BODYWEIGHT MUSCLE BUILDING: EFFECTIVE FOR GAINING MASS?

When we talk about bulking, most people first think of the gym and resistance training on machines or with weights and dumbbells. But is it really possible to build muscle by bodyweight without using equipment?

In this article we’ll look at how muscle growth works, and why you should try bodyweight training to build all muscle groups. We will also see which are the best exercises.

Summary :

WHAT IS BODYWEIGHT TRAINING?

As the name suggests, it involves training with your own body weight. The resistance against which your muscles are working is only generated by your body weight. In the adidas Training app you will find many training plans and exercises to do at home without equipment.

Some of the most common bodyweight exercises include:

• pumps ,
• pull-ups,
• squats ,
• the slits,
• the dips,
• crunches and sit-ups, etc.

HOW DOES MUSCLE GROWTH WORK?

To understand how muscle growth works, we must remember certain principles of anatomy. Your muscles are made up of different kinds of fibers that contract together to produce movement, move a load, etc. The more these muscle fibers work together, repeating the same movement, the more efficient they become.

When the muscle fibers are subjected to a heavier load or a more intense effort than usual, this is when the process of muscle hypertrophy, that is to say muscle growth, begins.

During the process of muscle hypertrophy, muscle fibers increase in volume, will become denser, stronger. To achieve this, it is therefore necessary to subject the muscles to a stimulus (we also speak of stress) which encourages them to develop. This can be done by increasing the load, intensity or even repetitions. In other words, it’s about challenging the muscle fibers beyond their usual comfort zone.

During training sessions, the fibers will undergo micro tears: do not worry, this is a completely normal process! Indeed, these micro tears are essential to allow muscle growth. Combined with an adapted diet and recovery phases , the muscle fibers will become denser and stronger. If you steadily increase the difficulty of your workouts and keep pushing your limits, your muscles will also continue to adapt to those stimuli. ^(1) (2)

IT TAKES TIME TO BUILD MUSCLE

If the purpose of the training is to stimulate your muscles, this does not necessarily mean that each session will make you gain muscle mass. But then, when will you see the first results ? Well, it’s only after several weeks/months of regular training that your muscles will start to grow.

To gain muscle, you must train regularly and in a varied way. If you don’t stimulate your muscles, they will disappear as quickly as they appeared. Try to find a workout routine that works for you to stay on track and achieve your goals. After a while, the muscles eventually get used to the stimulus. If your training always stays the same, you will stagnate and stop making progress. This is why it is very important to increase the level of difficulty of your workouts and also to vary them. And don’t forget to plan rest days.to allow your muscles to regenerate. Again, these days without training are essential, because it is precisely at this time that the muscles can recover and grow.

It’s not just the muscles that change with training. Ligaments, tendons and bones also adapt to stimuli.

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO GAIN MUSCLE WITH BODYWEIGHT TRAINING?

The time it takes to build muscle with bodyweight exercises varies from person to person and depends on a number of factors, including:

• the sex . Men tend to gain muscle faster than women due to higher testosterone levels.
• the age . Young people tend to gain muscle faster than older people.
• genetics . Some people have an easier time building muscle than others.
• activity level . The most active people get faster results.
• past sports practice . People who have already had a sporting activity in the past (fitness or other) generally find it easier to regain their previous level. This is called muscle memory.

That being said, an 8-12 week timeframe for building muscle mass with bodyweight training seems pretty realistic. Of course, this time frame varies from person to person and also according to fitness level. The important thing is to surpass yourself, and that you solicit your muscles with varied exercises at each session.

If you’ve never exercised before, you may see results come sooner. But don’t let ‘beginner’s luck’ fool you, because as you practice, you’ll notice that progress will be more difficult. This is completely normal and you will have to adapt your training program accordingly.

BUILDING MUSCLE WITHOUT EQUIPMENT: IS IT POSSIBLE?

The answer is yes ! You don’t necessarily need dumbbells, weights, or machines to build muscle. It depends on your goal.

• Strength training without equipment is particularly suitable for beginners. The resistance force generated by the weight of the body is an excellent stimulus for the muscles. Besides the fact that it helps to develop muscle mass, its other advantage is to strengthen the mobility and flexibility of the whole body. There are many combinations of bodyweight exercises. As already mentioned above, it is important to train regularly and gradually increase the difficulty, but also to give your body time to regenerate .
  Attention !Before starting bodybuilding, beginners should first familiarize themselves with the exercises and check that they are carried out correctly. A correct execution is essential to effectively develop muscle mass and also to avoid injuries.
• If you train regularly with bodyweight and already demonstrate excellent muscle strength, then additional loads will be necessary to go further and achieve optimal muscle development. With bodybuilding, it can happen that we quickly reach a level of stagnation. By training with additional weights and increasing the load regularly, you can boost your performance. There are many exercises with dumbbells that give very good results for building muscle quickly.

