Workouts for hotel and home gyms

Gym
Last update: July 2020

Here’s a list of workouts for hotel and home gyms, which I use when I’m on the road and need inspiration.

The key to staying motivated to workout in hotel gyms or at home is to assess the equipment, make the sweat session fun and keep it varied.
For optimal results,  challenge different muscle groups and try new and different movements daily.

Grab a towel. Pick one workout, two or three… and GO!

Workout Lingo:

Here is a cheat sheet for you.

EMOM means Every Minute On the Minute, which is a way of saying you have 1 minute to finish all the movements and start over again at the next minute for X rounds.

AMRAP is an acronym for As Many Rounds As Possible, so you will be completing as many rounds as possible of the same X exercises for a pre-determined amount of time.

RFT stands for Rounds For Time, meaning how fast can you complete these X number of rounds.

WOD stands for Workout Of the Day.

DB is for dumbbell.

Travel Workouts:

  • 10 Rounds: 10 walking lunge steps, 10 push-ups
  • 10 Rounds: 10 push ups, sit-ups, 10 air squats
  • 150 burpees for time
  • 4 Rounds: run 400m, 50 air squats
  • 3 RFT: run 800m, 50 burpees
  • For time: 25 push-ups, 50 sit-ups, 50 double-unders, 50 walking lunge steps, 50 double-unders, 50 sit-ups, 25 push-ups
  • 10-1 Reps for time: air squats, push-ups, burpees, sit-ups
  • 5 RFT: 30-second handstand hold, 20 air squats
  • 5 RFT: 50 air squats. Rest equal time as it took to do last set of squats.
  • 3 Rounds: 20 tuck-jump burpees, 30-second handstand hold
  • 4 Rounds: sprint 200m, 25 push-ups
  • 20 RFT: 5 push-ups, 5 squats, 5 sit-ups
  • 10-1 Reps: burpees and sit-ups. Do a 200m run after each set.
  • 5 Rounds: 30-second handstand hold, 1-minute hold at the bottom of the squat. Count only the time held in the position and accumulate for total.
  • Find a set of stairs or a steep hill and sprint up for 20 seconds, walk back down, and repeat 10 times.
  • For time: 100 jumping jacks, 75 air squats, 50 push-ups, 25 burpees
  • For time: 100 push-ups
  • Tabata (20 seconds of work, then 10 seconds of rest) squats. Then, rest 1 minute and repeat Tabata intervals with push-ups.
  • 15 minute EMOM: 20-seconds of push-ups, 20-seconds of sit-ups, 20-seconds of air squats
  • 5 RFT: 50 walking lunges, 25 handstand push-ups
  • 21-15-9 reps for time: handstand push-ups, push-ups, burpees
  • For time: 100 air squats, 25 handstand push-ups, 100 air squats
  • 10 Rounds: run for 1 minute, squat for 1 minute
  • 10 Rounds for time: 10 push-ups, 15 sit-ups, 20 air squats
  • Run 1 mile. Rest 5 minutes. Run 1 mile.

Sweat session:

  • Burpees & Sit ups:
    • 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 of Burpees and Situps.
    • 400m row.
    • Then go back up the ladder: 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10 Burpies and Sit ups.
  • Rounds for Time: 21-15-9 Reps
    • Lunges (each leg)
    • Handstand Push-ups
  • 5 rounds: 5 pull ups, 10 tricep pull downs
  • 3 rounds :
    • 10 burpees
    • 12 bicep curls
    • 50 side to side
    • 100 bicycle/crunch/toe touches
  • 30 sec each, 90 rest, 4 rounds of circuit
    • burpee turn 180
    • straight leg sit up to press (with dumbbells)
    • Chinup to knee tuck
  • 4 sets, no rest -12min total:
    • 15 Kb goblet squats (in under a 1min)
    • 100 jump robe reps (1min)
    • 15 military press (1min)

Crossfit inspired workouts:

  • 400 m (weighted?) walking lunge
  • 10 x 200m sprint, fully recover in between
  • 4 x 400 meter sprint, fully recover in between
  • 4. 20 minute AMRAP of 10 situps, 10 pushups, 15 body weight squats
  • Run a 10k
  • 5 rounds for time. 25 situps, 50 lunges, 25 situps, 10 burpees, 15 situps, 25 lunges, 15 situps, 10 burpees, 5 situps, 5 lunges, 5 situps, 10 burpees
  • EMOM for 10 minutes, sprint 100 meters
  • 40/30/20/10 – Overhead walking lunges and pushups (use any type of object overhead)
  • Run 1 mile as fast as possible.  Rest 5 minutes.  Run 1 mile as fast as possible.
  • Start with two body weight squats to be completed in 1 minute.  Add two more squats each minute until cannot complete squats in a given minute.
  • 3 rounds.  Run 200m, 20 burpees, 20 lateral jumps (over an object)
  • 30 brains (burpee, double pushup, come up, double squat), 60 situps, 90 lunges
  • 5 rounds – run 400, 20 squats, 20 pushups, 20 situps
  • 10 rounds – 3 max effort vertical jumps, 8 pushups, 10 situps, 12 lunges with weights…
  • 100 dumbbell thrusters for time. Every minute complete 2 burpees.
  • Cindy – 20 minutes (less is fine, but at least 8 minutes).  5 pullups, 10 pushups, 15 squats
  • 5 rounds – 20 split squat jumps, 5 pullups, 20 pushups, 5 pullups
  • 3 rounds – run 800, 25 pushups
  • 10 rounds – run 100 meters, 10 box jumps (or object), 10 pushups, 3 pullups
  • 3 rounds – 10 dumbell front squats, 10 dumbell thrusters, 10 dumbell push press.  Weight accordingly

Treadmill Sprint workout:

  • Sprint*
  • 40 Knee tucks
  • Sprint
  • 10 pull ups
  • Sprint
  • 20 Inverted row
  • Sprint
  • 40 Mountain climbers
  • Sprint
  • 1 minute plank

*You decide how long your printing time will be.

‘Ready to use’, slightly more elaborate, workouts for hotel and home gyms…

Get Fit workout:

  • Feet elevated alternating dumbbell press- 8 reps, then switch arms
  • Overhead alternating reverse lunge with side bend ( weights over head)-  8 reps, then switch
  • Medicine ball transfer, abs- 12 reps
  • Step up, lift knee & press, 1 arm weight- 8 reps & switch
  • Single-leg straight leg deadlift & row- 1 dumbbell in 1 arm, 8 reps- switch
  • Weighted windshield wipers (feet & arm opposite to feet)- do 10 reps then switch

Minimum 2 rounds

Better runner workout:

(2sets, 1 minute each)
  • Single leg push up
  • skater hop
  • dumbell chop
  • Turkish Get up
  • Frog Jump
  • Dumbell Skier swing

Do anywhere workout:

  • High pull (bent over row up to stand with 1 leg up)
  • Reach & twist ( Speed skaters but legs raises up & back)
  • One leg swing (back with weights down (airplane) and come up straight leg)
  • Pistol Squat
  • Weighted ez rider
  • supermans
  • Standing side crunch (start knee to elbow & punch up and stretch leg to side)
  • Curl out & up (opposite body & leg out)

Minimum 2 rounds

Hannah Eden’s workout:

45s on, 15s off (2 or 3 rounds)

  • Crab kick
  • Loaded Bear crawl to front step (Bear crawl, then lunge with opposite hand on floor, and other shoulder height)
  • Dumbbell rainbow (palms up, lift weights to the head and above your head)
  • Dumbbell High Pull
  • Bear crawl position + shoulder tap
  • Frog kick
  • V-up
  • Dumbbell thruster
  • Running Lunge (lunge hop fwd)

15 minute workout:

  • Dumbbell squat deadlift – 10 reps
  • Dumbell reverse lunge with 1 dumbbell- 5 reps on 1 leg then switch

rest 1 min

  • Feet elevated push up-10 reps
  • Push up row with DB, 5 one side then switch
3 rounds

Rythm nation workout:

  • Curtsy lunge with dumbbell lateral raise- 10 reps on each side
  • Dumbbell deadlift to underhand row (palms up row)- 20 reps
  • Dumbell reverse lunge to knee raise with torso rotation (opposite hand up than knee up, both hands twist) – 10 reps on each side
  • Dumbell overhead press to wide press (half lunge) – 10 reps on each side
  • Plié squat with alternating dumbbell punch- 20 reps
  • Down dog with dumbbell drag to opposite heal- 10 reps
  • Travelling dumbbell jacknife (dumbbell goes on top of shoes)- 10 reps

3 rounds

Sara’s Lower Body blaster:

  • Weighted Single-leg box squat (back leg on box)- 10-12 reps & switch legs
  •  Single leg lift- (reverse fire hydrant)- 10-12 reps & switch legs
  • Single leg hamstring curl- lie flat on the floor, 2 feet on a ball, raise chest & bum off the ball & 1 leg, the other rolls ball close to body and then back out- 10-12 reps & switch legs
  • squats- 10-12 reps
  • weighted Single leg romanian deadlift- 10-12 reps & switch legs
  • Single leg hip ups on ball- start Vup position with back on wall and booty almost touching the floor, one leg up and then bring hips up- 10-12 reps & switch legs
  • weighted single leg step ups- bring leg up at the top-10-12 reps & switch legs

