Seven pros, seven body parts and two big jugs: you don't need the time or money of a long-haired rocker to build a great body. Just follow this workout, one of the best and cheapest routines we've ever had a group of trainers assemble - Home Training

Men's Fitness, Dec, 2002 by Ian Cohen

Your gym, if it's like our gym, is full of distractions, and if you're short not just on attention but on time, money, patience, and tolerance for Top 40 tunes, you might want to consider alternative training methods. The good news is, unless you live in a Dumpster, you can achieve some damn impressive results by working out in your very own home.

No need to get out the credit card, though. We're not talking pricey, unwieldy contraptions like Thigh Thrasher or Body by Bozo. We're talking four walls, a floor, a chair and a couple of water jugs. If you don't own these items, you might want to reevaluate more than just your exercise routine.

For our purposes, we're going to assume you have a roof over your head and a sturdy place to park your butt. We consulted seven expert trainers across North America, picked their brains, and had each one offer up his favorite home exercise for a specific muscle. Then we combined the exercises into one killer workout.

THE WORKOUT

This is a home workout, so unless your house is currently being swept down a river or is engulfed in flames, there's no excuse for not being able to complete this 45-minute session three times a week. Just warm up with jumping jacks or jogging in place and a few minutes of stretching.

THE EXERCISES

1 SHOULDERS, UPPER PECS * PIKE PUSH-UP

Trainer: Michael Jocson, P.T., MS., O.C.S., C.S.C.S. Board-certified orthopedic physical therapist and personal trainer. Owner of Jocson Strength & Conditioning, Howard Beach, N.Y.

How to do it: Assume a regular push-up position, hands by your shoulders, fingers forward, with your feet extended behind you and elevated on a chair. Walk your hands back toward your feet so that your glutes rise toward the ceiling. Your upper body should form nearly a 90-degree angle with your lower body (1a). Keeping your head in line with your trunk, pull your belly button in toward your spine to activate your spinal stabilizers. Slowly lower yourself until your nose almost touches the floor (1b), return to the starting position and repeat.

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Added Difficulty:

* Three-point pike push-up.

2 CHEST, TRICEPS, BACK * 3-IN-1 PUSH-UP

Trainer: Tony Horton. Certified personal trainer and creator of best-selling home-workout video Power 90. Founder of ASH fitness in Santa Monica, Calif.

How to do it: The 3-in-1 push-up is one continuous set of three types of push-ups: the heart-to-heart push-up, the military push-up and the flye push-up. Perform the same number of reps for each type, allowing only two or three seconds to adjust your hand position.

* Heart-to-heart push-up: Assume a basic push-up position, but instead of placing your hands outside your shoulders, place them directly beneath your chest with your thumb and index fingers touching, forming a, heart shape. For stability, space your feet two or three apart (2a). From an arms-extended position, lower yourself and touch your chest to your hands--heart to heart (2b). Slowly return to the starting position and repeat.

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* Military push-up: Assume a basic push-up position with your hands directly beneath your shoulders and your feet extended together behind you (2c). Lock your eyes on a spot nine to 12 inches ahead of your hands. From an arms-extended position, slowly lower your chest toward the floor until it touches (2d). Try to keep your elbows pointed back (along your sides). Slowly return to the starting position and repeat.

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* Flye push-up: Assume a basic push-up position with your hands spaced six inches wider than shoulder width And your legs extended behind you, feet together (2e). Slowly lower yourself toward the floor until your chest almost touches (2f); return to the starting position and repeat.

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3 TRICEPS * CHAIR DIP

Trainer: Dave Johnson B.P.E., C.F.C., N.S.C.A.-C.P.T., C.S.C.S. Owner of In Training an in-home personal-training and fitness-consulting business in Saint John New Brunswick Canada:

How to do it: Sitting on a chair slide your glutes to the end of the chair and place your hands on the edge fingers pointing forward just outside your hips Extend your legs out in front of you, feet together, knees bent (3a). Keeping your back close to the chair, bend at the elbows and lower your body until your upper arms are parallel to the floor (3b). Pause, then return to the starting position and repeat.

Added Difficulty: Legs extended straight onto another chair.

4 UPPER BACK, REAR DELTOID * STANOING REVERSE FLYE

Trainer: Robert Fulton, C.S.C.S. Owner of Mint Condition, a wellness and training center in Westmont, Ill.

(You'll need a couple of one-gallon water jugs for this. Filled, the jugs will weigh almost eight pounds each. To make them lighter, decrease the amount of water. For more weight, add sand or dirt.)

How to do it: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, a jug in each hand. Bend your knees slightly and lean forward at the hips almost 90 degrees. Keeping your head, neck and back aligned, hold the jugs in front of your knees, with your arms slightly bent (4a). Slowly move your arms in an arc, out to the sides and up (4b). Stretch your chest and pinch your shoulder blades together, feeling the squeeze in the rear deltoids. When your arms are parallel to the floor, slowly return to the starting position and repeat.