With the COVID lockdowns starting again in Europe, we thought we would start sharing our home workouts. This does use equipment we have at home so if you are looking for bodyweight only, sorry, this isn't it.
For all the equipment we use in one place, visit our previous post here.
Exercise: Incline dumbbell bench
Sets/Reps: 4/5
After warming up, we prefer to start with out heavy work on incline dumbbells. We prefer dumbbells to barbell for stabilization and range of motion. We prefer incline to flat for heavy work as well for similar reasons although, we do alternate and sometimes go heavy, low rep on flat bench instead. Use a weight here that is challenging and you should struggle to get the 5th rep on the last set. The bench we use is here. The adjustable dumbbells we use are here.
Exercise: Decline Cable Fly
Sets/Reps: 4/10-12
For this exercise, we use resistance bands. We use moderately “heavy” bands and go for higher reps while really squeezing at the top of the movement. The bands we use can be wrapped around a power rack or, you can use the attachment to place them inside a door jam. This exercise can also be used inside a superset if desired.
Exercise: Flat barbell bench press
Sets/Reps: 4/5
The classic chest day exercise. This is going to require a barbell, weights and a rack. We go moderately heavy on this as well and try to feel every rep. For an extra pump and burn, burn out with light weight after the last set. Bench here. Barbell here. Power rack here.
Exercise: Incline Dumbbell Fly
Sets/Reps: 4/10-12
Another great exercise to target the upper chest. Keep the chest tight and really feel the muscles in your chest flex as you go through the motion. Again, another exercise you can superset with flat bench should you so choose.
Exercise: Push-ups
Sets/Reps: 3/To failure
A great finisher if you use proper form. 3 sets, each to failure to truly give yourself the final pump and burn in your chest before you finish your workout with some triceps.
Exercise: Resistance band triceps push-downs
Sets/Reps: 4/12
A great exercise to feel the stretch and get the blood flowing to your triceps, this banded version is easy to do at home. Loop it around your rack or, place it in the door jam to get it going. Shoot for high reps but keep the form perfect to isolate the tris. Also an easy exercise to superset with a chest exercise if you are implementing supersets.
Exercise: Dumbbell triceps kickback
Sets/Reps: 4/8-10
Classic triceps exercise that is great to do with your home bench and dumbbells. Go heavier on these if possible and keep the form tight.
Exercise: High-rep skull crushers
Sets/Reps: 3/To Failure
Usually a heavier movement, we like to finish on these and use them to burn out our triceps. You can choose either way and, if you have a curl bar, better to use that than the standard barbell. However, either will work and a standard barbell is a much more robust piece of equipment so it should be a staple in your home gym.
