The Hotel Gym Workout That Actually Builds Muscle
You know how these gyms look. A broken treadmill. A worn bench. Dumbbells up to 60 pounds. A few random machines. That's it. The lack of equipment can be extremely frustrating, especially if your goal is to build muscle.
Related: Vacation Workout - Maintain Gains on Holiday
Well, I'm here to save the day.
When there is a lack of heavy resistance you need to resort to other tools to stimulate a muscle. The tools we are going to use in this workout are:
First, the full body...
Goblet Squats and Step Ups. Perform 10 goblet squat reps using the heaviest weight in the gym. Immediately superset this with 10 bodyweight lunges per leg.
Dumbbell Bench Press. Rest 30 seconds in between sets. Use the heaviest dumbbells available.
Push Ups. Perform as many as possible during a two minute window. Rest as needed.
Dumbbell Rows. Rest 30 seconds in between sets. If there is a lat pull down, superset rows and lat pull downs. Perform 10 reps per set of pull downs. Rest about one minute in between each superset.
Romanian Deadlifts. Rest about 30 seconds in between sets.
Overhead Press and Upright Rows. Immediately after performing overhead presses, grab a lighter set of dumbbells and knock out 10 reps of two arm upright dumbbell rows. Rest about one minute in between each superset.
Dumbbell Curls and Dumbbell Skullcrushers. Rest about 30 seconds in between sets. Use the heaviest possible weight, while still trying to reach 15 reps per set.
Dumbbell Bench and Push Ups. You will be alternating between the 2 exercises here. Rest only 30 seconds in between sets. For push ups, perform as many reps as possible, but only up to 30 per set.
Dumbbell Flyes. Perform these nice and controlled. Rest one minute in between sets.
Dumbbell Skullcrushers. Pick a weight that would normally allow you to knock out 15 reps with. Now, using a timer app on your phone, perform as many reps as possible during a 5 minute window. Rest only briefly when needed. This is brutal and painful, and your triceps will be sore the next day.
Rows and Pull Downs. You will be alternating between the 2 exercises. Rest only 30 seconds in between sets. Use lat pull downs, seated cable rows, or pull ups. Inverted rows are also an option.
Straight Arm Movement. Perform these nice and controlled. Rest one minute in between sets.
Dumbbell Curls. Pick a weight that would normally allow you to knock out 15 reps with. Now, using a timer app on your phone, perform as many reps as possible during a 5 minute window. Rest only briefly when needed.
Squats and Step Ups. You will be alternating between the 2 exercise. Rest only 30 seconds in between sets. Perform 10 step ups per leg during each set. Hopefully your hotel gym has a bench. If not perform jump squats or burpees.
Lunges. Rest one minute in between sets. Perform 10 reps per leg.
Romanian Deadlifts. Pick a weight that would normally allow you to knock out 15 reps with. Now, using a timer app on your phone, perform as many reps as possible during a 5 minute window. Rest only briefly when needed.
Press and Upright Rows. You will be alternating between the 2 exercises. Rest only 30 seconds in between sets.
Side Laterals. Alternate between arms, resting about 20 to 30 seconds in between efforts.
Shrugs. Pick a weight that would normally allow you to knock out 15 reps with. Now, using a timer app on your phone, perform as many reps as possible during a 5 minute window. Rest only briefly when needed.
Related: Vacation Workout - Maintain Gains on Holiday
Well, I'm here to save the day.
When there is a lack of heavy resistance you need to resort to other tools to stimulate a muscle. The tools we are going to use in this workout are:
- A reduction of rest in between sets.
- An increase in volume.
- Intensity techniques such as supersets.
First, the full body...
Full Body Hotel Workout
| Full Body | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hotel Workout | |||||
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | |||
| Superset: Goblet Squats + Bodyweight Lunges | 3 | 10+10 | |||
| Dumbbell Bench Press - Rest-Pause | 3 | 20 | |||
| Push Ups - 2 Minutes | 1 | AMAP | |||
| Two Arm Dumbbell Rows - Rest-Pause | 3 | 20 | |||
| Dumbbell Romanian Deadlifts | 2 | 20 | |||
| Superset: Seated Dumbbell Overhead Press + Upright Dumbbell Rows | 3 | 15/10 | |||
| Dumbbell Curls | 3 | 15 | |||
| Dumbbell Skullcrushers | 3 | 15 | |||
Goblet Squats and Step Ups. Perform 10 goblet squat reps using the heaviest weight in the gym. Immediately superset this with 10 bodyweight lunges per leg.Dumbbell Bench Press. Rest 30 seconds in between sets. Use the heaviest dumbbells available.
