Owning my own facility and having access to all the equipment for my clients is awesome. But that's not where I started, nor is it necessary.
In fact, the first weightroom I was exposed to was in a walk-in converted storeroom at my high school. After that it was a converted racquetball court. I'm sure most readers are familiar with this type of "gym" – the kind where none of the dumbbells match and you have weight plates from about seven different companies lying around. In fact, most of the equipment is from donations.
But in terms of what works, the physiology doesn't change based on what equipment you have. Quite simply, your gains have nothing to do with what equipment you have access to, but everything to do with the work you put in. I like to think of most of the equipment we have now as "nice to have, not need to have."
Also, every week I seem to get emails from guys who, due to work, school, or other responsibilities, need to train for a while in their home gym or basement. These guys need to get in, get out, but get the job done.
I've also noticed with interest the popularity of the recent "prison training" articles that have appeared here. It seems that right now, you guys are looking for no frills, no equipment, basic, effective workouts.
With that in mind, I've listed a few very simple, no frills workout routines that require very little equipment, will take 15-20 minutes to get done, and will hit your muscles in a way you've likely never experienced.
I've designed a no-frills chest workout first. Why? Because no one in their right mind will ever miss a chest workout! Guys will do whatever it takes to get a chest workout in. But legs? Well, if something comes up on leg day, then missing squats is no big deal, right? But chest? Hell no.
Equipment needed: One pair of heavy dumbbells, an adjustable bench, and a dip station.
Rest two minutes and repeat.
Equipment needed: Chinning bar, barbell in power rack.
Here's the order of exercises: Wide grip pull-ups, underhand grip chins, neutral grip chins, overhand grip inverted row (using a barbell in the power rack).
Every minute on the minute (i.e,, you start each set when the second hand is on the 12) you're going to perform a set of the first exercise to failure.
Once you can't do half the reps you did on the first set, switch to the next exercise.
So, for example:
Continue in this manner until you can't get 6 reps of wide grip pull-ups. At this point, switch to underhand grip chins and see how many reps you get. Record this number. Continue performing one set every minute until you can't hit half the reps of the first set.
At this point, switch to neutral grip (palms facing each other) chin-ups, continue in the same manner, and then finish with inverted rows.
Once you begin the inverted rows, the rules change. Just keep going with the inverted rows until you're unable to perform a single rep.
Equipment needed: One pair of moderately heavy dumbbells (optional).
This routine needs to be done to be appreciated. You won't truly "get it" by reading about it.
Start the stopwatch:
Stop the clock! You should be under two minutes for the set.
Rest half the time it took you to complete the circuit and then repeat it. Cursing me and my entire Scottish heritage is normal at this point. If you're able to complete the entire circuit in under 90 seconds, then start doing two circuits back to back.
This workout hits every muscle in your body, but is actually more of a metabolic workout than a direct muscle-building workout. We use this type of workout quite often as a finisher, especially with some of our combat athletes. It's also just a great ass-kicker, and it's popular with my overworked staff if they need to get a workout in and have only a short amount of time to do it.
Equipment needed: A barbell with plates (moderately heavy).
Perform the following complex. (A complex is literally a giant set where you don't put the bar down between exercises.)
Here's where we get nasty:
Perform 6 reps of each (48 total reps). It should take about 60 seconds. Rest 90 seconds, then perform 5 reps of each; rest 90 seconds, 4 reps of each; rest 90 seconds, 3 reps of each; rest 90 seconds, 2 reps of each; rest 90 seconds, and then do 1 rep of each.
The entire workout should take about 12 minutes, not counting the time you spend sobbing like a little girl in a frilly dress.
Sometimes life gets in the way of your workouts. If that happens, move to plan B and slot in one of the workouts above. Simple, time efficient, and brutally effective.
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