Some people think they need a lot of expensive equipment to get in shape and lose fat. But the truth is, with no equipment at all, or just some dumbbells, you can fulfill all your fitness goals. This is why I think my two most popular workout programs get the most attention. Here they are…

Workout Without Weights: Back when I designed this workout, there were not many full programs on the market. As a matter of fact, very few even today have complete programs with progression methods built in. (Others are little more than a list of bodyweight exercises). Since this workout came on the market… many people have come out with their own bodyweight only workouts.

But truth be told, my bodyweight workouts are still some of the best around and get fantastic results for the people that actually follow the program. Sure, some might have more technological websites or better graphics… but that does not mean the workouts are any better.

Gladiator Body Workout: This workout combines bodyweight exercises and dumbbell exercises and quickly became one of the most popular workout programs. I think people immediately realized that exercise is made up of movement (both the movement of your own body, and the movement of weighted objects). What better way to train your body to move than to use a combination of bodyweight exercises and dumbbell exercises?

Again, this is way more than just throwing some bodyweight and dumbbell exercises together. There is a definite progression to the workouts… and progression is how you improve on the way to reaching your fitness and physique goals. This type of progression is often missing from other workout “programs”. They end up be little more than individual workouts that lose effectiveness very quickly… leaving you looking for something else to do.

Right NOW is the best time to start your own at home workout. No high fees to pay. No wasting gas getting to and from the gym. You really have no excuses for not getting in a good workout at home.

There are many ways to workout at home that don’t involve buy expensive home gym equipment. As a matter of fact, you can get a better at home workout with bodyweight calisthenics, dumbbells of a combination of both. Let’s see why these options are better for your at home workouts.

Workout At Home With Bodyweight Calisthenics

Bodyweight exercises and calisthenics are something you can do right now. You don’t need any expensive equipment, although I would recommend getting a pull up bar. And don’t let the simplicity of bodyweight workouts fool you. They are very effective at improving fitness, burning off fat and building a strong, athletic body.

Even just doing as many bodyweight circuits of squats, push ups and crunches in 15 minutes can be a great at home workout. But the fact of the matter is, there are hundreds of bodyweight exercises and ways to combine so you will never be left wanting for an effective fat burning, muscle building workout. Try the above circuit workout and you’ll see what I mean.

Workout At Home With Dumbbells

Dumbbells are one of the best training devices available… bar none. Unfortunately, they are often neglected and used only for isolation type exercises to hit small muscle groups. This is a big mistake because they can provide on of the best full body workouts. And you can do them in the comfort of your won home.

I especially like dumbbell workouts because you can use the dumbbells with both limbs at the same time, one limb at a time or in an alternating fashion. This trains your body in the way it most naturally moves in the real world. Plus, they are great for building muscle and burning fat.

Workout At Home By Combining Bodyweight Calisthenics And Dumbbells

In my opinion, one of the best ways to workout at home is to combine bodyweight calisthenics with dumbbell exercises. The possibilities are endless and the workout is ultra effective. Here’s why…

Exercise is really about movement. There is the movement of your own body. And there is the movement of weighted objects. So, when you train using bodyweight exercises and dumbbells combined you are using the two best tools. And the results are fitness increases you can use, health benefits you can feel and appearance improvements (less fat and more muscle), you can see.

I hope your realize by now that with these 3 ways to workout at home you don’t need to join a gym. You can use your own body or dumbbells and get an at home workout that is actually better than a gym workout with all their shiny machines. Try an at home workout today and see how much better you perform, feel and look.

Coach Eddie Lomax knows there are many ways to workout at home. Even if your don’t have any equipment, you can use his Ultimate Gymless Workout to improve fitness, burn fat and build muscle. For more details, go to: http://www.ultimategymlessworkout.com

So, I took two seconds and grabbed a video bodyweight only workout that you can do right now. You don’t need any equipment, so you really don’t have any excuse for not giving it a try. Go ahead and do it now if you want… I’ll wait.

The No Excuses Workout

I’ll be honest with you, that is just a fraction of what you can do using your own bodyweight as resistance. And in my opinion, this is a fairly low key, beginner type workout. But even so, it provides for a full body workout that can be done anywhere and without any equipment. “Look Ma’, No Gym!”

