Build the Perfect Body at Home

A Beginner’s Guide by Alex Stewart (repost)

Are you one of those people who would rather workout in the comfort of your own home rather than in a big gym? Are you too busy with work, kids or school and don’t have the time to make it to the gym each day? Has the poor economy made it impossible for you to afford a gym membership? Or are you just a teen without a way to get back and forth to the gym?Regardless the reason you still can make improvements to your body with basic equipment at home. With a flat bench, a barbell, a set of adjustable dumbbells and some weight you can build muscle, burn fat and get the body you are looking for.

I have laid out 3 different workout programs. Each program is created for a particular fitness level.

Full Body Split Beginner Workout Program
Perform all exercises in perfect form. If you are not sure about the form of the exercise, be sure to check out an exercise guide.

The Beginner Full Body Workout
1: Barbell Squat – 2 sets, 12 reps
2: Dumbbell Lunges – 2 sets, 12 reps
3: Barbell Seated Calf Raise – 2 sets, 15 reps
4: One-Arm Dumbbell Row – 3 sets, 12 reps
5: Pushups- 3 sets, to failure
6: Arnold Dumbbell Press – 2 sets, 10-12 reps
7: Side Lateral Raise – 2 sets, 12-15 reps
8: Lying Triceps Press -2 sets, 12 reps
9: Barbell Curl – 2 sets, 12 reps

Upper Lower Split Intermediate Workout Program
The upper lower split is usually the next step after the full body split. An upper lower split offers a little more variety in exercise choice as your entire body is now broken into 2 different workouts. Perform the upper body exercises on Mondays and Thursdays and lower exercises on Tuesdays and Saturdays.

Upper Body
1: Barbell Bench Press – Medium Grip – 4 sets, 8 reps
2: Bent Over Barbell Row – 4 sets, 8 reps
3: Pushups – 2 sets, to failure
4: Standing Military Press – 2 sets, 8-12 reps
5: One-Arm Side Laterals – 2 sets, 12 reps
6: Close-Grip Barbell Bench Press – 3 sets, 8 reps
7: Dumbbell Bicep Curl – 3 sets, 10 reps

Lower Body
1: Barbell Deadlift – 4 sets, 6-8 reps
2: Front Barbell Squat – 4 sets, 6-8 reps
3: Dumbbell Step Ups – 3 sets, 12 reps
4: Barbell Lunge – 3 sets, 25 reps
5: Freehand Jump Squat – 3 sets, 25 reps
6: Standing Barbell Calf Raise – 3 sets, 15 reps

Body Part Split Advanced Workout Program
Finally we arrive at the body part split which is the most advance of the workout splits. Each day is dedicated to one or two muscle groups so you can put maximum energy and use plenty of variety to hit each muscle group.

Monday: Arms
1: Barbell Curl – 3 sets, 8 reps
2: Close-Grip Barbell Bench Press – 3 sets, 8 reps
3: Dumbbell Alternate Bicep Curl – 2 sets, 10 reps
4: Seated Triceps Press – 2 sets, 10 reps
5: Concentration Curls – 2 sets, 15 reps
6: One Arm Pronated Dumbbell Triceps Extension – 2 sets, 15 reps

Tuesday: Chest
1: Barbell Incline Bench Press Medium-Grip – 3 sets, 15 reps
2: Dumbbell Bench Press – 3 sets, 8-12 reps
3: Dumbbell Flyes – 3 sets, 12 reps
4: Pushups – 2 sets, to failure

Wednesday: Off

Thursday: Back
1: Bent Over Barbell Row – 2 sets, 8 reps
2:Reverse Grip Bent-Over Rows – 2 sets, 8 reps
3: Bent Over One-Arm Long Bar Row – 3 sets, 12 reps
4: Bent Over Two-Dumbbell Row – 3 sets, 12 reps
5: Stiff Leg Barbell Good Morning – 3 sets, 10 reps

Friday: Shoulders
1: Dumbbell Shoulder Press – 3 sets, 8-12 reps
2: Side Lateral Raise – 3 sets, 12 reps
3: Seated Bent-Over Rear Delt Raise – 3 sets, 12 reps
4: Bradford/Rocky Presses – 3 sets, 8-12 reps
5: Barbell Shrug – 3 sets, 8 reps

Saturday: Legs
1: Barbell Squat – 3 sets, 5-8 reps
2: Barbell Deadlift – 3 sets, 5-8 reps
3: Dumbbell Rear Lunge – 2 sets, 12 reps
4: Barbell Lunge – 2 sets, 12 reps
5: Dumbbell Step Ups – 3 sets, 15 reps
6: Standing Dumbbell Calf Raise – 4 sets, 15 reps

Sunday: Off

Nutrition
Now, you have all your workouts set up for you to help build the perfect body, it’s time to talk about nutrition which goes hand-in-hand with working out.I am going to set up a diet below for a 180 lbs male at a slight calories deficit. This will help anyone that is overweight lose body-fat and maintain all their muscle mass. If you are on the leaner/skinnier side, increase portions slightly so you are taking in enough calories to build more muscle. I will be keeping protein high and carbohydrates relatively low but will include them around weight workouts and breakfast. I will include enough healthy fats to keep hunger at bay.

Meal 1
Egg Whites: 5
Eggs: 1
Oatmeal: 1 1/4 cups
Blueberries: 1/4 cup

Meal 2
Protein Shake: 1 scoop

Meal 3
Chicken: 5 oz
Brown Rice: 1 1/4 cups
Asparagus: 1 cup

Meal 4
Banana: 1
Protein Shake: 2 scoops

Meal 5
Steak: 5 oz
Olive Oil: 1 oz
Avocado: 1 oz
Vegetables: 1/2 cup

You will have 3 whole food meals and 2 shakes a day so this way you are getting enough calories spread throughout the day but you don’t need to slave over the kitchen and make 5-6 meals a day. The shakes are convenient and will make the dieting process a lot easier. I like to use protein powders from Betancourt Nutrition.

Conclusion
Yes, there are limitations to a home gym, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get a great workout at home with basic equipment. As you can see from the detailed workout programs above, there are plenty of effective muscle building exercises you can do with just a bench, a barbell, a set of adjustable dumbbells and some weight. So stop making excuses about not being able to get the body you want because you are not able to get to the gym. Use the basic equipment that you have at home and follow the programs above and you will get the results you are looking for.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Alex Stewart: Alex has a passion for bodybuilding and this has led him to a life in the fitness industry. He is a certified personal trainer & nutritionist. Alex was compensated for use of his articles and is not affiliated with hypnosis or this site.

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