AFTER a busy day at work, going to the gym can feel like the last thing you want to do.
Add darker evenings and dreary wet weather into the mix, and it can fall right to the bottom of any to-do list.
17
Well, you don’t need to schlep to your local fitness centre in the rain to see results, according to personal trainer Monty Simmons.
In fact, you might even find more success from the comfort of your living room.
Monty, from Move with Monty (@movewithmonty), tells Sun Health: “Despite what you might think, you can definitely get a good workout at home.
“The secret is having exercises that can be modified to challenge the same muscle groups as you’d work in the gym.
“Full disclosure: if you’re looking to optimise muscle growth and build high-level strength, you might find it a bit harder to do at home since you can’t simply pick up a heavier barbell or dumbbell.
“But for most people looking to get fitter or lose weight, it’s totally doable.
“At home, you need to choose exercises that sufficiently challenge your muscles so they get strong and toned.
“You might not have the perfect technique right away, but you will slowly master your form. Then you’ll learn how to make exercises harder by changing your body position or adjusting how you distribute your weight between your hands and legs.
“Home workouts are totally viable as long as you focus on progressively challenging yourself and gradually increasing the intensity.”
Here, he shares five simple exercise swaps you can do at home for a full-body blast – and for free!
1. BARBELL HIP THRUSTS → SINGLE-LEG BRIDGE
17
17
17
Monty says: “Both exercises target hip extension and glute activation, offering a similar movement without heavy equipment.”
Lie on your back with your knees bent.
Lift one leg while keeping the other on the floor. You can hold onto your thigh for support.
Press through your foot to lift your hips into a straight line, then lower slowly.
“If this is hard, you can start with a glute bridge on both legs to master the movement, then switch to one leg to ramp up the challenge,” Monty says.
“If you want to make it tougher still, add resistance by placing a weighted rucksack on your hips.
“Progression is absolutely key when training at home.”
2. BARBELL SHOULDER PRESS → SHOULDER PUSH-UPS
17
17
17
Monty says: “These mimic an overhead pressing motion that works the shoulders and chest – usually done with a barbell in the gym – but using body weight.”
Begin in a high plank position with your hands wider than your shoulders. Lift your bum into the air.
Lower your chest until your elbows hit 90 degree angles.
Keeping your core engaged and body straight, push back up firmly.
“You can start doing these on your knees to build foundational strength,” Monty says.
“You can then incorporate a downward dog position to develop positional strength before moving on to the full shoulder push-ups.”
3. BENCH DIPS → FLOOR DIPS
17
17
17
Monty says: “Both exercises target the triceps and chest by using pushing movements.
“Floor dips are an effective equipment-free alternative.”
Sit on the floor with your knees bent and your hands behind you.
Lift your hips off the ground then lower slowly until your arms bend.
Then press back up to start again.
Monty adds: “Focus on keeping your hips elevated and shifting more of your weight into your hands.
“If you master that, elevate your legs on a stable surface (like your sofa or coffee table) to further challenge your triceps and shoulders.”
4. BULGARIAN SPLIT SQUATS → BULGARIAN SPLIT SQUATS
17
17
17
Monty says: “This is the same movement, performed with body weight.
“It challenges the quads, glutes, and hamstrings – replicating heavy lifting patterns – without gym equipment.”
Stand in a split stance with your back foot on a chair.
Lower your back knee towards the floor, keeping your torso upright.
Then drive through your front heel to rise, and repeat.
“You can start with just your body weight for this exercise, then gradually add dumbbells or a weighted bag to make it harder,” Monty adds.
5. DEADLIFTS → SQUAT JUMPS
17
17
17
Monty says: “While not identical, squat jumps engage the posterior chain with an explosive movement that builds lower-body power, similar to deadlifts.”
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
Lower into a shallow squat, then explosively jump upwards.
Land softly on the balls of your feet, bending your knees to absorb impact, and immediately repeat.
