seated Hamstring Stretch

• Sit and extend your legs in front of you.
• Slowly bring your torso down towards your quads by hinging at the waist.
• Extend your arms out towards your toes.
• Hold for 30 seconds.
• Sit back upright, then repeat.

Warrior Pose

• Stand upright and step your right foot forward about four feet.
• With your foot parallel and toes pointing forward, bend your right knee into a lunge.
• Keep your left leg straight behind you and turn your left heel in at 45 degrees.
• Raise your arms straight above your head.
• Lift your chin up to look at your hands overhead.
• Hold this pose for 5 deep breaths, and then repeat on the left side.

Tree Pose

• Stand upright, shift your weight into your right foot, and lift your left foot off the floor.
• Bend your left knee and bring the sole of your left foot high onto your inner right thigh.
• Take five to 10 breaths, lower your foot to the floor, and repeat on the other side.

Cobra Stretch

• Lie face down, with your hands by your shoulders as if you were doing a push-up.
• Push your torso up as far as possible or until your hips begin to come off the floor.
• Hold for five deep breaths then lower back down.
• Repeat one to two more times.

Downward Dog

• Start in a plank position.
• Bring your hips up into the air so that your body is in an inverted V position.
• Try to keep your heels as close to the ground as possible.
• Hold for five full breaths.
• Come back into a plank position.
• Repeat one to two times.

Cow-Cat Stretch

• Begin on your hands and knees.
• Inhale and lift your hips upward.
• Press your chest forward and allow your belly to sink.
• Lift your head and relax your shoulders away from your ears.
• This is known as the cow pose.
• Then, to come into cat pose, round your spine and tuck in your tailbone while bringing your head toward the floor.
• Continue to alternate cow and cat pose five times for each.

Child’s Pose

• Come onto your hands and knees.
• Bring your body to the ground with your stomach between your thighs and your forehead to the floor.
• Stretch your arms in front of you with the palms toward the floor.
• Stay as long as you like, but for at least five full breaths.

Some guys may feel that these types of workouts aren’t necessary or won’t help with strength gains.

But these yoga-type moves will keep your muscles and connective tissue strong and healthy while improving your range of motion.

A study done in male division II athletes found that a 10-week yoga program increased the flexibility and balance as well as whole-body measures of these athletes.

Balance exercises and stretching are essential to increase flexibility, improve coordination, and will improve all of your other workouts.

Saturday: Rest or Cardio

You can use the entire weekend for rest or add another cardio day to your week.

You can do something similar to the HIIT cardio from Tuesday, or try something different around your home or neighborhood.

For example, you can go for a jog or walk around your neighborhood.

You can even include the family in an outdoor activity to promote fitness to your kids as well.

Sunday: Rest

Take another rest day! You earned it.

Reach Your Fitness Goals at Home

Even when you can’t get to the gym, you can still put together a killer home workout plan.

By alternating strength and cardio days, you can target all aspects of fitness while still getting adequate recovery between workouts.

The Fit Father Project also offers additional free home workout plans and exercises to keep you motivated and healthy.

These workout plans are tailored to all levels of fitness.

So whether you’re a beginner or have been working out for 20 years, there is an at-home workout plan for you!

*Please know that weight loss results & health changes/improvements vary from individual to individual; you may not achieve similar results. Always consult with your doctor before making health decisions. This is not medical advice – simply very well-researched info on a home workout plan.

Gym closed? Can't leave the house? Don't have a bench? No more excuses! There are dumbbell chest exercises you can do right from the comfort of your own home.

The bench press is one of the ultimate strength training exercises.

But you don’t need to have access to a barbell, or even a bench for that matter, to get similar muscle-building benefits at home!

All you really need is a pair of dumbbells and a few feet of floor space to do some of the best dumbbell chest exercises.

Get a Chiseled Chest

Many guys focus on the barbell bench press to get strong, ripped chest muscles, but dumbbells can give you a just as good, if not a better, upper body workout.

Using dumbbells forces you to isolate your pecs and core muscles to perform precise movements and really gets your muscles to pop.

A 2017 study from the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research found that the dumbbell bench press actually activated the pectoralis major muscle to a greater degree than a Smith Machine or a barbell bench press.

So if you have a set of dumbbells, there is no excuse to not get a great chest workout!

Dumbbell Chest Exercises

When doing dumbbell chest exercises, you want to choose a variety of moves that target the upper, mid, and lower chest.

While the pectoralis major is a large muscle that will be activated during any chest exercise, specific exercises will target certain areas more than others.

Upper Chest Dumbbell Exercises

Even if you don’t have access to a bench, you can still do incline dumbbell chest exercises.

All you need is a stable surface that you can rest your back on. This could be something like the back of a couch, chair, or ottoman.

Incline Dumbbell Chest Press

• Sit on the ground and place your upper back on this stable surface.
• If you are using something like a chair, make sure it is securely pressed up against a wall for support.
• Your body should be at about a 30- to 45-degree angle.
• Then press the dumbbells up and hold at the top.
• Bring the dumbbells back down to the starting position and repeat for eight to 10 reps.

This is just like a standard incline chest press and will activate the top portion of the pectoralis muscles to a greater degree than a standard chest press.

Incline Dumbbell Flyes

• Start on the ground with your back on a stable surface at a 30-45 degree angle, just like in the incline chest press.
• Instead of doing a chest press, perform chest flyes instead.
• With your palms facing each other, lower the weights in an arching motion.
• Bring the weights down until your elbows are even with your chest.
• Pause briefly at the bottom, then bring the dumbbells back together in an arching motion above your chest.

Mid-Chest Dumbbell Exercises

Now that you’ve hit the upper chest, you want to target the pecs' middle muscle fibers.

If you have a bench, great! If not, standard dumbbell chest presses can be done lying on the ground. You can lay down a towel or mat to add some cushion.

Doing dumbbell chest presses on the floor is great if you have shoulder issues.

Laying on the ground instead of a bench helps limit motion in the shoulder joint and minimizes shoulder injuries.

In addition, a dumbbell bench press seems to lead to less elbow soreness when compared to a barbell bench press.

Another 2017 study found that when compared to a Smith Machine bench press and a barbell bench press, dumbbell bench presses led to similar muscle strength gains.

However, muscle soreness of the elbow extensors took a longer time to recover after using a barbell chest press exercise as compared to dumbbell presses.

Standard Dumbbell Chest Press

• To do this exercise, your knees should be bent and your feet flat on the ground.
• Press the dumbbells up over your chest.
• Lower the weight, keeping your elbows at a 90-degree angle with your body.
• Continue this motion for eight to 10 reps.

Variations

Try pressing one weight up at a time and alternating the chest presses between the left and right arm. This will engage your core to a greater degree.

To add even more of a challenge, keep your legs straight and raise them slightly off the ground as you press up the weights.

This dumbbell chest exercise will sculpt your pecs and abs at the same time!

Floor Dumbbell Flyes

• Lie on the floor with two dumbbells extended up above your shoulders.
• Don’t lock out your elbows completely. Try to keep them at about 15 degrees.
• With your palms facing each other, lower the weights in an arcing motion.
• When your elbows hit the floor, they should be even with your chest.
• Pause briefly at the bottom, then bring the dumbbells back together in an arcing motion above your chest.

Lower Chest Dumbbell Exercises

If you want to get a fuller, defined chest you have to target the lower chest.

A decline bench press is one easy way to exercise the lower pec muscles.

However, if you don’t have a decline bench, it’s still possible to target the lower pecs with these dumbbell chest exercises.