So, what’s wrong with this workout?

Nothing. The thing is though, you don’t need a workout. You need a WORKOUT PROGRAM!

Let me explain what I mean…

When you do a workout it challenges your body. So, your body makes physical changes to be able to better overcome the same challenges in the future. (Plus, it makes changes you can see like reducing fat and building muscle… just like you like). But to keep the improvements coming (and the physical changes you like so much), you need to follow a workout program that continues to challenge your body. So, one “workout” just won’t do.

What you really need is a SERIES of workouts in a comprehensive workout program that systematically keeps your performance improving, keeps the fat off and keeps building an athletic body that looks great. Sounds complicated, but it really isn’t. If the though of following a bodyweight only workout that systematically builds your best high-performance body that looks AND performs great, take a look at this: Ultimate Gymless Workout

If you’ve had to quit the gym because of hard economic times (or because you just weren’t getting the RESULTS you deserve), don’t despair. You might have to give up SOME things to make it through. But you DON’T have the give up the dream of a fit body that looks and performs great so you can live life to the fullest and get the most out of life. Some things just should not be sacrificed!

Eddie Lomax is the Founder & President of Optimum Fitness Network LLC. and author of Ultimate Gymless Workout. This bodyweight only program is really 2 workout systems: the Optimum Fitness & Physique System and the Above and Beyond Package. All bodyweight workouts are not created equal! Click here to see a video of what is included.

I love it when gym goers get their butt kicked doing bodyweight only workouts. They use the machines. They do the circuits. They do their aerobic cardio after the resistance workout. “How could something as “simple” as a bodyweight workout test them?”, they say.

The fact is, the vast majority of commercial gym workouts don’t prepare you for the demands of a bodyweight workout. And when a gym member gets their butt kicked by one, they usually go back in the gym to hit the machines HARDER and do LONGER aerobic workouts!

WRONG! BUZZZZ! NO PRIZE!

The only thing that prepares you for the demands of a challenging bodyweight workout (and they can be VERY challenging), is bodyweight training. So, break out of the gym mentality, and wrap your brains around the power of bodyweight workouts. (As a matter of fact, you might consider quitting the gym all together: Read How To Quit The Gym And Get Fit, Burn Fat & Build An Attractive Body).

Still don’t believe me? Take a look at this video. Or better yet, skip the gym (you know you were going to anyway), and give it a try for yourself!

“No Excuses”

I really like this workout. And if you actually tried it, you’re probably hating me for bringing it to your attention. It has some of the greatest bodyweight only exercises:

• Burpees
• Pull Ups
• Bodyweight Squats
• Push Ups

And it uses TIME, not reps! (I use this concept extensively in the Rounds Of Fury workouts in Ultimate Gymless Workout). All in all, a great bodyweight workout guaranteed to make your average gym goer BEGGING to get back in their seated gym machines and biking while reading a magazine and watching CNN on TV.

By now, some of your reading this might be offended. You might go on the defensive and come up with all kinds of arguments to show that gym workouts are better than bodyweight workouts. But I would like to challenge you to keep an open mind. You just might learn something that takes your fitness, fat loss and physique to a whole new level. And it just may be the piece of the puzzle you’ve been missing.

Exercise Is About Movement

Stop all the talk about glutes, abs, tris, lats and all the other muscle groups you think about when preparing to exercise. Start thinking about movements. Specifically, these two movement types:

• Moving your own body
• Moving weighted objects

Now answer this, “Which type of movement is your typical gym machine workout training?” Moving weighted objects, right? Don’t you see how you are neglecting the movement of your own bodyweight around, which also needs to be trained to be improved? This is a big mistake, and the reason gym goers get their butt kicked when challenged with a bodyweight workout.

But Hold On…

If you agree that bodyweight exercises need to be trained, you might be fired up to start doing the above workout. But now that you know that bodyweight exercise deserves your attention, you need to give it the respect it deserves. You wouldn’t jump on one of those gym machines you are so fond of and set it to the HIGHEST weight, would you? No, you’d improve PROGRESSIVELY! You wouldn’t learn to drive by jumping in a car and going full speed… you’d go slow at first. And that is exactly how you should approach your bodyweight training… PROGRESSIVELY!

