How to Build Muscle Using Body Weight Alone

Would you like to learn how to build muscle, but don’t have loads of cash to waste on expensive gym memberships or equipment?

If so, you’ve come to the right place. I’m going to show you how to build muscle using exercises that don’t rely on equipment of any kind. The only weight you’ll need is your own body weight. Not only will this help your pocket book, but it also means that you can save space and workout anywhere.

Okay, let’s get down to business, shall we?

Is There a Better Exercise Than the Push-up?

The regular, military style push-up is great for building muscle. Even if you work out with weights, there’s certainly nothing wrong with dropping and pumping out a few reps of push-ups.

The push-up works your chest and arms the most, but it also works your back, legs and stomach to a certain extent. In other words, it works most of your body, which is always a good thing when trying to figure out how to build muscle. The more muscle groups you work, the more calories you burn and the more muscle you’ll build, making the push-up a terrific choice.

Walk the Plank

The plank is similar to the push-up, except instead of resting your weight on your palms or knuckles, you rest it on your elbows. You also don’t do any pushing with the plank. Instead, you just try to hold your weight for as long as possible before stopping.

Like the push-up, the plank works a lot of different muscle groups and requires no equipment whatsoever.

Sit-up and Take Notice!

The classic sit-up or crunch is a wonderful exercise that uses bodyweight alone. You can perform it anywhere, and it targets those stomach muscles like few other exercises can.

Pull-up to Success...

Still wondering how to build muscle using bodyweight exercises?

Try pull-ups or chin-ups. If you don’t have a place in your house to perform this exercise, simply jog to your nearest park and use the monkey bars. It’s an effective muscle building exercise that few people think about.

Target Those Legs with Bodyweight Exercises

Believe it or not, you can perform lunges or squats without weights. It’s a cheap alternative that will help you succeed in your muscle building quest. If you need added resistance, try holding something in each hand while performing these exercises, such as a gallon of milk.

I know...it’s not glamorous, but it works!

Hopefully I’ve managed to answer a few of your questions concerning how to build muscle using bodyweight exercises alone. Try out the exercises listed above and see how well they work for yourself!

Check out our other feature article which includes a combination of bodyweight and free-weight excercises to build muscle fast.