45 Degree Floor Chest Press

• Lie on the ground with your knees bent and feet on the floor.
• Instead of having your elbows at a 90-degree angle to your body, bring them down to a 45-degree angle.
• Press the dumbbells up over your chest.
• Lower the weight, keeping your elbows at a 45-degree angle with your body.
• Continue for eight to 10 reps.

Dumbbell Chest Pull-Overs

• Grasp one dumbbell with both hands under the inner plate of the dumbbell.
• Raise the dumbbell over your chest making sure to keep your elbows slightly bent.
• Lower the dumbbell over and behind your head until the dumbbell touches the floor.
• Pull the dumbbell back up and over your chest and repeat eight to 10 times.

Inner Chest Dumbbell Exercises

If you want to see real pec definition, you will need a few exercises that emphasize the inner chest muscles as well.

These muscles are often overlooked, but really give definition to the chest muscles where they attach to the sternum.

Squeeze Dumbbell Press

• This is similar to a standard dumbbell press, however, you want to squeeze the dumbbells together as hard as possible the entire time during each rep instead of holding the dumbbells out to the side.
• This will keep tension on the inner chest.
• Repeat eight to 10 times for one set.

Dumbbell Front Chest Raises

• Stand upright and hold a dumbbell by your sides with an underhand grip.
• Raise the dumbbells from your sides and bring them up to the level of your chest until the dumbbells touch in the center.
• Then slowly lower back down to the starting position.
• You should feel your inner chest working as you squeeze and hold at the top.

Get a Strong Chest with Dumbbells!

You don’t need a gym or even a bench to get a chiseled chest.

A pair of dumbbells and the comfort of your living room is all that is really required to target your chest and pecs!

By altering the angles and position of the dumbbells, you can target all areas of your chest to build strength and definition.

In addition to these dumbbell chest exercises above, the Fit Father Project also offers free at-home workouts that include dumbbell exercises that target all areas of your body.

This just emphasizes the fact that you don’t need fancy equipment or a gym membership to get in the best shape of your life!

*Please know that weight loss results & health changes/improvements vary from individual to individual; you may not achieve similar results. Always consult with your doctor before making health decisions. This is not medical advice – simply very well-researched info on dumbbell chest exercises.

Feel like you're doing all the wrong things when you exercise at home? Don't worry, home workout mistakes are common, even for seasoned professionals!

You can get a good workout in at home — you just need the right plan.

Avoid the following home workout mistakes whenever possible to exercise safely, build muscle or burn fat, prevent injuries, and look and feel your best.

15 Home Workout Mistakes to Avoid

1. Not Taking a Day Off

While it's important to keep your body moving every day, not taking a day off from strenuous exercise or weightlifting can do more harm than good.

A recent study published in Chronic Diseases and Translational Medicine found that excessive exercise can cause:

• Sports injuries
• Social-occupational dysfunction
• Nausea
• Hypoglycemia
• Chest distress
• Chest pain
• Chronic musculoskeletal pain
• A weakened immune system

Too much exercise can also prevent you from experiencing the strong workouts and muscle gains you desire, as your body needs time to heal.

To optimize results, aim to stay active every day but take a day or two off each week from strenuous exercise.

2. Lifting Too Heavy

If you're lifting weights that are too heavy, it's nearly impossible to use proper form during muscle-building sweat sessions.

Start your workout with lighter weights to warm up your muscles properly, and work your way up to lifting heavier weights.

Always make sure you use proper form. If you don't, your risk of injury and not getting the results you desire increases.

Use weights that allow you to complete at least four sets of six to 12 repetitions to increase strength and muscle mass.

If your goal is muscular endurance, use lighter weights so you can safely complete at least three to four sets of 15-20 (or more) repetitions using proper form.

Over time, increase the amount of weight you lift while keeping correct lifting techniques.

3. Lifting Too Light

Just like lifting too heavy might not get you the results you desire, lifting weights that are too light won't either.

If your goal is increased strength or muscle mass, increase the amount of weight you lift and fuel your body properly to stimulate muscle protein synthesis.

Make sure you always use proper form when lifting heavier weights, or use back or joint support gear.

The National Academy of Sports Medicine recommends completing four to six sets of six to 12 repetitions to maximize muscle building and strength.

Try this 35-minute, at-home, full-body workout to get the muscle gains you desire.

4. Skipping Cardiovascular Exercise

One of the biggest home workout mistakes you can make is skipping cardiovascular exercise.

While weightlifting at home might seem easier or more desirable, combining resistance training with aerobic exercise is ideal for muscle building and burning fat.

Doing so helps you maintain a healthy weight and optimal cardiovascular health.

Aim to get in at least 30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise most days of the week.

Complete 30 minutes of jogging, cycling, elliptical workouts, rowing, stair climbing, or walking. Or, try circuit training workouts that combine aerobic exercises with resistance training to get shredded fast.

5. Doing Too Much Cardio

If muscle building is your goal, avoid doing too much cardiovascular exercise and not enough resistance training.

Too much cardio can increase your risk of injuries and make muscle building difficult, especially if you're not eating enough protein or total calories.

To maintain or build lean mass, lift weights most days of the week and get at least 20-30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise in just about every day.

Bump up your cardio to 45-60 minutes if you have a significant amount of weight to lose, but make sure to properly fuel your body and add resistance training to most of your workouts.

6. Getting Too Little Sleep

To maintain the lean physique you desire, make sleep one of your top priorities.

Studies show that chronic sleep deprivation can alter hormone levels in your body, causing increases in appetite and your risk of unwanted weight gain.

Fatigue associate with too little sleep can make workouts of any kind seem strenuous.

You might even forgo workouts entirely because you feel too tired.

So how much sleep is enough?

Most sleep guidelines, including those set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), recommend adult men get at least 7 hours of sleep each night to optimize health and wellness, reduce the risk of disease, and diminish mental fatigue.

7. Not Fueling Your Body Properly

One of the most common home workout mistakes you can make involves not fueling your body properly.

This mistake is detrimental to body composition results and your overall health, as diet is often more effective than exercise for weight and fat loss.

Fuel your body before and after workouts with a balance of protein and carbohydrates.

Pre- or post-workout snacks to consider include:

• A protein powder smoothie with fruit
• Protein bars
• Greek yogurt with fruit
• Toast with eggs and avocado slices
• Fruit with nut butter
• Pretzels or pita chips with hummus
• Eggs with quinoa and avocado
• A chicken and veggie wrap
• Fruit or nuts with cottage cheese
• Kefir
• Nuts and dried fruit
• Protein pancakes
• Weight loss breakfast recipes

At mealtimes, fill half of each plate with non-starchy vegetables, a quarter of nutritious protein foods, and a quarter of fiber-rich starches.

Eat small, frequent meals throughout the day to maintain your body's metabolism, optimize muscle building, and keep energy levels high.

Steer clear of added sugar, white bread and other refined grains, fried foods, baked goods, sodas, and sweet treats.

Eating too much is another common mistake many people make when they increase the workout intensity or duration of at-home workouts.

Just because you work out daily doesn't mean it's OK to forgo clean eating.

To get the results you desire from regular exercise, avoid eating too many total daily calories or empty-calorie foods.

8. Drinking Too Little Water

Not drinking enough water throughout the day can take a toll on at-home workouts, energy levels, and your overall quality of life.

If weight loss is your goal, drinking too little water decreases your chance of success.

How much water is enough for men?

