No Equipment, No Problem: A Guide to At-Home Quarantine Training

If 2020 has taught us anything regarding fitness, it’s that you can’t always rely on a fully-equipped gym to chase your goals — and that if you did, perhaps you’re still struggling with how to stay fit & active during the COVID-19 crisis. As someone who lives & breathes barbells & weight room training, the adjustment has certainly been a challenge. However, if you’re still trying to figure out how to put together the proverbial “perfect” workout, and haven’t already signed up for the latest overnight Instragram training guru’s discount package, look no further than the following suggestions.

Consideration #1 — Keeping Goals in Mind

Before discussing any exercises or templates, let’s first recognize the importance of goals (previously outlined in greater detail here and here). These could range from…

• Weight loss
• Lean muscle gain
• Body composition
• Athletic performance
• Cardiovascular performance
• Improved energy levels or mental/work performance
• Any combination of the above

We all have common goals — general health & fitness, life longevity & durability, etc. And while an at-home, bodyweight-based program may not be able to cover all of the variables necessary to make that “perfect” program, you can still tailor variables & weekly layout to your goals. For example…

• Weight loss is, generally, going to require some form of exercise at least 5–6x/week for at least ~30 minutes, with some forms of high intensity training sprinkled in to spike metabolic rate (caloric expenditure), in conjunction, of course, with a sound diet that is calorie-conscious.
• Lean muscle gain will be a bit trickier without weights, but will be focused more on challenging the body with exercises focused on “time under tension” (TUT), and generally higher-intensity methods of “cardio” such as sprints or even hill climbs.
• Energy levels & focus can typically see improvement with almost any form of exercise, ranging from an outdoor walk to a bodyweight circuit, as long as the session is not too intense as to make you need to take a nap as soon as it’s over!

Consideration #2 — Movements First

Next, let’s consider some options when it comes to what kind of movements (types of exercises) to choose from & put together. Examples include…

• Anterior (front of body) vs. Posterior (back of body)
• Knee-Dominant (eg. squat) vs. Hip-Dominant (eg. good morning)
• Push/Press (eg. pushup) vs. Pull/Row (chinup)
• Horizontal vs. Vertical Vector
• Linear (sagittal) vs. Lateral (frontal) vs. Rotational (transverse) Plane
• Bilateral (both arms/legs) vs. Unilateral (one arm/leg) vs. Hybrid
• Total Body vs. Upper-only vs. Lower-only
• Anti-Extension vs. Anti-Rotation vs. Anti-(Lateral) Flexion

To be discussed further in the “Core” section

The list could go on, but hopefully this paints a picture of how you can begin to put together a template based on the variables available. Unless aiming for a specific goal, the more variety you can have, the better, as it will keep things fresh while also providing the most challenge metabolically. A sample total body “strength” circuit may look like this…

• Squat something (eg. air squat)
• Pull something (eg. chinup variation)
• Push something (eg. pushup variation)
• Hinge something (eg. good morning)
• Resist something (eg. front plank)

Consideration #3 — Impact “Cardio”

Contrary to popular, public opinion, running for a long time at a slow speed is, in fact, not the best way for most people to get “in-shape” — unless of course you are or aspire to be a long-distance or cross country runner…

A wise man once said,

“You don’t run to get fit; you get fit to run.”

• Matt Johnson, Collegiate Strength & Conditioning Coach

Let that quote sink in for a moment. This is especially true if you currently consider yourself overweight, sedentary (generally inactive), and/or have not run in a pretty long time (~6–12+ months). However, if this does not apply to you, and you can + want to include some form of running into your training, consider the following…

• Maximal Sprints
• Run really hard for 5–10 seconds. Walk for 3–5 minutes. Repeat.
• Repeat Sprints
• Run hard for 5–10 seconds. Walk for 1–2 minutes. Repeat.
• Shuttles / Gassers
• Pick an interval (eg. 20 yds), or multiple intervals (eg. 5–10–15 yds). Run there & back, changing direction at each distance. Rest 1–3 minutes. Repeat.
• Aerobic Tempo Runs (Oxidative)
• Choose a work:rest ratio, where the work time is greater than the rest time (eg. 2:1). Run for a designated time (eg. 2:00). Walk/rest for a designated time equivalent to the ratio (eg. 1:00). Repeat.
• Anaerobic Tempo Runs (Glycolytic)
• Choose a work:rest ratio, where the work time is less than the rest time (eg. 1:3). Run for a designated time (eg. :30). Walk/rest for a designated time equivalent to the ratio (eg. 1:30). Repeat.
• Steady-State / Long, Slow Distance (“LSD”)
• Chose a time (eg. 20:00) or distance (eg. two miles). Run at a steady, maintainable pace for the goal time or distance.
• Surface Considerations (Joint impact & stress)
• Least forgiving = pavement, concrete
• More forgiving = track, grass, sand, treadmill, most indoor surfaces
• Given the higher-intensity nature of these methods (aside from LSD), it would generally be recommended to only complete 2–3x/week, depending on preparedness, goals & total volumes.