2 rounds minimum

Ladies who Crunch workout:

3 sets burpees 30s/30s then..
AMRAP, 3 rounds, 45s/15s off
  • Squat
  • Bent Over Row
  • Shoulder Press
  • Deadlift
  • Plank
3 sets burpees 30s/30s

 Express Workout:

SuperSet 1 x 2:
  • 1min Thursters
  • 1min Spider man push ups
  • rest 1 minute
SuperSet 2 x 2:
  • 1min Single Leg DeadLift
  • 1min CrossOver Jacks
  • rest 1 minute
SuperSet 3 x 2:
  • 1min Tripod Plank (30s each leg)
  • 1min Superman
  • rest 1 minute

Get Strong 3 day plan

Get strong day 1:
  • Inverted row with barbel – 3 sets of 8
  • Medecine Ball slam- 3 sets of 6
  • One arm dumbbell row- 3 sets of 5-6,5-6,7-9
  • Neutral grip ring chin up or close grip pull down- 3 sets of 6,8,10
  • Modified front lever (suspended from bar- tuck knees into chest and lean a bit backwards)- 4 sets of 10s
  • Deadlifts 2 sets of 5-7
Get strong day 2:
  • 45degree incline Dumbell press- 3 sets of 8
  • Plyo push ups – 3 sets of 6
  • 10-to-20 degree incline bench press- 3 sets of 5-6,5-6,7-9
  • crow pose or handstand hold 4 sets of 10sec
  • 30 degree incline cable fly 1 set of 12-15
  • Low incline rear delt fly 4 sets of 12-15
  • dumbbell clean and press 3 sets of 12, 10, 8
Get strong day 3:
  • Face pull up (machine) 3 sets 12-15 reps
  • Incline Y raise (lay chest down on 45 angle bench with light dumbbell in each arm and raise your arms) 3 sets of 8-10 reps
  • Hammer curl 5 sets of 12,10,6,4
  • Angled bar pushdown (machine) 5 sets of 12,10,6,4
  • 1 1/2 rep fat grip incline curl 4 ses of 6-8 reps
  • Lying dumbbell traces extensions 4 sets if 7-9 reps

Built for Speed workout:

15 reps of each movement, 2 rounds:
  • Jumping lunge
  • Single leg touchdown
  • Rower Sit up/ez Riders
  • Rocking plank
  • Pistol Squat
  • Bent over row
  • Side Lunge
  • Frogger Push Up

Sweat is fat crying workout:

  • Alternating shoulder taps (8-15 reps each side)
  • Alternating Lateral lunge with hop (8-15 reps each side)
  • Alligator (staggered hands) plyo push ups (8-15 reps total)
  • Prisoner’s bulgarian split squat( foot on bench) (8-15 reps each side)
  • Burpee (8-15 reps each side)
  • Renegade row (push up and row) (8-15 reps each side)
  • Prisoner’s bulgarian split squat to press ( foot on bench) (8-15 reps each side)
  • Two point row (8-15 reps each side)
  • single legged deadlift (8-15 reps each side)

as many rounds as you want.

Want to make up your own workout? Here’s a list of movements you can use:

Movements with weights:

  • Deadlift to Upright row
  • Squat to hip abduction
  • Side lunge and knee up twist
  • Forward lunge and tricep kickback
  • The heat wave (bridge pose & twist hips)
  • Boat-pose curl and press
  • Single leg lift with alternating Bicep curl (opposite arm & leg)
  • Superwoman & row back
  • Dumbbell single arm snatch
  • Dumbbell spilt jump
  • Dumbbell skier swing

Bodyweight workout moves

  • squats
  • jumping squat
  • lunge
  • jumping lunge
  • lunge and kick
  • speed skater
  • high knees
  • Box jump
  • marching bridge
  • roll up
  • hip thrust
  • butt kickers
  • calf raises
  • jumping jacks
  • tricep dips
  • tricep push up
  • wide push ups
  • shoulder taps (elevated)
  • cross mountain climbers (elevated)
  • push up (elevated)
  • plank leg raise
  • plank opposite arm and leg raise
  • plank arm raise ahead
  • sphinx to forearm plank
  • plank climb against a pole
  • pull up with 10s Hold
  • assisted pistol squat
  • inverted row with towel grip

Looking for more bodyweight workouts, head over to Workouts outside the gym.

And if after all these workout ideas, you still cannot find it in you to workout alone, please contact me and I’d be happy to train with you and keep you accountable.

Related post: Workouts outside the gym, How confinement made me fitter,