In order to be able to complete and get the most out of a workout like the one in the video, you need to first build up your muscular strength, muscular endurance and cardiorespiratory endurance. And the best way to do that is to follow a step-by-step bodyweight only workout program designed to systematically improve fitness, burn fat and build an athletic body. Then, when you are stronger, lighter and better conditioned, you can do a workout like the one above and get the most out of it.

If you’ve been neglecting your bodyweight training, don’t think you can start out at an advanced level. (You’ll get your butt kicked and it won’t be pretty!) Even if you’ve been doing your gym workouts, you are not going to be prepared. So, prepare yourself first by following a more structured workout program. Then when you are ready, challenge yourself with more advanced workouts!

Eddie Lomax is the Founder & President of Optimum Fitness Network LLC. and author of Ultimate Gymless Workout. This bodyweight only program is really 2 workout systems: the Optimum Fitness & Physique System and the Above and Beyond Package.All bodyweight workouts are not created equal! Click here to see a video of what is included.

Don’t Let Tightening Your Belt In Tough Economic Times Mean Loosening Your Belt To Accommodate A Fat Belly!

There is no way around it, tough economic times means reevaluating your priorities, cutting unnecessary spending and making sacrifices. And for some of you, this might mean quitting the gym. Because the truth is, when most people figure out how much each gym visit costs… the money spent on expensive gym memberships can be better spent (or is needed) elsewhere.

But don’t think quitting the gym means you have to give up your dreams of building a strong, lean, attractive body. As a matter of fact, if you haven’t already reached your fitness, fat loss and physique building goals in the gym, this can be an incredible opportunity to finally reach your performance, health and appearance goals. Might sound crazy now, but quitting your gym could be a blessing in disguise!

Let me show you what I mean…

The OBVIOUS Reasons At Home Workouts Are Better Than Gym Workouts

There are some obvious reasons quitting the gym and working out at home, so let’s quickly go over a few of them:

• It’s cheaper! Since we started off talking about the possibility of giving up the gym because of the tough economic choices you may be facing, this is a big one. Working out at home is free! This is especially true if you use a bodyweight calisthenics program, or already have access to a set of dumbbells.
• You don’t have to drive to the gym! Who knows what the gas prices are doing? But imagine saving on gas and getting a great workout in the comfort of your own home. Depending on where you live, you might even be able to COMPLETE the workout in the time it takes to get to the gym.
• It’s more convenient! Just imagine not having to fight over gym equipment. Or how about getting through a workout without being interrupted by a fellow gym member. And I know it is more comfortable to prepare for and shower after your workout in your OWN BATHROOM than in the bathroom at the gym.
• It’s less embarrassing! Let’s face it, not everyone that goes to the gym LOOKS like they’ve lived in the gym for the last decade. By that I mean, most people go to the gym because they are out of shape, unhappy with the way they look, perform and feel and need to improve. This makes going to the gym and struggling through your workout in front of others an unwelcomed exercise in humility.

While these obvious reasons to quit the gym may be compelling enough to get you to take action, there are some other reasons that I believe are even more important.

First…

Health Clubs Can Be Downright Unhealthy!

‘Primetime’ Swabs Exercise Bikes, Dumbbells – Find Out What Came Out

Dirty Gyms

Once all the swabbing at the gyms was done, we contacted the centers’ managers to hear what they had to say about the dirty results.

Start sweating: A new bacterial strain may be flexing at your gym
The enclosed gym environment, with its bare skin, sweaty equipment and dirty towels can be particularly kind to the bacterium, which often shows up as skin lesions such as boils

Makes you think, doesn’t it? I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to have to go through a disinfecting acid bath after each and every workout. I mean, I want to get fit, burn fat and build muscle, not come down with a disease by rolling around in somebody else’s sweat!

This brings me to another issue all together. Can you even get the RESULTS you want in a commercial gym?

Are Commercial Gyms Are More Concerned With Making Money Than Getting You The Results You Pay For?

This is going to be a hard pill for some of you to swallow. So I’m just going to give it to you quick, like pulling off a Band-Aid. Hold your breath… here goes!

“Doing a Machine Circuit and then 20 minutes of Aerobic Activity is not the way to reach your fitness, fat loss and physique building goals!”

Normally I’d go into a big speech here about how gym machines don’t really train you in any useful way.