Everybody is different, but the Institute of Medicine recommends most men get about 16 cups of fluids daily.

You might need more or less depending on your size, metabolism, muscle-to-fat ratio, and the amount of fluid you sweat out daily.

To make sure you're drinking enough water and other fluids, track your fluid intake throughout the day.

If you're getting enough, your urine should be light yellow or clear in color, rather than dark yellow or brown.

Add ice to water or flavor it with lemon, lime, fruit chunks, cucumber, or mint if you'd like.

Carry a water bottle with you all day long to meet fluid goals, enhance workouts, and optimize your health.

If weight loss is your goal, drink about 2 cups of water before each meal to help you feel full and increase your metabolism.

Steer clear of sugary drinks like soda, sweet tea, and other sugar-sweetened beverages.

9. Doing the Same Workout Routine Daily

A common home workout mistake is completing the same workout day after day.

While getting regular exercise is important, so is changing up your routine.

Doing so optimizes your results, prevents muscle fatigue, enhances muscle-building, and keeps body fat low.

Aim for variety, completing different workouts each day of the week.

Choose cardiovascular exercises like jogging, cycling, rowing, playing basketball, or using an elliptical machine.

Change up resistance-training exercises each day, too.

For example, don't train your biceps, back, or legs two days in a row.

Give each muscle group a chance to recover before repeating the same workout.

10. Working Out with Low Testosterone

If you suffer from hormone imbalance, such as low testosterone, thyroid hormone issues, or high estrogen levels, you likely won't get the muscle-building results you desire.

Your doctor can use a simple blood test to evaluate your hormones, and offer treatments to correct low testosterone and other hormone problems to give you a boost of energy, diminish thinning hair, increase lean body mass, and reduce body fat.

11. Not Pushing Yourself Hard Enough

It can be difficult to push yourself hard during at-home workouts, but giving too little effort means you likely won't achieve the lean body you desire.

To get the motivation needed to push yourself more than you normally would at home, try:

• Working out with a friend or family member
• Completing virtual workouts with an instructor
• Trying Fit Father Project workout routines
• Listening to motivational music
• Setting personal goals for workout duration and intensity, and increase goals over time
• Considering high-intensity interval training

Having structured workouts to follow and setting goals are some of the best ways to boost workout intensity and avoid common home workout mistakes.

Change up your exercise routine regularly to prevent boredom.

12. Not Having a Plan

Begin each workout with goals in place, as improper planning is one of the worst home workout mistakes you can make.

While it's important to listen to your body during exercise, not setting goals makes it easy to bail out of workouts too soon or not push yourself hard enough.

If you're new to working out, start with small goals of getting at least 20 minutes of exercise in each day.

Work your way up to longer and more intense workouts, or increases in activities of daily living, such as yard work or walking the dog, in addition to scheduled exercise.

13. Working Out On an Empty Stomach

You might be tempted to work out on an empty stomach during at-home sweat sessions, but doing so can make exercise seem difficult.

You may not have as much energy during fasting workouts.

And while some studies show benefits of fasting cardiovascular exercise for fat loss, other studies found no differences between body composition changes in fasting study subjects versus those who didn't fast before workouts.

Exercising on an empty stomach is entirely up to you, but keep in mind you may have a more intense, higher-energy workout after fueling your body with nutritious foods.

Avoid overeating, however, as doing so can drag you down or make you feel sick.

14. Forgoing Resistance Training

It's great to get in cardio most days of the week, but don't forget about resistance training as it's the best way to build muscle and get the chiseled physique you desire.

Cardio is important for overall fitness, fat burning, and heart health, but forgoing weightlifting is one of the biggest home workout mistakes you can make.

If you don't have weights at home, use milk jugs filled with water, resistance bands, or even your own body weight as resistance.

For best results, complete resistance training most days of each week.

15. Wearing the Wrong Gear

Just because you work out at home doesn't mean you should forgo wearing proper workout gear while exercising.

While you don't have to make a fashion statement during at-home workouts, it's still important to wear clothes and shoes that fit comfortably!

Not having the right gear during exercise increases your risk of injuries.

If you have a past injury that feels weak or unstable, consider compression garments or a brace for added support.

Make Home Workouts More Effective

If you have any amount of open space in your house you can participate in home workouts, with or without exercise equipment.

The Fit Father Project offers numerous at-home workouts for men, for times you can't (or don't want to) leave the house.

Set aside time each day to prioritize scheduled exercise, in addition to engaging in activities of daily living throughout the entire day.

Join the Fit Father Project community to receive fat-burning workouts, motivational support, weight loss or muscle building workouts, menus, recipes, and much more!

The FFP team personalizes each program to help you stick with healthy habits for life, while avoiding common home workout mistakes.

Sign up for the Fit Father Project free diet and workout plan to get started today!

*Please know that weight loss results & health changes/improvements vary from individual to individual; you may not achieve similar results. Always consult with your doctor before making health decisions. This is not medical advice – simply very well-researched info on home workout mistakes.

Working out at home has become the new normal these days, but it's always good to have an at-home workout plan in your arsenal!

The coronavirus pandemic brought about a number of changes in everyone’s lives. This includes disruption to many people’s workout routines.

Just because your gym is closed doesn’t mean that your fitness should be neglected!

Continuing your workouts will keep your body and mind healthy during this time. And this can easily be done by working out at home.

No Gym? No Problem

There are tons of ways to make working out at home similar to your usual gym workouts.

Plus, your home workouts can incorporate all aspects of fitness, including cardio, strength training, balance, and flexibility.

Working out at home also gives you the benefit of doing your workouts on your own time.

No need to worry about gym hours or big crowds.

You can even do several shorter workouts throughout the day!

High-Intensity Interval Training Home Workout

Home workouts should be varied to include cardio and resistance training.

High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is easy to do at home and will get your heart pumping and build muscle strength at the same time.

HIIT workouts are great for those working out at home that want to incorporate a CrossFit type of workout into their day.

Warm-Up

Dynamic stretches should be done at the beginning of every workout.

Studies have shown that dynamic stretching is better for muscle coordination and power during a workout, while static stretching could actually decrease muscle power.

Arm Circles

• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold your arms out to the side at shoulder height.
• Circle around your arms forward, starting with small circles, working up to larger circles.
• Perform 20 circles.
• Reverse direction and perform 20 more.

Front Arm Swings

• Start with your arms extended out to your sides.
• Swing both arms in front of your chest, crossing your left arm over your right, then reverse back to the starting position.
• Then swing both arms back in front of your chest, this time crossing your right arm over your left, then bring back again.
• Continue alternating like this for about 20-30 seconds.

Leg Kicks With Arm Reach

• Kick your left leg out in front of you while reaching for your toes with the right hand.
• Then kick your right leg out and reach to your toes with your left hand.
• Repeat for 10 reps on each side

Main Set

This is a high intensity, Tabata style of workout.

Perform each exercise for 40 seconds, then rest for 20 seconds.

Immediately move to the next exercise.

If you are just starting out, you can decrease the exercise interval to 30 seconds and rest for 30 seconds.

Each exercise focuses on either cardio or strength training, utilizing your body weight or dumbbells if you have them available.

Burpees With Push-Ups

• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
• Bend your knees and lower your body into a squat as you place your hands between your feet.
• Jump your feet back into the plank position.
• Do one push-up.
• Then jump your feet back to your hands.
• Reach your arms overhead and jump up into the air.
• Land and immediately lower back into a squat for your next rep.

