Six DYI resistance exercises to build muscle at home
Nora Hameidani, Founder of Barre Effect, shows you how to build and maintain strength in or out of the gym! Try these simple yet effective barre moves to help you build lean muscle in the comfort of your own home.
1. Pushups (targets arms/chest/shoulders) Start with 10 reps, build up to 3 sets of 10
Start with hands slightly wider than shoulders, fingers pointing forward. Place knees slightly behind your hips, tuck hips under. Bend your elbows wide and slightly downwards, hips lower with chest, keeping abdominals engaged, then press arms to straight. For a challenge, legs can lengthen.
2. Tricep Dips (targets triceps/shoulders) Start with 15 reps, build up to 3 sets of 15
While sitting tall with your legs bent in front, place hands under shoulders, with fingers pointing towards your hips. Bend and straighten your elbows, lifting and lowering your hips, keeping your elbows pointing backwards and your chest proud.
3. Forearm Plank (targets core/arms/shoulders) Holding still for 30 sec, build up to 3 sets of 30 sec
Lying on your front, place elbows under shoulders, pointing your fingers forward and keeping your forearms parallel. Legs straight and hips distance apart, keep hips in line with shoulders or slightly above shoulder height. Abdominals in, lower back lengthened and supported.
4. Bicycle Crunches (targets abdominals/obliques) Alternating sides for 30 sec, build up to 3 sets of 30 sec
Lying on your back, bring your legs to tabletop with your knees bent 90 degrees on top of your hips. Hands behind your head, elbows wide, engage your abdominals to lift your head, neck, and shoulders off the floor. Start lengthening one leg at a time to the high diagonal, simultaneously rotating your chest/shoulders/arms towards the opposite, bent leg.
5. Wide 2nd Pulses (targets inner and outer thighs/glutes) Pulsing for 30 seconds, build up to 3 sets of 30 sec
Step your feet out wide, bending your knees so they stack on top of your heels. Externally rotate your feet so that your knees track through the middle of your foot. Pulse hips at knee height, in small, controlled movements, only about an inch in size.
6. Lunges (targets thighs/hamstring/glutes) Pulsing 1 set of 30 seconds on each leg, build up 3 sets of 30 seconds per leg
Feet parallel, hips distance apart, bend both knees, step right leg directly back. Bend both knees to a 90-degree angle, front knee on top of heel, back right knee bending slightly behind the torso. Keeping front leg still and stable, pulse back knee in small, controlled movements, only about an inch in size, towards the floor.
