Here are 10 creative ideas to incorporate into your routine to work different muscle groups and add more variety:
1. Banded Push-Ups
-
How? Loop a mobility band around your J-Cups to take your push-up game to the next level.
-
Why?The instability of the band, versus a flat surface like the floor, forces your muscles to work harder to maintain good form and lead to overall improved strength.
2. Back Extensions
-
How?Set a barbell on the rack about waist/upper thigh high. Find something that will offer some light padding like a yoga mat, empty weight vest, or even a towel. Set your padding on the bar, wedge your feet against the wall (or a heavy weight if you don’t have a wall-mounted rack), cross your arms over your chest, bend forward over the bar and then lift yourself back up for an effective back extension move.
-
Why?Build up those back muscles! According to an ass-tistic I found on the google, back pain is the sixth most costly condition in the United States. Building up your back muscles will lead to more endurance, better posture, and hopefully less trips to your chiro.
3. Assisted Nordic Curls
-
How? Another mobility-band hack! Loop a mobility band (one of the heftier ones that'll support your weight) around the pull-up bar. Get something soft for your knees, wedge your feet under a weighted barbell or your wall bench. Loop the band across your chest and under your arms, kneel down, wedge your feet, and ease yourself forward and back up.
-
Why? Hamstrings. Strong hammies help your balance, coordination, and agility.
4. Bent Over Lat Pull
-
How? Loop your mobility band around your pull-up bar again. Then grab the band and bring it back with you to stand about three feet back from the rack. Bend at the waist and with a slight bend to your knees, pull the band down to hit your knees and then extend again.
-
Why? Work those elusive lats to build up your back strength!
5. Flutter Kicks
-
How?Got a bench? If so, lay down and balance yourself to rip out a few flutter kicks.
-
Why?Lower ab, hip flexors, and quad strength all help you stand up straight with that “I’ve got a home gym” kick-ass confidence.
6. Pallof Press
-
How? The mobility band is really your friend for a lot of our home gym hacks. For the Pallof Press, attach a mobility band around a rack upright at about chest height, stretch so it’s resistant, and press to your chest
-
Why?Man, this one’s so good for you! It targets your core and helps improve shoulder stability and strength.
7. Banded Donkey Kicks
How?
Wrap your mobility band around your squat rack upright, get down on all fours on the floor or your bench, loop the band around the back of your foot, and get to kickin’. It’s a good burn.
-
Why?Booty time. Donkey Kicks target your largest glute - the gluteus maximus.
8. Tricep Extension
-
How?Remember that mobility band you used for the donkey kicks? Yeah, use that for tricep extensions too.
-
Why?Because you still remember how weirdly fascinated you were by watching your 6th grade history teacher’s very not tone tricep flopping around as she scratched out the timeline of ancient Mesopotamian civilization on the board. Core memory. Work your triceps.
9. Hanging Knee Raise
-
How?This one’s super simple. Just hang from your pull-up bar and raise your knees 90 degrees.
-
Why?You feel it in your entire core, for sure. But this one sneakily works your forearm and grip strength too!
10. Single Leg Step Down
-
How?Stand on your bench, lift one foot off and slowly lower yourself with the other leg and back up again.
-
Why?This one’s tough, but worth it. Look at that amazing feat of strength! What balance!
Well, hope these ideas inspire you to add some more moves to your workouts! Want to see these movements in action? Check out this video.