Renegade Row

• Start in a push-up position while grasping two light dumbbells underneath you.
• Engage your core and pull up your left arm into a row while balancing on the right arm.
• Return the left arm back to the starting position, then repeat on the opposite side.
• Aim for three sets of eight to 10 reps on each side.

Squats

• Start with feet shoulder-width apart with a dumbbell in each hand.
• Squat until your hamstrings are parallel to the ground with the weights at your side.
• Straighten your legs and stand up to the starting position.
• Be sure to maintain proper form throughout the movement.
• You can start with no weight at first and gradually add weight as you perfect your form and gain strength.

Russian Twists

• Sit with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor, holding one dumbbell with both hands in front of your chest.
• Lean back slightly and lift your feet a few inches off the floor.
• Slowly twist the torso to the left and bring the dumbbell to the left hip.
• Return to center, and then slowly twist to the right and bring the weight to the right hip.
• Continue alternating sides.

Repeat this circuit five times for an intense 20-minute workout!

Cool Down

Walk around your living room or in place to bring your heart rate back towards normal.

Finish with some static stretching that targets both the upper and lower body.

Some examples of stretches to finish your workout include:

Glute Stretch

• Sit on the ground with both knees bent and both feet on the floor.
• Lift your right leg and cross it over your left thigh.
• Pull both legs inwards toward your stomach for a deep stretch of your glutes.
• Hold this position for 30 seconds and then switch sides and repeat.

Chest Opener

• Push your arms up behind you while pulling your shoulder blades together and your back straight until you feel the stretch in your chest.
• Hold for about 20-30 seconds before releasing.

Quad Stretch

• Stand with your left arm holding a chair for balance and support.
• Next, bend your right knee and hold your right foot in your right hand.
• Hold for 20-30 seconds then switch to the left leg and hold for 20-30 seconds.

Low Back Stretch

• Start lying on your back with your knees bent and pulled up toward your chest.
• Hold for 30 seconds before releasing.

Strength Training Home Workout

You can still get a high-quality strength workout without any gym equipment.

Bodyweight workouts provide a great alternative for working out at home.

Use resistance bands or dumbbells to challenge yourself even more!

There has even been research that shows that bodyweight exercises can produce similar strength gains to exercises utilizing weights.

For example, a 2015 study showed that similar strength gains could be achieved in those performing push-ups versus bench press.

Push-ups are the ultimate bodyweight chest workout. Just another reason why working out at home is a great way to stay in shape!

Warm-Up

Again, a dynamic warm-up is the best way to prime your muscles to prepare for resistance training when working out at home.

Dynamic stretches that target both the upper and lower body need to be incorporated to maximize your workout potential.

Main Set

You can perform these exercises in a circuit style of training.

Rest 15-20 seconds after each move then move to the next.

Repeat two to three times depending on your level of fitness.

Push-Ups

• Position your hands under your shoulders with your feet straight behind you.
• Lower your chest towards the ground, pause, then extend your arms to push back up.

Forward to Reverse Lunges

• Start in a standing position and step your right foot forward into a lunge.
• Bend your knees as you bring your left knee just above the ground, while your right thigh comes parallel to the floor.
• Push back up with your right leg to a standing position.
• Then bring your right leg behind you to perform a reverse lunge, and then bring back to the starting position.
• Repeat on the left side.
• Continue alternating sides.
• Perform eight to 10 reps on each side.
• If you have dumbbells you can hold these by your side to add a challenge.

V Push-Ups

• Start in a push-up position and lift your hips up so your body forms an upside-down V.
• Keep your legs and arms straight.
• Bend your elbows and lower your upper body until the top of your head nearly touches the floor.
• Pause, and then push yourself back up until your arms are straight.

Bent Over Rows

• Stand while holding a dumbbell in each hand.
• Hinge forward until your torso is roughly parallel with the floor.
• Bring your elbows up to your torso while bringing your shoulder blades together.
• Then slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position under control.
• You can also use resistance bands for this exercise.

Wall Sits

• Stand with your back flat against a wall and feet shoulder-width apart.
• Walk your feet in front of you about two steps and slide your back down the wall until your thighs are parallel to the ground.
• Hold this position for 30 seconds.
• Rest for 30 seconds then repeat two more times.
• As you gain strength, try to increase your hold time to a minute.
• Progressively challenge yourself by adding more time to this exercise.
• You can hold a weight in front of you to make this move harder.

Bicep Curls

• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart with dumbbells or a tube resistance band under your feet so that you can grab the handles at both ends.
• Curl the dumbbells or resistance bands up, then lower back down slowly.
• If you don't have dumbbells or bands, you can even use objects around the house, like soup cans or milk jugs!

Plank Hold

• Try to hold a plank for as long as you can until your form fails.
• Aim for at least 15 seconds, then increase your time as you gain more core strength.

Stay in Shape By Working Out At Home

Working out is important on so many levels.

The obvious are the physical benefits — improved cardiovascular fitness, weight loss, strength gains, and improving chronic diseases like high blood pressure and diabetes.

There are also immense psychological benefits of exercise.

A study of 1.2 million people in the USA has found that people who exercise report having 1.5 fewer days of poor mental health a month, compared to people who do not exercise.

This cannot be overlooked in times when your normal workout routine is interrupted.

Finding new ways to continue to workout from home will allow you to maintain your overall health, both mentally and physically.

Studies have shown that symptoms of anxiety and depression are improved after even a single bout of exercise.

The Fit Father Project

There are additional home workouts offered by The Fit Father Project that you can also add to your weekly fitness routine.

The free workouts, like the 24 Minute Metabolism Boosting Workout, are a great alternative when you don’t have access to a gym.

Plus, the ongoing support from the Fit Father team will keep you motivated even in these challenging times!

*Please know that weight loss results & health changes/improvements vary from individual to individual; you may not achieve similar results. Always consult with your doctor before making health decisions. This is not medical advice – simply very well-researched info on working out at home.

Whether you're stuck at home or on the road, it can be hard to fit in a good workout. But with bodyweight exercises for men, you can get jacked anytime, anywhere!

We hear it from guys all the time … you finally get on the road to fitness and healthy living.

But between work and family, you're also literally on the road quite a bit too!

While this could mean that you aren’t able to get to a gym for a scheduled workout, it doesn’t have to mean missing a strength training session.

There are a number of bodyweight exercises for men that can be done without equipment that can still give you great strength gains! And you can do them almost anywhere!

Here are a few to get you started!

• Bodyweight Chest Workout
• Bodyweight Back Workout
• Bodyweight Squats

Can I Still Build Muscle Just Using My Bodyweight?

Studies have shown that muscle hypertrophy can be achieved using either high weights with low reps or high reps with lighter weight, as long as the exercise is done to failure.

So on the days where you aren’t able to use weights, you can still challenge yourself by increasing reps of a specific exercise to fatigue your muscles.

In addition, progressive overload to stimulate muscle growth can be used in bodyweight exercises for men as well.

Instead of increasing weights, you will be increasing reps.

Another option to challenge the muscles is to modify the movements to add resistance.

This means that even without weights or equipment, you can still get a killer workout using just your bodyweight.

Here are some of the best bodyweight exercises for men.

These moves will challenge every muscle in your body and can be added to any weekly routine when you don’t have access to weights.

Body Weight Exercises For Men

Upper Body

Chest

Push-ups are the ultimate bodyweight chest workout.

When you don’t have access to a gym to do bench presses, these are your go-to.

And there are a number of variations that you can use to target the chest muscles from different angles.

