“Lifting heavy weights is often seen as the answer to everything.”
There are many benefits of weightlifting, especially for women, but it is not necessary to build strength and sculpt your body. For many people, working out with their own body weight is enough.
We have compiled a list of 13 body-sculpting moves that can be done without weights for those who work out at home or those who want to give the dumbbells a rest.
If you want to see success in your strength training, practice your routine two to three times a week. You should continue reading to learn how many sets and reps each move needs. Even though this workout only uses your bodyweight and does not require any equipment, it will still be difficult and challenging.
The warmup
You should warm up before you start exercising andStretch or foam roll afterward to minimize soreness.
Take a look below at our breakdown of 12 ways to build muscle without lifting weights:
1.Bodyweight Exercises
Bodyweight exercises can be particularly effective for muscle building.
strength-training exercises that use your own body weight for resistance
Push Ups and Pull Ups
If you want to build muscle in your upper body, you should do push ups and pull ups.
Fitness writers state that it is important to do a high number of repetitions at a difficulty level that is appropriate for you.
The experts say that muscles grow the most when you do between six and 12 repetitions, using 67-85% of the maximum resistance you can handle.
Squats
If you want to build bigger leg muscles, you need to start squatting.
The text is saying that this exercise is good for muscle growth in the hamstrings, quadriceps and calves.
Though squats primarily work the legs, they also provide an excellent full-body workout.
The Active Times, a health publication, has described how squats can help create an anabolic environment within the body.
This type of environment is good for building muscle mass throughout the body.
Dips
Dips are a great way to build up your arm muscles!
Body transformation coach and insta-star, Charlie Johnson, explained in Men’s Health:
Dips are a great exercise for increasing the size and strength of your triceps, and can also help improve your pressing strength. So it's a good idea to include some form of dip in your workout routine if you're looking to improve your triceps.
Sit Ups and Crunches
Crunches are a great way to tone your abdominal muscles and give your core a good workout. By doing crunches regularly, you can achieve a strong, muscular look.
Sit ups are a great way to tone multiple muscles at once, including your abdominal muscles, chest muscles, hip flexors, neck, and lower back.
2.Electrical Muscle Stimulation (EMS)
EMS involves using a device that sends electrical impulses to your muscles, causing them to contract. Although EMS devices have been around for decades, they’ve only recently become popular as a way to tone muscles and improve athletic performance. Although electrical muscle stimulation devices have been around for decades, they only recently became popular as a way to tone muscles and improve athletic performance. The devices work by sending electrical impulses to the muscles, causing them to contract.
If you’re not familiar with EMS, here is a quick summary:
An EMS machine sends electrical signals to your motor nerves, causing your muscles to contract. This is similar to how your muscles contract during a workout.
3.Swimming
Swimming is often recommended as a low-impact form of exercise that is gentle on your joints.
You can gain muscle mass even though it may not be as strenuous as lifting weights.
STACK, an athletic training and nutrition magazine, comments that Olympic swimmers are a great example of how swimming can build muscle!
However, they do add that you won't develop muscle as quickly as you would by using free weights.
4.Yoga
Yoga has increased in popularity dramatically in recent years, with 36 million Americans now practicing.
The benefits offered by a healthy diet are not surprising when you consider the whole population it covers, including men, women, and even children.
In other words, don't be fooled by how easy yoga might look—it can actually help you get super fit.
There are a number of asanas that are particularly powerful for building muscle strength.
Why not grab your mat, and start stretching today!
5.Eat More Protein
Protein is essential for muscle growth, so eating more protein is a great way to encourage muscle growth without having to lift weights.
Some good sources of protein are chicken, turkey, eggs, lentils and tofu.
The amino acids in protein help you to build and maintain lean muscle tissue.
6.Resistance Training
Elasticated bands are commonly used in resistance training, during bodyweight exercises.
You can target specific muscle groups by doing resistance training.
A systematic review of all the research around resistance training and muscle hypertrophy reached the same conclusion:
If you want to build muscle, you should lift weights.
Exercise that is low impact and easy on the joints is often used during physical therapy for people recovering from an injury. This form of exercise helps to rebuild muscle strength without putting too much strain on the joints.
7.Suspension Training
Suspension training is a workout where you use straps or ropes to support your body weight.
If you're having trouble with backaches, this type of workout can be helpful.
In an article published in the Journal of Sports Science & Medicine, four different suspension training systems were put to the test to see how they affected muscles.
Each of the four systems studied caused more muscle activity than the floor version of the exercise.
Watch below as fitness guru and founder of the Red Delta Project, Matt Schifferle, demonstrates how to build muscle using a suspension training system:
8.Running
You can build muscle by going for a quick run instead of lifting weights.
9.Cycling
Cycling can help you stay in shape and also build muscle.
That’s down to the resistance element of the sport.
Cycling against an opposing force builds muscles in the calves, quads, hamstrings, and glutes.
10.Get a Good Night’s Sleep
based on the data, it appears that we are sleeping less and less
It is surprising how many health benefits there are to getting an early night.
Studies have shown that sleep is essential for muscle growth. Without adequate sleep, muscles will not grow properly.
