Top Exercises for Small Spaces

The biggest enemy to your clients' success is a disruption in their routine.

This could be in terms of meal planning or getting in their workouts. The routine increases satisfaction and motivation as they steadily see improvement over time.

But I can guarantee you that at some point, there's going to be a disruption. It could be that your client is stuck in a smaller living space, they're traveling and just want to work out in their hotel room, or another similar situation. Regardless, there will come a day when your client will need to break their workout routine.

So, when your clients can't go to the gym, and they need a way to workout in a cramped space, what do you do?

Small Space Workout Programming

When approaching situations like this, you always want to have your client's goals at the forefront of your mind. When it comes to working out in a limited space, there are a lot of factors to take into consideration. But that doesn't mean it's impossible, nor is it even all that difficult.

What you end up having to do is come up with creative ways to mimic the same movements they would otherwise engage in at the gym.

Modifying your client's existing program is really all you need to do. Take a look at what they're doing. Then, find ways to simulate those movements in their adapted space.

They don't even need a small home gym to accomplish this, as you can get a total body workout that will push their fitness and challenge each muscle group. Free weights and other gym equipment are nice extras, but a certified personal trainer should be able to get their client results even without a single piece of compact exercise equipment that's so popular on QVC.

But, just in case, we're going to go over examples both with and without specialized equipment.

Because heavier weights are usually not available in tiny spaces, you might have to make a universal modification to the volume of their workouts.

Upper Body Workouts

When you think in terms of muscle groups, it's easier to see the path forward. Upper body workouts tend to be tricky for many trainers because some believe there's very little you can do with the upper body without weights or equipment. But the truth is that you can find ways to do just about anything.

Body Weight

For instance, push-ups can be an integral part of bodyweight workouts. With the addition of something like chair dips and pull-ups, you can practically touch all the major muscle groups in the upper body.

Equipment

Make sure to ask what sort of equipment is available. Whether it's working out in a small living room, or packing something to take to the hotel, knowing what your clients have can be a great benefit.

Resistance bands and even some lighter dumbbells can be of great use while traveling. Similarly, you can use things around the house like gallon jugs full of water and backpacks full of books to get strength training in.

Lower Body Workouts

This is where the tiny space workout thrives. The lower body can go through a plethora of different exercises that will target different muscles.

Body Weight

Squats are a great way to build strength and endurance. But don't just restrict these workouts to a matter of reps and sets. Timed challenges like maintaining a squat position for 60-90 seconds can really push your client's quadriceps to their limit.

Then, they can transition into various types of squats, like sumo squats, that will target different areas of the legs.

Calf raises can be done either on the edge of a box or even standing flat on the floor.

Equipment

The same equipment that will help with the upper body workouts can be repurposed for lower body exercises as well. For instance, have your clients hold the backpack full of books to their chest while they squat, similarly to a front squat on a weight rack.

If they have dumbbells, then they can be held at the sides or on the shoulders to add resistance while performing various lunges and calf raises.

Total Body and Core Workouts

If you're looking for the biggest bang for your clients' buck in terms of getting an efficient and effective workout at home, sometimes total body workouts are ideal.

Body Weight

For this, consider something like mountain climbers. This works your upper body and back as you hold up your frame with your arms, and works your core and lower body through the back and forth motion of your legs. Have your clients do as many as they can at their pace in sets of 60 seconds each set. This will burn a crazy amount of calories while maximizing afterburn. Burpees are another great total body exercise that will give a great cardio workout, as well.

In terms of core work, don't forget about your plank position exercises. You can easily do these on a yoga mat or towel.

Equipment

If your clients have dumbbells (or those handy gallon jugs full of water), you can do squat presses with them that will engage your body completely from legs and core to upper body.

Furthermore, you can engage in some additional, more complicated movements with these weights, like snatches, clean and jerks, and many more. In terms of home gym equipment, these will be your clients' best friends.

Cardio Options

In addition to some of the more HIIT-based exercises mentioned above, there are more you can do in a tiny space to get in your cardio.

Body Weight

Jumping jacks are a great calisthenic for getting your heart rate into your target zone. But you could also make use of any stairs that might be attached to or in your home, as well as at most hotels. Going for a walk or a run is also a great way to maintain your cardiovascular health.

Equipment

Home gym cardio equipment is pretty standard. There are rowing machines, elliptical trainers (and mini ellipticals, too!), folding exercise bikes, and all sorts of other similar options.

These are by far the most expensive equipment pieces that most people buy. So, make sure to ask your clients whether equipment like this is accessible in their tiny space.

Keeping the Intensity Up

There are several ways for your clients to maintain their intensity despite training in these small spaces. One of the most effective ways is through a heart rate monitor with a chest strap, but you can get similar results with a smartwatch or other similar device. This will measure effort and will allow your client to know if they're really pushing as hard as they need to.

Absent having an actual heart rate monitor, you can have them count their pulse. Teach them how to find their pulse, and then have them look at a clock or their watch. Have them count their pulse for 10 seconds, and then multiply the count by 6.

Another effective way that is sometimes less intrusive on the workout is the conversation test. In low-intensity workouts, your clients should be able to talk normally. In moderate exercises, they should have difficulty maintaining a conversation. And with high intensity, talking at regular intervals should be a challenge.

This will ensure they're really pushing themselves.

Safety First — Always

You really want to make sure your clients are as safe as possible when training in small spaces. When doing some exercises, there is potential for joint injuries like in the feet, knees, hips, and shoulders.

This is why proper form is essential. Make sure that you have verified that your clients are employing proper form before they train at home or on the road like this. Injured clients often can't train.

Furthermore, make sure that your clients clear out the area they will train in of any hazards.

If you would like more information about how to take on more clients without a gym, check out our resources on starting your in-home personal training career.

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