Standard Push-Ups

• Position your hands under your shoulders with your feet straight behind you.
• Lower your chest towards the ground, pause, then extend your arms to push back up.

Slow Push-Ups with Wide, Standard, Narrow Progression

These are done in the same manner as standard push-ups, but with varying hand positions and with a focus on a slow lowering and raising phase of the push-up.

You will be surprised how quickly these wear your out!

• Start with your hands a bit wider than shoulder-width apart.
• Slowly lower your chest to the ground in slow four-count.
• Then push back up in a slow four-count.
• Repeat this four times.
• Then move your hands to standard width and repeat.
• Then to a narrow, or military type width, and repeat.

If you have to come down to your knees to complete this progression that is fine!

These are tough, and it is better to modify then to use poor form.

Staggered Hand Push-Ups

• Place your left hand below your shoulder and your right hand near your ribs.
• Slowly lower your chest to the ground.
• Pause, then push yourself back up to the top of the push-up.
• Switch your hand position so now your right hand is below your shoulder and your left hand is near your ribs.
• Repeat.
• Continue alternating sides.

Triceps

Tricep Dips

• Place your hands on the edge of a stable surface, like a chair.
• Place your feet out in front of you.
• Lower your body until your upper arms are parallel to the floor, then push back up.

You can change the position of your feet in front of you to vary the intensity of this move.

The closer your feet are to your body, the easier the exercise will be.

To really challenge yourself, place your feet up on another chair.

Military Push-Ups

• These are like standard push-ups, but with a narrow hand position.
• Come down slowly while maintaining a tight core and straight back.
• You can come to your knees if you find your back is arching or you cannot push yourself all the way to the top.

These bodyweight exercises for men will target your triceps when your hands are placed in a narrow position as your pectoral muscles cannot assist as much from this angle.

Always remember to maintain good form, and modify the exercise if necessary.

Shoulders

Pike Push-Ups

• Start in a pushup position.
• Lift your hips so that your body forms an upside-down V.
• Your legs and arms should stay as straight as possible.
• Bend your elbows and lower your upper body until the top of your head nearly touches the floor.
• Pause, and then push yourself back up until your arms are straight.

These bodyweight exercises for men will target the shoulders as you are lowering your body from a higher angle than a standard push up.

Back

Arm Hauler

• Lie on your stomach with your chest lifted and arms behind you.
• Extend your arms out to the side and then swing them around until they meet in front of your face.
• Then slowly swing the arms back behind you again.
• Keep your chest lifted throughout this exercise.

These bodyweight exercises for men will engage the lats as you move your arms in front and extend the arms behind your body.

Reverse Fly Hold

• Stand and hinge forward slightly at the hips with your hands hanging in front of you.
• Extend your hands up to the sides until they are parallel with the floor.
• Pause at the top, and then bring the arms back down.

While this may seem like an easy move, by holding the pause at the top and squeezing your shoulder blades together you can still get a good burn in the lats, traps, and deltoids.

You could even hold two soup cans in each hand to add a little resistance when weights aren’t available!

Pull-Ups

• Hang from a bar with your palms facing away from you at about shoulder width.
• Pull your body up while contracting your shoulder blades together until your chest is at the height of the bar, or chin is just over the bar.
• Then, slowly lower yourself down.

Now, this exercise does require that you have access to a pull-up bar.

Luckily you can purchase a doorway pull up bar at most sports or department stores. These can be easily used at home or even packed away for travel.

However, if you don’t have a pull-up bar, just wait to get back to the gym for these.

Do not try to do pull-ups hanging from a door or shower curtain. This can lead to injury to you and damage to your home!

Lower Body

Body Weight Squats

• Start in a standing position.
• Drive your hips back and bend at the knees until your thighs are parallel to the floor.
• Then drive your legs back up to the top.

Squats are an excellent way to build your quads, glutes, and hamstrings.

You can add intensity to this exercise by exploding up into a jump before landing and starting the next rep.

Body Weight Lunges

• Start in a standing position and step your right foot forward into a lunge.
• Bend your knees as you bring your left knee just above the ground, while your right thigh comes parallel to the floor.
• Push back up with your right leg to a standing position.
• Repeat on the left side.
• Continue alternating sides.

Glute Bridge

• Lie on your back with your arms extended to the sides.
• Keep your feet on the ground and bend your knees.
• Drive your hips to the ceiling as you squeeze your glutes.
• Pause, then return your hips back to the floor.

Pistol Squat

• Start in a standing position with your left leg extended out in front of you.
• Bend your right knee and lower yourself to the ground in a squat.
• Then explode back up into a standing position.
• Repeat 10 reps on the right, then switch to the left.

This is a great lower body exercise that will also challenge your core as you try to maintain balance.

You may need to hold onto a wall or chair when first starting out with this exercise. Gradually try to move on to the point where you can perform these unassisted.

Wall Sits

• Stand with your back flat against a wall and feet shoulder-width apart.
• Walk your feet in front of you about two steps and slide your back down the wall until your thighs are parallel to the ground.
• Hold this position for 30 seconds.
• Rest for 30 seconds then repeat two more times.

These isometric bodyweight exercises for men will strengthen your quads, glutes, calves, and hamstrings.

As you gain strength, try to increase your hold time to a minute. Progressively challenge yourself by adding more time to this exercise.

You could even place a backpack or briefcase in your lap to add weight to this exercise.

Calf Raises

• These are done best on a step if available.
• Stand upright with your toes pointing forward and push up onto your toes.
• Pause at the top, then lower until you feel a stretch in your calf muscles.
• Then push back up onto your calves again.

To challenge yourself with this exercise, try doing them with one leg at a time while holding onto a wall or rail for support.

This way you are increasing the amount of weight that each calf has to resist.

You can also change the angle that the calf muscles are targeted by turning your toes outward or inward.

Core

Elbow Plank

• Place your forearms on the ground with your elbows below your shoulders and legs extended behind you.
• Engage your core and hold this position for 30 seconds.

This is not only an abdominal exercise.

It is also great for shoulder stability and muscle endurance of the lower back, neck, and legs.

Superman

• Lie on your stomach with arms extended in front of you and legs extended behind you.
• Lift your arms and legs off of the ground at the same time.
• Then slowly lower back down.

These bodyweight exercises for men are great for the lower back and will also target the shoulders, back, and hamstrings.

Side Planks

• Stack your legs and place your right hand on the ground below your right shoulder.
• Hold this position for 30 seconds while engaging your core.
• Then switch sides and repeat.

While the elbow plank targets the rectus abdominis muscles of the core, this exercise will target the oblique muscles to give your fully defined abs.

Full Body

Burpees

• Start in a standing position.
• Squat down and place your hands on the ground between your legs.
• Kick your feet back into a plank position.
• Jump your feet back to your hands, and come back to a standing position.
• Repeat.

This is a great full body and cardio exercise.

You can challenge yourself even more by doing a push-up while in the plank position or jumping up instead of simply standing prior to beginning the move again.

Mountain Climbers

• Start in a push-up position with your arms under your shoulders.
• Move your left knee into your chest.
• Then, as you bring your left leg back, bring your right knee towards your chest.
• Continue alternating for thirty seconds.

This full-body exercise will target your abs, shoulders, triceps, and lower body.

It will also give you a bit of a cardio workout as well.

Progressively build up to doing this exercise for a full minute at a time.

Challenge All Of Your Muscles With Bodyweight Exercises For Men

As you can see, you can work every muscle in your body even when you don’t have access to a gym or equipment.

