Home Remodeling

Ready to get back to the basics of growing? Here's a simple workout regimen that only requires an adjustable bench, barbell and plates, perfect for home or the gym.

New Articles: On a quick lap around the typical health club, you'll likely pass a lot of shiny, complicated equipment - cables that adjust to every conceivable angle, multifunctional apparatus with space age levers and handles, and stations for each and every muscle group. Impressive, maybe, but here's the truth: You don't need any of it to build a great physique. This program (which can be done at home or that aforementioned club) centers around the bare-bones basics you need to craft a strong, muscular body. If you're just starting out and want to keep your cash outlay to a minimum, here's the good news: All that's required is an adjustable bench, a barbell with a set of locking safety collars, and a selection of weight plates. That's it - no high-tech machines necessary. With the major body parts broken over a four-day split, you can either train four days per week, resting the other three, or get more aggressive, starting over at workout #1 before the week's up and only taking one or two rest days per seven. Below, we break down the four training days for you, and offer instruction on the more esoteric exercises. Day #1: Chest & Back Body Part Exercise Sets Reps Back Bent-Over Row T-Bar Row Good Morning 5 4 3 15, 10, 10, 8, 6 10, 10, 10, 8 20, 20, 20 Traps Barbell Shrug 4 12, 12, 10, 10 Chest Incline Bench Press* Flat-Bench Press* Wide-Grip Push-Up Decline Bench Press* 5 4 3 3 15, 10, 10, 8, 6 10, 8, 8, 6 15, 15, 15 12, 10, 8 * On all benching exercises, have a spotter on hand at all times. In addition, consider not using collars if you're at home, as you can dump the weights off of the barbell in an emergency. Good Morning: Clean a moderately light barbell up from the floor and over your head so it rests across your shoulders, as if you were about to squat. Keeping your lumbar region tight and in its natural curve, bend at the hips to lower your upper body to a point where it forms a 90-degree angle with your legs (or as close as you can without rounding your lower back), then return to a standing position. Avoid the tendency to look up - your head should remain in line with your spine at all times. Wide-Grip Push-Up: This is the same as a standard push-up, except place your hands outside of shoulder width, your elbows out and away from your body. Day #2: Legs Body Part Exercise Sets Reps Thighs Hack Squat Deadlift Walking Lunge 5 5 5 15, 12, 10, 10, 8 12, 10, 8, 8, 6 10, 10, 10, 10, 10 Hamstringss Romanian Deadlift 4 12, 10, 10, 10 Calves Standing Raise Seated Raise 3 3 20, 15, 15 20, 15, 15 Hack Squat: Place a loaded barbell on the floor behind your ankles. Bend at your knees and hips to lower yourself, grasp the barbell with an overhand or mixed grip, and drive through your heels, engaging your thighs to get to a standing position. Then lower the bar to the floor and repeat. Your back should be tight and straight throughout the exercise. Walking Lunge: Standing upright, hold a plate in each hand, or clean a loaded barbell up and over your head to your upper back. Step forward with your left foot and descend into a lunge - at the bottom, your left knee will be at a 90-degree angle, your right leg will be straight and out behind you. Now extend your front knee and come back to a standing position before stepping forward with your right leg. One step with each leg equals one rep. Standing and Seated Calf Raise: For standing raises, grasp a barbell and hold it at your thighs as you step onto a raised object such as a block, your heels hanging off the edge. For the seated version, place the block next to the bench and put a loaded barbell across your lap (or you can place weight plates on your lap) for resistance. Day #3: Shoulders & Abs Body Part Exercise Sets Reps Shoulders Upright Row Standing Press Front Raise Lateral Raise* Bent-Over Raise* 4 4 3 3 3 15, 12, 10, 10 12, 10, 10, 8 12, 12, 10 12, 12, 10 12, 12, 10 Abs Crunch Reverse Crunch Side Bridge Plank 3 3 3 30, 30, 30 20, 20, 20 Hold for 30-60 seconds * Hold weight plates for resistance. Day #4: Arms Body Part Exercise Sets Reps Back Close-Grip Bench Press* Lying Triceps Extension Close-Grip Push-Up 4 4 3 15, 12, 10, 10 12, 10, 10, 8 15, 15, 15 Traps Standing Curl Standing Preacher Curl** Reverse-Grip Curl 4 4 3 15, 12, 10, 10 12, 10, 10, 8 12, 10, 10 Chest Wrist Curl Reverse-Wrist Curl 3 3 15, 15, 15 12, 12, 12 * Have a spotter on hand for this exercise; if you don’t have one, skip it and double up on your lying triceps extensions instead. ** Adjust the bench into incline position and stand behind it, placing your upper arms on the pad.

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