gym equipment exercises at home: how to recreate them at home

November 15, 2024, 1:31 pm | Read time: 6 minutes

Time is short, the journey is too far, or your leisure plans get in the way – who hasn’t experienced these? The reasons to skip going to the gym. But if you still don’t want to miss out on a workout, you can easily do some exercises at home – without special gym machines. FITBOOK fitness editor Janine Riedle explains how.

Whether it’s the torturous heat in summer or the cold in winter that prevents you from going to the gym – it shouldn’t be a reason to skip training altogether. Because if you don’t want to go to the gym, you can switch to home workouts. You can do almost all the classic gym equipment exercises at home with little effort and equipment.

Training the lower extremities

For those who prefer to skip leg days at the gym and instead strengthen their lower body at home, there is a plethora of exercises to choose from. In the following, however, we will only go into exercises that are actually performed on machines in the gym – and offer a similar version that also works well in the home gym.

Abductor machine

If you want to achieve the same training effect as on the abductor machine, you will need a closed resistance band (also known as a loop band or fitness band) and possibly a chair. Wrap the band just above your knee. There are two options for the starting position: either seated on a chair or in a deep squat.

Firstly, the seated version: sit on the chair with your upper body upright and place your legs wide apart until the band is slightly taut. The feet are flexed, with the heels lifted off the floor. Only the front ball of the foot remains on the floor. Now push your knees outwards as far as you can, as in the abductor machine. Pause briefly at the furthest point before returning to the starting position.

If you want to make the exercise a little more challenging, adopt a deep squat position. This is held for the entire exercise. Now, push your knees outwards without changing your posture.

Adductor machine

You will need a larger ball for this, ideally a medicine ball. Sit upright on a chair and place the ball between your legs at knee height, tensing your thighs slightly. Now, try to squeeze your legs together even more by activating the inside of your thighs. Hold briefly, then release the pressure slightly.

Kickbacks on the cable pulley

If you prefer to do kickbacks at home rather than in the gym, you will need a closed resistance band. Tighten one end around a table leg, for example, and the other around an ankle. Lean slightly forward, maintaining a straight back, and extend the leg within the resistance band straight back and up. Then bring it back again. Switch legs after completing all repetitions for one side.

If you don’t have a heavy object to which you can attach the resistance band, you can also perform the exercise in a quadruped position. To do this, first tighten the band around your left knee and around the middle of your right foot. Now, stretch out your leg and lift it upwards at the same time. Important: Do not let your back sag!

Lying leg curl machine

To recreate the leg curl machine, you need a floor mat and another resistance band. Tighten one end around your thigh and the other end around your ankles. For the starting position, lie on your stomach. Initially, your legs are bent and point towards the ceiling. Now, slowly lower your legs towards the floor. Hold briefly at the lowest point and return to the starting position.

Leg extension machine

If you want to repeat the leg extension machine exercise from the gym at home, you will need a chair and a resistance band. Sit upright and stretch the band around your thighs. First, keep your left foot firmly on the floor. Slowly stretch your right leg straight upwards so that your thigh and lower leg form a line. Lower your leg again. Change legs after the individual number of repetitions.

Leg press

The leg press exercise from the gym can also be easily imitated at home using a floor mat and an open, long resistance band. Starting position: Lie on your back on the mat, stretch the band around the soles of your feet and grasp it firmly with your hands at hip height. Start with your legs bent. Then, extend them straight out as you would in a leg press. Then, bring your legs back again.

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Training the upper extremities

To replicate gym exercises for the upper body at home, small free weights will be necessary. Optionally, you can also use two water bottles of the same weight. Since many upper-body workouts already incorporate dumbbells, we will focus on a select few exercises.

Rowing

Rowing on the pulley at the gym can be practiced at home with bent-forward rowing. To do this, hold a dumbbell in each hand, bend your knees slightly, and push your hips backward. Bend your upper body slightly forward with your back straight and your eyes on the floor. First, hold the dumbbells down with straight arms. Pull the dumbbells towards your body in an upward rowing motion, bending your elbows. Hold the highest position briefly, and then bring your arms back down.

Butterfly machine

This exercise also involves taking a dumbbell in each hand, bending your knees slightly, and pushing your hips backward. The upper body is slightly bent forward with a straight back. The arms are slightly bent and point straight down. Lift your arms out to shoulder height, maintaining a slight bend in your elbows. Then, return to the starting position.

Tricep press on the pulley

You will need a chair or similar elevation for this exercise. First, sit on it with your back straight, your hands gripping the edge, and your legs at a 90-degree angle to the floor. Now, push your buttocks forward so that they float in the air, and you hold yourself in this position by tensing your arms. Lower your buttocks towards the floor by bending at the elbows. Hold briefly at the lowest point and push up again.

Bicep curl machine

Bicep curls can be performed in a classic way with free weights – but here we show you a variation using the resistance band. To do this, kneel on your left leg and place your right leg in front of you. Place the band under your right foot and grip it with your right hand. Now place your right elbow on the front inside of your thigh and stretch out your arm. Execute the curl by drawing your forearm upwards towards yourself. Then, return to the starting position. After all repetitions, perform the bicep curls on the other side.

This article is a machine translation of the original German version of FITBOOK and has been reviewed for accuracy and quality by a native speaker. For feedback, please contact us at info@fitbook.de.