Building muscle at home begins by focusing on key muscles like the deltoids, which are essential for shoulder strength and aesthetics. These muscles can be effectively worked through exercises involving flexing, abduction, and rotation movements.
To target the deltoids at the top of the shoulder, incorporate exercises such as shoulder presses and lateral raises, which move the arms away from the body along an axis.
Consistently performing these exercises will strengthen and build your deltoids, contributing to a well-rounded physique. Remember, building muscle at home requires dedication to a routine that challenges these muscles through various motions and resistance levels.
How to Build Muscle?
Back in 2016, a research review solidified the basics of muscle building: combine strength training, HIIT cardio workouts, and sufficient rest. Aim for strength training three times weekly to enhance muscle growth.
Incorporate HIIT for a balanced approach that boosts calorie burn and muscle recovery. Start with light weights and gradually increase as your strength builds.
Remember, rest is crucial; it’s your muscle’s best friend, allowing time to repair and grow. By consistently following these steps, you’ll efficiently increase both muscle strength and size, making your workout routine both effective and rewarding. The following is an example of how your plan might look:
| Fitness Level | Exercises |
| Newbie | 2-3 days a week of full-body strength training + 2 days of cardio |
| Novice | 3-4 days a week of split strength training + 3 days of cardio |
| Pro | 4-5 days a week of strength training + 3 days of cardio (3 days on, 1 day off) |
Bodyweight Exercises to Build Muscle at Home
You can get stronger without pumping iron. To move those muscles, you just need yourself and ingenuity.
Chest
· Push-Ups: 3–6 Sets, 6–12 Reps
When it comes to strengthening your chest and triceps with bodyweight exercises, push-ups are among the best. On the other hand, it works out your lower back, core, shoulders, and legs.
How-to do?
With your palms facing down and a little wider than shoulder-width apart, lie on your back. To fully stretch the arms, raise the body (shoulders, torso, and legs) by pushing up.
The soles of your feet and hands should make contact with the ground. Lower yourself slowly until your chest is almost touching the floor, and then do it again.
Pro tip: One can find a limitless variety of push-ups. You can begin with wall push-ups or knee push-ups if you’re just starting. Enjoying a high level of sophistication? Do several pike push-ups.
· Burpees: 6/Min For 15 Minutes
The burpee may be the ideal cardiovascular exercise for you if you are seeking a workout that targets your entire body, including your chest, abdominal muscles, arms, back, glutes, and legs.
How to do?
Lower yourself into a squat while placing both hands on the floor, slightly wider than your feet, starting from a standing position. Return to a plank position by jumping your feet. Before getting back to the plank position, do push-ups.
Return to a squatting position by drawing your legs up, and then leap up with forceful handstands. Go over it again.
· Pull-Ups: 3 Sets 2–5 Reps
As a beginner, the pull-up can seem particularly daunting. However, you can strengthen your arms, upper back, and shoulders with this excellent bodyweight workout. Do a lower number of repetitions at first then increase them as your strength increases.
How-to do?
Use an overhand hold, encircling the bar with your thumbs, to secure the pull-up bar. “Play dead” means to begin in a bar-hung position. With your hands on the bar, tighten your abs and upper body. Ascend till your chin is above the bar. To return to the dead-hang posture, gently lower yourself. Go over it again.
Pro tip: One option for doing pull-ups at home is to invest in a compact bar that can be easily stored in a doorframe.
Arms
· Plank-up: 3×5–10 repetitions
Building stronger triceps and biceps is the goal of any plank workout, but plank-ups are the most efficient way to achieve this goal.
How-to do?
Get into plank position by placing your forearms and toes on the floor, keeping your core tight, and elevating your torso. Extend one arm at a time while maintaining a straight body to get into a push-up position. Slowly lower yourself onto your elbows. Go over it again.
· Triceps dip: 2×10–12 repetitions
To perform triceps dips, you’ll require a seat, box, ledge, bench, or even a flight of stairs. Particularly targeted workouts are necessary for the growth of triceps and pecs, but this move will give you stronger arms in no time.
How to do?
Lie down on a chair (or a step, etc.) and begin. Place your hands on either side of your hips and grasp the edge of the chair. Heave yourself up and out of the chair until you’re hovering over the edge. Straighten your legs to a moderate degree.
