Ok, I know you are fitness people or whatever, but I thought I’d just give a little background on why I’m doing this from a mental point of view. Skip if you want; I tend to ramble about my overthinking.
I am eighteen. Four years ago, I moved from the county I lived most of my life to my home country, which I never really liked. For the last 3 or so years, I have been most likely depressed or at least in a really serious rut. I’ve never been diagnosed medically, but I know I’ve felt like shit. I have also been very lonely. I’ve almost completely surrounded myself in a bubble. No close friends, no girlfriend, no game, nothing. All I do is think and think. I’d like to add that I’ve been the nerd stereotype for all my life. Now that I’ve gotten to college and cannot adjust to it, I despise that title with every inch of my body. I wish I never cared about academia in the first place due to how much I hate it now. End of ramble.
Now, that didn’t have to do with fitness, but it’s what’s driving me to at least try to change myself. There is no way everyone misunderstands me and thus doesn’t love me; I am the problem. I need to change to be happy. I lost a lot of weight in the past few years, but don’t have any muscle on (I don’t go to the gym). You could say I’m scrawny with stretchy skin. This is very tiring and very disgusting to me. My body pains because I don’t move it enough.
Right now, I don’t go to the gym and can’t because it’s a bit far and I’m focusing on trying to just pass my first year in uni (it’ll be over in like 3 weeks), so I’m looking for exercises at home without equipment to do the change. I don’t want to be ripped, I just want change. I know that demands determination and effort, but I want a plan to dedicate that to. Let’s say I want to focus on building up a bit of muscle on my whole body, but mostly my upper body like chest, shoulders, and arms just to actually look my age.
CONCLUSION AND ALSO TL;DR:
Does anyone have a semi-definitive no equipment home workout plan that yields actual results within a reasonable amount of time? I am 18 and rather scrawny but want to build up a bit of muscle. Thanks.
Also, you could just buy some dumbbells if they’re cheap where you are, and those will help out greatly. Even just a 5 or 10-pounder can get you started.
Failing that, water weighs a good portion. A gallon of water is 8 pounds, so you could use jugs for weights, or rocks even. Weigh them out and you could use those. Those are free. Sand is often good too.
As a former scrawny 18yo (145lbs, 6’0 => 180 and shredded)…
Eat TONS. Don’t count on hunger if you don’t get hungry enough. Putting on muscle takes calories and protein. Cook bulk food like rice/meat that you can just force down between meals to add another thousand calories per day.
Consistency is key. Simple workouts even if you don’t have time. I’m talking 20 min of pull-ups, push-ups, dips… to exhaustion.
Equipment — you need SOMETHING. A pull-up bar, dip bar, anything heavy to carry during squats. That’s really all you need to start.
…but why not just join a gym or use your college gym!? Trust me, people love to see an unfit person progress.
First off, I read it all and admire your courage and thirst for change. I’m a personal trainer, and I actually practice a bunch of calisthenics myself. If you would like a free custom home workout plan, I can help you and send you one if you’re truly serious. For now, I’ll just give you a general guide to how you can achieve this.
Strength train at least 4 times a week if you can. I know you mentioned no equipment, but you should at least purchase some resistance bands and a pull-up bar for maximum results. Otherwise, it can still be achieved, but it will take much longer to see results. First off, be patient with yourself; it takes time to build muscle, and nutrition is the most important factor. Ensure you include lots of protein in your diet.
Here are some basic exercises that’ll help you achieve this. Focus on doing lots of reps if you’re looking for muscle growth:
Push-Ups
Pull-Ups
Lunges (Side and Rear)
Squats (Heel Elevated, Prisoner)
Wall-Sits to build stability and isometric strength
Planks, V-Sits, Hollow Holds for isometric core strength and muscular endurance.
These are just a few to name without equipment! I have much, much more if you’re interested! Just reach out and I’ll respond! Good luck!
