Starter Home Gym And 28 Exercises To Work Every Muscle

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When you want to eliminate excuses for working out, having a home gym may be the key. For people like me, where working out is NOT a social event, having a home gym is essential.

PRO's:

1. There is no travel time
2. No membership fees
3. No cleaning other people's sweat off machines
4. No waiting for machines to become available
5. Everything you need, ready and waiting!

CON's:

1. Some up front investment

Let's get rid of that one CON right now with an easy $110 investment to get you everything you need in a home gym. This set up is designed for those that don't have a lot of room for a gym in their homes and those that don't want to invest in a huge amount of money in large equipment.

1. CAP 40 pound Dumbbell set to get you started (approx. $30 new)
2. Perfect Pull Up Door Gym for rows and pull ups (approx. $30 new - better than standard door gyms)
3. Gold's Gym Bench (approx. $50 new - sewn, not stapled, easily adjusted)

This gets you started, and you can add weight later as you gain strenght.

These routines exercise most muscles* to maximize effect with the fewest number of exercises to learn. Note that underlined muscles are only covered by one exercise.

*Still looking for good easy-to-do at-home exercises for muscles  Gemellus; Obturator; Quadratus femoris; Piriformis; Biceps femoris (Short Head).

SHOULDERS

1. Arnold Presses - focus: Deltoid, Anterior; plus Deltoid, Lateral; Supraspinatus; Triceps Brachii; Trapezius, Middle; Trapezius, Lower; Serratus Anterior, Inferior Digitations
2. Incline Shoulder Raises - focus: Serratus Anterior; plus Pectoralis Major, Clavicular
3. Shrugs - focus: Trapezius, Upper; plus Trapezius, Middle; Levator Scapulae
4. Upright Rows - focus: Deltoid, Lateral; plus Deltoid, Anterior; Supraspinatus; Brachialis; Brachioradialis; Biceps Brachii; Trapezius, Middle; Trapezius, Lower; Serratus Anterior, Inferior Digitations; Infraspinatus; Teres Minor

CHEST

1. Incline Bench Presses - focus: Pectoralis Major, Clavicular; plus Deltoid, Anterior; Triceps Brachii muscles
2. Dumbbell Pullovers - focuses on the Pectoralis Major, Sterna, plus Latissimus Dors, Teres Major, Triceps, Long Head, Deltoid, Posterior, Pectoralis Minor, Rhomboids, and Levator Scapulae muscles

NECK

1. Neck Extension - focus: Splenius; plus Trapezius, Upper; Levator Scapulae; Erector Spinae, Cervicis & Capitis Fibers; Sternocleidomastoid, Posterior Fibers
2. Lateral Neck Flexion - focus: Sternocleidomastoid; plus Splenius; Erector Spinae; Levator Scapulae; Trapezius, Upper

TRICEPS

1. Triceps Extensions - focus: Triceps Brachii (optional)
2. Dips - focus: Triceps Brachii; plus Deltoid, Anterior; Pectoralis Major, Sternal; Pectoralis Major, Clavicular; Pectoralis Minor; Rhomboids; Levator Scapulae; Latissimus Dorsi

BACK

1. Overhanded Inverted Rows (Perfect Pullup) - focus: Back, General; plus Deltoid, Posterior; Infraspinatus; Teres Minor; Trapezius (Middle and Lower); Rhomboids; Latissimus Dorsi; Teres Major; Brachialis; Brachioradialis; Pectoralis Major; Sternal;
2. Underhanded Inverted Rows (Perfect Pullup) - focus: Latissimus Dorsi, plus Levator Scapulae; Pectoralis Minor; Trapezius (Middle and Lower); Rhomboids; Teres Major; Brachialis; Brachioradialis; Pectoralis Major; Sternal;
3. Back Extensions - focus: erector spinae; plus Hamstrings; Gluteus Maximus; Adductor Magnus

BICEPS

1. Seated Bicep Incline Curls - focus: Biceps Brachii; plus Brachialis; Brachioradialis
2. Seated Hammer Curls - focus: Brachioradialis; plus Brachialis; Biceps Brachii

ABS

1. Transverse Pull Ins - focus: Transverse Abdominal (difficult - optional)
2. Standard+ Oblique Crunches - focus: Rectus Abdomini. Obliques

LEGS

1. Single Leg Calf Raises - focus: Gastrocnemius; plus Soleus
2. Single Leg Reverse Calf Raises - focus: Tibialis Anterior
3. Single Leg Squats - focus: Gluteus Maximus; plus Quadriceps; Adductor Magnus; Soleus
4. Lying Hip Abductions - focus: Hip Abductors; plus Tensor Fasciae Latae; Gluteus Medius; Gluteus Minimus
5. Hanging Leg Raise (Perfect PullUp) - focus: Iliopsoas; plus Tensor Fasciae Latae; Sartorius; Adductor Longus; Adductor Brevis (moving the pelvis also exercises the Pectineus; Rectus Femoris - or straight legs to help adjust and get effect)
   
6. Lying Leg Curls (or Vertical with Perfect PullUp) - Hamstrings; Gracilis; Sartorius; Popliteus; Gastrocnemius
7. Hip Extensions - Gluteus maximus; Semitendiunosus; Semimembranosus; Biceps femoris (long head); Adductor magnus (ischial fibers)

WRISTS

1. Wrist Curls - Wrist Flexors
2. Wrist Curl Ulnar Deviations - Flexor Carpi Ulnaris and Extensor Carpi Radialis
3. Reverse Wrist Curls - Wrist Extensors
4. Pronators - Pronators

With 1-3 sets per exercise, 8-12 reps per set, and a circuit training approach (90 seconds per set - approx. 60-70 seconds of rest with 20-30 seconds to do the exercise), the following example routines can be arranged to take enough time to affect aerobics with strength training.

• Monday: SHOULDERS, TRICEPS and ABS
• Wednesday: CHEST, NECK and ABS
• Friday: BACK, BICEPS and ABS
• Saturday: LEGS and WRISTS

Generally, 20-30 minutes of continuous exercise can provide the benefits of an aerobic routine.

A quick note on door gyms: I have the Perfect PullUp version. It offers a fold out feature that allows more exercises and allows less than full body weight for beginners or stretching.