Can you build muscle with just bodyweight exercises?

arrseegee

I know that lifting heavy is the ideal for building muscle but can bodyweight exercises at home also increase muscle? Or does it just improve strength without increasing muscle mass?

Background: I am not eating at a deficit and I run three times a week. I don't want to lose any weight, but am interested to know whether I can increase muscle mass without lifting heavy.

popsicklestar

Yes. Any type of strength training can build muscle.

steve0820

If you have a progressive strength training program, you can certainly build muscle with only bodyweight exercises. Resistance is resistance. There are some members here on MFP that train almost exclusively with bodyweight exercises, Waldo being one of them.

You can also check out:

Frank Medrano
Hannibal for King
The guys and girls from Barstarzz

As some examples of people who train with bodyweight and calisthenics.

SezxyStef

to build muscle you need the following:

a calorie surplus
a progressive load lifting program.

Bodyweight exercises esp if you can do them now will not build muscle even at a calorie surplus. You have to tax the muscle with a progressive load to build muscle, get in adequate protien to help repair the muscle after working them and eat above maitenance.

to build something you need excess materials (calorie surplus)

Esp as a woman...building muscle requires a lot of hard work and dedication.

Fujiberry

It will improve endurance.

To build muscle, you need constant/growing resistance as your muscles get stronger. This is called progressive overload. Bodyweight exercises (unless you're doing calisthenics) get easy too quickly, which means that your muscles aren't challenged for long, leading to no muscle gain.

Eating at a surplus (or at least at maintenance) is also needed to build muscle.

cloggsy71

Check this guy out: http://youtu.be/Zk9jp9rJ3Ss

JojoEffeckt164

I just started my strenght training with using body weight only.
I´ll exercise 3x a week strenght and 3x week cardio...
I´ll continue doing this for 100 days and then I will look at the progress

For my part I can say... HELL NO IT´S NOT TOO LIGHT OR EASY FOR MY MUSCLES!
I´m so bad in pain when I´m done... Can´t imagine that it will get a lot easier during my 100 day challenge....

Try and Error... That´s how those things work...

fatcity66

Check this guy out: http://youtu.be/Zk9jp9rJ3Ss

Well, this guy looks like he's having no problem doing it. :happy:

msf74

Yes, you can.

To build muscle you need progressive overload of muscles by means of resistance being applied to them. Your own bodyweight can provide that means of resistance. This is some obese people can experience muscular hypertrophy in their legs simply by walking more.

The problem is the "progressive" part. With barbells / dumbells that is fairly easy as you can whack some some weight on the bar. With bodyweight that becomes a little trickier.

If you want some decent bodyweight exercise then check out Ross Enamait's stuff.

arrseegee

Hi all,

Thanks for the good information and ideas. For now the bodyweight exercises I'm doing are challenging but we have also got some equipment at home like a pull-up bar that I can work with. The tip about calisthenics is a good one, thanks to those who mentioned it - gives me something to work with.

Cheers

nauner

The Military has built many strong soldiers with just using bodyweight exercises.

SezxyStef

The Military has built many strong soldiers with just using bodyweight exercises.

strength <> muscle building

I am very strong (ex military) and have been doing heavy lifting for 9 months but I have not built any muscle in those 9 months...

tryclyn

The Military has built many strong soldiers with just using bodyweight exercises.

Sparta comes to mind, as well.

pyrowill

You can add progression with bodyweight by adding ankle weights, weighted vests, and sandbags. bodyrock.tv is another example of this. Love the Barstarzz guys too. Makes me wish I was light enough to bust out even one good pull up lol.

brower47

The Military has built many strong soldiers with just using bodyweight exercises.

Sparta comes to mind, as well.

Does airbrushing count as muscle building?

steve0820

Yes, you can.

To build muscle you need progressive overload of muscles by means of resistance being applied to them. Your own bodyweight can provide that means of resistance. This is some obese people can experience muscular hypertrophy in their legs simply by walking more.

The problem is the "progressive" part. With barbells / dumbells that is fairly easy as you can whack some some weight on the bar. With bodyweight that becomes a little trickier.

If you want some decent bodyweight exercise then check out Ross Enamait's stuff.

I'll 2nd Ross Enamait as well. Should of including him, in my 1st post on this thread. The man knows his bodyweight exercises, and minimalist training. I have and read several of his books. Never Gymless is a good one.

MeanderingMammal

The Military has built many strong soldiers with just using bodyweight exercises.

Indeed, however that's a very functional size and strengththat's developed. One doesn't want to be excessively bulky as it has little purpose on operations.

Essentially yes one can build both strength and size using progressive bodyweight training, but it's a slow process.

tryclyn

The Military has built many strong soldiers with just using bodyweight exercises.

Sparta comes to mind, as well.

Does airbrushing count as muscle building?

