This Simple Towel Trick Can Take Your At-Home Workouts to the Next Level

Let’s face it—not everyone can hit the gym at 5 a.m. or spend thousands on high-end home gym equipment. But building strength at home doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive. In fact, all you need is a towel.

Enter isometric towel holds—a simple yet highly effective way to build strength using nothing but a towel and your own effort. This technique involves pulling or pressing against a towel with maximum force while keeping your muscles in a static hold. The result? Increased strength, improved endurance, and a challenging workout—without the need for fancy equipment.

"For individuals working their way back from injury, for those with limited mobility, as well as those beginning their fitness journey, isometric towel exercises are a friendly, gentle, accessible approach to building your physical health," says Olympic medalist and cyclist Dotsie Bausch. "There is no need to get intimidated early on in your journey at a gym or boutique studio; isometric towel exercises are an accessible, affordable, and easy-to-follow option for everyone."

This could involve wrapping a towel around your upper back, then pressing with your hands against the ends that drape down to create added resistance in a push-up, holding that lower end of the movement for 20 seconds. You could also place a towel under your feet and pull the ends toward you in a row, holding at the top.

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Related: Best Home Gym Equipment for Small Spaces, Recommended by Experts

Why It Works

Isometric exercises are a great tool to provide a more well-rounded approach to building strength. Below, Bausch breaks down the benefits of using isometric towel holds compared to traditional bodyweight or resistance exercises alone.

Maximal Muscle Activation

"Since isometric contractions allow you to exert force at your maximum potential (without movement limitations), they can activate more muscle fibers than some popular, traditional strength-building exercises," Bausch says. 

Enhanced Joint Stability

According to Bausch, isometric training stabilizes joints, making it useful for improving joint integrity and preventing injuries. Working with a towel is a great tool for individuals with limited mobility to begin to rebuild strength (with approval from your doctor). 

Minimal Equipment Requirement

"A towel is an affordable, simple, and incredibly effective way to create resistance by pulling or pushing against it, making isometric training accessible anywhere," Bausch adds. "Chances are, you already have many towels in your home, and you can adjust the difficulty of the exercises by varying the size and thickness of the towel, too!"