6 Workouts That Boost Muscles Without Lifting Weights

With the ongoing pandemic teaching us the importance of fitness, everyone has started focusing on their health to boost immunity. While many have adopted a healthy and nutritious diet to increase the intake of vitamins and other natural nutrients, indoor workouts have become an integral part of everyone’s daily routine. Given the fact that hitting the gym is still not completely safe, as the danger of contracting the deadly virus still lingering around, working out in the house has become the ultimate and best option for all.

Despite the limitations, one can still gain muscles while working out in your home. Apart from maintaining a good diet, you can always include simple muscle-building exercises like push-ups, squats, burpees and others. These workouts will not only help you gain a well-toned body but also help you raise your overall fitness level as well. But the best part of these muscle-building workouts is that you don’t need to lift any heavyweights as these are equipment-free workouts. AskMen India shares a list of effective bodyweight workouts that would help you build muscles without lifting any weights.

Push-ups

One of the most effective compound workouts that can raise your fitness levels instantly is push-ups. With a plethora of variations out there to try, one can always opt for this bodyweight exercise to build the upper body muscles. Apart from strengthening your shoulder, back and chest muscles, push-ups are also responsible for improving stability, flexibility and bone density.

Steps to follow:

• Place your body in a plank position.
• Keep your arms straight and make sure the body is in a straight line.
• Bend your elbows and descend the upper body.
• Return to the original plank position.
• Repeat.

Dips

Dips is another good option to add to your daily fitness routine as it would help you build upper body muscles. An effective exercise to work on the triceps, dips develop your back, chest and shoulder muscles as well. But this bodyweight workout isn’t as easy as it looks, but if done correctly, dips can help you gain muscles within no time.

Steps to follow:

• Push yourself up onto the parallel bars.
• Straighten out your arms.
• Lower yourself down by bending your arms.
• Make sure you keep your head and shoulders straight.
• Raise yourself and go back to the original position.
• Repeat.

Pull-ups

Pull-ups will not only help you achieve a boarder and muscular look but also strengthen your upper body. While resistance training is comparatively more effective in building muscles, but given the current condition, bodyweight workouts are the best and safest option available. And if done correctly, pull-ups can pump up your lats, biceps, deltoids and core muscles to a good effect.

Steps to follow:

• Hold the bar approximately shoulder-width apart.
• Lift your body upwards with the help of your arms.
• Keep your feet above the ground (all the time).
• Lower your body to the original position.
• Repeat.

Burpees

Burpees is a full-body compound exercise that targets multiple muscles at the same time. Apart from helping you enhance your arms, chest, quadriceps, hamstring and core muscles, burpees also improve stamina and flexibility. It is another effective workout that doesn’t require any equipment and can be easily done at home within a limited space.

Steps to follow:

• Stand with your feet together.
• Place your arms vertically.
• Jump in the same position.
• Get into the plank position after landing.
• Return to the original position.
• Repeat.

Squats

Just like push-ups, there are many variations of squats that you can include in your daily routine. It will not only help you tone your lower body muscles but also improve your body posture. Mainly aimed at building glutes, quadriceps and hamstrings muscles, squatting is a good way of improving mobility and flexibility. A basic functional workout with several benefits, squats is a staple exercise for all fitness enthusiasts.

Steps to follow:

• Place your feet hip-width apart.
• Bring your arms in front of your chest.
• Keep your arms straight while bending your knees and lower down.
• Return to the original position.
• Repeat.

Box Jumps

Box jumps will not only help you lose all the extra weight that you gained amid the lockdown, but also improve mobility. A great way of pumping up the lower body muscles, box jumps would enhance your cardiovascular health as well. The only thing that you require to try this workout at home is a solid box that would support your body weight.

Steps to follow:

• Stand in front of the box.
• Get into a squat position.
• Jump on top of the box.
• Return to the original position.
• Repeat.

Include these exercises in your daily fitness routine and experience the gains.

Cover artwork by Dhaval Punatar/AskMen India

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