Upgrade your bodyweight workouts and target hard-to-hit muscles with these homemade resistance moves from PT and physio Jonathan Cooke.

As gym doors remain shut with no foreseeable reopening, home workouts remain the best option for keeping in shape.

If you were lucky enough to grab hold of dumbbells, kettlebells or resistance bands at the start of lockdown, I salute you, because you’re one of a few (and they probably came at a premium).

Like many home workout warriors, you may be running thin on exercise options, and with research showing that motivation to workout is higher when there is exercise variety, it’s no surprise that limited exercise options at home can results in less motivation to workout.

So it’s time to look around your house to see the potential gym that lies within. That means setting down the milk jugs and tins of beans you’ve been lifting and giving the endless press-ups a break.

Here are six new bodyweight exercises you haven’t tried that will add some variety to your home workouts.

(For your safety, only do these exercises with sturdy door frames, thick sheets and stable chairs!)

6 DIY Resistance Exercises To Build Muscle At Home – Men's Fitness UK6 DIY Resistance Exercises To Build Muscle At Home – Men's Fitness UK

1. Bed-Sheet Rows
Target areas: back and biceps

  • Take two bed sheets, twist each one separately and tie a knot at each end.
  • Toss the knotted ends of each sheet over the top of a door and close the door to securely anchor (tug on the bedsheets to make sure they’re secure).
  • Hold the ends of each bed sheet and lean back to angle your body (the more you lean, the harder it becomes).
  • Row by squeezing your shoulder blades together and bringing your elbows back behind you.

TIP: Keep your body in a neutral alignment when rowing and lowering. Focus on squeezing your shoulder blades to pull yourself up and lower under control.

6 DIY Resistance Exercises To Build Muscle At Home – Men's Fitness UK6 DIY Resistance Exercises To Build Muscle At Home – Men's Fitness UK

2. Bed-Sheet Nordic Leg Curl
Target areas: hamstrings

  • Take one bed sheet, twist it, and tie a knot at each end (or just use one from the bed-sheet rows).
  • Slide both ends of the sheet under a door to create a loop and close the door to securely anchor.
  • Kneel down, facing away from the door, and bring your feet under and through the bed sheet loop, hooking both feet over loop (press your feet against the door).
  • Lower yourself to the ground under control and return to the top by pulling your heels to your backside.

TIP: Avoid bending your hips when lowering or lifting. Have your arms outstretched in front of your chest to cushion the lowering, and push off the floor if you need to when raising.

6 DIY Resistance Exercises To Build Muscle At Home – Men's Fitness UK6 DIY Resistance Exercises To Build Muscle At Home – Men's Fitness UK

3. Broomstick Inverted Row
Target areas: back and 
biceps

  • Position two chairs about 3ft apart with the backs of the chairs facing each other, and place a broomstick (or suitably durable substitute) across the tops of the chairs.
  • Invert yourself underneath the broomstick and grip it with an underhand grip.
  • Keep your knees bent and feet flat (straighten your knees to increase the difficulty).
  • Row your horse up, bringing the chest to the broomstick by squeezing your shoulder blades and puling your elbows back behind you.
  • Control your descent back down until your arms are straight and repeat.

TIP: Keep your body in a neutral alignment when rowing and lowering. Focus on squeezing your shoulder blades when lifting, and lower yourself under control.

6 DIY Resistance Exercises To Build Muscle At Home – Men's Fitness UK 6 DIY Resistance Exercises To Build Muscle At Home – Men's Fitness UK

4. Bed-Sheet Chest Fly
Target area: chest

  • Use the same set up as for the bed-sheet rows.
  • Hold onto each sheet with an overhand grip and stand facing away from the door.
  • Lean forward to angle your body and make a ‘T’ shape with your arms, with a  slight elbow bend.
  • Lower your chest towards the ground and bring your arms together, squeezing the chest to return to the top.

TIP: Lower under control and focus on squeezing your chest together when rising. Keep the slight elbow bend unchanged throughout the movement.

6 DIY Resistance Exercises To Build Muscle At Home – Men's Fitness UK6 DIY Resistance Exercises To Build Muscle At Home – Men's Fitness UK

5. Bed-Sheet Squat to ‘Y’ Raise
Target areas: quads and rear 
delts

  • Use the same set up as for the bed-sheet rows.
  • Hold the ends of each sheet and lean back slightly to angle your body.
  • Squat to at least 90 degrees and make a ‘Y’ shape with your arms when rising, keeping your arms straight.
  • Bring your arms back together when lowering into the squat.

TIP: Keep your heels in contact with the floor when squatting and avoid rounding your back.

6 DIY Resistance Exercises To Build Muscle At Home – Men's Fitness UK6 DIY Resistance Exercises To Build Muscle At Home – Men's Fitness UK

6. Bed-Sheet Triceps Extension
Target areas: triceps

  • Use the bed-sheet row set up.
  • Hold onto each bed sheet with a hammer (neutral) grip and stand facing away from the door.
  • Bring your arms overhead and lean forward slightly to angle your body (increase your lean to make this harder).
  • Lower your body forward, bending the elbows, then straighten the elbows to return to the top.

TIP: Keep your arms by the ears and avoid dropping your elbows. Focus on the back of your arms when straightening.

 

Jonathan Cooke is a personal trainer and physiotherapist based in Edinburgh who operates JC Fitness personal training, a team dedicated to using science-backed coaching to help people elevate the results in their fitness journeys. Check out his YouTube channel