Lower yourself slowly until your elbows are almost parallel to your shoulders, then bring yourself to a seated position. Get your arms back into a straight position by pressing down on your hands. Go over it again.
· Three sets of 4–6 repetitions for inchworm
This move using only your body weight is (almost) as entertaining as it sounds. In addition to strengthening your triceps, shoulders, chest, abdominals, glutes, and quads, this spooky workout will make you feel like a kid again.
How to do?
Keep your knees bent slightly as you stand. Get down on all fours and gently touch your toes. Grasp the floor with both hands, then “crawl” them away from your body to form a plank position. Move forward at the pace of an insect until your feet touch. Go over it again.
Legs
· Step-up: 3×15 repetitions per side
Next, try this leg exercise. If you’re a newbie and want to strengthen your quads, glutes, and hamstrings, try doing step-ups. Do things slowly, step by step.
How-to do?
Gather around the staircase in your house or, failing that, set a solid box in front of you. Use your right foot to climb the first step or box, and then your left foot to do the same. Turn around by stepping back down with your right foot and then your left. Keep going, but this time change the leg you begin with.
· Lunge: 3×15 reps per side
Your quadriceps and glutes will get a workout with even the most basic lunge variation—one of many possible versions. In addition, your hamstrings will get stronger.
How to do?
If you are standing, you should perform a huge jump forward with one leg. Take a position in which your front thigh is parallel to the floor and your rear knee is slightly lifted off the ground.
This position is achieved by getting down on all fours. Applying pressure to the heel of your front foot will help you stand up straight.
Switch up your leg and take that giant initial step again.
· Squat: 3–5 sets, 8–12 reps
People often assume that squats are only possible with weights because of how popular they are among weightlifters. Squatting with only your body weight, with proper form, can still build strong leg muscles.
How to do?
Possess a slight spread between your feet and shoulders while you stand. Hold your arms outstretched, palms facing downward. Breathe in and slightly bend your knees while pushing your hips back.
Maintain a neutral posture with your head held high, shoulders back, and back straight. Bring your hips down to meet your knees in a deep squat if you find it comfortable. Exert a powerful upward thrust from your heels by engaging your core.
How to Build Muscle at Home with Dumbbells?
Even if you are ready to take your workouts to the next level or if you choose to begin with weights, you do not require enormous pieces of gym equipment. A simple set of dumbbells is all that is required. On the other hand, you can also try something different by using resistance bands or kettlebells.
Chest
· Chest press: 3–6 sets, 4–8 reps
Your pectorals and deltoids, as well as your shoulders and triceps, are the primary muscles worked out by the chest press. While barbells are the most common tool for chest lifts in gyms, dumbbells work just as well and are much easier to work with at home.
How to do?
On a bench or the floor, position yourself so that you are lying on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the ground.
Brace your abs and raise the dumbbells upwards while holding them at chest level. After that, slowly lower the dumbbells and then do it again.
· Lying dumbbell fly: 3–6 sets, 4–8 reps
Dumbbell flies, performed either on a bench or the floor, will dramatically increase your chest strength. This technique targets the pectorals, deltoids, and biceps.
How to do?
Bend at the knees and lie down on the floor or a bench. Raising both hands overhead, palms facing each other, grasp the dumbbells firmly.
Slowly lower the dumbbells to your sides in an arc, bending your elbows to a comfortable degree (or, if you’re not using a bench until they hit the floor). Reverse the motion by bringing the dumbbells back up to chest level while maintaining a bent arm position.
· Pullover: 3×10–12 reps
Like a lumberjack chopping wood (without an axe or aim), build up your abs, lats, and pecs. A bench, floor, or stability ball are all suitable surfaces for performing this dumbbell workout. Always maintain a firm hold on the dumbbell.
How-to do?
Lay face up on the floor with your feet flat. While holding the dumbbell in both hands, raise one of the dumbbells slightly above your head. The dumbbell should be raised gently overhead, and then it should be lowered back down to the starting position.
While doing this, your elbows should be bent slightly. You should begin this one with a light enough weight that you can easily handle. Be careful not to hit your chest or head with the dumbbell.
