No-Gym Exercises:
How To Workout Without A Gym

There are many reasons why people may opt to workout without a gym and look forward to exercising and weight training at home.

Although gyms have many facilities including free weights and machines, they may not offer the same convenience to people who want to work out at home, or may be simply inaccessible because of the expensive membership fees, etc.

One of the main component for boosting muscle growth is to provide adequate stimulus to the muscle fibers of the body.

In order to provide this stimulus, the muscles of the different parts of the body have to be worked to their maximum capacity. This can be possible by using the machines available at the gym, or using your own weights if you want to work out at home.

The following exercises show you how you can build lean muscle and increase your metabolic rate without making the extra effort of going to a gym. These no-gym exercises are simple enough to be done in your bedroom, hotel room, park, school, or in another location as per your convenience.

You just have to remember the key principles of adding resistance to your workouts and including a warm up session before each workout.

The exercises mentioned below have been listed according to the area of the body you would want to strengthen:

Exercises For The Back

Bent over row

You need a dumbbell or a heavy object for this exercise. The posture involves placing your right leg and right hand braced on a bed or a level surface for support and the heavy weight in your left hand.

Now, bring your left hand (holding the dumbbell or heavy object) up to the side of your chest while keeping your back straight. Lower the weight so that you arm is straight back down.

After finishing one side, switch arms and repeat the whole set with the weight placed in your right hand.

Chin-ups

This exercise is not only good for your back but also for the biceps, deltoids, and lat muscles. It requires a doorway chin-up bar, or you can get more innovative and use the ceiling rafters in the garage or the molding of you door to do the same exercise.

To perform this exercise, hold the bar with an underhand grip so that your lat muscles are stretched, and then pull yourself up. When your chin reaches the bar level, pause a moment before gradually lowering yourself back to the beginning position.

Exercises For The Leg

Lunges

The key to performing this exercise is to maintain the right posture with one leg placed forward and the other leg placed backwards.

The distance between your feet should not be more than 1-2 feet. Remember that you will be exerting more strain on your gluteus and hamstring if you step ahead more than required.

Now bend your forward leg, keeping your abdominal muscles tight and chest up. Also keep in mind that while bending your leg, your knee should not go beyond your toes, and your back leg should not bend at all. Finish your repetitions with one leg before switching to the other leg.

Exercises For The Chest

Push-Ups

This exercise is designed to make the muscles of the chest, shoulders, and arms strong. Your should lie flat on the floor with your hands shoulder-width apart and palms placed downward and slight inward; now, push with the arms till they are straight. Slowly lower your arms and repeat a few sets.

To make this exercise a notch harder, elevate your feet by placing your toes on an elevated and stable surface. This can be done using a stable chair, step, or bench. Maintain the same posture as before, making sure that your chest touches the floor, and then begin the set of exercises as before.

Dips

You need to have a sturdy surface or chairs to do this exercise. Dips are a great routine for the upper body muscles, as well as other muscles of the body.

Stand straight and extend your arms straight up. Slowly bend forward and lower your arms so that they are parallel to the seat of the chair. Now push yourself up and extend your arms again.

Adding Resistance And Weight To The Exercises

The trick to gain more muscle is to keep adding more weight and resistance to the exercise routines. In order to workout at home, you need to use your own weights to add variety to your routines.

Some ways in which you can add more weight to these no-gym workouts is by adding ankle weights, dumbbells, or hold heavy books in your hands.

Weighted vests are also available and allow for more resistance to be added to various exercises such as chin-ups and pushups. Some people even resort to filing buckets with water and keep filling more water for more resistance.

Remember that the objective of the whole exercise is to maximize muscle strength and keep challenging your body to work more. Therefore, whether you are using the machines at the gym or doing a workout at home, your body will get the muscle strength you want.

To Summarize

You should be comfortable doing these no-gym exercises and not exert yourself. Maintaining a good posture is essential for success when you are learning how to workout without a gym.

If at any point you feel that your muscle is strained or you feel that you are stretching more than you should, stop right there. In case of an injury or persistent pain, it is always advisable to contact a doctor.