You have been practicing my beginners home workout routine for a while and have developed the strength or have been working out for a while now and want to move to the next level, then you are at the right place.
Here, I am writing some intermediate at-home workouts for you guys to level up your fitness.
Again, no equipment needed!
Let’s get going.
UPPER BODY
Push-ups
You have been doing those beginner level knee push-ups for a while now and feel confident to move to the next level!
Here, you go with the much needed upgrade.
Direction:
1. Get on to all fours with your palms & knees rested on the ground, like you would for knee push-ups. Then extend your legs such that your knees are lifted above the ground and now only your palms & toes are touching the ground.
Pro tip – Make sure your sheen is parallel to the ground & the toes touching the ground.
2. Now slowly push yourself down such that your elbows are pushed out and your chest inches closer to the ground.
Pro Tip – Make sure that you keep your spine neutral & your body stable.
3. Now pull back up to the original position as soon as you find yourself a couple of inches above the ground.
Pro tip – Do not lay flat or touch your body to the ground when you are closer to the ground.
4. Continue with this until you are done with at least 10-15 reps. You should do 2-3 sets of this exercise.
Note: This exercise helps you develop your chest muscles and at the same time activates your triceps, shoulder & core muscles.
Weighted Raised Push-ups
This is a version of the push-ups that helps you develop your shoulder muscles. I had added this workout in my home workout for beginner routine as well. However, this is a level up & an important exercise to be a part of the intermediate at-home workouts list!
Direction:
1. Get a chair and place it on a stable ground.
Pro tip – Make sure that the chair doesn’t move or lose its ground, while you take its support. Because if it moves while you are in to your exercise it may cause you an injury.
2. Now pick-up your backpack & add some books as weights. Zip it up once you feel that the weight is sufficient for you to handle during the workout. Now wear the backpack and tighten it such that the backpack doesn’t move or fall off while you are in to the exercise.
3. Get on to all fours, like you did for push-ups but in front of the chair.
4. Once you get into position, place your feet up on the chair such that only your toes are touching the chair. Now push your hip upwards and make sure that your hands, shoulders & the entire upper body are in a single line, for your body to form a triangle.
4. With you getting into position now, push your body down closer to the ground by pushing your elbows outside.
Pro tip – Make sure your head does not touch the ground.
5. Perform at least 10-15 reps of this exercise and 2-3 sets of it.
Note: This exercise helps you develop your shoulder muscles and at the same time activates your triceps & core muscles.
Diamond Push-ups
This is again an amazing variation of push-ups that focuses on your triceps while just activating your chest muscles. With this you build those bigger triceps that make your arms look huge.
Direction:
1. Get on to all fours like you would for push-ups. However, a slight change is that you make a diamond shape with your palms by rotating your hands inwards.
Pro tip – A diamond or triangle shape is made when your thumbs and index fingers get connected or aligned.
2. From here on it’s the same as push-ups.
3. I would suggest you do at least 2-3 sets & 10-15 reps in each set for the starters. Later on as you develop strength you can increase the number of reps in each set to 20.
Reverse Snow Angels
A super cool workout for developing your back muscles in combination with Superman.
Direction:
1. Lie down flat on your stomach with your hands & legs extended, make sure your palms & toes are touching the ground.
2. Now, slowly & steadily raise your arms and take it back such that they are now besides your body. Continue this movement for another 15-20 times. This will give you a nice contraction at your upper & mid back.
Pro tip – Only your stomach should be touching the ground in this position. While you are performing the exercise your chest & shoulder should also be raised above the ground, such that your chest loses contact with the ground.
Superman
This is a great workout that I had included in my home workout for beginners as well. And in combination with reverse snow angels this will give amazing results.
To follow the directions, give this blog a read, and reap the benefits.
Reverse Bicep Curl
This is a variation of the bicep curls mentioned in the home workout for beginners blog. Give it a read if you want to learn some more variations.
Let’s get into action and develop those bigger biceps.
Direction:
1. Get a couple of 1 gallon milk or water bottles filled with water so that they are heavy enough. If the bottles aren’t available then get something that is heavy enough for you and has a grip to it such that it serves you as a dumbbell.
2. Now hold those weights in your hands with your hands alongside your body and pointing towards the ground.
3. Lift those weights up by folding your elbow, make sure you are lifting only with your biceps. Here, your fist should be facing the ground.
4. Lift the weights such that your hand makes an angle of slightly more than 90° with your biceps. Hold this position for a couple of seconds and then get back to the original position.
Pro tip – Make sure your arm from the shoulder to the elbow is stable i.e. it does not rock while you perform the exercise.
5. Perform 10-15 reps to build your biceps. Recommend 2-3 sets of this exercise.
One legged Towel Bicep Curls
This might seem to be slightly difficult at the beginning but with practice you’ll get better at it.
Direction:
1. Keep a hand towel handy with you. Now, lie down on your back and raise any one of your legs with your knee folded.
2. Take your towel, place it on your feet and hold it tightly with both your hands, such that your fist is facing towards you.
3. With the help of the towel pull your leg towards yourself like you would perform bicep curls. You can check out bicep curls here.
4. Perform this for 10-15 times to work your biceps. Recommend 2-3 sets of this exercise.
Note: In this workout your leg acts as an additional weight or resistance that works your biceps.
I simply love doing this exercise, hence made a part of my intermediate at-home workouts list. I hope you love it too and make a part of your routine or list.
Lower Body
Squats
Compound exercises are perfect to build your core & this is an amazing exercise, with lots of benefits, to build strong legs & core at the same time.
I have explained this exercise in great detail in my home workout for beginners blog. You can give it a read.
But before you move out to read it I would like to tell you that since this blog is for intermediate level guys a slight modification to squats would be to eliminate the chair that beginners would use to get their form correct. Rest is the same so check out the exercise here.
Perform 10-15 reps with at least 2-3 sets, like always. I guess by now you’d have gotten the drill.
Walking Lunges
This helps you work those quads, glutes & hamstrings a bit more. This is an advanced version of the stationary lunges mentioned in the beginners home workout section, but let me apprise you that this exercise requires some space.
You can check out the stationary lunges here, as the form and the directions remain the same for walking lunges, it is just that you move around while you are performing lunges.
Stiff Legs
This focuses exclusively on your hamstrings & glutes. So, go and strengthen your hams & glutes.
Direction:
1. Keep those 1 gallon milk/water bottles or any other weights that you used for reverse bicep curls handy.
2. Stand upright with the weights in your hands. Now, slowly and steadily bend forward by pushing your glutes behind. You can fold your knees while performing the exercise but only slightly.
3. Bend forward only until you feel the contraction in your hamstrings and hold this position for 2-3 seconds. Then pull back to the original position.
4. Repeat this for at least 10-15 times & perform 2-3 sets of it.
That brings us to the end of my list of intermediate at-home workouts for you champs to level up your fitness routine.
And, I am quite sure that by now you’d be super tired so get up & fuel up.
A quick point on the side. While working out make sure you keep yourself hydrated. Also, take at least 10-15 secs of rest between exercises.
Stay tuned for more such home workouts!