I’d say that using gym machines trains you to better use gym machines, but NOT meet the challenges of work, sport and life you face OUTSIDE THE GYM.

I’d rant about how aerobic activity is only the STARTING POINT and to really improve cardiorespiratory endurance you need to increase your work capacity by doing MORE in LESS time.

I might even say something offensive like, “Commercial gyms are temples of mediocrity!”

But I’m not going to do that here. Suffice it to say that the use of machines and the workouts in commercial gyms are designed MORE for allowing the gym to take on more clients, than to achieve your fitness, fat loss and physique goals. Putting you on a conveyor belt of machine training, aerobic cardio and pushing you out the door fits their business model perfectly… but doesn’t deliver on your goals of looking great, feeling better and performing your best!

Let’s look at this from another angle…

	When the boys from the movie 300 wanted to look like ancient Spartan warriors did they say, “Let’s go join the local gym and do some machines circuits while a ‘human rep counter’ follows us with a clip board”? No, they didn’t!
	When Mathew McConaughey wanted to beef up for his role in the movie Reign Of Fire did he strap himself into some shiny machines and do some “cardio” in his “target heart rate”? No, he didn’t!
	When Daniel Craig wanted to look the part of a hardened, super-spy in Casino Royale did he go from workout station to workout station just like the rest of the people at the local gym? No, he didn’t!

The point is, many men are motivated to join the gym because of the actors they see on screen. Yet, by doing so, they are NOT doing anything that will give them similar results. As a matter of fact, they are guaranteeing they won’t look like any of those guys!

And once you figure it out and want to quit the gym, they don’t want you to leave!

Here’s a secret: Myself and other coaches and trainers who sell well thought out workout programs online run into this problem all the time. We slave over workouts to make them EFFECTIVE for building muscle, burning fat or improving performance. We go over every detail, picking the best exercises, choosing the right reps, set and rest periods to get the desired results and structuring the workout to be as efficient as possible. And then when we look at the finished workout, we realize most gym goers won’t be able to do the workout as directed.

• Most effective workouts don’t use machines… which are the majority of equipment commercial gyms have!
• Most effective workouts use bodyweight exercises… which gyms don’t want you to know because you’ll ask, “Why did I join the gym if I can use my own body?”
• Most effective workouts use free weights… which your gym may not even have!
• Most effective workouts creatively combine exercises, sets, reps and rest periods… which are close to impossible to perform in a crowded gym!
• Most effective workouts put you in control… which might not even be ALLOWED in some commercial gyms!

If you can’t perform a proven workout program of your choice in your gym… run, don’t walk, to the nearest exit!

Quitting Your Gym Is A Blessing In Disguise!

We started this conversation because many of you might have to quit the gym in these tough economic times. And while this is an excellent solution to fatten your wallet, don’t use it as an excuse to fatten your waistline as well. As a matter of fact, quitting the gym might be the best thing you could do to finally reach your performance, health and appearance goals. Look, if you’ve actually reached your fitness, fat loss and physique goals by doing machine circuits and aerobic exercise at the local gym, do whatever it takes to pay your monthly dues. Take the kids out of private school! Sell your prized baseball card collection! You are one of the LUCKY FEW!

We started this conversation because many of you might have to quit the gym in these tough economic times. And while this is an excellent solution to fatten your wallet, don’t use it as an excuse to fatten your waistline as well. As a matter of fact, quitting the gym might be the best thing you could do to finally reach your performance, health and appearance goals.

Look, if you’ve actually reached your fitness, fat loss and physique goals by doing machine circuits and aerobic exercise at the local gym, do whatever it takes to pay your monthly dues. Take the kids out of private school! Sell your prized baseball card collection! You are one of the LUCKY FEW!

But if you haven’t reached your goals, look at quitting the gym as an opportunity.

• Now YOU can take responsibility for getting the RESULTS you want.
• Now YOU can finally lose the fat, build the muscle and improve performance like you’ve always wanted.
• Now YOU can do the effective workouts that you COULDN’T do at the local gym!

You might have to give up your gym membership, but you NEVER have to give up your dreams of performing your best and looking great with your shirt off!

