8 Simple Workouts For Building Muscle At Home

You don’t need a fancy gym or expensive equipment to build muscle. With some dedication and the right exercises, you can really make progress right at home. Whether you’re just starting out or you’ve been lifting for a while, here are nine great exercises that either need no equipment or just a little bit.

Push-ups are a tried and true bodyweight move that works your chest, shoulders, and triceps. You can change them up depending on your level:

Regular Push-ups: Place your hands shoulder-width apart and lower your body until your chest is close to the ground.

Incline Push-ups: Put your hands on something higher, like a chair, to make it easier.

Decline Push-ups: Raise your feet to make it harder and target your upper chest more.

Squats are a fantastic way to work your lower body, hitting your quads, hamstrings, and glutes. You can mix in some variations to make them tougher:

Bodyweight Squats: Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, bend your knees, and lower yourself like you’re sitting in a chair.

Bulgarian Split Squats: Put one foot on a bench or chair behind you and squat down with the other leg for a single-leg challenge.

Planks are fantastic for building core strength, which is important for overall muscle development. They also engage your shoulders, chest, and back.

Standard Plank: Keep your body in a straight line from head to heels, with elbows under shoulders and your core tight.

Side Planks: Turn to one side and hold your body straight to work your obliques.

Dips are great for targeting your triceps, chest, and shoulders. You can use a solid chair or bench at home.

Chair Dips: Sit on the edge of the chair with your hands on the edge. Slide off and lower your body by bending your elbows, then push back up.

Elevated Dips: Keep your feet on the floor but lift your upper body on the chair to make it tougher.

Glute bridges are perfect for working your glutes and hamstrings while also engaging your core. They’re great for lower body strength.

Bodyweight Glute Bridge: Lie on your back with feet flat and knees bent. Lift your hips up, squeezing your glutes at the top, then lower them back down.

Single-Leg Glute Bridge: Lift one leg off the ground while doing the bridge with the other leg to make it more challenging.

Mountain climbers are a fun way to get your heart racing while using multiple muscle groups. They mainly work your core, shoulders, and legs.

Standard Mountain Climbers: Start in a plank position and alternate bringing your knees to your chest like you’re running.

Cross-Body Mountain Climbers: Bring each knee toward the opposite elbow to engage your obliques better.

Burpees are a fantastic full-body workout for building strength and endurance. They use your legs, core, and upper body all at once.

Standard Burpee: Start standing, then squat down, kick your feet back into a plank, do a push-up, jump your feet back, and finish with a jump.

Modified Burpee: If you’re new to this, skip the push-up and jump, and just focus on the squat and plank parts.

This move is great for your lower back and core, which are important for strength and good posture.

Standard Superman: Lie face down on the floor, extend your arms and legs, then lift both off the ground together, squeezing your lower back.

Superman Hold: Hold that lifted position for a few seconds to make it tougher and get your muscles working more.

Keep Challenging Yourself: Gradually make your exercises harder by adding more reps, sets, or variations.

Stay Consistent: Regular workouts, about 3-4 times a week, are important for muscle growth.

Rest Up: Make sure you give your muscles time to recover with plenty of rest and sleep.

Eat Well: A balanced diet with lots of protein is key to help your muscles repair and grow.

By adding these nine exercises to your home routine, you can effectively build muscle and improve your strength without stepping foot in a gym.