If you aren't getting enough sleep, your body isn't able to make new proteins as efficiently, leading to muscle loss and a slower recovery from exercise.
11. Rotational jacks
If you're looking for a way to get your heart rate up and muscles warm at the start of a workout, try rotational jacks. They're a twist on the standard jumping jack exercise.
Directions:
- Start in a wide stance with soft knees. Your
arms should be extended straight out at your sides so they’re parallel to the
ground. - Keeping your arms straight and head and neck
stationary, hinge forward at the hips and rotate your torso so your right hand
touches the ground. - Return to the starting position and jump your
feet together. - Immediately jump your feet back out, hinge
forward again, and rotate to the left, touching your hand to the ground. - Return to start. Jump your feet together and
twist again to the right. - Complete 12–15 reps for 3 sets.
12. Plank reach-unders
Planks are a basic exercise that, although not easy, provide full-body benefits. Adding the reach-under targets your core even more.
Directions:
- Assume a high plank position on your hands.
Ensure your core is braced and your lower back doesn’t sag. Your neck and spine
should be neutral. - Lift your right hand off the ground and back
toward your left thigh, tapping it with your fingers. Return to a plank. - Repeat with your left hand, tapping your right
thigh and returning to a plank. - Complete 3 sets of 20 total taps.
13. Step-ups
Step-ups are a great way to burn your lower half, while also working on your balance and stability.
Directions:
- Start standing in front of a knee-height bench,
or step with your feet together. - Step onto the bench with your right foot,
pushing through your heel and driving your left knee up. - Lower your left leg down, stepping backward off
the bench. - Complete 10–15 reps with your right leg, then
switch and complete 10–15 reps, leading with your left leg. - Complete 3 sets.
14. Mountain climbers
Mountain climbers are a great way to get a workout without having to use any weights. Your muscles and lungs will be working hard to support your body weight as you drive your knees up.
Directions:
- Assume a high plank position with your arms
extended. - Engaging your core and keeping your spine and
neck neutral, drive your right knee up toward your chest. Extend it and
immediately drive your left knee up toward your chest. - Repeat for 30 seconds, going as fast as you can
while maintaining good form. - Complete 3 total sets.
15. Squat jumps
Plyometrics are exercises that enable your muscles to create a lot of force within a short time-frame. A great example of this would be squat jumps. You only need a few sets of these in order to see significant results. However, it is important to note that these exercises can be high-impact and, as a result, may not be suitable for those with sensitive joints.
Directions:
- Lower into a squat position with your arms bent
and hands together out in front of you. - Explode up into a jump, pushing through and
landing back on the balls of your feet. - When you reach the ground again, squat down and
repeat. - Complete 3 sets of 10–12 reps.
16. Burpees
Burpees are a type of high-impact plyometric exercise that will help you torch calories quickly.
Directions:
- Start by standing straight with feet shoulder-width
apart and arms down by your sides. - Start to squat down, moving your hands out in
front of you. As soon as they reach the ground, extend your legs straight back
so you end up in a high plank position. - Immediately after you reach the high plank
position, jump your feet up to your palms by hinging at the waist. Get your
feet as close to your hands as you can get, landing them outside your hands if
necessary. - Stand up and immediately go into a jump squat.
- After you land, extend your legs back out again,
continuing steps 3–4. - Start with 15 reps.
17. Standing side hops
Lateral movements are important for a well-rounded exercise regimen. Standing side hops are great for hip and ankle mobility.
Directions:
- Start standing with your feet together and your
arms bent at a 90-degree angle at your sides. Your knees should be soft. - Keeping your feet together, jump to the right,
taking off and landing on the balls of your feet. - As soon as you reach the ground, jump back to
the left. - Repeat 20 reps for 3 sets.
18. Pullups
It can be difficult to complete a standard pullup, even for people who exercise regularly. However, it is worth it because it has a lot of benefits. You can use a pullup band to help you and you will still get the benefits.
Directions:
- Stand underneath a pullup bar and grip it with
your hands, placing them slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. - Lift your feet off the ground and hang from your
arms, then pull yourself up by bending your arms and pulling your elbows toward
the ground.
19. Squat pulses
When you squat and pulse in that position, you are increasing the amount of time your muscle is under tension. This makes the workout more difficult and will cause you to feel the burn more.
Directions:
- Get into a squat position with your hands
together out in front of you. - Raise up slightly, pushing through your heels,
then back down again. - Repeat for 30 seconds.
- Complete 3 sets.
20. Flutter kicks
Flutter kicks are a type of exercise that not only works your core, but also your hips. Doing three sets of flutter kicks will leave you feeling sore the next day.
Directions:
- Lie on your back on a mat with your legs
extended into the air so your body forms a 90-degree angle. - Slowly lower your right leg down toward the
ground as far as it will go while maintaining contact between your lower back
and the ground. - Return your right leg to start, and lower your
left leg down the same way. - Complete 20 total reps for 3 sets.
How long should you do this routine for?
Bodyweight exercises don't require any weights. Mix and match these 13 bodyweight exercises to see results in just a month or two.
A healthy diet is essential for achieving your fitness goals. Eating a balanced diet will help you be stronger and more powerful.
