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How To Build Muscle Without Weights

By: Nick Molin

Break Studios Contributing Writer

For those frustrated with weights and fancy machines at the gym, this article will show you the basics on how to build muscle without weights. It's a common misconception that to get big, you need to use weights, and that body weight exercises will only get you lean and ripped. Tell that to Olympic Gymnasts, who use almost exclusively bodyweight exercises to maintain almost superhuman physiques. Make no mistake, you can get enormous using your body as your only exercise equipment. There are numerous websites that will provide more in depth examination of what kind of exercises you need to do, as well as workout plans and more. But if you're looking to jump right into the mix, here's how you can get started.

  1. Lots of reps. Some people will tell you you need to do small amounts of reps with high amounts of weight to really pack on size, and there's an element of truth in this. But have you ever seen someone who can do 500 pushups in a row that was a twig? And odds are that guy was stronger and more fit than most of the ones with enormous muscles pushing around stacks of weights on a machine. In the desire to acquire size and strength, people are often too quick to brush past the basics to try and get where they're going quickly. This is a mistake. Stick to and master the basics; even after you've moved on it's always a good idea to go back and brush up. Find a progression that works for you and stick to it. It will be difficult, but worth it in the end.
  2. High resistance bodyweight exercises. Going back to the common misconception about big weight being needed to offer enough resistance to grow muscle, this mistake is based on the belief that you can't get that resistance using only your bodyweight. Poppycock. Can you do a one arm pushup? Can you do a one arm pushup with your feet elevated? What about a one arm pull up? How about a handstand pushup, or a one legged squat? Can you hold a wall sit for more than 3 minutes? These exercises will provide more than enough resistance to really break down and build up your muscle. There's even a reasonable argument for how these exercises are superior, in that they teach you not only how to push weight around, but how to handle and move your body in a superior fashion. Play around with the basics to make more difficult exercises. Too many people get stuck in the machine mentality that there's only so many right ways to move your body. Don't be afraid to try and go extreme or to get a little kooky in how you come up with your routine.
  3. Eat. When it comes to gaining size this is where most people mess up, especially when they first try to do high quantity calisthenics. Moving around that much is fantastic cardio, which can lead to weight loss even though you're building up strength and endurance. You need to be eating high quality foods and lots of them if you want to build muscle, using weights or not. Sticking to a basic diet with lots of protein will take your gains to the next level.
Posted on: Feb. 21, 2010