Home Workouts – Getting Strong Without the Gym using YouTube
Introduction
YouTube is a mixed blessing. On the one hand, I discourage my children from using it, as they tend to gravitate towards the loudest, most ridiculous content, which is neither educational nor pleasant to listen to. On the other hand, it also holds a wealth of amazing, free educational content and home workouts.
In my early 40s, I decided I wanted to build strength through resistance and hypertrophy training. I had never really been into fitness before, although I was getting regular steps in thanks to our dog. I wasn’t sure where to start—or how I’d find time to fit it into my day. Getting to the gym more than once a week was unrealistic, and mornings were too hectic. I spotted a window of opportunity in the evenings.
I was upstairs helping my youngest with his shower and bedtime routine. He’s pretty slow, and with all the hanging around, I found I could put on a video and do sets between helping him. He now prefers to join in too before his shower. His “workouts” often involve freestyle ninja moves rather than the actual exercises, but it’s nice to have a gym bro nonetheless. Regrettably, the dog also joins in, and it’s not pleasant being licked in the face while trying to hold a plank, but that’s the trade-off with home workouts.
Don’t let excuses hold you back – just have a go. You don’t need special clothes, equipment, or anything else; just a TV or device with YouTube, some water to drink, and a determination to change for the better.
Finding Your Fitness Favourites & Setting Up a Routine
There is seemingly endless variety and volume of workout videos on YouTube. Depending on your fitness goals and interests, there is a wide range of options, from Pilates and Yoga to Kickboxing and HIIT. After trying different styles of videos and presenters, I found my favourites, so I now stick to a few trusted channels.
Initially, I was managing one or two workouts a week inconsistently. It works better for me to do something most nights (which keeps the routine), so I alternate between a dumbbell workout and either Pilates or a gentle stretching session. I don’t have fancy gym clothes and tend to just work out in a bra and t-shirt (the horror!) with a big cup of water for rest breaks. Don’t forget to log your workouts – this is for tracking consistency; otherwise, it’s easy to think you’ve done more (or less) than you have. It also helps to ensure that you progressively increase your weights or reps over time to achieve the results you want.
You don’t need any equipment to start, but since I wanted to focus on strength and muscle building, I gradually invested in a few basics: a small selection of resistance bands and dumbbells (2kg, 3kg, and 4kg). You can always build your kit slowly over time.
Favourite YouTubers for Weights
Some people prefer to work out with minimal verbal instruction or interruption from the presenter, while others like step-by-step narration and general chat. I like either, depending on my mood on a given day. As a beginner, it is beneficial to be shown which muscle groups the exercise targets, as well as tips to maintain good form and prevent injury. As someone who struggles with lower back pain, I didn’t want to aggravate this and cause an injury. Additionally, I didn’t want to mix too much cardio with my weights, so I tried out various YouTubers’ offerings to find those who best suited my particular preferences.
Consider whether you want to repeat the same video regularly (for structured progress) or mix things up. I do a bit of both—sticking to a familiar format but switching videos for variety and interest.
Kaleigh Cohen
Kaleigh is a certified personal trainer and spin instructor. She is truly down-to-earth, relatable, and encouraging. She tends to talk through her videos, and I like this as it is both instructional and motivating. She has channels for cycle workouts as well as strength workouts (weights); however, I have only ever done the latter. Kayleigh initially got me into lifting weights, and when I feel a bit wobbly or need to get back on track, I always return to her videos for guidance.
Lift with Cee (Cheryl Coulombe)
Cheryl gets her incredible physique from home workouts, so it’s great to see what can be achieved without an expensive gym membership. Her videos are no-nonsense and designed to be repeated with progressive overload to build muscle strength. Most of her workouts don’t include a warm-up section, but she does have separate warm-up videos.. I like that Cee doesn’t use compound moves but focuses on specific, targeted exercises. I would suggest not starting with Cee if you are a complete beginner to lifting weights; however, it may be better to start with a more instructional video to get tips on good form. Cee’s channel champions discipline and simplicity – perfect for those seeking no-fuss, results-driven workouts.
Juice and Toya
Juice and Toya are a real-life couple who are personal trainers with a big following. Their channel is polished and motivating, and their dual-instructor format makes it easy to follow along with proper form and modifications where needed. Whilst they demonstrate their exercises clearly, they do not tend to talk through their workouts. They offer a variety of videos featuring different exercise types, including HIIT, cardio, and weights, among others.
Pilates
I wish I could say I love Pilates — but I don’t. It looks deceptively easy, but the moves are hard to execute well. They make my muscles burn in ways I don’t expect, and that can be incredibly frustrating. As much as I want to enjoy it, I often find myself dreading the sessions because what looks like a gentle stretch ends up being difficult to achieve or sustain.
That said, Pilates is a bit like bitter medicine for me. I don’t enjoy taking it, but I do it because it works. It’s brilliant for core strength and especially helpful for back pain, which is why I reluctantly keep coming back to it.
My favourite instructor is Flow with Mira — she’s calm, encouraging, and knows her stuff. Her approach is gentle, which makes the sessions more bearable. I’ve also tried Move with Nicole, but even her beginner classes feel too intense for me most days. I would recommend trying her videos out though as she is gives clear instructions and watching her videos is relaxing.
Basic Fitness Equipment
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You really don’t need anything special to get started, and the worst thing you can do is “wait” until you’ve bought lots of equipment or the perfect outfit. Just begin with what you already have at home and improvise. If you enjoy working out at home, you can gradually add a few pieces of equipment to challenge yourself more over time.
I started with a simple set of resistance bands, which are lightweight, affordable, and great for travelling. After that, I moved on to a small set of dumbbells: 1kg, 2kg, and 3kg. I’ve added to this collection gradually and now have a kettlebell on my wish list! Dumbbells aren’t always cheap, but they’re durable, versatile, and should last for years.
The brand I bought was the Core Balance neoprene dumbbell pair (they come in weights from 1kg to 10kg and have solid reviews on Amazon) — I really like the feel of the neoprene coating as it’s comfortable to hold and doesn’t slip. For resistance bands, I chose the Gritin set, which includes five different strength levels and a handy carrying case. There are lots of options on the market now, so it’s worth comparing a few to see what suits you best.
Core Balance Dumbells
Comfortable non-slip neoprene. Sizes 1–10kg available
Gritin Resistance Bands
Set of 5, multiple resistance levels. Carry pouch included
Conclusion: Keep It Simple, Keep It Going
Getting stronger at home doesn’t need to be complicated or perfect. You don’t need a fancy home gym, coordinated outfits, or loads of time. Just a bit of space, a video you enjoy, and a willingness to keep showing up—whether you’re doing dumbbell rows in your pyjamas or pilates with your dog.
It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by choice or discouraged by slow progress. But strength is built by not quitting and consistency over time. The process takes months and years, not weeks. Ultimately, it’s not even about the destination at all, it’s about continuing as long as you can on the journey to strength and wellbeing. If you are interested in reading about the supplements and protein powders I have tested, you can read more here.
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