Bodyweight training: building muscle without equipment

Don't have time to go to the gym to do a workout? You don't like to work out with other people? Are you on holiday and miss training? Don't panic, the solution exists. It's called a bodyweight training program. Let me explain right away what it iss, the benefits of such a practice, what muscles are applied for and how they work. 3, 2, 1, go!

Bodyweight training, but what exactly is it?

Many people mistakenly think that building muscle necessarily involves a gym membership or a lot of equipment, such as dumbbells or bars. If you're one of them, I'm pleased to tell you that it's possible to build muscle without equipment. It's called bodyweight training, and the good news is that it doesn't prevent you from gaining mass. Bodyweight training builds muscle through a series of movements and exercises. By practicing a full body workout, which does not require a machine, you work all your muscles in one session. With several sessions per week, you will build up your muscle mass. Ideal during the holidays or from home, for people who resume bodybuilding after a long break.

What are the similarities and differences with the street workout ?

A popular current, the street workout is similar to bodyweight training, since both allow you to develop muscle mass by performing polyarticular exercises. The difference is in the environment, namely that the street workoutAs its name suggests, the game is played outdoors. Barriers, road signs or even escalators are transformed into a real playground.
In both cases, the training will be intensive and will alternate phases of work and recovery. If you are motivated, you can increase the difficulty by playing with the rest times or the time under tension, by adding 2 seconds.
You will gain explosiveness with these bodybuilding exercises since many muscles will be under tension. During the same session, you will perform movements in concentric contraction and eccentric exercises (concentric = contraction, eccentric = relaxation) as well as exercises without equipment such as sheathing exercises and stretching.

What does a bodyweight workout look like?

Which muscles can be worked with bodyweight?

Back, pectorals, biceps, triceps, shoulders, legs, abs, nothing is left out! Pull-ups, stretching, push-ups, squats, lunges, etc. All exercises are good to solicit the whole body and all muscle fibers. You will take arms with body weight without any problem, but also legs, ischios/buttocks, and you will model pectorals of dream.

Home training for bodybuilding, where to start?

Start with a good warming up, then do 4 to 5 sets of pull-ups on a pull-up bar to build up the upper muscle groups, especially in the back, biceps and back of the shoulders. You can alternate each set with a short 30 second rest or a simple stretching exercise. It is quite possible to get into good physical condition without weights with this activity. 

How to gain muscle mass with body weight?

To strengthen your pectoral and triceps muscles, you will have to do push-ups. You can do beginner, intermediate and advanced exercises, depending on your level and fitness. To work all the muscles in your upper body, use different variations of push-ups and work slowly. This will not challenge your maximum strength, as with the bench press, but it will still provide good muscle progression.

What bodyweight training program for beginners? 

For beginners, it is possible to start with kneeling push-ups and then gradually build up. For me, I find that advanced exercises, done in a weight room, on converging machines are very effective. The results are palpable. To avoid muscle soreness, don't forget to take a few minutes to rest and stretch, and above all drink a lot. You can also take advantage of all the benefits of the Lafay method to keep your muscles toned and increase your muscle volume.

What are the benefits of bodyweight training?

When engaging in this type of training, there are several benefits:

You save money.

Since this method does not require you to join a club, you save the cost of membership. You don't spend money because you don't need any equipment, your body being the main instrument.

You practice in the place of your choice.

No more weather constraints, because you can train wherever you want, in the living room of your studio or your house, in your garden or at the beach.

You live your freedom.

You are no longer subject to the opening hours of your gym. Whether you're an early riser or an early riser, it's up to you.

You take care of your joints.

A significant advantage of bodyweight training is that it causes less damage to your joints and tendons than machine training. Since the whole body is involved in the exercise, the effort and load are distributed as well as the tension exerted.

Who are bodyweight training programs for?

There is not really a typical profile of a bodybuilding enthusiast. However, you must be in good physical condition, whether you are a beginner or an experienced bodybuilder. Being able to lift your body weight requires a certain amount of power, because it is not always obvious.
This practice is for those who don't have equipment at their disposal, nor the desire to go to a gym. However, you will need to know the basics of such a workout and especially master the movements such as squats, pull-ups and various push-ups, which form the essence of your session.

Can you do your own program?

Of course, if you're a regular exerciser and know the mistakes you shouldn't make, you can build up your exercise routine without outside help. You will still have to be disciplined and rigorous if you want to get results after a few weeks.
However, if you are athletic, but appreciate the expertise of a coach when you are in the gym, for example, you can opt for my Zero Gym program, which is totally designed to address these issues. The workout sessions allow you to work efficiently.

Zero Gym, my body weight training program

Among my various programs, I have developed Zero Gym, which is aimed at those who want to get crazy muscles, without going to the gym with the sole purpose of doing bodybuilding without equipment.

Content of the Zero Gym program 

By following the step-by-step exercises and advice I give you in my e-book, you are guaranteed to shape your body in just 6 weeks. From your home, with 5 sessions per week (I leave you the weekend to rest), you will be able to burn fat by alternating hiit and ab circuits. The schedule is perfectly designed to get you up to speed. Each exercise is accompanied by a video in which I show you exactly what the right posture is. The word of a sports coach!

What do students who have signed up for this program think? :

Very good program, thank you Julien. What I particularly appreciate is the completeness of this program. A beginner is taken by the hand at each step. You can follow the program or simply pick and choose from the exercises. If you need help, the videos are there to explain the movements. Congratulations and thank you again.

Donatien

I started the Zero Gym program 5 days ago. I am 56 years old and wanted to get back into sport. I am really delighted and enthusiastic after these few days. Some of the exercises were really difficult and I couldn't always complete them in the allotted time. However, each session is a new victory over myself and I can see the results visually after only 5 sessions, it's incredible! Thank you for the professional work you have done in setting up this program. The accompanying videos are a great help.

Georges

Very complete and well explained program with the name of the exercise, the number of repetitions/sets, the break time and especially the video demonstration of the exercise. All this classified by week and then by day, it is very easy to find. This program mixes bodyweight and cardio, it's perfect to compensate for the absence of a gym or for people who want to train at home. In addition, the exercises offered are varied.

Oceane

The Zero Gym bodyweight training program sculpts your body by repeating the exercises I show you in the videos. (execution of the exercise to build muscle in each page). If you also take the time to eat a healthy and balanced diet, you have all the ingredients to achieve your goals. So if you do too, you want to start on the road to success, this is the way!