This can apply to gym workouts as well, not just home ones. These first few are very easily manipulated, changing the intensity of an exercise without changing the weight. A few ways this can be done is tempo, load placement, & points of contact.
Tempo. The time it takes to perform a repetition. We’ll use squats as an example here. A person usually performs a squat at a 1-0-1 tempo, this means a person descends for one second without a pause at the bottom and ascends for one second. A way to make this more challenging to start would be to slow the eccentric portion down, go for a 3-0-1 tempo, three seconds down, zero pause, and one second up. Progress it by adding in a one-second pause (3-1-1). I would recommend using a lighter weight than usual and workup, especially if this is new for you.
Load placement. Where you are holding the load (weight). We’ll use a squat as an example for this one as well. If you’re at home with minimal weight you’re probably performing a goblet squat (weight held with both hands just off of your chest). A great way to make this more challenging would be to go to a half-rack squat position, holding the weight in one hand at chest level, think of where you would end a bicep curl with a dumbbell. This will challenge your lateral core musculature to stabilize and not overcompensate by leaning to one side, BRACE HARD!!! If you’re advanced and have no shoulder issues or limited mobility in other joints, an overhead squat variation is very challenging and should keep the squat fresh (start with a dowel overhead). Other examples: Contralateral, ipsilateral, half-rack, overhead.
Points of contact. Let’s use a plank for this example. In a normal plank a person has four points of contact; both hands and both feet. Well what if you raise one leg, you’re down to three points of contact. The leg is a little easier than your arm because you have more load distributed over your hands (upper body is heavier than legs). Next progress to a one-handed plank, then a plank bird dog hold (opposite arm and leg). This turns the plank into not only an anti-extension exercise but now anti-rotation as well.
These were all ways to change up/make an exercise harder. Now to keep it fun. TRY NEW STUFF!!! If there is an exercise, yoga move, stretch, etc.. you have been wanting to try but feel that you would look stupid doing…TRY IT OUT NOW! You’re at home where no-one is watching. Focus on your mobility, meditate (a bunch of apps out there), challenge yourself to new modalities.
Here’s a small list of CHALLENGING exercise to master at home:
1) Turkish GetUp
2) Single-Leg Deadlift
3) Single-Leg Squats (Start Slow)
4) Planks & Plank Variations (Active Proper Planks)
5) Push-Ups & Push Up Variations (Offset, decline, unstable, etc..)