We’ve all been there before. Not enough money to afford a gym membership but you still want to workout. But, how can you workout if you can’t afford the gym? We’re going to answer that exact question and leave you with exercises you can start doing you make the decision to buy a gym membership. This is how to workout if you can’t afford the gym made in easy steps
There will also be workout plans included for you to use as a guide for your own workouts.
Bodyweight Exercises
Beginning to workout means you want to put on some muscle and possibly some size.
It’s best to start with body weight exercises, and yes, with bodyweight exercises you can work every part of your body no matter the lack of equipment you have.
Start by doing different kinds of pushups: diamond, wide, incline, decline, military, and reverse. This will work your triceps, chest, and biceps.
Next start doing bodyweight squats with different variations: Wall, pistol, lunges, and Bulgarian squats. This covers our legs.
Now we must work the back. If you wish to work the back, pull-ups are by far the best back exercise and you can switch up different variations to hit every part of the back. Consider buying a pullup bar or go to a play ground to use their metal bars. For different back variations you can do this: wide, close, single handed, and even bar pullovers.
Working the shoulders you can start by practicing handstands. To build up to handstands you can do pyke pushups, wall handstands, and wall handstand pushups.
Let’s put this all together to make a full workout split.
Bodyweight Workout Split
For a sustainable workout if you can’t afford the gym try this:
Day 1: Chest & Triceps
- Pushups (20-30 reps x 3 sets)
- Military pushups (15-20 reps x 3 sets)
- Incline pushups (10-20 reps x 2 sets)
- Diamond pushups 10 (10 reps x 3 sets)
- Pushups until true failure
Day 2: Shoulders
- Pyke pushups (15 reps x 2 sets)
- Handstand pushups (10-15 reps x 3 sets)
- Side to Side Plank (Each side for 30 secs and repeat 4 times x 2 sets)
- Grab any weight you can find and do lateral raises (12-15 reps x 3 sets)
- Static bar hang (30-60 secs x 3 sets)
Day 3: Back & Biceps
- Chin-ups (8-15 reps x 4 sets)
- Wide grip pullups (6- 10 reps x 3 sets)
- Close grip pullups (8-12 reps x 3 sets)
- Inside pushups (12-15 reps x 2 sets)
Day 4: Legs
- Squats (12 reps x 3 sets)
- Pistol squats (12-15 reps x 2-3 sets)
- Wall Squats (Hold for 30 secs x 2 sets)
- Goblet Squats (15 reps x 3 sets)
If you like to add any weight you have available to these exercises go for it.
This is just a very simple bodyweight exercise routine. Some of these exercises take time to learn and adapt to while others are easier.
Do what feels right to you, if something is too hard try to learn and adapt to it over time.
If something is too easy, do a little more reps or add any weight you can. If you are working hard and properly you will see results.
Using Weights
If you have some dumbbells available and maybe a bench then this is for you. You have a ton of more options available with limitless possibility even with the basic weights.
It is best also to use any weights you can find whether it be a backpack, a gallon of water, or anything heavy available.
Weights Workout Split
For a good dumbbell or weighted workout at home you can do this:
Day 1: Chest & Triceps
- Flat dumbbell press (8-12 reps x 3 sets)
- Skull crushers (10 reps x 3 sets)
- Incline dumbbell press (8-10 reps x 3 sets)
- Close grip dumbbell press (10-12 reps x 2-3 sets)
- Tricep extensions (10-12 reps x 3 sets)
- Pushups (Until Failure x 2 sets)
Day 2: Hamstrings, Glutes, & Quads
- Bulgarian squats (12 reps x 3 sets)
- Dumbbell straight leg deadlift (10-12 reps x 3 sets)
- Goblet Squat (8-10 reps x 2 sets)
- Walking dumbbell lunges (Until Failure x 2 sets)
Day 3: Shoulders & Calves
- Calf dumbbell raises (15-20 reps x 3-4 sets)
- Lateral raises (12-15 reps x 3-4 sets)
- Dumbbell static holds (Until Failure x 2 sets)
- Seated one-handed rear delt fly (12-15 reps x 3 sets)
- Front delt press (10-12 reps x 3 sets)
Day 4: Chest, Quads, & Hamstrings
- Flat dumbbell press (12-15 reps x 3 sets)
- Dumbbell sumo deadlift (12 reps x 3-4 sets)
- Weighted lunges (6 reps each leg x 3 sets)
- Dumbbell Flies (12 reps x 2-3 sets)
- Incline dumbbell press (10 reps x 3 sets, if you have a bench)
Day 5: Back, Rear Delts, & Biceps
- Wide Pullups (8-12 reps, if you have a pullup bar)
- Single-handed dumbbell rows (10-12 reps x 3 sets)
- Hammerhead curls (12 reps x 3 sets)
- Seated concentration curls (12 reps x 3 sets)
- Incline Dumbbell Rows (12 reps x 3 sets, if you have a bench)
- Chin-ups (Until Failure)
Day 6: Repeat or Rest
Day 7: Repeat or Rest
This is a basic, but nonetheless good, workout split. Covering all muscle groups you will see progress if you stick to it.
We do suggest if you want to take weightlifting seriously, get dumbbells or a bench. Both things will help you be able to do a lot more exercises and further pursue a career in lifting.
But a chair can surprisingly be sufficient enough too. Of course, if you don’t own any dumbbells find any thing that can be used as weights around your house.
Final Suggestions
Have a routine and figure out what you want to do.
Do you want to do calisthenics?
Or do you want to be a bodybuilder?
Maybe you just want to get bigger.
Thinking about powerlifting?
All these questions you must start thinking about.
If you want to do calisthenics it would be best to find a playground to do a bunch of bodyweight exercises on a bar.
If you want to be a bodybuilder, powerlifter, or just bigger in general then it is best to buy basic equipment such as these:
- Dumbbells
- A bench
- Pullup bar
When you truly want something you will find a way to acquire the means to get them. But if not, that is okay until you can afford a gym membership.
We hope you understand more about lifting and how to workout without having a gym membership.
