How to Gain Muscle Without Weights

Steps

Method 1

Doing Body-Weight Exercises

1. 1

   Work out a routine that rotates among strength-training exercises.

   When you're not using weights, your body becomes the "weight" that you use to build muscle. For instance, a pushup, where you're pushing your body off the floor, uses your body's weight to build muscle. However, you can't just stick with 1 exercise. You need to rotate through exercises to build up muscle across your body.

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   • Try exercises like squats, handstand pushups, pull-ups, dips, and body rows.
   • You can also try things like sit-ups and 1-armed handstands up against a wall for balance.
   • It can help to rotate through types of exercises. For instance, on your first round, do body weight squats, standard pushups, alternating lunges, and side planks. On the next round, try squat jumps, pause pushups, split-squat jumps, and front planks.^[2]

2. 2

   Alternate between limbs.

   Many exercises call for you to use both arms or both legs at once. However, if you only use 1 at a time, you work the muscles in that limb harder, helping you build up muscle. Alternate which limb you use on exercises that use both, such as doing pushups with just your left arm and then just your right arm.

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   • To mix things up, try a push up with your feet close together. If that's easy for you, try lifting one foot off the floor for your pushups. Alternate so you perform the exercise equally on each leg.
   • If you try one-arm pushups, attempt to hold the other arm behind your back. If you’re ready for an added challenge, place the free hand forward or out to the side. Again, perform any one-sided exercises equally. There are tons of way to vary your pushups to increase their difficulty.

3. 3

   Increase the difficulty.

   When you're doing a body weight exercise, push until you can't do another rep. However, once you're able to do 15 reps each time, it's time to move up to a more difficult exercise. More difficult exercises challenge your muscles more than repeating a less difficult exercise over and over.

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   • For instance, maybe you start off doing wall pushups because you're not quite ready for floor pushups. Once you get the hang of those, try doing pushups from your knees, and eventually move on to typical pushups.
   • Once that seems easy, try pushups with an arm or foot raised to increase difficulty.

4. 4

   Workout at least 3 times a week.

   If you want to build muscle, try setting a schedule of Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for workouts. When doing exercises, aim for 5 to 12 reps per set to build muscle. Aim for working through each exercise until you're just short of the most you can give. You don't want to go all out because that can hurt your muscles. However, you do want to push yourself each time.

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   • You can try rotating through the 4 types of exercises 3 times, so you hit 12 different exercises. Do each exercise for 30 seconds each and then rest for 30 seconds. Do all 12 exercises again, repeating 3 to 5 times.
   • Change up the speed of an exercise to work your muscles in a different way. For example, perform a squat by lowering yourself slowly for a count of 6 and then burst up to standing. Explosive muscle contractions work your body differently than slow and steady movements. This is a great way to add variety and intensity to your workout.

Method 2

Building Muscle through Cardiovascular Exercise

1. 1

   Tighten your core. When you're doing cardiovascular exercise, make sure you are tightening your core muscles, as if bracing for a punch. That will help you strengthen muscle throughout your core. This will help build your muscle fibers for endurance.

2. 2

   Run your way to muscles.

   You don't have to lift weights to gain muscle. For instance, walking or running every day can help you build muscle in your legs, core, and arms. It can also burn fat to make your muscles more visible.

   • Start out with sessions that are 30 to 45 minutes long 3 to 5 times a week. Alternate between quicker runs and slower, longer runs for the best results.^[6]

3. 3

   Try swimming.

   Swimming is a great full-body workout, so you're going to gain some muscle while doing this exercise. Try swimming 30 to 45 minutes most days of the week to start building muscles throughout your body.

   • Start slower and build up over time. For instance, you might start with 15-minute sessions if you're very out of shape. Add 5 to 10 minutes to the session each week to slowly increase over time.

4. 4

   Choose other exercises based on your preferences. Most endurance exercises will help you build muscles. Try cycling, for instance, or cross-country skiing. Rowing is also a good choice. Exercise for at least 30 minutes most days of the week to help build muscle and endurance.

Method 3

Substituting Other Things for Weights

1. 1

   Fill containers with liquids.

   Liquids are relatively heavy, so you can use anything with liquid for a weight. For instance, you can use milk jugs filled with water, laundry detergent bottles, or water bottles as weights with your workout.

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2. 2

   Lift with your kids.

   A silly, fun way to add weight to your workouts is to goof around with your kids while working out. If you're doing squats, for instance, give your kid a piggy-back ride while doing it. Of course, make sure you're being safe and have a good hold on your kid. Your kid will love it! You could even do pushups with your kid on your back.

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3. 3

   Pick up some canned food.

   You can also use a can of food for weight-lifting. Just grab a can in each hand and continue on with your exercises as you normally do. These can add a pound or 2 to your strength training.

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4. 4

   Put on weighted clothing.

   Another way to increase your weight while you're working out is to use weighted clothing. For instance, you can use weighted vests, a backpack loaded with potatoes, or weighted ankle straps. The added weight provides more resistance, helping you build muscle.

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Method 4

Making Lifestyle Changes

1. 1

   Increase the amount of (healthy) foods you're eating.

   It's difficult to build muscle without adding more calories to your diet. Rather than consuming excess calories indiscriminately, try to eat more protein and vegetables. Switching from refined carbohydrates to simple ones, such as fruit, can also be helpful.

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2. 2

   Sleep your way to muscles.

   Make sure you're getting your 8 to 10 hours of sleep each night. Sleep helps with muscle recovery, and it gives you the energy to power through your exercises. Try eating right before bed, though, to help encourage muscle growth.

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3. 3

   Drink at least 8 to 12 cups (1.9 to 2.8 l) of water a day.

   Water is essential to your muscles. It allows you to move and flex your muscles, and it carries needed nutrients to your muscles. You should be drinking at least 8 to 12 cups (1.9 to 2.8 l) of water a day, but you'll likely need more if you are exercising regularly or live in a dry or hot climate.

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Community Q&A

Add New Question

• How long does it usually take to gain visible muscles?

  wikiHow Contributor

  It depends on your workout plan and your body type. It usually takes a few months if you work hard enough.

• What is wrong when my muscles start hurting?

  wikiHow Contributor

  It's likely that nothing is wrong. Muscle soreness is a very normal part of working out, especially if you're new to it. If your muscles are hurting beyond normal soreness, then you may have injured yourself, so you should rest the affected muscle for at least 3-4 days.

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