YOUR MUSCLEBUILDING WORKOUT PLAN

These six essential resistance training moves are what you need to power up your training in 2021

- Decathlon

The first day in your home gym can be intimidating. With so many exercises and bits of equipment to choose from, it’s hard to know where to start. So, to help, here are the key moves for dumbbells, barbells and kettlebells that you need to know.

Weights workouts should be slightly more nuanced than grabbing the nearest dumbbells and churning out some halfhearted biceps curls. There are better and far more effective ways to build muscle.

The best way to maximise gains and minimise time spent working out is to focus on compound exercises. Compound exercises work multiple muscles at the same time, which is great for improving muscle coordination and for weight loss too. Not to mention, working many muscles simultaneously can also give your metabolism a boost.

We have listed here the two most important exercises for each piece of home gym equipment and the best ways to perform them correctly. With these effective dumbbell, barbell and kettlebell exercises, anyone can hit the ground running and start building muscle fast.

ON SAFETY

Resistance training is great for muscle building and weight loss but it is not without caveats. First and foremost, most types of resistance training involves dangling heavy weights above your head or holding these weights in a position that puts a lot of pressure in certain areas of the body. We recommend using smaller weights until the body develops a certain degree of ‘muscle memory’ that will enable you to maintain correct form, even when lifting heavier weights. Rushing the process will result in injuries and not gains.