Consideration #4 — Low-Impact “Cardio”

If you don’t feel that running or sprinting is the safest or healthiest thing for you, or you just don’t enjoy it, there are certainly other options that exist to challenge the cardiorespiratory systems. Some examples, which could use the same concepts described above, include…

• Jump Rope (can simulate action without actual jump rope)
• Cycling (actual bicycle or spin bike)
• Walking or Hiking
• Stairs (walking up & down)
• Bodyweight circuits (with limited rest)
• Elliptical or Stair Climber (for the few of those blessed with one at home)
• Swimming (also for those blessed, or with a clean body of water close)

These activities could be performed virtually every day, because they are lower intensity in nature & impact, but could also be well complimented with strength/bodyweight exercise training days in between, and/or some of the higher intensity methods.

Consideration #5 — “Core” Training (aka The Kitchen)

There may be no question that an educated fitness professional hates hearing more than, “what exercises can I do to lose my belly?” While certainly not ill-intentioned, the idea that one can “target” specific areas of the body to burn fat is, unfortunately, a myth. Moreover, the #1 reason that many people can never quite achieve the “washboard abs” that they aspire to mirror from the movies, is not because of their training, but because of their diet.

You can build strong, durable abdominal & core muscles with a steady dose of planks, sit-ups and deadlifts, but if you try to reward your hard work with cheesesteaks & ice cream every day, there may just be a layer of adipose tissue (fat) hiding them.

While the scope of this article is not to dive into nutrition & meal planning, simply understand & appreciate that your diet will determine the physical results of your training as much as the training itself. For some actual core training ideas, though…

• “Anti-(Movement)” (resistance of a movement or external load)…
• Anti-Extension (eg. dead bug variations, front plank)
• Anti-Rotation (eg. pallof press, chop & lift variations)
• Anti-Flexion (eg. bird dog, superman plank)
• Anti-Lateral Flexion (eg. side plank, weighted carry)
• More “Traditional” Variations (eg. sit-ups, side bends)
• More “Functional” Variations (eg. crawling variations, medicine ball throws)

Consideration #6 — Active Recovery!

Last, but certainly not least, is building in some active recovery into your routine. This could be a “class” like yoga or pilates (find a complete YouTube library here), hot tub or aqua therapy, massage or self-myofascial release (SMR) via a foam roll or similar tool, or something as simple & leisurely as an outdoor walk (kill 2–3 birds with one stone, here).

With the challenge of being stuck at home, and, for many, having more time, comes the challenge of fighting the urge to be productive 24/7. Sometimes the “healthiest” form of exercise is the easiest — because you can only train as hard as you can recover.

Sample Weekly Template & Conclusion

While the possibilities are truly limitless, here is an example of what a weekly template could look like for the “average” person looking to start a regular training program…

• Monday — Strength / Bodyweight Circuit A
• Tuesday — Repeat Sprints
• Wednesday — Strength / Bodyweight Circuit B
• Thursday — Aerobic Tempo Run
• Friday — Strength / Bodyweight Circuit C
• Saturday — Yoga or Active Recovery Choice
• Sunday — Off / Outdoor Walk

This is just one of many possible combinations of training modalities, but hopefully gives you an idea of how a week could be put together. Above all, remember that being fit & active is a lifestyle, not just a scheduled activity. The more that you believe you are healthy, the more easily you will begin to make “healthy” decisions.

For some at-home training ideas with no or limited equipment, take a look at our constantly-growing exercise libraries here and here. And for any additional information on training through the quarantine, or if you may be interested in an individualized training program, drop a comment or shoot us an email at jwesfitness@gmail.com!