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Sign up for our email newsletter. Sign Up. Support science journalism. Consider the pullup: It's the standard by which all body-weight exercises are measured. And even the most hard-core lifters will agree that there's no better muscle builder for the upper body—with or without weights.
The reason for its effectiveness: It takes full advantage of the scientific laws of motion and leverage, placing your body in a position that forces your back and arms to lift your entire body weight. Call it applied science at its finest. Now imagine if all body-weight exercises were as challenging as the pullup. You'd be able to build muscle anywhere, anytime—at home, on the road, or even in a public park.
Physical science makes it possible. So with that said The Longer Your Body, The Weaker You Become The science: By increasing the distance between the point of force your target muscles and the end of the object you're trying to lift your body , you decrease your mechanical advantage. Think of it this way: An empty barbell is easy to lift off the floor if you grab it in the middle. But try moving a few inches in one direction and it instantly seems heavier—even though its weight hasn't changed.
The same is true of your body: Lengthen it and every exercise you do becomes harder. Apply it: Raise your hands above your head—so your arms are straight and in line with your body—during a lunge, squat, crunch, or situp. If that's too hard, split the distance by placing your hands behind your head. And since your muscles and bones function together as simple machines—they form class 1, 2, and 3 levers—the same formula applies to your body. It's the most basic of principles: Do more work, build more muscle.
Of course, in a weight-free workout, you can't increase force unless you gain weight. But you can boost your work output by moving a greater distance during each repetition. Apply it: Each of the following three methods increases the distance your body has to travel from start to finish, increasing not only the total amount of work you do, but also the amount of work you do in the most challenging portion of the exercise.
Hard: Move the floor farther away. For many body-weight exercises—lunges, pushups, situps—your range of motion ends at the floor. The solution: Try placing your front or back foot on a step when doing lunges; position your hands on books or your feet on a chair when doing pushups; and place a rolled-up towel under the arch in your lower back when doing situps.
Watch below as fitness guru and founder of the Red Delta Project , Matt Schifferle, demonstrates how to build muscle using a suspension training system:. Dietitian Gavin Van De Walle explains the science behind how it helps :. Aerobic exercise like running is thought to build muscle by inhibiting proteins that interfere with muscle growth and decreasing muscle protein breakdown MPB. On the other hand, long-distance running can significantly increase MPB and thus hinder muscle growth.
Cycling is a good way to stay in shape , but you might be surprised to read that cycling is also great for building muscle. Working against an opposing force builds muscle, and in cycling that of course means your calves, quads, hamstrings and glutes.
Which is shocking news when you consider just how many health benefits there are to getting an early night. Research is still fairly limited, but there is evidence to show how important sleep is to the process of muscle growth.
Sleep debt the difference between the amount of sleep you should be getting and the amount you actually get decreases protein synthesis which contributes to the loss of muscle mass and inhibits muscle recovery. Thankfully there are lots of different evidence-based ways you can improve your sleep , such as wearing a sleep mask!
If you want to build muscle without lifting weights then you need to keep your stress levels low. An article published in the Journal of Physical Therapy Science highlighted how correct posture increases abdominal muscle activity, helping you to develop a stronger core. Read this article that breaks down 10 benefits of the treatment, including enhancing your sporting performance! Sign-up for The Good Body mailing list and be the first to receive our latest news!
Take a look below at our breakdown of 12 ways to build muscle without lifting weights:. Bodyweight Exercises. Push Ups and Pull Ups.
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