Home Gym Workouts: How to maximize limited access to weight
I’m a home gym guy through and through. If you’ve followed Purposeful Strength for any length of time you’ve read about the time saving benefits of training at home or heard me talk about my favorite pieces in the “rave cave”, the name of my home gym palace.
I even did a small write up on equipment that I recommend for those looking to get strong in their home. If you want to bypass the article and download the goods, click the button below.
All of those reasons and resources are fine and dandy, but training at home has its own challenges.
Limited access to weights
Small(er) training spaces
Volume/ sound restraints (ever workout with your toddler taking a nap?!)
Just to name a few…
Insert this “Home Gym Training Series”, something near and dear to my heart
In this first installment, I want to cover a few different strategies to maximize lighter weights, or limited access to weights, to make sure you’re getting a solid training session.
**And if you are reading this and train in a full gym, you’ll definitely find these strategies useful too. Everyone should know that you can still get stronger with only a few weights.**
Ever say to yourself after a set “well that was easy” or ask yourself “should I add more sets?”
We all have.
Here are three strategies that I use myself, and with clients, to maximize your weights.
+2 Method
A traditional workout program has what is called “straight sets”. This is where you see your number of sets followed by your number of reps.. 3x10, 5x5, 4x8 are some of the most common, just to name a few.
+2 method is an easy well to self-test if you should increase your weights for the next set. Say you are performing 3 sets of 8 reps. On the last set, push the reps from 8 to 10. If you can complete those last two “bonus reps” you are in a strong position to increase the weights for the next workout. Notice I say “next workout”.
The +2 method can also be applied set to set as well. Think of each set of 8 as 8-10 and if you can complete 10 reps comfortably, self-talk with yourself and see if a slight increase for the next set. If you find that the new weight ar the next set only allows for 8 reps, keep that weight and continue training until you can achieve that +2.
Reps In Reserve (RIR)
RIR was first introduced to me by recurring guest, Coach Tony Bonvechio of Bonvec Strength (Worcester, MA). Reps in reserve is a term referring to performing an exercise just short of compete muscular failure. Programming RIR typically instructs the lifter to leave anywhere from 1 to 5 reps in reserve (left in the tank).
(If you want to listen to Tony and I talk more about this style of training, we did a whole podcast on it, right here)
With RIR it’s more important to accurately leave those reps in the tank to achieve a training effect. Think about trying to fill a cup with water, pouring water as close as you can to the top without overflowing. As you train, you can more accurately gauge your RIR, just like you could more accurately stop the pour closer to the top of the cup.
I really like this training strategy for home gym’ers who have limited weights or even with body weight exercises. With RIR you have three ways to make progress. You can do more reps, decreasing your reps in reserve. You can add more weight, keeping the same reps in reserve. You can keep the weight and reps in reserve the same, but modify the rest in between sets. Having these options are incredible for anyone, but having limited access to weights makes it that much more important.
Typically, a training progression looks like this
Week 1: 2 sets of 3 RIR (self-talk 3 RIR and assess changes for next week).Week 2: 3 sets of 3 RIR (improving on the total number of reps from week 1).
Week 3: 3 sets of 3 RIR (dial in the accuracy of 3 RIR, this should be the highest total number of reps performed).
Week 4: 2 sets of 5 RIR (dial back intensity).
Ya digg?Density Sets
Hands down, density sets are the most commonly programmed for my clients. Density sets look to increase the total amount of sets being performed week over week. Rather than specifying a specific number of sets, as mentioned in the +2 method, in density sets you perform a specific number of reps over a specific amount of time.
For example…A1) Push ups x 8
A2) Stepback lunge x 8
A3) Straight leg sit-up x 8
*Perform this exercise cluster consecutively for 12 minutes, resting only as needed.
This strategy works well for home gym’ers with limited weights or a wide variety of weights. Weights a little light? You’ll be able to move quicker and accumulate more rounds of work. Have a big jump to the next available weight? Cut the reps down and cycle through for the prescribed amount of time. Density sets work well with reps between 2-8 so that you’re never working close to failure (like you are with reps in reserve). The goal is to stay fresh as time goes on.
Progress can be found in a few ways, similar to RIR…You can perform more rounds with the same weight.
You can perform the same amount of rounds with more weight.
You can cut the time down and look to perform the same amount of rounds. You can increase the time and perform more rounds. (This is my favorite for people learning new movements OR don’t quite feel comfortable increasing the weight).
When you’re ready to make the jump, you then start back at square one performing less rounds with more weight. Keeping the weights the same.
A typical training progression would look like this…
Week 1: 10-12 minutes per density set.
Week 2: 12 minutes per density set.
Week 3: 12-15 minutes per density set.
Week 4: 12-15 minutes per density set, looking to match week 3’s output OR increasing the time slightly.
As the time increases you are in a position to increase the total number of rounds performed, which increases your training volume, which is awesome for progress. If you’re looking to increase the weight in your hands as you train, keep the time cap and the number of rounds performed the same for all 4 weeks, making the increase in weight the only changing variable. If the time and rounds performed stay equal, as the weight increases you’ll have more training volume, a great tool for training progress.
Training with limited weight can be a challenge, but there are solutions. Sometimes you have to get out of the box and think about ways to really identify training progress. Creative sets and rep schemes go a long way in making sure you train safely and effectively.
I hope this article helps you! Are you a home gym’er with questions? Reach out in the comments below or shoot me an email here. I’d love to write an article that answers your question and helps others
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