Shoulda put a disclaimer about that movie. :laugh:
One of my professors explained how the ancient philosophers understood the connection between healthy body - healthy mind and described Plato or Aristotle as Hawking in Hulk Hogan's body (it was awhile ago obviously).

yogicarl

Also - Al Kavadlo. Google the name and you will come to his website with loads of tips and programs.

DYELB

The Military has built many strong soldiers with just using bodyweight exercises.

Indeed, however that's a very functional size and strengththat's developed. One doesn't want to be excessively bulky as it has little purpose on operations.

Essentially yes one can build both strength and size using progressive bodyweight training, but it's a slow process.

Because adding a barbell makes it quick.

jimmmer

Yes.

As long as you are doing the right exercises on a progressive schedule, getting enough food and getting enough rest/recovery and sleep.

Same as with barbell work. Or kettlebell work. Or dumbbell work. Or sandbag work....

cloggsy71

More here: http://youtu.be/eNkIgWEZvDc

cloggsy71

And here: http://youtu.be/ete9gaFvmHs

This bloke is IMMENSE IMHO!

MeanderingMammal

The Military has built many strong soldiers with just using bodyweight exercises.

Indeed, however that's a very functional size and strengththat's developed. One doesn't want to be excessively bulky as it has little purpose on operations.

Essentially yes one can build both strength and size using progressive bodyweight training, but it's a slow process.

Because adding a barbell makes it quick.

Equally, it makes it more boring than bodyweight work...

But in the context of the prior point, the military have plenty of track record in developing recruits physical strength and size using predominantly bodyweight training. It's functional, adaptable and doesn't require much in the way of equipment.

Get a recruit trooop out in the field, then thrash them with bodyweight circuits, it puts them under pressure and gets them out of their comfort zone. Increasing the challenge may involve doing bodyweight exercises with fighting order on, or by buddying up and lifting another body.

The fundamental point remains valid.

DYELB

The Military has built many strong soldiers with just using bodyweight exercises.

Indeed, however that's a very functional size and strengththat's developed. One doesn't want to be excessively bulky as it has little purpose on operations.

Essentially yes one can build both strength and size using progressive bodyweight training, but it's a slow process.

Because adding a barbell makes it quick.

Equally, it makes it more boring than bodyweight work...

But in the context of the prior point, the military have plenty of track record in developing recruits physical strength and size using predominantly bodyweight training. It's functional, adaptable and doesn't require much in the way of equipment.

Get a recruit trooop out in the field, then thrash them with bodyweight circuits, it puts them under pressure and gets them out of their comfort zone. Increasing the challenge may involve doing bodyweight exercises with fighting order on, or by buddying up and lifting another body.

The fundamental point remains valid.

You missed the sarcasm font.

Anyone who thinks strength gains are quick in any capacity either started out weak and is now slightly less weak or doesn't lift.

waldo56

Indisputable visual evidence that not only is is possible, it isn't even any less efficient than building muscle with weight (may actually be MORE efficient):

http://strengthunbound.com/monthly-progress-photos/

The only weight I use are some DB's to weight pistol squats and step ups (when I do them). I've done weighted pullups in the past but find bodyweight variations more effective for size and strength gains.

Now bodyweight training doesn't mean repping out to infinity, you have to keep increasing the resistance by doing increasingly more difficult exercises.

Building muscle is all about your calorie surplus.

People somehow have a difficult time grasping the ramifications of strength increasing as a function of area, weight increasing as a function of volume. Once you pass a certain point, building muscle makes you "weaker" with BW exercises because they all rely on strength to weight ratio, not ultimate strength. At some point the strength gain from more muscle mass isn't enough to offset the weight gain from that muscle.

HeidiMightyRawr

Yes you can.

It may be harder since it's not as easy to progress in terms of resistance, but it's not impossible. I'd say if you're putting your muscles under stress regularly, and you're eating enough to support muscle growth, then it can be done. You may find though that over time, once you get more advanced, you'll feel the need for more resistance. Even if you still do exercises with your own body such as push ups, pull ups, squats (without a barbell/rack) there are still ways to make them harder or add more weight.

rybo

Yes as shown by several here, you can build muscle and increase size thru body weight training.

It would be nice for once to have those who feel BW exercises are inferior to quit spouting their misinformation.

No_Finish_Line

It will improve endurance.

To build muscle, you need constant/growing resistance as your muscles get stronger. This is called progressive overload. Bodyweight exercises (unless you're doing calisthenics) get easy too quickly, which means that your muscles aren't challenged for long, leading to no muscle gain.

Eating at a surplus (or at least at maintenance) is also needed to build muscle.

if standard push ups, pull ups, etc. was all that was available, this would be true.

fortunately there is a nearly inexauhstable library of body weight exercises. there will always be a variation out there that you can only perform 8 or less of

under 8 reps should be considered heavy lifting IMO

No_Finish_Line

Indisputable visual evidence that not only is is possible, it isn't even any less efficient than building muscle with weight (may actually be MORE efficient):

it should be nearly exactly the same. resistance is resistance