Whether you're a fitness expert or just starting out, you don't need a gym to build strength and improve your conditioning. Home workouts can be just as effective as training at a gym, when done properly. And that is what this article is meant to help with - we will discuss 10 strength and conditioning exercises you can do at home, both with and without any equipment. 

You will learn what the benefits of the specific exercises are, how to do them properly, and how you can incorporate them into your routine. But first, let’s quickly touch on the differences between resistance and strength training.

Resistance vs. Strength Training

All types of strength and conditioning exercises work on both your strength and endurance, but there are differences. Primarily,  resistance training vs. strength training is differentiated based on what you wish to gain, i.e., what the focus is. Resistance training is any type of workout that exercises your muscles against external resistance, be it weights, bands, your body weight, etc. 

Strength training is a specialised type of resistance training designed to build muscle mass by optimising muscle hypertrophy. In simple terms, when you work out, your muscles experience stress and tiny tears. To repair these, your body adds more muscle tissue, making the muscles larger - this is called muscle hypertrophy. Strength training prioritises workouts that include heavier weights with fewer repetitions to increase your muscle mass and strength. 

Naturally, strength training also improves your conditioning to some degree. On the other hand, regular resistance training focuses on strength and conditioning equally, with exercises that include more repetitions against lighter resistance, improving your muscle endurance and strength in the process. 

As we are talking about strength and conditioning exercises you can do at home, we will assume you don’t have access to gym-grade equipment to do focused strength training, so the workouts we talk about will be regular resistance workouts. And we have divided them into workouts that require no equipment and workouts that use basic equipment. So let’s start.

Exercises that Require No Equipment

1. Push-Ups

Push-ups are a classic bodyweight exercise that targets the chest, shoulders, triceps, and core and requires no equipment. The best way is to start in a high plank position with your hands shoulder-width apart and your body in a straight line from head to heels. Lower your body until your chest nearly touches the floor, then push back up to the starting position. Keep your core engaged, and avoid sagging your hips. Push-ups improve upper body strength, enhance core stability, and can be modified for different fitness levels by changing hand positions or doing them on your knees.

2. Squats

Squats work the quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, and core. To do them, stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, toes pointing slightly outward. Lower your body as if sitting back into a chair, keeping your chest up and your knees behind your toes. Go as low as you can while maintaining good form, then push through your heels to return to the starting position. Squats enhance lower body strength, improve balance, and are a great exercise to boost functional fitness. You can vary them by adjusting the stance or adding jumps.

3. Planks

Planks are primarily meant for strengthening your core. Start in a forearm plank position with your elbows directly under your shoulders and your body in a straight line from head to heels. Hold this position for as long as possible without allowing your hips to sag or rise. Planks engage the entire core, including the rectus abdominis (the six-pack), obliques, and lower back. They also help improve posture and stability, making them a great foundational exercise for any fitness routine.

4. Lunges

Lunges are one of the simplest exercises, and they target the quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, and calves. Begin by standing tall with your feet hip-width apart. Step forward with one leg, lowering your hips, until both knees are bent at a 90-degree angle. The back knee should hover (not touch) just above the ground. Push through the front heel to return to the starting position. Alternate legs and repeat. Lunges enhance leg strength and improve balance, and you do variations by changing the direction - forward, backward, or side-to-side.

5. Burpees

Burpees are an excellent full-body exercise that combines strength and cardio. Start in a standing position, drop into a squat, and place your hands on the floor. Kick your feet back into a plank position, perform a push-up, then jump your feet back to your hands and explosively jump into the air. Burpees work the chest, shoulders, triceps, core, quads, and hamstrings. They improve cardio endurance, burn calories, and build muscle strength, all at the same time.

HIIT Variations of Bodyweight Exercises

High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is a workout method that alternates between short bursts of intense exercise and brief recovery periods. Applying this approach to regular bodyweight exercises will increase your cardio gains and help you burn more calories than you would otherwise, thanks to the Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption (EPOC) or afterburn effect.

EPOC is the increased rate of oxygen intake following intense exercise. This means that EPOC boosts your metabolism, enhancing calorie burn and fat loss even after the workout ends. So, how would an HIIT workout look in practice? Let’s say you typically do 10 push-ups in 60 seconds and rest for a minute before you do the next exercise.

The HIIT version would be 10 push-ups in 20 seconds, followed by a shorter resting period, in this case, let’s say 30 seconds. Then you do all of the other exercises that are part of your regular routine in a similar, faster manner, and you’ve done an HIIT workout. However, you don’t need to force it. HIIT workouts take time to get used to, so don’t expect to shorten the time of your workouts by half at the very beginning. 

Now, let’s discuss 5 strength and conditioning exercises you can do at home that require some basic equipment.

Exercises with Weights

1. Dumbbell Deadlifts

Dumbbell deadlifts target the hamstrings, glutes, lower back, and core. Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand in front of your thighs. Hinge at the hips, keeping a slight bend in your knees, and lower the dumbbells towards the floor while keeping your back straight. Return to the starting position by driving your hips forward. This exercise improves lower body strength, enhances posterior chain muscles, and promotes good posture.

2. Dumbbell Shoulder Press

The dumbbell shoulder press works the shoulders, triceps, and upper chest. Sit or stand with a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder height, palms facing forward. Press the weights overhead until your arms are fully extended, then slowly lower them back to the starting position. Keep your core engaged throughout the movement. This exercise builds upper body strength, enhances shoulder stability, and improves overall upper body muscle tone.

3. Goblet Squats

Goblet squats primarily target the quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes and are, essentially, an upgraded version of regular squats. You do them by holding a dumbbell or kettlebell close to your chest with both hands and standing with your feet shoulder-width apart. Lower your body into a squat, keeping the weight close to your chest and your back straight. Push through your heels to return to the starting position. Goblet squats improve lower body strength, enhance core stability, and can be a great way to practice proper squat form.

4. Bent Over Rows

Bent-over rows work the back muscles, including the latissimus dorsi, rhomboids, and trapezius, as well as the biceps. Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand. Bend at the hips and knees, keeping your back straight and almost parallel to the floor. Pull the dumbbells towards your torso, squeezing your shoulder blades together, then lower them back down. This exercise will strengthen your upper and middle back and improve your pulling strength.

5. Kettlebell Swings

Kettlebell swings are a dynamic exercise that targets the hamstrings, glutes, core, and shoulders. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a kettlebell with both hands in front of you. Hinge at the hips and swing the kettlebell between your legs, then thrust your hips forward to swing it up to shoulder height. Allow the kettlebell to slowly swing back down and repeat the movement. Kettlebell swings are a great way to improve your cardio fitness and build explosive strength. 

All the Equipment You Need to Do Strength and Conditioning Exercises at Home

Taking the time to improve your strength and conditioning at home is always good, whether you choose to do exercises with or without equipment. If you prefer the latter, we can help you out. At Flex Equipment, we have all the gear you need to optimise your workouts. Whether you need dumbbells, kettlebells, or resistance bands for resistance training, mobility & warmup gear, or even advanced strength equipment and cardio machines to outfit your home gym, we have it all.

Simply place your order online, choose from the multiple payment options, including buy-now-pay-later, and we will deliver your package right to your doorstep. The other option is to find a store near you and make your purchase in person. And don’t forget to contact us if you have any questions or need assistance, we will get back to you as soon as possible.