By Richard Mirer
A lot of men dream of getting buff and having a body like The Rock or Arnold Schwarzenegger. It makes you stronger, healthier, more attractive and more confident. However, most men are unwilling to go to the gym regularly to achieve that goal or even pay for gym membership.
If you fall into that category, don’t worry; the only thing your muscles need to grow bigger is resistance. Your muscles don’t know the difference between professional bodybuilding weights or a heavy piece of furniture at home, so there are many ways to get buff without leaving the comfort of your home.
Some of them include”
1. Calisthenics
This is a type of exercise that only uses your body weight. It consists of various gross motor movements – standing, running, pushing, grasping, etc. – performed with no equipment as bodyweight exercises. Calisthenics improves strength, cardio, endurance, flexibility, and help grow muscles. A few common types of calisthenics are as follows;
- a) Push-ups – this is by far the most popular type of calisthenics exercise that helps you build a muscular chest, chiseled triceps, and broad shoulders. To do it, start face down on the ground or floor, both of your hands at chest level and shoulder-width apart. Keep your back straight and legs together as you release your arms until your elbows are fully extended. Get back to your starting position and repeat the process for as many times as you can.
- b) Pull-ups – find a bar or a tree branch that you can hang down from. It should be strong enough to support your body weight. Grasp the bar with your palms facing forward if you want to develop your triceps or towards your for your biceps. Hang from the bar with your full body weight, and bend both knees. Pull with both arms until your chin touches the bar, then slowly return to the starting position. Repeat this for as long as you can.
There are many other calisthenics exercises you can try such as lunges, sit-ups, and many others.
2. Use Creatine
You’ve probably heard about creatine in various bodybuilding circles and wondered what it is. Well, here is a quick overview of creatine.
Creatine is a powerful bodybuilding booster that is used to add more muscle to the body. Creatine is found in most pre-workout formulas, electrolytes, whey protein, and recovery drinks, but can also be taken alone in pills, chewable, or capsules. For it to be effective, you need to be doing other workout exercises such as weight lifting or calisthenics. Creatine gives you that extra boost of energy to do more workouts which means you get buff quicker.
3. Isometric training
This is a type of training whereby the muscle length and joint angle don’t change during contraction. Isometric exercises are done in static positions and do not require equipment. Some common isometric exercises include the front plank, side plank, wall sits, among others.
Building a strong, buff body does not require you to spend money paying for a gym membership or hiring a personal trainer. With the above exercises, you can be well on your way to having your dream body in a shorter time than it would take you at the gym.