5 Tips: How to Build Muscle WITHOUT a Gym

1) Press Ups are KING

Press-ups are and always will be the best exercise to build muscle (in my opinion). They can be done anywhere, and work your chest, shoulders, arms and core.

No other bodyweight movement is so versatile and at the same time requires so little equipment. You you need is a floor.

They are useful for everyone: from beginners to seasoned fitness buffs.

If you’re a beginner, I’d recommend to commit to doing press-ups every day (aim for 10-20). After a month I guarantee you’d see a massive difference in your upper body, provided you do the press-ups correctly.

2) Eat plenty of Protein

Try and eat more protein. Ideally, you should be targeting 1g of protein per 1lbs of bodyweight.

So if you weigh170lbs, that’s 170g of protein you wanna be consuming everyday.

The most convenient way to make sure you hit this level of protein is to consume Whey Protein powder in shakes. 2 scoops will give you around 50-60g, easy. Which means you only need 100-140g more to get you up to a sufficient level for muscle protein synthesis.

3) Understand that Bodyweight IS enough

At the end of the day, all that muscles need to build are RESISTANCE. Whether that’s through a 70kg barbell or a 70kg body, it doesn’t make any difference.

Our bodyweight alone is capable of building a fantastic physique. Sure - some areas are easier to target with dumbbells (like biceps), but it’s not absolutely essential.

Resistance bands are the only equipment, if any, I’d recommend investing in. And they are proper cheap and available (£10-30 maximum). The reason for their availability is because they are underrated.

But generally, body weight is sufficient to train almost every muscle group. There’s plenty of examples and resources out there for you to use - all it takes is a quick Google or YouTube search.

But for now, here’s 5 quick examples that cover pretty much every muscle group:

Press ups, Incline Press-Ups (yep I included them twice), Table Dips, Crunches, and Squats.

4) Consistency

Showing up even when you don’t feel like it is massive. Make a commitment - whether it be 3, 4 or 5 times per week: stick to your plan.

The workouts you do when you don’t feel like it are more valuable than the ones you do when you’re motivated. Motivation is temporary, discipline is what gets results.

Commit to it. Create HABITS. And you will get results.

5) Patience

Depending on your level, it will take minimum WEEKS; likely a month or two before you start seeing noticeable differences.

Most likely, others will spot the difference in your appearance before you do (cause you’re staring at yourself in the mirror everyday, so don’t notice changes as easily).

Keep going. And don’t judge yourself until at least 1 month of consistently executed training, with adequate protein consumption.