Flex Your Muscles, Not Your Wallet: The Ultimate Guide to the Most Basic Home GYM

Every time I hear someone say, "Oh, I don’t have the time, money, or space to workout at home," I roll my eyes so hard I can see my own brain. Here's the real deal: When gyms closed their doors in March 2020, thanks to the 'rona, all I had were a pair of gymnastic rings and a beat-up old backpack, and guess what? I got jacked.

At its core, you only need the four basic movement patterns: pushing, pulling, hip hinge, and squat/lunge.

You know why rings are fantastic? First, they force you outside. Put down your phone, shut off Netflix, and enjoy that sun shining on you while you're desperately trying to do one pull-up. Find a sturdy tree branch, some playground bars, or some of the endless scaffolding that lines the NYC streets (just don't get caught). Their versatility is endless.

For beginners, just do push-ups, inverted rows on the rings, and some classic air squats. Once you conquer those, level up to feet elevated push-ups, pull-ups on the rings, and walking lunges. You can do these full-body workouts every other or every 3rd day.

Feeling like Mat Fraser or Rich Froning yet? Try some advanced moves. We're talking push-ups with your backpack loaded with those books you never read, ring pull-ups with that backpack, and lunges with the backpack that is now making you wish you had fewer books and only owned a Kindle. Don't forget the posterior chain, so now add some light Romanian deadlifts while holding the backpack in front of you.

After a few months, if your shoulders are feeling healthy, maybe you're ready for the expert level? Do some ring dips, ring pull-ups in the pike position, and super sets of walking lunges followed immediately by squats while wearing that heavy backpack.

Working out at home isn't rocket science. Focus on the core movements, add progressive overloading, and be sure to get proper recovery. The best part is the minimal amount of time and money spent on these routines.