Bodyweight Workout Routine

[ItachiUchiha]

I am 6ft 1 and only 130 pounds, trying to build some serious muscle mass. I have no access to a gym and I prefer bodyweight exercises anyway, so can anyone point me toward a good routine? I would prefer one that incorporates several pushups variations targeting different muscles, and things like pullups. I can perform about 15 pullups, so I'm not really a beginner, but I don't know when to work what muscles how often and what exercises to perform. I also understand I need to eat healthy and a lot more, so please don't suggest any diet changes. Thanks!

[ATeeGee]

Your still a beginner, even if you can perform 15 chin ups.
Your going need a gym membership if you want to make some serious results, with bodyweight your highly limited to what you can do., Where do you expect to get bigger legs from, endless bodyweight squats?

get a gym membership, follow a strength orientated routine as strength and hypertrophy come hand in hand. Make sure you are on a caloric surplus.
In terms of routine, if it is based around bench, squat, deadlifts, rows, shoulder press, chins and dips your good to go. Look into rippetoes starting strength or 'babylovers modified SS' or even stronglifts 5x5 or if you are really insistant of wanting barbell curls and higher rep ranges look intop lyle mcdonalds bulking routine.

When it comes to working muscles, some argue less volume and more frefquency is better, but I wouldn't go running off and doing a 5 day high volume bodypart split.

As you say you have no access to a gym, get hold of a olympic bench, weighted 40-45lb bars, dip stand, chin bar, squat rack, db's and your good to go.

[RollTideNation]

For the diet, read some stickies in the nutrition section and also read "diet for teenagers" in the teen bodybuilding section.

You will not build much mass from bodyweight exercises. For mass, you need to break the muscle down, eat enough calories and protein, and get enough rest. High rep bodyweight exercises will not break it down as well as it would if you used high weight, low rep. But, do what you can. Any form of exercise is better than none at all. I suggest starting with 50 total reps of ordinary push ups, 30 reps narrow grip, and 25 military style. Also do as many wide and close grip pull ups as you can. If you have access to something that allows you to do dips, do them as well. For legs, get a box or something sturdy, and do step ups. Step up on top of it using one leg, go back down, do the other leg. Lunges and bodyweight squats. If push ups get too easy, get something to raise your feet up. That will make it more difficult. Keep it simple and work hard! Good luck to you!

[ItachiUchiha]

Thanks, I appreciate the responses. However, I have no access to a gym, and I am in college so money is already a problem and there's no room in my dorm for any equipment except some 10pd leg weights I have and a pull up bar. Also, I am no looking to have huge muscles, just ones that are bigger and defined. I don't need huge, bulky muscles to look like the hulk, I just want to look bigger and like I work out. And, as far as I'm aware, your body builds muscle by tearing fibers and rebuilding them when the need be (aka your body can't perform the tasks given to it so it adapts) which means you CAN get big doing bodyweight exercises as long as you make them more difficult (eg. Knee pushups, regular pushups, decline, one armed, handstand) and focus on quality over quantity (such as 50+ quick pushups compared to 20 well controlled, slow and with good form pushups) so bodyweight can build muscle mass, I was just looking for a specific routine. While I do appreciate the effort, I am looking for a bodyweight progression routine, not advice on taking up weights or the gym like everyone seems to tell me on these forums. No disrespect, I thank you for the effort, but I'm looking specifically for bodyweight exercises and progression help. But again, thanks and I mean no disrespect.

[GarageLifting]

Best thing in your situation is probably do something like a fully body routine every other day.

For example for chest do different variations of pushups (reg., wide, navy, narrow) all burnout sets. once you can do more than 30 try to add some weight by wearing a backpack or something. Maybe throw some dips in too.

For back lots of pullups with different variations, also add some weight once you can do more than about 15.

For Legs do timed wall-sits, lunges, deep squats - also add some weight once you feel like they're becoming too easy.


This will put you into good shape but really the best thing is to try and get into a gym (Does your college not have a weight room or anything?). With just bodyweight exercises its going to be really hard to get to the point where you even look like you lift, and it's not like everyone who goes to the gym turns into some hulk or anything, it takes a lot of hard work, some time, and lots of food. With just bodyweight exercises its going to be difficult to look like what you want to look like.

[Geico31]

I love bodyweight exercises and you can easily work all rep ranges just by slightly changing the movement!

Here are some of my favorites:

One arm push ups (If you want to decrease the rep range, raises your feet)
Pull ups
Dips
One legged squats (Sadly can't do them because of knee problems. :P)
Handstand Push ups
Modified one-legged hamstring curls (Lie on your back and rest one of your feet on a chair with the other one in the air. Dip your hips towards the floor, then push up)
Lunges
Isometric wall squats
and a bunch more!

If you want conditiong, try the burpee, my personal favorite. If you want to make it really hard, do burpee pull ups, where you do a burpee, and when you jump, you grab a bar and do a pull up. Your heart will be pounding through the roof!

Good luck!

