Always In Progress

No gym, no problem

I added a little note in my now page about my workout program and decided to make a separate post here about it! I don't know if I'll be regularly updating this, but here's what it looks like as of March 2026:

Day 1 - Day 3

This program has been running since about 3 weeks ago, and we expect that it should be running for about 2-3 more weeks before we swap some of these exercises for alternatives. Depending on how long I work on my cardio, they typically run between 45 minutes - 1 hour 20 minutes.

Exercise Sets Reps
Day 1
Romanian Deadlift 3 6-8
One-Arm Seated Overhead Press 3 7-9
Side Bends 2 10
Passive Deadhang 2 —
Zone 2 Cardio — 15-30 min
Day 2
Floor Press 3 7-9
Pull Ups 1 15
Weighted Crunch 2 10
Single Leg RDL 2 10
Zone 2 Cardio — 15-30 min
Day 3
Split Squat 3 6-8
One-Arm Dumbbell Row 3 8-10
Kneeling Woodchops 2 10
Lateral Raises 2 15-20
Zone 2 Cardio — 15-30 min

Equipment

Aside from a mat for workouts that require me to lay on the floor, I also use this particular type of dumbbell for the weighted exercises, where it's essentially a white-labeled cheap version of the popular PowerBlock series. Although the quality is definitely not the same (the weighted disc covers are not metal but plastic), it's been serving me well for the past 2 months after losing access to the university gym, which I was using before this.

Additionally, for dead-hangs and pull-ups (and eventually hoping to get calisthenics rings for even more exercise variations), I have this exact bar installed on my bedroom door frame. This was given by my partner, so it was technically free!

And for short bursts of cardio, I also have this stepper:

To increase the intensity, especially for shorter sessions (i.e., 15 minutes or shorter), I will try to adapt it by adding a simple exercise while “stepping”, such as the farmer's carry.

Occasionally, my family pays a visit to the local park and takes a stroll around the lake as well.

Cost

When I finished my undergraduate degree, I was adamant that I wanted to continue working out despite losing access to the free gym that I could access every day (unless it was full or too busy). I temporarily considered a gym subscription for somewhere nearby (ranges from RM185 to 205 per month) but realized that it would be fairly expensive, especially considering I would only be using it 2-3x a week. That's not including the time and gas money it would take to go to the gym.

And so I decided that it would be best to invest some money first in some of this workout equipment and hope that it can last a handful of years.

The total cost (excluding the bar) is RM492.32, or 125 USD, which I think is a great deal compared to what a 12-month subscription would've cost.

For the equipment itself, I'm fairly satisfied with the purchases, but I would love to get a walking pad or treadmill in the future if I can get a place with a larger space. The stepper has been helpful and serves its purpose in raising my heart rate and making me sweat, but its non-electronic mechanism means that you'll have to be controlling the pace (a treadmill would force you to walk/run or else you'll fall off!), which sometimes translates to me taking too many breaks or losing my focus.

Goals

Right now, I don't have a specific weight or figure goal and am just trying to stay fit to be able to go throughout the day sitting at my desk and doing everything else without feeling extremely lethargic.

Honestly, weight training in a consistent routine has helped me a lot with dealing with stress. I have sort of gone from someone who didn't really enjoy doing any form of exercise aside from taking a walk at the park or playing badminton to someone who actually has fun during these sessions.

I recommend anyone, regardless of gender, who hasn't tried weight training to give it a go!

#health