You can place your hands on hips to remain stable.
Having a few basic pieces of equipment – even if it’s just one or two items – can dramatically extend your workout options
Monty Simmons
Monty says: “Once you’re comfortable with basic squats, transition to explosive jumps to boost power and endurance.
“The main idea is to consistently increase the challenge – whether that’s by adding resistance, adjusting your range of motion, or tweaking your body alignment – so your muscles are continually forced to adapt and grow.
“As you build up your technique, you’ll find that simple adjustments – like altering your body angle or shifting your weight distribution – can make a big difference in the effectiveness of your workouts.
“The secret is consistency and smart progressions.
“Over time, you can always add a little extra resistance, even if it’s just using household items like a weighted rucksack, to keep your muscles challenged.”
17
You don’t need any special equipment to do these exercises – maybe just a chair!
But if you want to take your at-home workouts up a notch, you don’t need to spend a fortune.
Monty says: “If you’ve got a bit of budget, I’d definitely invest in a pair of adjustable dumbbells (£69.99, The Range) – they’re excellent because they let you progress from light to heavy weights (from two up to 36kg) as you get stronger.
“However, I know they can be pricey, so another good option is a small pair of dumbbells with round plates (£39.99, Decathlon), which still offer a decent range of resistance.
“If money is tight, a set of kettlebells is a smart choice – having one around 6kg (£3.50, B&M), one at 10kg (£17, Argos) and one at 14kg (£19.99, Fitness Superstore) can cover many exercises.
“And for the absolute lowest cost, you can fill a rucksack or a couple of small duffel bags with heavy objects like books or clothes to mimic weights, which is totally free.”
The best workout headphones: tried and tested
By Alice Fuller, Health Features Editor
JBL Tune 520BT
- Price: £24.99 (jbl.com)
- Score: 3.5/5
These don’t come with all the bells and whistles other models offer (no noise cancelling or spatial sound features here) but they are a really good set of headphones! They’ve got me through countless runs and gym sessions, with very respectable sound quality considering the price. My only complaint is that the inner coating starts to wear off after a while if you frequently get sweaty!
Shokz OpenFit Air
These are my favourite of the bunch. I love that they fit over your ears (not inside or on top of) and the sound quality is amazing! The battery also seems to last forever; I can go weeks without charging them. They are even water and sweat resistant – perfect for a run, or gym or home workout. And they’re the only headphones approved for use in all road races under the UK Athletics Rules of Competition as they allow runners to hear their surroundings. My only gripe? I wish they were a little louder!
ACEFAST AceFit Air Open Ear Headphones
A slightly cheaper option to the Shokz OpenAir Fit, but you can tell. The bass is decent and they are ultra lightweight with a super slim case – however, they just aren’t as comfortable. The battery life is great though! Plus, charging them for just five minutes gives you an hour of listening time.
Beats Solo 4 Buds
I don’t know whether it’s just the shape of my ears, but I just can’t get on with these buds. Granted I struggle with Apple AirPods too, but they just won’t stay in comfortably – even after changing the tip size. With up to 18 hours of battery life and a custom-made sound system, they tick all the tech boxes, but they were uncomfortable and I actually found the sound quality pretty poor.
You could also buy a set of resistance bands (£18 for five, Amazon).
“I like using these,” Monty says. “They’re versatile and great for adding extra tension to exercises like kickbacks or clamshells.
“A skipping rope (£1, Hobbycraft) is another excellent, affordable tool that can boost your cardio at home.”
He adds: “In essence, having a few basic pieces of equipment – even if it’s just one or two items – can dramatically extend your workout options.
“It helps you progress from bodyweight mastery to adding resistance and variety, making your at-home sessions both challenging and effective.”
It may even make you more likely to move your body, as fitting it in between video calls or while watching your favourite Netflix show couldn’t be easier.
Plus, you can avoid the sweaty hell that is a gym after 5pm on a weekday!
