If you don’t have weights at home, then you can easily take any dumbbell exercise and replace them with bodyweight exercise substitutions. Craig Ballatyne, creator of Turbulence Training, recently posted some great substitutions you can do for certain certain exercises that you may  not have equipment for.

I’ve taken that idea and expanded it to include only bodyweight movements. Here’s my modified list:

Dumbbell Squats

• Split Squats
• Lunges
• Step-ups
• Reaching Lunges
• 1-Leg Deadlifts
• 1-Leg Hip Extensions

Dumbbell Press

• Chair or Parallel bar dips with body slightly forward
• Feet elevated on bench pushups
• Feet elevated on stability ball pushup
• Close Grip feet elevated pushups
• Pushups
• Close-Grip Pushups
• Incline Pushups
• Elevated Pushups
• Pushups on Knees
• Off-Set Pushups
• Pushups with your Hands on Ball
• Pushups with Hands on Ball and Feet on Bench
• Pushups with Hands on Bench and Feet on Ball
• Spiderma Pushups
• Pike Pushups

Dumbbell Lunges/Split Squats

• 1-leg Lying Hip Extension
• Bulgarian Split Squats
• Split Squats
• 1-Leg Deadlifts
• 1-leg Squats onto Bench
• 1-Leg Squats standing on the bench
• Deep Step ups
• Reaching Lunges
• Bodyweight Squats
• Squat Jumps
• Lunge Jumps
• Lunges

Dumbbell Rows

• Inverted Rows
• Underhand Inverted Rows
• Inverted Rows with Feet on Ball or Bench
• Pullups
• Chinups
• Sternum Chinups
• Side to Side Pullups
• Gorilla Chins
• Negatives

As you can see, it is possible to perform bodyweight-only workouts. You just need to be a bit creative. Craig Ballantyne has a whole bunch of great bodyweight workouts which he sells for around $9.95 per workout.

But, if you were to purchase them seperately, say one workout per month, it would end up costing you $153.95. Craig is giving away all of his bodyweight workouts for a low price of $57.

That’s a discount of 37%! That’s insane! I suggest you grab all his workouts as soon as possible before he decides to charge the regular price. Click here to grab all of Craig Ballantyn’s Bodyweight Workouts.

I’ve decided that for the rest of the year, and for most of 2010, I’m going to be sticking to combination Kettlebell and Bodyweight workouts. Take a look at this workout I just completed today, then I’m going to show you where you can get the best Kettlebell/Dumbbell Workouts you can do at home.

Remember, all Kettlebells movements can also be done by a Dumbbell. Some can even be completed by a Barbell. I’ve also included bodyweight substitutions for those that do not have access to equipment:

Superset #1:

• Clean and Press 3×10 (or Handstand Pushups/Shoulder Pushups)
• 30 Sec Rest
• T-Pushups 3×5
• 30 Sec Rest

Superset #2:

• KB Snatch, 3×10 (or Squat Jumps)
• 30 Sec Rest
• Gorilla Chin, 3×5
• 30 Sec Rest

Superset #3

• Bodyweight Squat, 3×20
• 30 Sec Rest
• Side Press, 3×5 (Or Uneven Pushups)
• 30 Sec Rest

Best Home Workouts

As you can see, combining Kettlebell and Bodyweight exercises is tough. For more Kettlebell and Bodyweight superset workouts, check out the Turbulence Training Kettlebell Revolution. Click here for more information.

For those that do not have Kettlebells, you should check out Gladiator Body Workout, which is a combination of Dumbbell and Bodyweight exercises. Click here for more information.

In addition, if you have Kettlebells and Dumbbells, then check out the Turbulence Training Kettlebell-Dumbbell-Bodyweight fusion workout. Click here for more information.

Finally, for bodyweight-only folks, you should check out Coach Lomax’s Workout Without Weights. He shows you over a 100 bodyweight movements you can do in the comfort of your own home. Click here for more information.

Your lower body is one of the biggest and most important muscle group in your body. Unfortunately, most people ignore the lower body or just perform a few sets of squats just to “work” it. The following are a few exercises you can use to add some more variety and make your lower body workouts fun and exciting.

Variation #1: Dumbbell Front Squat

• Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and grab a pair of dumbbells. Lightly rest one of the heads of each dumbbell on your shoulder. Your elbows should be in front of your body with your upper arms parallel to the ground. With your back straight and abdominals contracted, squat down as far as you can go.
• Pause at the bottom and stand up to starting position. Make sure to keep looking forward.

Variation #2: Dumbbell Thruster

• A dumbbell thruster is simply a combination of the dumbbell front squat and shoulder press. Hold the dumbbells up near your shoulders, with your elbows out in front of you and your upper arms parallel to the ground. Squat down as low as you can do, keep your feet flat on the floor.
• Make sure your back is straight, abs are contracted, and your knees do not go past your toes. Keep your head steady and look forwards. When you reach your lowest point, quickly reverse the movement and stand back up. While standing up, start to press the dumbbell over your head.
• The end position should be your arms overhead and your legs straight. Practice this movement until you flow smoothly between the front squat and shoulder press.

Variation #3: Dumbbell Deadlift

• Stand with a shoulder width stance and grab a pair of dumbbells with an overhand grip. Keep them in front of your body with palms facing you. Slowly squat down towards the floor, keep the dumbbells in front of your body. Go down as low as possible, then reverse the movement and stand up at starting position.
• Keep your back straight and core tight. Do not let your knees fall past your toes.