Push Ups. Perform as many as possible during a two minute window. Rest as needed.
Dumbbell Rows. Rest 30 seconds in between sets. If there is a lat pull down, superset rows and lat pull downs. Perform 10 reps per set of pull downs. Rest about one minute in between each superset.
Romanian Deadlifts. Rest about 30 seconds in between sets.
Overhead Press and Upright Rows. Immediately after performing overhead presses, grab a lighter set of dumbbells and knock out 10 reps of two arm upright dumbbell rows. Rest about one minute in between each superset.
Dumbbell Curls and Dumbbell Skullcrushers. Rest about 30 seconds in between sets. Use the heaviest possible weight, while still trying to reach 15 reps per set.
The Body Part Split Workout
I'm breaking this down into a typical 4 day bodybuilding workout split:- Chest and Triceps
- Back and Biceps
- Legs
- Shoulders and Traps.
| Chest and Triceps | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Split Workout | |||||
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | |||
| Alternate - Dumbbell Bench Press | 8 | 20 | |||
| Alternate - Push Ups | 8 | AMAP | |||
| Dumbbell Flyes | 5 | 20 | |||
| Dumbbell Skullcrushers - 5 Minutes | 1 | AMAP | |||
Dumbbell Bench and Push Ups. You will be alternating between the 2 exercises here. Rest only 30 seconds in between sets. For push ups, perform as many reps as possible, but only up to 30 per set.
Dumbbell Flyes. Perform these nice and controlled. Rest one minute in between sets.
Dumbbell Skullcrushers. Pick a weight that would normally allow you to knock out 15 reps with. Now, using a timer app on your phone, perform as many reps as possible during a 5 minute window. Rest only briefly when needed. This is brutal and painful, and your triceps will be sore the next day.
| Back and Biceps | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Split Workout | |||||
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | |||
| Alternate - Two Arm Dumbbell Row | 8 | 20 | |||
| Alternate - Lat Pull Down, Seated Row, Pull Ups of Inverted Row | 8 | 10 | |||
| Straight Arm Lat Pull Down or Straight Arm Dumbbell Pullover | 5 | 20 | |||
| Dumbbell Curls | 1 | AMAP | |||
Rows and Pull Downs. You will be alternating between the 2 exercises. Rest only 30 seconds in between sets. Use lat pull downs, seated cable rows, or pull ups. Inverted rows are also an option.
Straight Arm Movement. Perform these nice and controlled. Rest one minute in between sets.
Dumbbell Curls. Pick a weight that would normally allow you to knock out 15 reps with. Now, using a timer app on your phone, perform as many reps as possible during a 5 minute window. Rest only briefly when needed.
| Legs | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Split Workout | |||||
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | |||
| Alternate - Goblet Squats | 8 | 10 | |||
| Alternate - Bench Step Ups | 8 | 10 | |||
| Bodyweight Lunges | 5 | 20 | |||
| Dumbbell Romanian Deadlifts | 1 | AMAP | |||
Squats and Step Ups. You will be alternating between the 2 exercise. Rest only 30 seconds in between sets. Perform 10 step ups per leg during each set. Hopefully your hotel gym has a bench. If not perform jump squats or burpees.
Lunges. Rest one minute in between sets. Perform 10 reps per leg.
Romanian Deadlifts. Pick a weight that would normally allow you to knock out 15 reps with. Now, using a timer app on your phone, perform as many reps as possible during a 5 minute window. Rest only briefly when needed.
| Shoulders and Traps | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Split Workout | |||||
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | |||
| Alternate - Seated Overhead Dumbbell Press | 8 | 20 | |||
| Alternate - Two Arm Dumbbell Upright Rows | 8 | 10 | |||
| Side Lateral Raise | 5 | 20 | |||
| Dumbbell Shrugs | 1 | AMAP | |||
Press and Upright Rows. You will be alternating between the 2 exercises. Rest only 30 seconds in between sets.
Side Laterals. Alternate between arms, resting about 20 to 30 seconds in between efforts.
Shrugs. Pick a weight that would normally allow you to knock out 15 reps with. Now, using a timer app on your phone, perform as many reps as possible during a 5 minute window. Rest only briefly when needed.