Plus, you can modify exercises to challenge yourself.

Even without weights or machines, you can implement the concept of progressive overload to improve your strength with every bodyweight workout.

By adding reps, time, or using single leg or arm exercises you can progressively challenge your muscle fibers to induce hypertrophy and build strength.

So it doesn’t always have to be about throwing around huge amounts of weight to get muscle gains!

Full-Body Workouts

One of the best ways to integrate bodyweight exercises for men into your weekly workout routine is to build a full-body workout that uses exercises from each muscle group.

One study found that men achieved greater lean muscle mass gains from three days a week of total body workouts when compared to only working out individual muscle groups one day a week.

Full-body workouts are a great way to target multiple muscle groups in an efficient manner.

Sample Total Body Bodyweight Exercise Workout

Warm-Up

Perform each exercise for 30 seconds. Repeat twice.

• Jogging in place
• Jumping jacks
• High knees
• Butt Kickers

Dynamic Stretching

Prior to your workout, perform some upper and lower body dynamic stretching to prime your muscles for the bodyweight exercises.

• Arm Circles: Start with small arm circles forward for 10 reps, then backward for 10 reps. Then repeat this with larger circles.
• Cross-Body Arm Swings: Swing your arms across your body, right over left, then left over right. Repeat this 10-20 times.
• Knees to Chest: Bring your right knee up into your chest and hold for a brief pause. Bring the leg down then repeat on the left. Alternate for 10-15 reps on each side.
• High Kicks: Kick your right leg up in front of you to hit your left palm. Then alternate with your left leg and right palm. Continue for 8-10 kicks on each side.

Main Set

• Slow Push-Ups: Perform eight reps each of wide, standard, and narrow push-ups. Repeat for three sets
• Bodyweight Squats: Perform three sets of 12-15 reps.
• Pike Push-Ups: Perform three sets of 12-15 reps
• Calf Raises: Perform three sets of 20 reps on both legs, or 10 reps on each side if doing the legs individually.
• Tricep Dips: Perform three sets of 12-15 reps.
• Supermans: Perform three sets of 12-15 reps.
• Pull-Ups: Perform three sets of 8-10 reps
• Burpees: Do as many as possible for 30 seconds. Rest 15 seconds, then repeat twice.
• Elbow Plank: Try to hold for 30 seconds. Rest for 15 seconds. Repeat twice.

Cool Down

Always be sure to cool down with some light stretching that includes both the upper and lower body.

This is especially important after a full-body workout to help prevent injury.

The Fit Father Project

If you are busy and find yourself constantly on the go (or stuck at home), the Fit Father Project is a wonderful resource.

Our programs are specifically designed for middle-aged men with full schedules that are trying to maximize their fitness.

The all-inclusive FF30X program requires minimal equipment to get started on weight loss and strength building.

All you need is a few days a week and access to dumbbells or kettlebells to take full advantage of this program.

Bodyweight Workouts: Another Tool For Fitness

Strength and fitness workouts can take on many forms.

Bodyweight exercises for men are just another tool that you can use to continue to build muscle and lose weight in a safe and effective manner.

So even when you are on the road or don’t have access to a gym, there is never an excuse to miss a workout day!

*Please know that weight loss results & health changes/improvements vary from individual to individual; you may not achieve similar results. Always consult with your doctor before making health decisions. This is not medical advice – simply very well-researched info on bodyweight exercises for men.

Don't have a lot of time or equipment for a workout? What if we told you we had a full body dumbbell workout that could be done in 35 minutes?

As a busy dad, it’s not always easy to fit in a workout.

But, you don’t need fad diets or fancy machines to lose weight and get into shape!

All you need is a pair of dumbbells and some open floor space!

As men get older, it becomes harder to shed those extra pounds. It is important to incorporate exercises aimed at building lean muscle mass and increasing your metabolism.

In the process, you can turn your body into a fat-burning machine and get that ripped body you've always wanted!

The 35-Minute Full Body Dumbbell Workout

The 35-minute full body dumbbell workout in the video below is an amazing routine that hits all the major muscle groups — and, it's extremely effective for weight loss!

 

Improve Health and Quality of Life

Not only will a full body dumbbell workout help you lose weight and build muscle, but it will also improve your overall health and reduce your risk for chronic disease.

This will keep you living a high quality of life to spend with your family and loved ones.

Strength training will reduce your risk for injury as well, not just while you’re working out, but also in day to day activities.

This will allow you to live independently as you age.

 

Why Dumbbells Are a Great Tool For Weight Loss

Dumbbells are great pieces of equipment that allow you to target every area of your body.

This makes them the perfect tools for full body workouts!

And, they come in a variety of weights, so they can be used at any level of fitness.

The Fit Father Project offers a number of fitness programs that utilize dumbbells to enhance muscle strength and aid in weight loss.

For beginners looking to start working out, this free 24-min metabolism-boosting workout is a great place to start.

From there, check out FF30X. This 30-day fitness program designed for busy dads offers exercise plans and dietary advice to get you into the best shape of your life.

FF30X offers a variety of dumbbell strength training workouts along with other fitness and nutrition advice.

This comprehensive program is a great way to get in great shape and improve your health as you age.

Why the 35-Minute Full Body Dumbbell Workout is So Effective

The Routine Utilizes Supersets

Our full body dumbbell workout uses supersets to target opposing pushing and pulling muscle groups.

For example, the first superset pairs jump squats, which focus on the quadriceps, followed by deadlifts, which focus more on the hamstrings.

The second superset pairs a pushing motion (chest presses on a flat bench), with a pulling motion (dumbbell rows).

Supersets can increase training efficiency and reduce training time.

You are able to complete a workout faster by using what would normally be your rest time to work out an antagonistic muscle group.

Studies have found that super-setting opposing muscle groups promotes faster recovery, allowing you to perform sets with more reps or heavier weight for an increased challenge and improved strength gains.

This increase in strength and lean muscle mass equates to a higher metabolic rate and increased weight loss.

 

It's a Full Body Workout

In the past, you may have tried workout programs that had you target specific body parts on each day of the week.

For example, one day may have been “leg day,” and another day “back and bicep day.”

But studies have shown that full body workouts can be more beneficial for improving fitness and building muscle.

 

Optimal Number of Sets To Induce Muscle Growth

Full body workouts are excellent because you are able to make the most out of muscle synthesis after each workout.

By giving yourself 48 hours to recover before the next full body workout, you are able to hit the best window for when muscle growth is at its highest potential.

This in turn will increase lean muscle mass and decrease body fat percentage.

 

The Routine Avoids Overtraining

By splitting up your workouts into full body routines, you can avoid overtraining specific muscle groups.

For example, if you specifically focus on legs one day, there is a higher risk of overtraining as you try to cram all of your leg work into one day.

In contrast, if you are able to do three full body workouts a week, you can focus on just two exercises from each muscle group during these workouts.

By repeating this three times weekly, you will still get in the desired weekly sets and reps without causing excessive muscle damage.

By doing this you will lose weight and be able to build a great looking physique.

 

Emphasis on Form

When doing any workouts, especially those that involve weight lifting, it is essential to focus on proper form and body alignment to reduce the risk of injury.

Choosing appropriate weight for your level of fitness and paying attention to quality over quantity of repetitions is important to get the most benefit out of your workouts.

This 35-minute full body dumbbell workout makes sure to emphasize this point.

 

Great For Any Level of Fitness

It doesn’t matter if this is your first day working out or if you are a weight lifting veteran, dumbbell weight training workouts are perfect for all levels of fitness.

