Building muscle with no weights sounds impossible for many people. But even gym-goers often train with no weights. So even if you are not going to win the next Mr. Olympia with no weights, you can still build some muscle and impressive strength even with no weights. Building muscle is based on the foods you consume and on the exercises which put your muscle under tension for a certain period of time.
There are multiple ways in which this can be achieved. From simple bodyweight exercises to playing a sport or training with TRX bands, there are a few options you can apply to build muscles without even getting close to dumbbells or fitness machines.
Bodyweight training
Bodyweight training is one of the simplest and most efficient methods to get ahead when it comes to strength and mobility. At the same time, these exercises are what is truly needed when it comes to building muscle as well. There are a few great exercises that can be performed with these characteristics in mind.
Pull-ups
The classic pull-up remains one of the best exercises for strength and muscle. In many cases, you have the ability to choose the types of pull-ups you want to perform. Even if you don’t have the advantage of added weights, you can still vary the intensity of the workout with pull-ups. One way to do this is to adjust your grip. Simply adjusting the point where you grip the bar can have an effect on the intensity of the exercise. Another way in which the exercise can be varied is by the number of repetitions. The higher the repetitions the more exhausted you are going to get. Finally, another under-utilized way to variate bodyweight exercises which include pull-ups is by actually controlling your pace. It is here that you have the ability to go as fast as you want to make your muscles work harder. All you need for this exercise at home is a pull-up bar, even a home gym is not required for bodyweight exercises.
Activated muscles: Back, Biceps.
Push-ups
Another old-school bodyweight exercise comes with push-ups. It is here that you have the ability to train your pushing muscles. These exercises can also be performed in different locations. You can train at home, in the park or in the gym. The perfect technique is recommended. As with pull-ups, push-ups also have different variations. From the position of your hands to the angle of your body, these small changes can impact the way in which you perform.
Activated muscles: Chest, Triceps.
Squats
Leg muscles can also be activated with no weights. Bodyweight squats are popular for this style of training. An alternate exercise involves pistol squats or one-leg squats. These types of squats are much more difficult to perform as they require strength but coordination and balance as well.
Activated muscles: Legs.
Shoulders
Even shoulders can be trained without weights. You will need a bit of imagination but at the same time, you will be able to get the workout you need simply from your bodyweight resistance. An exercise to consider for shoulder muscles comes with handstand push-ups. It can be challenging to master at the beginning, but this type of exercise is one of the best options when it comes to improved overall coordination and strength.
Activated muscles: Shoulders, Triceps.
Biceps
The muscles in the arms can also increase with the right bodyweight exercises. One of the most complex exercises for this purpose comes with chin-ups. This exercise also works your back, but it shifts a lot of tension towards your biceps as well.
Activated muscles: Biceps, Back.
Triceps
The triceps are larger than the biceps and this is why it is worth finding the right routine for you. In most cases, you can work triceps with different exercises such as push-ups. Another interesting exercise comes with parallel bar dips. This exercise puts a lot of focus on your pushing muscles such as the triceps. This is why it is important to know that you are able to deal with this coordination movement to target your triceps.
Activated muscles: Triceps, Chest.
Abs
Abs can also be trained in various ways with bodyweight exercises only. You have the ability to perform different types of crunches, lateral crunches, or planks for this purpose. One of the best ways to train abs is to actually use an adjuvant such as a fitness ball. Standing on the ball, you can perform crunches in a controlled way while trying not to fall from the ball. Bossu balls can be a good alternative as well. In many cases, alternate crunches such as the bicycle crunch can be a good way to move forward. It is worth performing various other exercises for your core’s strength such as leg raises as well.
Activate muscles: Abdominals
Cycling
Apart from these bodyweight exercises, there are a few other activities that require no weights and which can work well when it comes to building muscle. One of them is cycling. Even if it is linked to cardiovascular workouts, cycling actually develops the muscles of the legs. This is why you will see so many cyclists which impressive legs. You can cycle indoors using a recumbent bike or outdoors with a classic bike. In most cases, finding the right type of workout which is often short is recommended for cycling when you want to build muscle.
TRX training
Suspension training is very popular at the moment. Even professional athletes are using this type of training. It works great when it comes to strength gain. It is also a direct influencer of coordination and balance. TRX training is now available in most gyms. If you prefer to train at home, you can purchase your own TRX bands as long as you have a high point to anchor them on. TRX bands are compact and this is why they can also be taken to the park. Thus, if you want to train in the fresh air, you have the ability to do so with no weights and with only a simple TRX system.
TRX training is quite complex. It also targets specific muscles of the body. For many people, TRX training is also a great solution when it comes to better cardiovascular endurance as well. This is due to the fact that, usually, the number of repetitions is quite high as well. This is why it is worth finding the solutions you have when it comes to targeting specific muscles so that at the end of the workouts, you have already activated all the large muscles of your body.
Playing sports
Another way of building muscle with no weights is by playing a sport. There are many types of sports which you can perform. Playing tennis is one of the best ways to build some muscle in the upper body. At the same time, it is one of the sports which can build your cardiovascular endurance as well. This is why it is worth considering the options you have when it comes to the sports you can perform locally as you will have to maintain consistency if you plan to build muscles. Another interesting sport you can perform is running, specifically, trail running. Since it is not as straightforward as running on the track, trail running puts intense pressure on your muscles to perform the running muscles while maintaining balance. It is also one of the sports which require minimum investments as well.
Building muscle with no weight is not complicated. In many cases, you have the ability to choose the best options when it comes to better overall mobility as well as many of the mentioned exercises come with benefits in the way your body moves as well. Another benefit of these exercises comes with posture. For example, TRX training has been used to improve posture. In many cases, you are thus looking at other benefits beyond simply building muscles when you step away from weights.
