Build muscle without weights?

Improvised
Improvised Posts: 925 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi,
I'm looking to build muscle and get lean, using just my body weight, is that possible? I don't have access to a gym.
If anyone has any exercise ideas on how to do this, I'd appreciate it. I have planks, push-ups, squats and lunges, not sure after that.

Replies

  • DopeItUp
    DopeItUp Posts: 18,771 Member
    Look up You Are Your Own Gym and Convict Conditioning.
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    Yes. Search body weight exercises, just make sure you are sufficiently challenging yourself. Body-weight squats probably aren't going to cut it. You Are Your Own Gym and Convict Conditioning are pretty popular.


    And if you mean build muscle (vs get stronger, not the same thing), then make sure you are eating enough.
  • gamesandgains
    gamesandgains Posts: 640 Member
    you can build a certain amt with your own body weight but as you progress, in order to get more muscle, you need some type of resistance. Anything that will cause progress overload.
  • Improvised
    Improvised Posts: 925 Member
    Thanks. I'm currently super whimpy. I just had a baby, and did next-to-nothing for exercise the whole time. I think body weight will work well for a while, at least. Trying to focus on getting lean and healthy vs what the scale says (not liking what it says right now, lol).
  • Butrovich
    Butrovich Posts: 410 Member
    There are plenty of body weight programs on the Internet, or you can purchase some resistance bands.
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    Improvised wrote: »
    Thanks. I'm currently super whimpy. I just had a baby, and did next-to-nothing for exercise the whole time. I think body weight will work well for a while, at least. Trying to focus on getting lean and healthy vs what the scale says (not liking what it says right now, lol).

    Again, just for emphasis... make sure you are sufficiently challenging yourself. Body weight squats probably won't do much.

  • giggitygoo
    giggitygoo Posts: 1,978 Member
    Bodyweight work can be very challenging. It took me a long way when I first started. Agree with dopeitup, the programs he mentioned are great. There are many creative ways to make bodyweight exercises more challenging.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    I took at peek at your profile....building new muscle is highly improbable when eating at a deficit. Keeping lean muscle (getting stronger) while dieting is important though. Start with body weight exercise until it becomes too easy.
  • jrline
    jrline Posts: 2,353 Member
    if you buy a strap you can attach it to a door frame and get all sorts of great exercises to help you use your body weight to get stronger and leaner.

    29509743.png
  • vmiyanks04
    vmiyanks04 Posts: 6 Member
    I agree with the above comments, in terms of as you progress you'll want to add dumbbells to your exercises. But for now, I would recommend the following from typical military training... pushups (wide, normal and diamond); sit-ups (full length, crunches, side crunches to target obliques); flutter kicks (legs straight out w/ scissor motion); lunges; mountain climbers (pushup position and pull your knees to your chest); star jumpers/8-count pushups (start standing, then squat down, kick legs out, do a pushup, pull legs in, jump up into the air and clap arms above head); pull-ups (if you have a pull-up bar or a door frame); etc. There are others too. Take a look at http://www.military.com/military-fitness/ for some good resources. No gym required!
  • panella73
    panella73 Posts: 10 Member
    Yoga is a good option. Daily yoga practice (power yoga, vinyasa flow, Ashtanga) will move you through a variety of all over body weight poses that will strengthen everything. The planks, pushups, lunges, etc that you've mentioned are all built-in. Lots of free resources and videos online you can do at home.
  • Hornsby
    Hornsby Posts: 10,322 Member
    Yes, you can get stronger and leaner using only body weight exercises. No, you will not build any appreciable amount of muscle.
  • Improvised
    Improvised Posts: 925 Member
    TeaBea, I probably should have just said I'm looking to get lean first, and then muscle. Wasn't thinking about the calorie (haven't *seriously* counted calories for some time) side of things.
    Basically what I'm going for is to look toned without worrying about the scale.
  • crookback
    crookback Posts: 33 Member
    I can recommend using a suspension trainer. It works for me at least, although it's more strength rather than huge amounts of muscle.
  • Improvised
    Improvised Posts: 925 Member
    I think I got muscle building and strength training confused. :P
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    jacksonpt wrote: »
    Improvised wrote: »
    Thanks. I'm currently super whimpy. I just had a baby, and did next-to-nothing for exercise the whole time. I think body weight will work well for a while, at least. Trying to focus on getting lean and healthy vs what the scale says (not liking what it says right now, lol).

    Again, just for emphasis... make sure you are sufficiently challenging yourself. Body weight squats probably won't do much.

    Really? I disagree

    and for emphasis..I have pics to prove they do something for a while...

    To the OP bodyweight exercises are great to start with and if you can slowly add in weights (even hand weights) then if you can move on to higher weights with barbells.

  • carlosjenno
    carlosjenno Posts: 174 Member
    Check eBay for "resistance bands" or "tubes". You can pick up a set for <£10 and start there. Loads of workouts on the web.
  • 212019156
    212019156 Posts: 341 Member
    Especially for a female a body weight exercise routine can work well. For legs work up to doing pistols.
  • Cortelli
    Cortelli Posts: 1,369 Member
    Check out some of Waldo's experience with building muscle and getting lean through mostly bodyweight routines: strengthunbound.com/
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    This content has been removed.
  • splashtree2
    splashtree2 Posts: 277
    Improvised wrote: »
    Hi,
    I'm looking to build muscle and get lean, using just my body weight, is that possible? I don't have access to a gym.
    If anyone has any exercise ideas on how to do this, I'd appreciate it. I have planks, push-ups, squats and lunges, not sure after that.

    Yes are that you have to make more sets per exercise no less than 6 and also crossfit exercise with no equipment you find them on YouTube!

  • VeryKatie
    VeryKatie Posts: 5,961 Member
    DopeItUp wrote: »
    Look up You Are Your Own Gym and Convict Conditioning.
    This!
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
    invest in some gymnastics rings. they're great
  • rybo
    rybo Posts: 5,424 Member
    I rely nearly exclusively on bodyweight strength training. If I ate more I'd easily gain size. I choose not to be any bigger, but I keep getting stronger.

Categories