Eddie Lomax is the Founder & President of Optimum Fitness Network LLC. He believes there is NO EXCUSE for not improving fitness, burning fat and building an athletically attractive physique. His no-nonsense style of physical training can be seen in his workout programs.  Click here to see his latest workouts!

You could make the argument that Gym owners believe there gym is such a necessity that your hopes of improving fitness and appearance would be greatly hindered if you quit. So, they make it hard for you to quit because it is in your best interest. Or, you could make the argument that they are just out for money and could care less about you or your goals.

Either way you look at it, some gyms will make it difficult to leave.

I came across this that I though was pretty funny, (or infuriating depending on how you look at it).

How to quit the gym in 13 easy steps

I would have to disagree with #13 though. After going through all that, why in the world would you join another gym? And I’m not alone in this belief either.

Here is something Peta said in the article: How I Broke Out Of The Gym

“There is a growing acknowledgment that fitness does not have to be
delivered in a pre-packaged gym form and that, with appropriate
direction and enough gusto, the great outdoors can become all the gym
you need at a fraction of the hassle and cost.”

Couldn’t agree more! I’d just add that you can get just as good a workout INSIDE your own home as well.

There are many reasons to quit the gym. But because you suddenly realized you want to be unfit, unhealthy and unattractive is never one of them. I believe all the people who have belonged to a gym and then quit (which is a HUGE number), still want to be fit, burn fat and build an attractive body.

Here’s the secret the gym owners don’t want you to know: You don’t need a gym or expensive equipment to reach your fitness, fat loss and physique goals. And in my opinion, you are better off without the gym.

Click here to see some great workout programs you can do at home.

More and more people are leaving the gym and looking for alternative ways to exercise. And the great part is, there are plenty to choose from! Don’t believe me? Check out this post: Quitting The Gym: The Great British Exodus

The point is: If you’re happy with your gym membership, do whatever it takes to keep it. But if you want to quit the gym, do whatever it takes to leave. Just don’t EVER give up your quest of self improvement!

Eddie Lomax is the Founder & President of Optimum Fitness Network LLC. He believes there is NO EXCUSE for not improving fitness, burning fat and building an athletically attractive physique. His no-nonsense style of physical training can be seen in his workout programs. Click here to see his latests workouts!

The other day I wrote a post about how quitting the gym because of tough economic times could be a blessing in disguise. If you are thinking about getting rid of your gym membership (or signing up for one for that matter), you should read this post:

How To Quit You Gym And Get Fit, Burn Fat & Build An Attractive Body

Then I came across this article I thought was interesting. It’s about how people in England are leaving gyms in droves and how health clubs are seeing a sharp decline in the number of people joining them.

Here are some things I thought were interesting:

“Yet we have started avoiding them. Partly, we have realized that they don’t work. Research last year at the University of Leicester confirmed that the fitness-industry boom has had little impact on the nation’s girth. Dr. Jennifer Smith Maguire, the study’s author, says: ‘Many Western countries have experienced this strange situation, with fitness and exercise industries expanding alongside problems of inactivity.’”

“There is a growing realization, too, that gyms are sterile environments, and that their clinical approach to working out becomes simply boring after a while. This may help to explain why, alongside the gym’s demise, alternative forms of exercise are flourishing.”

“According to Dr Smith Maguire, gyms focus on “image rather than health”, which tends to mean that their customers’ commitment is sustained for only a limited period.”

“Smugness”

“People join and feel a degree of smugness about having a gym membership card in their wallet – but what’s the point if they never set foot though the door?”

Ok, if any of this looks interesting, I suggest you read the full article: Britons Are Leaving The Gym

I just want to add that quitting the gym does not mean you need to give up your dreams of improving your fitness so you can live life to the fullest. It does not mean you shouldn’t exercise and build a body you can be proud of when you hit the beach. It just means that you’ve come to the realization that JUST belonging to a gym is not going to automatically make the improvements to performance, health and appearance you want.

Great! Now you can busy doing something that WILL get you the results you want!

If you’re ready to get started now, check out my Best At Home Workouts!

Eddie Lomax is the Founder & President of Optimum Fitness Network LLC. He believes there is NO EXCUSE for not improving fitness, burning fat and building an athletically attractive physique. His no-nonsense style of physical training can be seen in his workout programs. Click here to see his latests workouts!