It might be starting to feel more spring-like outside (last weekend, we thank you), but March is still pretty cold at times, with more than its fair share of inclement weather. So, if you're still leaning towards living room workouts rather than lacing your trainers up for a chilly run, we get it.
While there are a myriad of advantages to getting your movement in from home (convenience, cost and time, to name just a few), it's easy to write off a home workout as too easy. And all too often, they're targeted at us getting back into movement post injury, rehab or baby. Which got us thinking: is it really possible to do an advanced workout from home?
Keep scrolling for the expert answers, but - spoiler alert - suffice to say that there are so many ways you can up the ante on exercising in your own space. From adding reps and weight to incorporating plyometrics and more, there's no reason for your fitness progress to stall.
And the science agrees, with research (such as this 2023 study, published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health) concluding that home-based strength training is just as effective for boosting mental and physical health as working out in a gym. Another randomised controlled trial published in the Journal of Physiotherapy found that home and gym-training had similarly positive outcomes, regardless of setting.
So, if your progressive overload is paying off and you're feeling stronger and fitter than ever but you don't want to spend hours working out or head back into the gym, you're in the right place. Below, top PTs share their favourite advanced home workouts to add to your fitness rotation for maximum gains - you're welcome.
For more on all things strength and endurance, do check out our guides to the best home workouts for beginners, the best home workouts that build muscle, and the most effective home workouts to try, here.
PTs weigh in: these are the best advanced home workouts to try
What is an advanced home workout?
While an advanced workout might sound intimidating, what we mean when we say advanced is actually quite simple: nothing fancy, or complicated, just making things, well - harder.
"'Advanced' isn't about the fancy gym kit or the intimidating machines," assures personal trainer Emma McCaffrey. "It's about pushing your limits, and you can absolutely do that in your living room - you just need to get creative, and be prepared to sweat!"
A stickler for the science? Josh Silverman, head of education at Third Space, describes an advanced workout as one that progresses both strength demands and motor control requirements.
"Advanced workouts are defined by how you manipulate load and movement complexity," he explains. "With strategic programming, bodyweight exercises, resistance bands, or free weights like kettlebells and dumbbells can create high-level training sessions. Advanced workouts often involve progressive overload (increasing weight over time), unilateral (single-limb) movements, multi-planar exercises (different directions) and elements of power, stability, and control."
Worried you haven't been exercising long enough to ramp up the intensity? The experts all agree that it's less about how experienced you are, and more about what you're capable of doing. "Advanced workouts aren't about how long you’ve been training, but whether you can master the fundamental skills and patterns under load," shares Lucy Cowan, Master Cycle Trainer at Third Space.
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What are the benefits of advanced home workouts?
It probably won't surprise you to learn that we're huge fans of home workouts for the variety of mental, physical and practical benefits they confer. Let's dig into the details.
1. They're convenient
"One of the biggest advantages of advanced home workouts is that they're convenient and time-efficient," says Cowan. "No commute to the gym means more time for training and recovery."
2. They're cost-effective
Ok, so you might have some initial outlay getting your equipment in order for an advanced home workout, but that will likely be a drop in the ocean compared to ever-increasing gym fees.
" You can achieve high-level fitness without expensive gym memberships or equipment," notes Cowan. "Using resistance bands, weighted backpacks, and tempo variations can make home training just as challenging as gym-based workouts."
3. They enhance functional strength
"Home workouts encourage functional strength, as you use more natural movement patterns rather than relying on gym machines," explains personal trainer at Freeletics, Rowan Clift. "Plus, you develop better body awareness and control, since advanced movements often require mastering your own bodyweight before adding external loads."
4. They help prevent injury
While all movement is great for injury prevention and joint health, advanced home workouts can be particularly beneficial. "By incorporating unilateral exercises, isometrics, and mobility drills, you can strengthen your stabilizer muscles and reduce your injury risk," notes Cowan. "However, before progressing to advanced training, you should have a solid foundation in strength, endurance, and movement quality."
5. They're adaptable
"Advanced home workouts offer unparalleled flexibility in terms of your training approach," shares Cowan. "Whether you're focusing on strength, hypertrophy, endurance, or agility, your home workout can be adapted to fit different goals. You can also control intensity, volume, and exercise selection, allowing for tailored progression."