To add even more variety to your workout, consider using a resistance band/resistance band as well .

We also recommend that you read this article which will give you training tips to build muscle effectively .

ARE THERE ANY DOWNSIDES TO BODYWEIGHT TRAINING?

While bodyweight training is a great way to build muscle, burn fat, and gain strength, it can also have some downsides.

Indeed, it is not always easy to accurately measure your progress with bodyweight exercises. Weights/dumbbells of different sizes make it easy to track your progress. With bodyweight training, it is certainly possible to monitor progress by measuring the total number of repetitions and sets, as well as by adjusting certain variables such as rest periods and the tempo of exercise execution. But tracking overall intensity can be tricky when it comes to making sure you’re pushing yourself a little harder with each workout.

Despite these drawbacks, bodyweight training is still an effective way to build muscle and gain strength!

BUILDING MUSCLE IS GOOD FOR THE MIND!

Bodyweight training isn’t just going to improve your physical appearance. There are many benefits: firmer skin, better posture, less stress , etc. Strong muscles will also help you stabilize your joints and relieve your tendons and ligaments.

Have you also decided to lose weight ? That turns out well ! Thanks to your new well-developed muscles, you will burn more fat, even at rest. Indeed, by training regularly you will benefit from the post-combustion effect, also called afterburn. This means that your body continues to burn calories even after training, since your metabolism is still active.

Strength training will also do a lot of good for your mind . A strong and muscular body builds self-esteem and also self-confidence.

WHAT ARE THE BEST BODYWEIGHT EXERCISES?

The best bodyweight exercises target multiple muscle groups at the same time. These exercises are called compound movements. If you’ve ever done a squat or a bench press, then you’ve already done a compound exercise.

For example, during a squat, you target your lower body muscles — quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes — as well as core muscles.

By stimulating several muscle groups at the same time, you act on several levels.

• This strengthens neuromuscular connections: mind and body work together more efficiently.
• You develop your strength (power), while helping your muscles to be more defined (sheathing).
• You maximize your effort over a shorter period of time.

So what are the best bodybuilding exercises to get you started? In this list you will find exercises for the whole body, then for the lower body and finally for the upper body.

BODYWEIGHT EXERCISES

FOR THE WHOLE BODY

• burpees
• Mountain Climbers
• Plank Jacks

FOR THE LOWER BODY

• Squats
• Jump Squats
• lunges
• Bridges
• Calf Raises

FOR UPPER BODY

• push ups
• Pull-ups
• planks
• Shoulder taps
• Superman
• Sit-Ups
• Crunches

Are you ready to implement your bodyweight training program? Find all these exercises and many more on the adidas Training app . Use the app to record your workouts and track your progress.

BODYWEIGHT TRAINING FOR MUSCLE BUILDING

In this part, we will combine the different exercises presented above to create a training program for the whole body.

HOW TO DO THE WORKOUT?

For this bodyweight workout, do all the repetitions of the same exercise before moving on to the next one. Once you have completed the repetitions of all the exercises, take a break. Then repeat the entire program two or three more times.

If your goal is to burn fat , don’t take breaks between different exercises, but rather rest at the very end of each set, for 3 minutes. Repeat the series two or three times. If your goal is only to build muscle mass , then you can incorporate short breaks between exercises.

COMPLETE BODYWEIGHT TRAINING PROGRAM

Do the following three exercises as a warm-up. They are not part of the series.

• Mountain Climbers: 1-2 sets of 15-20 reps (warm-up)
• Jumping Jacks: 1-2 sets of 15-20 reps (warm-up)
• Bear Crawl: 1-2 sets of 15-20 reps (warm-up)

Once the warm-up is complete, perform dynamic stretches, then begin the workout program below.

• Squats-to-Overhead-Reach: 15 reps
• Pull-Ups: 10 (or, if you’re fit, as many as you can)
• Side Lunges: 10
• Push-Ups: 10 (or, if fit, as many as you can)
• Crunches: 10
• Glute Bridge: 10
• Sit-Ups: 10
• Burpees: 5

Again, once you’ve completed all reps, take an extended break at the end of the first set. Then repeat the series two or three times.

IN CONCLUSION

As we have just seen, it is quite possible to build muscle effectively without equipment. With bodyweight exercises, in addition to building muscle, you will also improve your endurance, coordination and stability. Moreover, you can train absolutely anywhere: no need for equipment, machines or dumbbells. Take the challenge, and with a little patience, you will soon see the results!