[RainingBlood]

Thanks, I appreciate the responses. However, I have no access to a gym, and I am in college so money is already a problem and there's no room in my dorm for any equipment except some 10pd leg weights I have and a pull up bar. Also, I am no looking to have huge muscles, just ones that are bigger and defined. I don't need huge, bulky muscles to look like the hulk, I just want to look bigger and like I work out. And, as far as I'm aware, your body builds muscle by tearing fibers and rebuilding them when the need be (aka your body can't perform the tasks given to it so it adapts) which means you CAN get big doing bodyweight exercises as long as you make them more difficult (eg. Knee pushups, regular pushups, decline, one armed, handstand) and focus on quality over quantity (such as 50+ quick pushups compared to 20 well controlled, slow and with good form pushups) so bodyweight can build muscle mass, I was just looking for a specific routine. While I do appreciate the effort, I am looking for a bodyweight progression routine, not advice on taking up weights or the gym like everyone seems to tell me on these forums. No disrespect, I thank you for the effort, but I'm looking specifically for bodyweight exercises and progression help. But again, thanks and I mean no disrespect.

You're right, muscle is built through tearing down the fiber. However, there are different types of muscles that can be built. Strength, hypertrophy, and endurance. You would be achieving muscular endurance by going 20+ reps. The line that separates muscular hypertrophy training and endurance training is usually 15 reps.
Doing countless push ups will only serve you 2 things:
Burning calories
Increasing the amount of push ups you can do.
Don't expect to be able to bench press 135 the first time benching because you can do 100 push ups without stopping. You will not look like you lift on a usual bodyweight routine. You won't be strong either. Your best bet it joining a gym.

[xCody]

When you do bodyweight exercises (calisthenics) you have to eventually increase the intenstiy of the exercises. The best way to do that is moving onto harder exercises.

When most people hear "bodyweight exercises" they think only pull-ups, pushups...etc, but really there's a lot more to it. There's wayyyyy harder exercises such as, clapping pushups/pullups, one-armed pushups/pullups, planche pushups, muscle-ups, handstand pushups, clapping handstand pushups..etc. Doing calisthenics has a lot more to do with skill and body control rather than strength. And IMO it's way more fun than lifting weights.

There's a ton of guys on youtube doing this stuff and that's all they do. They look just as good as any other bodybuilder and some of them are actually pretty big. I would recommend checking out these guys..

CalisthenicKingz
Bar Brothers
TheF0rtress
Bar Starzz
Hannibal

Those are just some. Here's a video of hannibal

I garuntee you that none of the guys here can do the stuff that this guy does. It is possible to build muscle with body weight exercises, but it will take longer than doing it with weights because you have to learn how to do harder exercises instead of just picking up a heavier weight.

EDIT: I forgot to mention that your diet is a big factor in your success. Make sure you have a proper diet and workout hard.

[ItachiUchiha]

Thanks Cody, that's exactly what I mean! I used to go to a gym before college, but most days I just couldn't drag myself there because its boring to me, I didn't like that there were so many people (didn't help that they were all a lot bigger too) and I couldn't stay motivated. But, bodyweight exercises are so much more enjoyable to me, I can actually stay consistent and motivated, and I can do it anywhere and anytime, without other people. I understand the progressions and I look forward to being able to do things like one armed pullups (can do one armed pushups, buy just barely) and such eventually I plan on making them consistantly harder and thanks for the links anyway, one of my main problems is my chest. Any idea how I can build it more defined and larger through bodyweight exercises? What's a good way? Also, how big do you think I could get if I followed a strict routine, a better diet, and advanced on to things like planche pushups, one armed pullups, handstand pushups, etc.? Pics or example are welcome lol, I was gonna post a pic as an example but I can't yet :/ I just want a reference, if you will, to keep me motivated and to know what I could look like down the road if I stick to it. Thanks everyone!

[Auburnfan2208]

Thanks Cody, that's exactly what I mean! I used to go to a gym before college, but most days I just couldn't drag myself there because its boring to me, I didn't like that there were so many people (didn't help that they were all a lot bigger too) and I couldn't stay motivated. But, bodyweight exercises are so much more enjoyable to me, I can actually stay consistent and motivated, and I can do it anywhere and anytime, without other people. I understand the progressions and I look forward to being able to do things like one armed pullups (can do one armed pushups, buy just barely) and such eventually I plan on making them consistantly harder and thanks for the links anyway, one of my main problems is my chest. Any idea how I can build it more defined and larger through bodyweight exercises? What's a good way? Also, how big do you think I could get if I followed a strict routine, a better diet, and advanced on to things like planche pushups, one armed pullups, handstand pushups, etc.? Pics or example are welcome lol, I was gonna post a pic as an example but I can't yet :/ I just want a reference, if you will, to keep me motivated and to know what I could look like down the road if I stick to it. Thanks everyone!