The moves are simple, yet extremely effective.

Plus, you can change around the weight or number of reps easily when using dumbbells for strength training.

You can even drop down to a lower weight mid-set if needed. Or grab a heavier one to challenge yourself.

These workouts are extremely versatile!

 

The Importance of Weight Training as Men Age

There are a number of benefits of weight training for men.

For one, increased muscle strength gives you the ability to perform everyday activities with ease.

Anything that requires pushing, pulling, or lifting can be done more easily and in a safer manner when you have increased upper and lower body strength.

Weight training has also been shown to help you lead a longer and healthier life.

For example, studies have shown that weight training can decrease the risk of developing chronic diseases such as Type 2 Diabetes.

Exercise also aids in fat loss and overall weight loss as well.

 

Lose Weight and Feel Great

If you want a great looking body, weight training is an essential part of your fitness routine.

And weight lifting programs that use dumbbells are a great way to target every muscle group in your body.

Dumbbells also allow you to perform different movements that decrease your risk of injury while working out.

There is a wide range of weights that can be used, and it is easy to drop down to a lower weight if you find your form wavering.

By incorporating dumbbell workouts into your weekly exercise routine, you will look and feel like you are in the best shape of your life in no time.

 

Workout Anywhere

The great thing about full body dumbbell workouts is that minimal equipment is needed to perform these exercises.

These workouts can be done at a gym that already has dumbbells and benches available.

Or, you can buy a set of dumbbells to keep at your home for days that you aren’t able to get away!

Dumbbells are easily stored, and you only need a small amount of space to perform dumbbell exercises.

This means you have the ability to improve your health and fitness in the comfort of your own home!

 

*Please know that weight loss results & health changes/improvements vary from individual to individual; you may not achieve similar results. Always consult with your doctor before making health decisions. This is not medical advice – simply very well-researched info on full body dumbbell workouts.

Life gets busy, and it’s easy to make excuses about why you can’t get back into shape. Can a three day workout actually deliver results?

Believe it or not, you don’t need to spend countless hours and days in the gym to achieve a muscular physique.

With the right plan, you can workout just three days a week and get the ripped body you have always dreamed about.

Here's how.

Efficient and Effective

Does a three day workout routine to get ripped sound impossible? Trust me, this isn’t a scam or “miracle” workout.

Research has shown that performing full-body exercises three times a week may be more beneficial for muscle growth than working out single muscle groups just once a week.

So instead of splitting up your muscle group workouts across five or six days to target each area, you can effectively build lean muscle mass in just three days.

Increasing the frequency of strength workouts for each muscle group has also shown to increase muscle size more than only working out each muscle group once a week.

This is what makes full-body workouts an ideal way to get those rippling muscles you have been working towards.

Dedicate Yourself To Fitness

Now, it's still going to take hard work and dedication on your part!

Since you are fitting these workouts into a smaller amount of time, you really need to push your body to fatigue.

With this three day workout, you will see that you are aiming for 12 sets for each muscle group for the week.

Three Day Workout To Get Ripped

Take 24-48 hours off in between each full-body workout to allow the muscles to recover and avoid overuse injuries.

In parentheses, you will see the muscle group being focused on in the exercise.

For each muscle group, you will perform 12 total sets over the course of the week.

Incorporate Supersets To Increase Efficiency

You will also notice in these workouts that “supersets” are incorporated.

This means doing two workouts back to back with minimal rest.

This is typically done with opposing muscle groups, for example, biceps and triceps. These will be noted with an asterisk.

In this way, you are making the most out of your workout time.

Instead of taking long rest periods without doing any work, you use the time that you are resting your biceps to work the triceps.

And since some of the muscles used in each exercise overlap slightly, you are getting extra bang for your buck!

Day 1:

Deadlifts: (Legs)

• • Lay the dumbbell bar so that it is centered over your feet. Your feet should be about hip-width apart.

• • Hinge at the hip to grip the bar at about shoulder-width allowing your shoulder blades to protract.

• • Lower your hips and bend the knees until your shins contact the dumbbell bar. Keep your chest up.

• • Pull up to take the slack out of the bar and then begin driving through the heels to bring the weight upward.

• • After the bar passes the knees pull the bar back, pulling your shoulder blades together as you drive your hips forward.

• • Lower the bar by hinging at the hips and bringing it slowly to the floor.

Superset Chest and Back:

For this you will do one set of bench press, then move right into the lat pull down.

Take a one-minute rest after that, then repeat the superset two more times.

*Barbell Bench Press (Chest):

• • Lie back on a flat bench. Using a medium width grip, hold it straight over you with your arms locked.

• • Breathe in and begin moving the bar down slowly until it touches your middle chest.

• • Pause briefly and then push the bar back to the starting position as you breathe out.

• • Lock your arms and squeeze your chest in the contracted position.

*Lat Pull Downs(Back):

• • Grab the bar with the palms facing forward at about shoulder width.

• • Bring your torso back around 30 degrees or so while creating a curvature on your lower back and sticking your chest out.

• • Pull the bar down until it touches your upper chest by drawing the shoulders and the upper arms down and back.

• • Your upper body should remain still and only your arms should be moving.

• • Squeeze your shoulder blades together for a brief pause, then slowly raise the bar back to the starting position.

Superset Biceps and Triceps:

For this you will do one set of preacher curls, then move right into the triceps pulldowns.

Take one minute of rest, then repeat the superset two more times.

*Preacher Curls (Biceps):

• • Sit at a preacher bench with a curl bar at the closest grip, palms facing forward.

• • With the upper arms positioned against the preacher bench pad and the chest against it, hold the curl at shoulder length.

• • Slowly lower the bar until your upper arm is extended with biceps fully stretched.

• • Curl the weight up until biceps are fully contracted and the bar is at shoulder height.

• • Hold this for a brief pause, then lower back down.

*Tricep Rope Pressdowns (Triceps):

• • Attach a rope attachment to a high pulley and hold the rope with your palms facing each other.

• • Bring your torso forward at about a 30-degree angle. Contract your triceps to pull the rope down until your arms are fully extended.

• • The upper arms should always remain stationary and only the forearms should move.

• • Hold for a pause and then bring the rope slowly back up.

Dumbbell Shoulder Press (Shoulders):

• • Hold a pair of dumbbells and sit on a bench with back support.

• • Bring the dumbbells up to shoulder height with your palms facing forward.

• • Push the dumbbells up until they touch at the top. After a brief pause, slowly bring the dumbbells back down.

Elbow Plank Hold (Core):

• • Lie face down on the floor resting on your forearms and knees.

• • Push off the floor, raising off your knees onto your toes, resting on your elbows.

• • Contract your abdominals to keep your body straight. Try to keep your back flat and your butt in line and not sticking up.

• • Hold as long as you can aiming for 10-20 seconds in the beginning. Gradually work your way up to one minute.

Day 2:

Bulgarian Split Squat (Legs):

• • Rest your left foot on a bench while you stand in a forward lunge position with your right foot on the ground about two feet in front of you.

• • Lower until your right thigh is almost parallel, keeping your knee in line with your foot.

• • Don't let your front knee travel beyond your toes. Drive-up through your front heel back to the starting position.

• • Repeat 10 times on each side.

Superset Back and Chest:

For this you will do one set of pull-ups, then move right into incline dumbbell press.

Take a one-minute rest after that, then repeat the superset two more times.