Variation #4: Dumbbell One Leg Deadlift

• Place two dumbbells on the floor with the handles parallel to each other. Stand between the dumbbells, and lift on leg slightly off the ground. Tuck it behind your body by bending your knees. With your back straight, chest out, and head looking forward, squat down with one leg and reach forward to grab the dumbbells.
• Stand up to starting position. Lower your body back down to place the dumbbells back on the floor. Return to starting position and repeat with the other leg.

Easier version of one leg deadlift:

Variation #5: Dumbbell Bulgarian Squat

• Stand facing away from a sturdy chair or bench with feet shoulder width apart and dumbbells held at your sides. Lift on leg and place your toes on the chair/bench behind you. Keep your back straight and chest out as you lower your body towards the ground by bending your knee.
• Lower yourself as far as you can go, then return back to starting position. In the beginning, you will need to adjust the distance and position of the surface behind you a few times before you get it right.

Variation #6: Sumo Dumbbell Deadlift

• Place two dumbbells on the floor side by side with the handles parallel to each other. Stand over the dumbbells with a wide stance. With your hands between your legs, ready to grab the dumbbells, squat down as if you were doing a sumo squat.
• When you get low enough, grab the two dumbbells. Keep your back straight and head facing forward as you lift the dumbbells up. Do not bend your arms. You are not bending or engaging any other part of your body besides your legs. The biggest mistakes people make with this movements is bending their arms using their upper backs to lift the dumbbells.
• Keep your back straight, core tight, and stance grounded as you straighten out your body. Lower yourself to starting position.

Like this, but with two dumbbells:

For some more great unique dumbbell exercsies and workouts, check out the Superior Dumbbell Workout.

Dumbbells are one of the best ways to build up your chest. The following are my top three picks for effective exercises using the dumbbell:

But, to better understand the first two exercise descriptions, you’d better see this video:

The basic floor press is great, but I learned these two high intensity variations from Coach Lomax’ Gladiator Body Workout that I just need to share with you:

Dumbbell One-arm Floor Press

• Get into the position of a floor press, but instead of holding one dumbbell in each hand, just pick up one dumbbell with one hand. Place the other hand beside your body, palms resting against the floor for balance.
• Tighten your core, and press the dumbbell towards the sky. The tip I learned from Coach Lomax was to start the exercise with your week side first.
• This way, you target your weaknesses when you’re fresh during your workouts.

Dumbbell Hip Raise Alternating Floor Press

• Get into the position of a floor press, with a dumbbell in each hand. Slowly lift your hips off the ground so that only your feet and upper back are resting on the floor.
• Tighten your core and perform a dumbbell press with one hand. When you press the dumbbell, be sure to twist slightly so that your shoulder is off the floor.
• Lower the dumbbell, and press with the other hand. Alternate in this manner.

Dumbbell Push Up Row

• Assume a push up position with dumbbells in each hand. Perform a push up by lowering your body between the two dumbbells. You should feel greater tension with this exercise than with regular pushup since you’re working with a greater range of motion.
• When you return to the top position of the push up, lift one dumbbell up and bring it toward your chest until your elbows are bent behind your back.
• Return the dumbbell back to the ground, perform a pushup, and perform a row with the other hand.

Top 4 Tips for a Bigger, Stronger Chest:

1. Don’t forget to train the rest of your body. Guys make the mistake of doubling up on their chest, but neglecting other parts of their body. Remember that your body doesn’t like imbalances. Too many imbalances will cause injury.
2. Getting bigger and stronger is not just about exercise. Make sure your diet is in line as well. The biggest mistake people make when trying to get bigger is to eat everything in sight. Instead, focusing on gradually increasing your caloric intake.
3. Alternate between a variety of exercises. I’ve given you three exercises here, but I urge you to go and find some brand new ways to work your chest from a different angle.
4. Don’t neglect bodyweight movements. My favorite chest building bodyweight exercises include elevated pushups, plyometric pushups, and dive bombers.

I hope these tips will help you increase the size and strength of your chest. For more exercises and workouts for strength and mass you can do at home, check out Gladiator Body Workout.

Training at home isn’t easy. There are issues such as finding enough time and the right place to workout. And there are problems with figuring out what exactly to do. The one thing I tell people is to start somewhere. It doesn’t matter where, but just get things in motion.

Over the long run, however, you want to develop some sort of routine that doesn’t feel like a chore. This routine may be training once every 3 days for 45 minutes, or training 5 days a week for 20 minutes at a time. The only optimal way of training is one that suits your daily schedule and lifestyle. Continue reading

Building strength with bodyweight training is very easy. In weight training, you get stronger by adding weights.

Continue reading

High Intensity Training allows you to burn fat, build lean muscle mass, and improve your athletic conditioning – all in one simple, 20 to 30 minute workout. In this post, I will give you a basic blueprint on how to develop the best high intensity workouts at home.

6 Reasons why High Intensity Training at Home May be the Best Option for You: Continue reading

I’ve posted lots of bodyweight workouts on this website over the past two years. Instead of using the search feature, you can now grab all the workouts through just one post. The following is a list of all the bodyweight workouts I’ve published on this site:

Beginner Workouts – Can’t do Pushups, Pullups, and Squats

1. Free Bodyweight Workouts to Help Your Maintain your Weight after 50

Continue reading

I rarely ever perform split training routine. Despite the fact that most of my workouts are full body, I understand the advantages of split training:

• Bring up a weakness
• Less risk of over training
• Better focused since you’re only training a few muscle groups at a time

There are many kinds of split training routines, but the best one in my opinion is Push/Pull/Legs Continue reading