22nd March 2009
Bodybuilding Without Going To The Gym
Bodybuilding is best done in a gym complete with free weights and exercise equipment.
Unfortunately, not everyone can afford going to the gym. This includes students, teenagers,
and individuals still working out their bills and debt payments. Does this mean that bodybuilding
is a luxury only afforded by those with good credit scores?
Thankfully not – there are many ways to build muscle without having to go to a gym. You may not
have the benefit of free weights, but your own body weight may be all you’ll ever need.
Pushups:
Pushups are a good simple exercise that works out the chest, triceps, and shoulder muscles.
The position of your hands relative to your shoulders dictates which parts of your pectoral
muscles are being worked out. If they’re in line with your shoulders, then they’ll work out
the center areas of your chest muscles. If they’re slightly further in, pushups will work on
the inner pectorals, and if they’re slightly further out, they’ll work out the outer pectorals.
It’s a good idea to work out the entire muscle group by alternating hand positions in a pushup routine.
It’s important to do enough repetitions to cause muscle failure (when you can’t push yourself up
anymore) to encourage muscle growth. For starters, muscle failure may occur after 8-12 repetitions.
As you get stronger, you may want to increase resistance by placing your feet up on a box or table
while doing this exercise.
Pull-ups:
Pull-ups are a great exercise for the biceps and back muscles. Find a smooth bar sturdy enough to
support your weight – this is easy to find in a park playground. Grasp the bar with your palms
facing in and slowly pull yourself up, breathing out as you go, until your chin passes the bar’s
level, then ease yourself down. Make sure you don’t bounce when you go down, and keep your feet
off the ground. Do as many repetitions as you can until you can’t pull yourself up anymore. Rest
for a few minutes, and then do another set. 3-4 sets per workout should be enough.
Sit-ups:
Sit-ups are still a great exercise for the abdominal muscles. There are two areas of the abs that
can be worked out with sit-ups: (1) the upper abs, and (2) the middle and lower abs.
To work out the upper abs, lie down with your back on the ground, your hands at your sides, and
your legs bent at 45 degrees with the floor. Slowly lift your head and upper back while keeping
your lower back on the ground. Then hold the position, squeeze your abdominal muscles for three
seconds, then return to starting position. Repeat until it hurts, then rest for two minutes.
To work out the middle and lower abs, assume the same position as above, but with your hands on
your thighs. As you go up, slide your hands up until they touch your knees. Hold, squeeze for
three seconds, then go back down.
Squats
Squats can work out your legs even without the use of free weights. To squat, stand with your
feet at shoulder-width apart. Slowly bend your knees and bring your butt down until your legs
are at 90 degrees, keeping your back straight all the time. Hold the position for three seconds,
then come back up. For starters, 2 sets of 10 squats per set should be enough. Slowly increase
the number of sets and repetitions as you get stronger.
Make sure to start each workout with some cardio and stretching exercises. Also make sure to take
at least 24 hours of rest between workouts, and it’s also advisable to do only two of the exercises
above in one given day (e.g. pushups and sit-ups on one day, pull-ups and squats on the next).
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