Was looking at Calisthenics Kingz website and he has some bodyweight programs

http://www.calisthenicskingz.net/main.htm

If you do a bodyweight program, make a log of it cause I'd love to see what results you would get.

[xCody]

Thanks Cody, that's exactly what I mean! I used to go to a gym before college, but most days I just couldn't drag myself there because its boring to me, I didn't like that there were so many people (didn't help that they were all a lot bigger too) and I couldn't stay motivated. But, bodyweight exercises are so much more enjoyable to me, I can actually stay consistent and motivated, and I can do it anywhere and anytime, without other people. I understand the progressions and I look forward to being able to do things like one armed pullups (can do one armed pushups, buy just barely) and such eventually I plan on making them consistantly harder and thanks for the links anyway, one of my main problems is my chest. Any idea how I can build it more defined and larger through bodyweight exercises? What's a good way? Also, how big do you think I could get if I followed a strict routine, a better diet, and advanced on to things like planche pushups, one armed pullups, handstand pushups, etc.? Pics or example are welcome lol, I was gonna post a pic as an example but I can't yet :/ I just want a reference, if you will, to keep me motivated and to know what I could look like down the road if I stick to it. Thanks everyone!

These guys do bodyweight exercises only.


I couldn't really find many pictures, but I know that you CAN achieve a great physique through calisthenics.

Also for your chest, I'd suggest doing wider pushups and dips.

I'm not really sure what you look like right now, but I'm assuming you're smaller than you want to be. Don't worry, just keep following a good diet, workout hard, and you'll see results. The fastest way for you to get bigger would be to eat a calorie surplus. Also make sure to get in a lot of protein.

[ItachiUchiha]

Haha thanks again it would be nice to find someone who had an amazing transformation through only bodyweight and see the change to know how they did it, but I haven't been able to find any :/ seems like a very few groups of people do it since weightlifting is so popular, but I much prefer it. People just assume you can do pushups, dips, and pullups and then you can't go further, while in reality there are loads of progressions and variations, probably hundreds in all. I think I've come across 35 for pushups alone on one site :P anyway I'll try to up my calories, any good foods to try? I'm in college and don't have an oven or anything really. So something sorta cheap and easy. Thanks again!

[xCody]

Haha thanks again it would be nice to find someone who had an amazing transformation through only bodyweight and see the change to know how they did it, but I haven't been able to find any :/ seems like a very few groups of people do it since weightlifting is so popular, but I much prefer it. People just assume you can do pushups, dips, and pullups and then you can't go further, while in reality there are loads of progressions and variations, probably hundreds in all. I think I've come across 35 for pushups alone on one site :P anyway I'll try to up my calories, any good foods to try? I'm in college and don't have an oven or anything really. So something sorta cheap and easy. Thanks again!

Do you have a stove to cook on? Definitely an easy way to get in more calories in to throw in some peanut butter and milk into your diet. Also eggs, lean meats, tuna, beans, and nuts are good foods.

[jbball92]

crossfit.

[musclehead09]

HERSCHEL WALKER HERSCHEL WALKER HERSCHEL WALKER!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Lol j.k. but rumors 1500 push ups a day, 1500 chin ups, 3000 sit ups, 1500 dips and sprints with a tire attatched to you.....Also only eat a salad with a glass of water.


not srs. however pull ups and dips with a weighted vest and sprints could really be helpful for a little while.

[musclehead09]

also that Hannibal guy is a frickin beast ive watched his vids before and they give an adrenaline rush

[wwe101]

I am 6ft 1 and only 130 pounds, trying to build some serious muscle mass. I have no access to a gym and I prefer bodyweight exercises anyway, so can anyone point me toward a good routine? I would prefer one that incorporates several pushups variations targeting different muscles, and things like pullups. I can perform about 15 pullups, so I'm not really a beginner, but I don't know when to work what muscles how often and what exercises to perform. I also understand I need to eat healthy and a lot more, so please don't suggest any diet changes. Thanks!

"trying to build some serious muscle mass. I have no access to a gym"

You need a gym to build serious muscle mass.

"I'm not really a beginner, but I don't know when to work what muscles how often and what exercises to perform."

A beginner would not know this. You are a beginner.

[ItachiUchiha]

"trying to build some serious muscle mass. I have no access to a gym"

You need a gym to build serious muscle mass.

"I'm not really a beginner, but I don't know when to work what muscles how often and what exercises to perform."

A beginner would not know this. You are a beginner.

What I meant by serious muscle mass is more like lean muscle while gaining weight, I don't mean big or bulky muscle, and from what I know that can be done this way. Just look at the more serious people, they look ripped, I don't mean people who do 100 pushups and 50 dips everyday. Also, I'm not a beginner at all. I have been working out on and off for a couple years, and I used to have a gym membership before I went to college. I simply meant I'm kinda lost at where to start building a routine for bodyweight calisthenics. I know lots of the exercises in the proper form and can execute them, but I'm not sure how many to do or which ones. Calisthenics isn't like weight training in that every exercise is basically compound and that's where I'm lost.