Muscle Building Without Weights: Is It Really Possible?

Most people keen on building up their muscle strength will use weights. This is why your local gym is filled with body building equipment such as dumbbells and barbells. For anybody serious about getting stronger, this is undeniably the best way to do it. But are weights compulsory? In short, the answer is no, and there are other ways to build muscle strength. However, it will be a slower process. You will be at a disadvantage compared to those people who do use weights, but it can still be done.

So if you don’t have the means or the inclination to get to a gym, here is how you can build your muscle strength without weights.

Exercise

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A bit of a no brainer, and if you can’t be bothered lifting weights because you are put off by exercise, you are making life harder for yourself. You need to understand that you will still need to put in the work. Weights are only a tool to stimulate muscle growth, but they are useful for a progressive workout. As we said, you are still able to build your muscle strength without them, but you won’t get stronger without committing your body to bouts of regular exercise.

There are loads of exercises you can do at home using your body weight. These include push-ups, pull-ups, squats, and leg curls. Use this fitness guide to learn more. It is entirely possible to build an effective workout routine using your body weight, but progression can be tricky. People use weights as they are adjustable, giving them the means to progress quicker. This is much tougher using your body weight as you can’t just add another 50 pounds to your body when working out. However, there are ways around this. For starters, you can progress from easier exercises such as pull-ups to harder routines such as one-handed chin-ups. Then to add more resistance, you should consider wearing weighted vests or pull-up belts to aid your progression.

Eating the right foods

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We don’t need an excuse to eat more, but there are some foods you should definitely eat if you want to build muscle, and some you should avoid. When it comes to planning your diet, you need a combination of protein, carbs, and healthy fats. You will still need to commit to exercise, but eating these superfoods will help build muscle. While it shouldn’t need to be said, anything high in sugar and saturated fat should be avoided, no matter how tempting they are. Quite simply, if you don’t want to look like a doughnut, don’t eat them, especially if you are serious about replacing fat with muscle.

Many people choose to use muscle building stimulants, but you need to remember that these are meant to complement your diet, not replace it. However, if you are missing out on any food groups because of dietary complications, these will certainly help.

Final word

In summary, you can build muscles without weights. It will take you longer, but provided you commit to regular exercise, and the proper diet, you will eventually achieve the muscle gain you are looking for.

8 thoughts on “Muscle Building Without Weights: Is It Really Possible?

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  1. Good post. If you haven’t already, I recommend you check out Convict Conditioning by Paul Wade. There’s two books and a DVD. It’s all calisthenics but there’s a progression to it. Let me know what you think.

      1. Yes to supplement by bodybuilding and to motivate a few friends to exercise that didn’t want to get massive. Glad you replied, thanks.

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