I always smile a little when someone says that you can't get strong from home or online training. Do you think your body cares where you train? Your muscles are strengthened by use, provided they are sufficiently loaded. It doesn't matter if your training programme comes from a screen, mobile, a printed sheet or if you improvise at a fitness centre.

Take pushups, for example. Although often thought of as a chest exercise, pushups also work your arms, back, shoulders and core muscles, including the pectoralis major and pectoralis minor. It's an excellent full-body exercise that you can do anywhere, with no cost or equipment, and there are plenty of variations to explore as you get stronger.

Sounds good, right? The problem is that push-ups can be very challenging for beginners, which can make many hesitate to continue until they master them. You can't easily adjust the weight like you can with weight plates; you're challenged with the weight you already have - your own body weight. Even with a modified version, for example with knee support, you're pushing about 49% of your body weight.

In our strength classes at Naardic, it's common to encounter push-ups. Because they are customisable, they build strength and better body control. A bonus is that we guide you in the right technique so that you feel mastery. Participate regularly and you'll definitely notice progress.

Pull-ups may seem impossible at first. But just hanging and holding your own body weight is a good start. Hanging for 10-30 seconds several times a week will strengthen your grip strength, which is transferable to heavy lifts like deadlifts. Your back also gets a good stretch, so that's an added bonus.

Squats can be challenging, and some may benefit from using a chair at first. For those who find bodyweight squats too easy, one-legged variations such as pistol squats, cossack squats, dragon squats or shrimp squats can be good alternatives. These make great demands on mobility and strength. Step-ups, lunges of all kinds and plyometric exercises such as stair jumps and box jumps are effective for building strength and explosiveness with bodyweight.

I've heard that minutes never feel longer than standing in a plank. Josef Šálek from the Czech Republic may hold the record for the longest held plank with over 9 hours, but you don't have to stand forever to strengthen your core, shoulders, arms and back. A good plank activates the whole body and should be straight as a pole. There are many variations, and at Naardic you'll discover how you can achieve a lot at home, just by using your own body weight and simple aids.

Next time someone says that home workouts aren't effective, challenge them to hold a plank for a few hours, hang with their own body weight for several minutes, do lots of pistol squats per leg and finish with 50 push-ups. Then we'll see what they say afterwards😉