If you have been looking for a muscle building workout plan without equipment, you found the right article. We are going to use absolutely zero equipment on this one.
Some plans might include pullup bars or other equipment. We are going all in on the zero equipment status of this plan.
One thing to keep in mind is that while this is a great start, you will probably eventually want to branch out and try new things. Something like our 3 days a week workout plan at home might be something to take it to the next level.
If you are really looking to get serious in the gym, our beginner bodybuilding routine for mass would be your best bet.
The foundation of muscle building
People ask me regularly, what is the exact workout plan that I need to do in order to build solid muscle. My answer is always the same. 90% of building muscle is what you eat. But it’s not what you think.
Too many people in the fitness industry brag about eating the most unsatisfying looking food like steamed salmon with brown rice and peas. That is not the reality for people who know exactly what they are putting in their bodies.
Eating at a caloric surplus is the only way to build muscle. The only way to know if you are eating at a caloric surplus is to calculate your maintenance calories, and from there eat at a surplus.
Something I talk about regularly is the fact that every single person has a different maintenance calorie number. So there is never going to be a one size fits all diet to check all the boxes.
I will tell you right now that my maintenance calorie number is 3,100 calories. So if I want to eat at a caloric surplus, I will start with 500 calories extra per day. Meaning I have to eat 3,600 calories per day if I want to build muscle.
This is obviously not easy. Therefore you can supplement by using my 1000 calorie protein shake recipe. You can track every calorie by using an app like MyFitnessPal. You will be able to see exactly how much you eat. Then you can tweak your diet from there.
Before you even think about building muscle, be sure to take this section seriously. You cannot build muscle in a caloric deficit. You can spend years working out without gaining muscle if your diet isn’t right.
Muscle building workout program without equipment
Now we are getting into the good stuff. You have promised to eat at a caloric surplus so that your muscles can grow. The next steps are to actually do the workouts and being consistent with it.
For this particular plan, since we are using absolutely no equipment, I am going to give you 8 exercises to do. This is essentially going to be a full body workout. If you do this 3 days per week, you will be well on your way.
It is important to note that while this program will build muscle, you might want to invest in some small things to accelerate your gains. Check out how to build a home gym with limited space.
Also, if you want to create your own custom workout plan, I highly recommend downloading our app All Workouts: Personal Trainer (iOS | Google Play). Every exercise mentioned in this article is on this app and over 100 more!
Let’s get started with our muscle building workout plan without equipment.
Standard pushup
The standard pushup is the standard pushup. Meaning that it has been around for a long time. The great thing about pushups in general is that they workout multiple muscle groups. They are what is known as a compound exercise.
For example, the standard pushup is going to workout your chest, arms, and sometimes shoulders.
Diamond pushup
Diamond pushups are definitely harder than standard pushups. You will want to bring your hands in directly below your chest and form a diamond shape with your hands together.
This pushup is going to target your upper chest and your arms a lot more than a standard pushup.
Sphinx pushup
The sphinx pushup is in my opinion one of the most odd exercises out there. It just looks so unnatural. But, rest assured that it is going to hit your shoulders, arms, and chest muscles as good as any exercise.
The key here is to keep your arms tucked close in by your side. Try to be slow and methodical with your movements. The dedication will pay off.
Dips
Obviously in this video, I am using dip bars at the gym. But do not let that discourage you from doing them. All you need to do is find 2 parallel surfaces in your house. I personally have used 2 tables to do this.
I have also modified them to be a little bit lower using the side of my bed and my night stand. When you are using a muscle building workout plan without equipment, it is important to get creative.
Even though we don’t have equipment, we can use things around the house to help us out.
Chinup (modified of course)
Before you just down my throat for providing an exercise that requires equipment, I made sure to test various ways of doing a chinup. For example, you can do modified ones on the edge of your kitchen table.
Also, you might have a shelf in the garage that can help you. But I highly recommend just getting a cheap door frame pullup bar from Amazon. As cheap as it is, it will provide you with endless opportunity for muscle growth.
Jump squat
Since we don’t have weights to do our exercises with, we can rely on the jump squat to build up our legs. The best thing to do here is make sure that you explode up on each jump. This isn’t just some weak jump.
Using explosive movements is how we are going to ensure that we build muscle through this process.
Reverse table up
While the jump squat is going to hit our quads, the reverse table up is going to hit our hamstrings and glutes.
Be sure to squeeze your glutes together when you get to the top.
Arms high partial sit up
The arms high partial situp is one of my favorite ab exercises out there. It is essentially a modified crunch that puts more emphasis on contracting your ab muscles.
Be sure to keep your abs and core engaged the whole entire time. Keep going until you can’t anymore.
Main Point: Muscle building workout program without equipment
As you can see, it is completely possible to build muscle without equipment. In fact, when I started working out, it was essentially just pushups and squats. It took a while for me to find the confidence to get in the gym.
It is important to remember that if you are trying to build muscle, you are going to have a tough time if you aren’t eating at a caloric surplus. Any muscle building workout plan is going to be useless without you eating enough calories.
Consistency is another thing that you are going to need to build muscle. Eat consistently at a caloric surplus every day. Even one day off can throw your whole diet off balance.
Do you know anyone who seems to be able to gain muscle at will? That is mostly because whether you know it or not, they are probably eating at a caloric surplus daily. They might not even know it.
Like I mentioned in the second section, everyone has a different maintenance calorie number. So even if you ate the same food as one person, it doesn’t mean that your bodies will react in similar ways.
In fact, a caloric surplus for one person might be a caloric deficit for another person.
All in all, the key to building muscle is working out and eating at a caloric surplus for an extended period of time. It seems so simple, but not many are willing to stick to it.
Be consistent and the results will come!
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