*Pull-Ups (Back):

• • Grab the pull-up bar with palms facing forward, shoulder-width distance apart.

• • Bring your torso back around 30 degrees and bring your chest forward.

• • Pull your torso up until the bar touches your upper chest by drawing the shoulders and the upper arms down and back.

• • After a second on the contracted position, slowly lower back down so that your arms are fully extended.

*Incline Dumbbell Bench Press (Chest):

• • Lie back on an incline bench with a dumbbell in each hand. The palms of your hands will be facing each other.

• • Lift the dumbbells one at a time so that you can hold them at shoulder width.

• • You may need a spotter to help you bring up the weights.

• • Once you have the dumbbells raised to shoulder width, rotate your wrists forward so that the palms of your hands are facing away from you.

• • Push the dumbbells up and pause at the top for a second.  Then start slowly lowering the weight back down to your shoulders.

Superset Biceps and Triceps:

For this you will do one set of supination curls, then move right into the skull crushers.

Take a one-minute rest after that, then repeat the superset two more times.

*Standing Dumbbell Supination Curls (Biceps):

• • Hold a pair of dumbbells at your sides with palms facing in toward your body.

• • Curl the weight up while twisting your forearm at the same time, so that at the top of the movement your palm is facing the ceiling.

• • Then lower the weight following the same path, and twist your forearm downward so that your hands are in a neutral position again at the bottom.

*Skull Crushers (Triceps):

• • Lie flat on a bench. Hold a curl bar above your head using a close grip with your elbows in close.

• • Lower the curl bar by allowing the elbows to bend as you bring the curl bar above your forehead.

• • Pause once the bar is directly above the forehead, then lift the bar back up by extending the elbows.

Bent-Over Delt Raises (Shoulders):

• • Sit on the end of the bench. Hinge at the waist while keeping the back straight as you hold two dumbbells.

• • Keep your torso forward and your arms slightly bent at the elbow.

• • Lift the dumbbells straight to the side until both arms are parallel to the floor.

• • After a one-second contraction at the top, slowly lower the dumbbells back down.

Hanging Leg Raises (Core):

• • Hang from a pull-up bar with both arms extended. Raise your legs until the to a 90-degree angle with your upper body.

• • Then slowly lower your legs back down. Try not to swing your body or use your body’s momentum to do this move.

• • Really focus on contracting your abdominal muscles.

Day 3:

Barbell Squats (Legs):

• • Start with a barbell across your upper back with your feet hip-distance apart.

• • Bend knees to come down slowly. Make sure your knees don’t track over your toes.

• • Come down as far as you can until you lose the natural curve in your lower back. Then drive back up through the heels to come back to the top.

Superset Back and Chest:

You will do one set of bent-over barbell rows, then move right into the decline bench press.

Take a one-minute rest after that, then repeat the superset two more times.

*Bent Over Barbell Rows (Back):

• • Hold a barbell with your palms facing down.

• • Bend your knees slightly and hinge at the waist while keeping the back straight until it is almost parallel to the floor.

• • The barbell should hang directly in front of you. Pull the barbell into your chest.

• • Keep the elbows close to the body while pulling up. Squeeze the back muscles and hold for a brief pause.

• • Then slowly lower the barbell back down.

*Decline Bench Press (Chest):

• • Secure your legs at the end of the decline bench and lay back on the bench.

• • Using a medium width grip, lift the bar from the rack and hold it straight over you with your arms locked.

• • Have a spotter help you with this. Bring the bar down slowly to your lower chest.

• • After a pause, push the bar back up to the top.

Superset Biceps and Triceps:

You will do one set of hammer curls, then move into the overhead tricep extensions.

Take a one-minute rest after that, then repeat the superset two more times.

*Hammer Curls (Biceps):

• • Stand with a dumbbell in each hand with the elbows close to the body. The palms of the hands should be facing in towards your body.

• • Curl the weight up until the dumbbell is at shoulder level.

• • Hold the contracted position for a brief moment as you squeeze the bicep then lower the dumbbells back down.

*Overhead Tricep Extensions (Triceps):

• • Stand with a dumbbell held by both hands. Lift it over your head until both arms are fully extended.

• • The weight should be resting in the palms of your hands with your thumbs around it.

• • Keep your upper arms close to your head with your elbows and lower the dumbbell down behind your head until your forearms touch your biceps.

• • Then raise the dumbbell back up.

Arnold Presses (Shoulders):

• • Sit on a bench with back support and hold two dumbbells in front of you at about upper chest level with your palms facing your body and your elbows bent.

• • Raise the dumbbells as you rotate your palms until they are facing forward.

• • Continue lifting until your arms are extended above you in straight arm position.

• • After a second pause at the top, begin to lower the dumbbells to the original position by rotating the palms of your hands towards you.

Bicycle Crunches (Core):

• • Lie flat on the floor with your lower back pressed to the ground. Rest your hands behind your head without pulling on your neck.

• • Bring your knees in towards your chest and lift your shoulder blades off the ground.

• • Straighten your right leg out to about a 45-degree angle to the ground while turning your upper body to the left, bringing your right elbow towards the left knee.

• • Now switch sides and do the same motion on the other side to complete one rep.

Build Muscle And Get Ripped

This three day workout routine is focused on building lean muscle mass and getting ripped. But, you may not lose weight as well.

It really depends on where you are starting from.

If you are overweight, then the increased calories burned in the workouts along with your increased metabolic rate from the muscle gain will allow you to lose weight.

However, since these workouts are focused on building muscle, you shouldn’t be discouraged if you see a slight weight gain at times.

Increased Lean Muscle Mass = Increased Metabolism

If you are gaining muscle, this may show up as weight gain on the scale at first.

Also, you may retain slightly more water in muscles that are being damaged and repaired from the exercises.

Overall, though, you are improving your body composition and metabolic rate by increasing your lean muscle mass.

If you are overweight to begin with, you will see the pounds start to fall off as well!

 

Weight Loss vs. Muscle Gain

If you are looking for more of a weight loss workout, while also increasing muscle mass, swapping out one of the full-body workout days for a cardio-focused high-intensity interval workout will be the way to go.

Adding cardio will burn more calories during your workout, and will increase your body's excess post-exercise oxygen consumption.

This basically means that your body will burn calories at a higher rate for longer, even after your workout is completed.

On non-workout days, try to add everyday activities that will focus on burning calories. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Park farther away from the store so that you have to walk.

The Fit Father Project

The Fit Father Project offers different programs depending on what your goals are.

For example, FF30X is great for burning fat, gaining lean muscle, and leading an overall healthy lifestyle.

The workouts and meal plans are specifically designed for busy men that are motivated to make a positive change in their fitness.

Old School Muscle

Another great program offered by the Fit Father Project is Old School Muscle. This workout program is designed to build muscle and get you ripped.

It is different from other workout programs out there in that it is based on research on the best exercise routines for older men.

Old School Muscle also provides you with a nutrition and supplement plan to really enhance your workouts.

No exercise program is complete without considering all aspects of fitness, and this, of course, includes the nutrition aspect.

Get Started Today!

No matter what your age, or what your schedule, this three day workout will get you ripped.

All it takes is dedication on your part to stick to the three day workout schedule and follow a solid nutrition program.

And don’t forget to try the other programs from the Fit Father Project. No matter what your goals, there is something for everyone!

*Please know that weight loss results & health changes/improvements vary from individual to individual; you may not achieve similar results. Always consult with your doctor before making health decisions. This is not medical advice – simply very well-researched info on three day workout routines.