It’s the same as my story for working out. Just don’t worry; gaining muscle mass at home without equipment is entirely possible with the right bodyweight exercises and a proper diet. Here’s a comprehensive guide to help you get started:
Bodyweight Exercises for Muscle Building
Push-ups
Works: Chest, shoulders, triceps
Variations: Standard push-ups, wide grip push-ups, diamond push-ups, decline push-ups
Pull-ups (if you have access to a bar or sturdy beam)
Works: Back, biceps, shoulders
Variations: Standard pull-ups, chin-ups, wide grip pull-ups, close grip pull-ups
Dips (use a chair or edge of a sturdy surface)
Works: Triceps, chest, shoulders
Variations: Bench dips, straight bar dips
Squats
Works: Quads, hamstrings, glutes
Variations: Standard squats, sumo squats, jump squats, single-leg squats
Variations: Standard plank, side plank, plank with leg lift, plank with arm lift
Burpees
Works: Full body
Variations: Standard burpees, burpees with push-up, burpees with tuck jump
Leg Raises
Works: Lower abs
Variations: Standard leg raises, hanging leg raises (if you have a bar), lying leg raises
Workout Plan
Beginner Routine:
Day 1: Upper Body
Push-ups - 3 sets of 10-15 reps
Pull-ups (if available) - 3 sets of 5-10 reps
Dips - 3 sets of 10-15 reps
Planks - 3 sets of 30-60 seconds
Day 2: Lower Body
Squats - 3 sets of 15-20 reps
Lunges - 3 sets of 10-15 reps per leg
Calf Raises - 3 sets of 20 reps
Planks - 3 sets of 30-60 seconds
Day 3: Rest or Light Cardio
Day 4: Full Body
Push-ups - 3 sets of 10-15 reps
Squats - 3 sets of 15-20 reps
Dips - 3 sets of 10-15 reps
Lunges - 3 sets of 10-15 reps per leg
Planks - 3 sets of 30-60 seconds
Day 5: Rest or Light Cardio
Day 6: Upper Body
Push-ups - 3 sets of 10-15 reps
Pull-ups (if available) - 3 sets of 5-10 reps
Dips - 3 sets of 10-15 reps
Planks - 3 sets of 30-60 seconds
Day 7: Lower Body
Squats - 3 sets of 15-20 reps
Lunges - 3 sets of 10-15 reps per leg
Calf Raises - 3 sets of 20 reps
Planks - 3 sets of 30-60 seconds
Diet Plan
Caloric Intake:
To gain muscle, you need a caloric surplus. Aim to consume about 250-500 calories more than your maintenance level.
Calculate your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) and add 250-500 calories to it.
Macronutrients:
Protein: Aim for 1.6-2.2 grams per kilogram of body weight.
Carbohydrates: Important for energy. Aim for 4-7 grams per kilogram of body weight.
Fats: Aim for about 0.5-1 gram per kilogram of body weight.
Sample Meal Plan:
Breakfast:
Oatmeal with fruit and a scoop of protein powder or a few eggs
Mid-Morning Snack:
Greek yogurt with honey and nuts
Lunch:
Grilled chicken or tofu with quinoa and mixed vegetables
Afternoon Snack:
Apple with peanut butter or a handful of almonds
Dinner:
Salmon or lentils with sweet potatoes and broccoli
Evening Snack:
Cottage cheese with berries or a protein shake
Tips:
Stay Consistent: Consistency is key. Stick to your workout and diet plan.
Progressive Overload: Gradually increase the intensity of your workouts by adding more reps, sets, or variations.
Rest and Recovery: Ensure you get adequate sleep and rest days for muscle recovery.
Hydration: Drink plenty of water throughout the day.
This is all I had done for myself, so please adjust your diet & workout to your body, but fight it out. I don’t do weights, and believe me, strength is fine when you are flexible too. Calisthenics all the way!
You don’t need to spend money going to a gym. I only exercise to lose weight, but there’s a variety of apps that you can download, just look up apps in the app store. Jumping jacks are even a good workout and also burpees. Just Google stuff if it’s muscle you’re trying to obtain, but dumbbells are pretty cheap; various weight sizes, you’ll probably need those types of exercises for muscle gain. Normally when you exercise, you’re actually losing weight and gaining muscle.
