You want to build lean muscle and get stronger, but you have two obstacles:
(1) your time is constrained, and
(2) you have no equipment to train at home.
You're screwed, right?
...NO!
Building muscle and strength can be done at home, in less than 15 minutes a day.
Here's how:
Bodyweight Training
Don't underestimate how effective bodyweight exercises can be for building lean muscle and getting stronger. In order to make them REALLY effective, you have to create mechanical disadvantage through body leverage.
You won't have to worry about that, though, because I'm going to outline 3 muscle-building workouts for you that'll take the guesswork out of optimal programming. The best part is, these workouts can be done quickly, at home and at no cost.
Let's get to it.
(NOTE: Want a full 12-week muscle-building program that requires less than 90 minutes a week? Learn more here.)
Workout 1 -- Upper Body "Push"
This workout will specifically train your chest, shoulders and triceps, or the "push" muscles. It looks like this:
A - Push-up (You know how to do these...perform 3 sets of 20 full-range reps.)
B - Handstand Push-up (I discuss these here. Start with 2 sets of 3-6 reps.)
C - L-Sit (hold for 20-30 seconds -- see below)
A gymnastics staple, the L-Sit is an isometric movement that trains the abs, triceps, hips and hamstrings. You can do these on the floor with your hands placed palms-down just outside your hips. If doing them on the ground is awkward, you can also do them from an elevated object, as shown below:
Workout 2 -- Lower Body
This workout will train your quads, calves and posterior chain (lower back, glutes, hips and hamstrings):
A - One-Legged or "Pistol" Squat (see below*)
B - L-Sit (same as above, under "Workout 1") *The pistol squat is an excellent movement that, in addition to building muscle, also develops flexibility, balance and strength. To get started, perform 2 sets of 5-10 reps per leg.
Watch the video below to learn how to do it:
Workout 3 -- Upper Body "Pull"
This workout will specifically train your chest, shoulders and triceps, or the "push" muscles. It looks like this:
A - Pull-up (Palms facing away from you...you know how to do these. Perform 3 sets of 5-10 full-range reps.)
B - Close-grip chins (Same as above, but palms facing toward you, and hands only a few inches apart. 3 sets of 3-6 reps.)
C - Band pull-aparts (Do 2 sets of 10-20 reps -- see below to learn how to perform them)
Want a full 12-week muscle-building program that requires less than 90 minutes a week? It's FREE -- Click the image below)
