There are plenty of people out there who struggle to build strength. A lot of conventional advice is around doing exercises at home like push-ups or pull-ups, but many people don't have the strength for those exercises, and feel very frustrated with themselves.
Of course, there's lots of variations we can do to begin building strength with both pushing and pulling. Even if you can't do a sit-up, there's progressions to help you train your muscles to the point you can perform more difficult fitness moves.
TikTok user and YouTuber Hampton, who is the face of Hybrid Calisthenics, has put together this one-minute video detailing a very easy, simple workout for beginners. Not only is this a great way to begin building muscle for the first time, but it requires absolutely no kit other than a stool or chair, and a bit of wall space, to perform.
Check it out below – and once you've performed your workout, don't forget to fuel your muscles with protein. For more information, check out our best protein powder for weight loss and best protein powder for women guides.
Watch Hampton's beginners workout here:
Why do this beginner's workout?
Wall pull-ups can help contract the muscles in your back, as well as your biceps and forearms. This will prepare you for inverted rows, in which you might lie a broom handle across two chairs and perform rowing exercises, which could in turn become pull-ups. You can read more about mastering pull-ups here.
Wall push-ups, on the other hand, work the opposite set of muscles: your chest, core and triceps. Although pushing from the floor, working against gravity, can be very challenging, the trick is to find a steeper incline, so gravity's force isn't exerting itself quite as much. This makes it easier to do the move.
Over time, you can progress to incline push-ups using a bench or chair, knee push-ups, and finally regular push-ups.
Jack-knife squats perform much the same function: laying your hands on a low surface like a stool or bench allow you to take some of the weight off your legs. This helps you focus on developing a full range of motion or good form.
Learning how to deep squat is fantastic for our health, as Researchers from the University of Southern California found squatting is associated with a lack of the chronic diseases associated with a sedentary life, like metabolic syndrome and prediabetes.