Arms
· Bench press: Three sets of 10–15 reps
If you want stronger arms and bigger muscles that you can show off in the mirror, try this traditional biceps exercise.
How to do?
Whether you’re sitting or standing, keep the dumbbells at your sides. Lift the barbells to shoulder level while bending at the elbows and rotating your arms such that the palms of your hands meet your shoulders. Gradually go back to where you were before and do it again.
· Triceps extension: 3×8–12 repetitions
You will be able to lift your arms in triumph once you have completed this workout for strengthening your triceps and have done it with the correct technique. Whether you are standing or seated, perform this exercise.
How to do?
While standing, spread your feet hip-width apart and grasp a dumbbell in both hands. Straighten your arms and lift the weight overhead; then, bending at the elbows, bring it down behind your head. Put the bar back up over your head and go through the motions again. For the best results, hold the exercise with your upper arms still and stable.
Wrist curl: 3 sets of 12 reps
Doing this exercise regularly can help you develop stronger hands and forearms. This underappreciated set of muscles is responsible for a wide variety of motions, including those of a computer mouse and doorknob.
How to do?
Place yourself on a chair or bench and grasp a small dumbbell with both hands. With your hands stretched beyond your knees and your forearms resting on your thighs, stand in a cross-over position. You can hold the palms up or down.
Raise and lower the weights slowly in a curling motion. Use just your hands; your arms are off-limits. Go over it again.
Legs
· Dumbbell squat: 3×12–15 reps
While squats alone can strengthen your main leg muscles, lifting weights will make them pop. To make any squat variant more difficult, you can also add dumbbells.
How to do?
A weight should be placed on each shoulder while you are standing with your feet hip-width apart. Maintain a standing position. A seat should be taken with your feet planted firmly on the ground and your weight supported by your heels.
Make sure to squeeze through your heels and force your hips forward and up to go back to the standing position.
· Walking dumbbell lunge: 3 sets of 10 repetitions per side
Increasing the difficulty level of lunge variants is possible whether they are performed with or without the use of dumbbells. Just like any other type of lunge, walking lunges with dumbbells are an excellent technique to improve your grip as well as your quadriceps and glutes.
How to do?
Lean forward while gripping dumbbells with both hands. Lower your right knee till it forms a right angle with your left as you lunge forward. To get to your feet, push through your front foot. Then, switch legs and lunge again.
· Three sets of 15–20 reps calf raise
How often have you had to balance precariously on tiptoes to reach a higher shelf for an item? Then you have successfully performed a standing calf raise. It’s that easy. Working from home also makes it an easy desk exercise.
How to do?
Keep your hips slightly bent and your hands on the dumbbells as you stand. Keep your toes flat on the floor and your weights at your sides as you lift your heels. Take your heels off the floor once more.
Pro tip: Seated calf raises are performed by placing dumbbells on top of the knees and then lifting the heels of one or both legs simultaneously.
30 Day Muscle Building Workout Plan
The following is a 30-day muscle-building workout plan at home assisting you in building muscle.
| Day | Activity |
| Monday | Upper body (arms, chest, and abs) |
| Tuesday | Lower body (legs and butt) |
| Wednesday | Rest or cardio |
| Thursday | Upper body (shoulders, arms, and back) |
| Friday | Lower body (legs and butt) |
| Saturday | Rest or cardio |
| Sunday | Rest or cardio |
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the Best Exercises to Build Muscle at Home Without Equipment?
You can effectively build muscle at home using bodyweight exercises. Some of the best exercises include push-ups, squats, lunges, and planks. These exercises target major muscle groups and can be modified to increase difficulty as you get stronger.
Is it Possible to Build Muscle at Home?
Yes, you can build muscle at home. It takes time, patience, and discipline to build muscles naturally. If you follow the right workout plans and eat a proper diet, you can strengthen your muscles even without using weights.
Regular exercise not only helps in muscle growth but also improves your overall health and well-being.
How Important is Diet When Trying to Build Muscle at Home?
Diet is crucial for muscle building. Focus on eating enough protein, which is essential for muscle repair and growth. Include sources like chicken, fish, eggs, and legumes in your diet. Also, make sure to consume a balanced amount of carbohydrates and healthy fats to fuel your workouts and recovery.