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How to take a home workout from intermediate to advanced
So, you're ready to take a step up in your home workouts - but how to achieve it? The experts are clear that advancing a home workout requires upping the ante in three ways: increasing intensity, complexity, and challenge.
"You can increase the intensity of a workout by simply adding more weight, higher resistance, or faster movement," notes Lyndsey Hunter-Long, Les Mills UK Trainer and Presenter. "Any of these factors can take a workout to the next level. When it comes to complexity of movements, we're talking about incorporating compound movements or complex variations, like single-leg exercises, overhead presses, or plyometric movements.
"Challenge can be increased by either volume or duration (or a combination of both). More sets, reps, or longer sessions can push your limits. In addition, more advanced workouts often focus on increasing time-under-tension or short rest periods, demanding more stamina and faster recovery."
7 best advanced home workouts, according to PTs
1. Caroline Girvan's 30-minute full-body workout
What? A half-hour full-body workout with home workout queen, Caroline Girvan. Not for the faint-hearted...
Why? "Caroline is all about strength - if you want to build serious muscle at home, she's your person," advises McCaffrey. "Her series on YouTube is excellent. She pushes you hard, her programming is solid, and she doesn't mess around - she's no nonsense, and gives clear instructions, too."
How long for? 30 minutes.
2. Heather Robertson's 35-minute upper body strength
What? A 35-minute upper-body strength routine with Heather Robertson.
Why? "Heather Robertson’s advanced sessions are great for well-structured progression and intensity," says personal trainer Edwina Jenner. "She combines progressive overload, varied rep ranges, and tempo work to challenge strength, endurance, and coordination."
How long for? 35 minutes.
3. Full-body HIIT and strength with Kaleigh Cohen
What? A full-body HIIT and strength routine to boost muscle and endurance.
Why? You don't always need equipment to up the ante on your home workouts. "There are so many ways to add intensity to home workouts," agrees personal trainer and founder of Building Body Confidence, Emma Simarro. "Kaleigh Cohen has some great strength workouts."
How long for? Just half an hour.
4. Full-body super set workout
What? A 30-minute full-body super set workout with Sydney Cummings Houdyshell.
Why? Supersets are a great way to advance your workouts, increasing both strength and endurance. Essentially, you're performing one exercise immediately after another, which can help you to work through those common workout plateaus.
How long for? 30 minutes.
5. Les Mills GRIT x Reebok workout
What? A 30-minute, intense GRIT workout - if you thought HIIT was hard, wait till you try this!
Why? "Digital platforms like YouTube offer a variety of workout options that cater to high-level fitness," says Hunter-Long. "This is a great high-intensity interval training (HIIT) session focused on speed, agility, and endurance using bodyweight exercises."
How long for? Half an hour.
6. 30-minute Tabata workout with Caroline Girvan
What? Another Caroline Girvan session, this time - tabata.
Why? Tabata is all about maximum effort, minimum time - so you'll be working hard. High-rep circuits with little recovery will push your endurance to its limits.
How long for? Half an hour.
7. 30-minute no equipment core workout
What? A no-equipment, advanced core workout incorporating three sets of repeated moves.
Why? "This is my go-to advanced workout," says Clift. "Rather than sticking to basic movement patterns, advanced training includes more explosive power, balance, unilateral work, and endurance challenges."
How long for? Half an hour.
Shop MC UK's home workout essentials now:
All workouts from beginner to advanced warrant a great sports bra. Lightly padded, softly supportive and sweat-wicking, it comes in a range of colourways so you're sure to find one you love.
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To really nail an advanced home workout, you're likely to need at least some equipment - and a set of adjustable dumbbells is a great investment, enabling progressive overload while saving on space.
How do I know when I'm ready for an advanced workout?
"If your normal workouts are feeling less challenging and you’re not experiencing any gains in strength and endurance, you might be ready for an advanced workout," says personal trainer at OriGym, Abbie Watkins. "You could be ready to try an advanced session if you have strong form and technique when performing exercises like squats, push-ups, and planks, or if you don’t feel fatigue or soreness when performing an exercise or the day after your workout.
"Finally, if you can perform high-intensity exercises with short rest periods or even lift heavy weights and maintain good control, these are positive signs that you're ready to advance your training."
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