Need a challenge? Try these hard workouts at home

If you think your fitness has reached the limits of what you can achieve without going to a gym, think again. We’re here to prove to you that a challenging bodyweight-only workout at home is possible.

In order to get stronger, fitter and reach your goals – whether it’s boosting cardio, gaining strength, sculpting abs or increasing lower-body power – you need to challenge yourself and push your limits.

But that doesn’t mean you need to shell out for a whole load of new equipment. All you need is the most challenging moves from Chris Hemsworth’s team of world-class trainers. We’ve hand-picked some of their hardest bodyweight exercises, leg workouts and core workouts, plus an advanced HIIT workout to inspire you.

If you want to build muscle (without access to a full home gym), we can also show you how to get it done at home with bodyweight, resistance bands and dumbbells.

Ready to try some hard bodyweight exercises? Let’s go.

The toughest bodyweight exercises

Looking to level-up your home workouts? Look no further than Bobby Holland Hanton’s plyometric moves. As a gymnast and A-list Hollywood stuntman (he pulls off all of Thor’s most amazing moves), Bobby is an expert in hard exercises. Members have described his Plyo workouts on Centr as “tough”, “really tough” and “actually really tough”. (That’s leaving out all the curse words the workouts inspire.)

The explosive force and jumping involved in plyometric moves will help to maximize your strength, speed, power and endurance. So if you want to rise to the challenge of a truly tough bodyweight workout, add these hard exercises from Bobby to your routine.

Push-up + clap

The clap adds a dynamic element to supercharge your chest and back strength. Begin in a regular push-up position, with your hands on the floor below your shoulders, and core engaged. Bend through your elbows to lower your chest toward the ground, and as you raise back up, push your torso away from the ground with force enough to bring your hands together to clap before returning them to the floor. As you gain strength, you’ll be able to drive higher off the ground and complete more reps.

Spiderman push-ups

By moving like Spidey would up the side of a building, you’re working your arms, pecs and shoulders, plus forcing your core to work harder to maintain stability. Set up like a regular push-up, with hands on the floor slightly wider than your shoulders. As you lower your arms into a push-up, lift your left foot off the floor and drive your knee up toward your elbow. As you push to lift your chest, return your leg to its starting position simultaneously. Next, lower your arms again and this time drive your right knee up toward your elbow. Continue alternating at a steady pace.

Bucking bronco

Bobby’s full-body bucking broncos will spike your cardio and impress your friends. Just make sure you have plenty of room to move. Start in a crouch with your hands on the floor wider than your shoulders, knees bent, on your toes with feet tucked under your butt. Push your palms into the floor and spring your feet out and up so that your weight tips toward your hands and your legs rise up, pulling you into an (almost) hand-stand position. Then bend your knees to drop back down. It’s okay if you can’t get much height with your legs or you’re a bit wobbly initially. As your strength builds, your ability to control the movement will improve.

Burpee + jump lunge

Burpees are a great fat burner as they switch on all muscle groups and get your heart racing. Bobby will push you to the limits by adding an extra explosive element in both this and the following exercise.

Standing with your feet hip-width apart, bring your hands down to the ground then jump both feet back so your body is in a plank position. Then jump your feet in toward your hands, stand up out of the squat position, and switch straight into a jump lunge – driving your left leg back then your right to complete a lunge on each side.

Burpee tuck jump

Follow the same burpee form as the previous exercise, but when you stand up out of the squat position, rise into a jump and bring your knees toward your chest. Make all elements of the movement as quick as you can, while keeping your knees soft when you land to avoid jarring.

Try this tough leg workout at home

We’ve lined up some of our favorite and most effective lower-body moves to create your own advanced HIIT workout at home. Check out our guide to building your legs without weights for form videos from our expert trainers and more info on challenging your legs at home.

Do these exercises as a circuit, with 1–2 minutes rest between rounds. (The shorter your rest period, the bigger the challenge.)

Round 1: Bulgarian split squat
3 x sets of 8 x reps on each leg
Work your quads, calves, hamstrings and build unilateral strength with Bulgarian split squats. Position a chair, low table or bench behind you. Take a long step back with your left leg and place the top of your foot on the bench. Keeping your torso upright, bend your right knee and lower your body toward the ground. Push through your front foot to return to a standing position. After doing 8 x reps, switch legs.

Round 2: Single-leg glute bridge
3 x sets of 12 x reps on each leg
When regular glute bridges no longer make your butt burn, give the single-leg version a try. Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet on the floor about hip-distance apart. Raise one leg off the ground, squeeze your glutes and push through the foot on the floor to drive your hips up. After 12 reps, switch and repeat on the other side.

Round 3: Squat jump tucks
3 x sets of 40 seconds doing as many reps as possible
Build powerful quads, calves, glutes and hamstrings by adding jump tucks to your squats. Start by standing with feet shoulder-width apart, chest up and your core switched on. With your weight in your heels, sit your bum back and down into a squat position. When your quads are parallel to the ground, drive through your feet to spring up out of the squat. As you jump off the ground, lift your knees up to your chest while keeping your core tight. (It’s okay if you can’t get your knees high to begin with. Keep working on it!)

Round 4: Jump lunges
3 x sets of 40 seconds doing as many reps as possible
Jump lunges will develop your glutes, hamstrings, calves and quads while providing a great cardio workout. Sink into a deep lunge. Lean forward slightly and engage your core. Drive through your feet to jump upward, switching your front and back legs in the air. Land as softly as you can and sink immediately into another lunge.

Try this tough ab workout at home

Before you start doing this tough ab workout, make sure you check the form videos and tips from your trainers in our guide to killer core workouts.

For a challenging HIIT workout that targets and tests your core from all angles, do these exercises as a circuit, with 1–2 minutes rest between rounds.

To push your limits and achieve your goals, you need to train with the best. Join Chris Hemsworth’s team for Unleashed, the 6-week bodyweight program that gives you the freedom to work out anywhere – no equipment required.