Want proof? Then look no further than Amanda Capritto, a certified personal trainer, full-time traveller and founder of Smarter Sweat, <\/a>who specialises in training with minimal equipment.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve been living in a converted van full-time for one year,\u201d she tells me. \u201cOther than a few visits to local gyms<\/a>, I\u2019ve trained with only resistance bands, a single 15kg dumbbell and an 18kg kettlebell. <\/p>\n \u201cBut I recently hit a PB for Bulgarian split squats, eking out eight reps on each leg while holding a 30kg dumbbell in each hand. Not only did I avoid losing strength after a year of working out as a full-time traveller, but I actually got stronger. It really goes to show that consistency and intensity are key.\u201d<\/p>\n Below, Capritto shares a minimal equipment workout<\/a> you can try at home, and reveals the principles she swears by for training effectively sans-gym.<\/p>\n How to build strength at home: The workout<\/p>\n Straight sets (perform all sets of one exercise, resting for 60 seconds between each one, then move on to the next exercise)<\/p>\n Single-arm bent-over row 2×5-15 each sideSingle-leg Romanian deadlift 2×5-15 each side<\/p>\n Superset (perform the exercises below back to back with no rest between, then rest for 60 seconds after both exercises have been completed)<\/p>\n Kettlebell swing 2×5-15Close-grip press-up 2×5-15<\/p>\n Superset (perform the exercises below back to back with no rest between, then rest for 60 seconds after both exercises have been completed)<\/p>\n Alternating reverse lunge 2×10-15 each sideSuitcase carry 2x 30 seconds each side<\/p>\n \u201cMy workouts are really quite simple and mostly contain very straightforward exercises,\u201d Capritto says. She also provides a range of reps to aim for in each set, rather than a strict goal, so you can tweak the number to suit the kettlebell you have. <\/p>\n \u201cAim for the low end [five to eight reps] if the kettlebell is very heavy for you for the given exercise, and aim for the high end [12 to 15 reps] if it feels very light,\u201d she advises.<\/p>\n You can also use some of Capritto\u2019s tricks below to increase the difficulty of the workout over time, meaning you can keep coming back to it week after week for continued progress. <\/p>\n A minimal equipment kettlebell workoutShow all 10 How to build strength and muscle without a gym<\/p>\n The key to successful strength training<\/a>, or any type of training for that matter, is progressive overload. This simply means making your workouts gradually more challenging over time, in line with your increasing strength and fitness<\/a> levels. By doing this, you send clear and repeated messages to the body that it needs to adapt and grow stronger, so you\u2019re better able to handle the rigours of your next session.<\/p>\n The reason the gym is such a good place to train is because of the range of equipment on offer. When the weight you\u2019re lifting starts to feel easy, you can add a few kilograms to the barbell or pick a slightly heavier dumbbell to make an exercise more challenging. When you\u2019re training at home with only a couple of weights to hand, this isn\u2019t an option. <\/p>\n But there are other variables you can play with when lifting weights to ramp up the intensity, and consequently effectiveness, of your home workouts. Capritto digs into each one below. <\/p>\n Read more: These are the 13 best men\u2019s gym trainers you can buy, according to our expert tester<\/a><\/p>\n Sets, reps and rest<\/p>\n \u201cFor beginners in particular, it\u2019s possible to make a lot of progress by manipulating the simpler variables, such as repetitions, sets and rest intervals,\u201d Capritto says. <\/p>\n When you reach a point where you can comfortably perform 20 or more repetitions with the weight you have, increasing the reps is no longer a time-savvy training option. That\u2019s where the techniques below come in handy. <\/p>\n Try this: If you were can do three sets of 10 press-ups fairly comfortably one week, you might try four sets of 10 repetitions, or three sets of 12 repetitions, the following week. You can also shorten the rest times between sets or exercises to increase the intensity. <\/p>\n Time under tension<\/p>\n Time under tension is the amount of time your muscle is working for. The longer the muscle is working, the more stenuous the exercise is going to be, so slowing down or pausing your reps can be a great tool for making a workout more difficult. <\/p>\n Try this: \u201cGoblet squats become much more challenging when you slow them down,\u201d Capritto says. \u201cTake three full seconds to descend, pause for another three seconds in the bottom of the squat position, then stand back up. Raising the number of reps will also increase time under tension.\u201d<\/p>\n Unilateral exercises<\/p>\n \u201cLiving in a campervan, storage space is limited and I can\u2019t simply go to the store and buy more weights,\u201d says Capritto. \u201cI have to think of ways to increase the load on a given muscle with the same tools.\u201d<\/p>\n One way to do this is to switch from a bilateral exercise, which uses both sides of the body simultaneously, to a unilateral (one-sided) one. By placing more emphasis on one limb at a time, swapping to these exercises can have a similar effect to lifting a heavier weight.<\/p>\n Try this: Substitute a goblet squat for a Bulgarian split squat. This way, you\u2019re lifting the same weight with one leg, rather than sharing the load between both legs. <\/p>\n Read more: Walking for 15 minutes after meals could have an ‘immediate effect’ on your health \u2013 an expert reveals why<\/a><\/p>\n Focusing on power<\/p>\n Strength is your ability to produce force; power is your ability to generate force quickly. The latter is overlooked in many workout plans, but it can add a fun new dimension to your training. <\/p>\n \u201cWith limited equipment, really focusing on [being explosive during] the concentric contraction can be a big help for driving continued progress,\u201d Capritto explains. \u201cThe concentric contraction is where the working muscle fibres shorten, and it\u2019s usually the upward part of an exercise [think about standing up during a squat, or pressing the ground away during a press-up].\u201d <\/p>\n The focus when developing power is your rate of force development, requiring you to move fast through the concentric phase of a lift, so you can train it using lighter weights. Twinning this with tempo training by lowering a weight slowly and lifting it explosively can help you get maximum bang for your buck from each rep, Capritto adds. <\/p>\n Try this: \u201cI implement power training into my routine in two main ways,\u201d Capritto says. \u201cOne is adding plyometrics, such as jumping, hopping, bounding and bouncing exercises. An example is doing squat jumps versus air squats, or clapping press-ups versus standard press-ups. <\/p>\n \u201cThe other way I add a power element is by speeding up the concentric portion of a movement. For example, driving the hips forward with an intentional rapidness during Romanian deadlifts to activate more muscle fibers in the primary movers \u2013 the hamstrings and glutes.\u201d<\/p>\n Range of motion <\/p>\n Another tweak you can make to up the difficulty of an exercise is increasing the range of motion \u2013 the distance you move through a joint or joints during an exercise. <\/p>\n Try this: Increasing your range of motion for an exercise might mean squatting a little deeper, or placing your hands on a couple of books during press-ups and allowing your chest to drop slightly further than usual at the bottom of the rep. <\/p>\n![\"Smarter](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Smarter-Sweat-founder-and-certified-personal-trainer-Amanda-Capritto-showing-how-to-perform-a-single.jpeg\")
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