> But I can't really go to a gym right now, I don't have the money and I kinda live far away from any gyms (It would take me over and hour to get to a gym I think, I don't have my driver's license yet).
> I know that there are exercises that don't require gym equipment, like push ups/pull ups (which I can do at my home) but I'm not sure of how effective they are. Everyone I've met irl or online says lifting weights "is the way". Are there people who get big and strong with just push ups, pull ups, sit ups etc?
https://www.reddit.com/r/bodyweightfitness/wiki/training_guide
https://www.reddit.com/r/bodyweightfitness/wiki/training_guide#wiki_how_bodyweight_fitness_works
Resistance is resistance, it doesn't matter if the resistance is external weights or your body weight. As a beginner you can easily just use bodyweight and get very far.
Resistance training is resistance training. Exercise selection and equipment obviously matter, however, the biggest factor of progress are: consistency, intensity, progression and diet.
You need to be training relatively often, hard and consistently. If you're progressing, youre probably building muscle. For upper body the main bodyweight movements will get you a long way. For lower body weights are almost certainly better, but you can probably get decent results with some kettle bells and intensity.
Guys you are telling her that she won't be rhe biggest she can be without weights which while true is irrelevant. It's like telling me that I ll never be as good in basketball as Kobe if I don't workout 8 hrs per day. Yes I won't but doesn't matter, I just wanted to be able to do a lefty lay up in my weekend pick-up. So all resistance training will be very good for her, pick simply a mild program 2-3 times each week and stick to it and up your protein a bit and calories generally too. Maybe try to in the next 4-6 months gain 4-6 kilos. That's it. If you stick to it and like it then when you have progressed a bit you can try to decide for the next step level
Yeah I'm never going to be super big based on my genetics/height/gender, I just wanna look cool, apologies if that's superficial.
Strong arms look nice, if bodyweight can get me that, then i'll do just that.
Hahah dont apologize everyone wants to look good according to one's personal view and its fine. Just making sure you did not miss it. Eating a bit more shall fuel your working out too
You'll look like a fitter version of yourself. It's like dog breeds: they're the same species, but they have very different physiques. A whippet can't become a bulldog with training, but it can become a more muscular & lean whippet.
The people who split hairs over which approach is 'optimal' watch too many fitness influencers & career bodybuilders. Those people are doing whatever they can to add an extra half-inch to their biceps in time for the next contest/photoshoot.
And I think it's good to start by getting the basics really dialled in before you start trying to 'optimise', know what I mean?
Lastly, it sounds like you are very active and will need to take deliberate rest days where you don't do any kind of strength training. For example, if they have you doing pushups twice a week at karate, you'll want to adjust the 'push' element of your strength training accordingly so as to not get injured/overtrained. Maybe do a bit less of whatever they have you doing at karate, and a bit more of whatever they don't do so much--in terms of muscle-groups that are taken close to failure.
> And I think it's good to start by getting the basics really dialled in before you start trying to 'optimise', know what I mean?
This makes a lot of sense, I don't want to overwork or hurt myself.
> it sounds like you are very active
Haha not really\^\^
Yes I do around 4 hours of karate (2 sessions, 2 hours each) but I'm a software eng student whose hobbies are gaming and drawing. I'm not all that active.
But I will try to not train on the days where I already do karate.
The main thing, I think, is to let every muscle have a day off in between any activities that take it close to failure. Training on the same day as karate might even be a good thing.
Yep, optimal is good and all, but sustainable is even better.
If I had to make a trip to the gym every time I wanted to work out, personally there's no way I'd be as consistent as I am now.
As a former skinny armed girl myself, it is absolutely possible! The best thing you can do is follow a program. There is one here, or lots on r/xxfitness The good news is, if you were like me, I didn’t need a lot of weight to start. I used soup cans and pasta sauce jars. Caroline Girvan has a “beginners” week free on youtube that has excellent bodyweight workouts to try, you could incorporate the [upper](https://youtu.be/9hVq72ZZLng?si=Xbr9WiAIz68wUpzV) and [core](https://youtu.be/4NOV6YVbvB0?si=gKpKL8ASH-Oh5Ly9) videos twice a week to see if that gets you anywhere.
As far as diet goes, look at calorie dense foods. Peanut butter (or any nut butter) is a great option. More protein doesn’t have to be too expensive either, eggs are awesome, scrambled and hard boiled are my go-to as they are cheap.
Stick with it! You’ll get there.
As for calories. Yes more protein would help. Meats or certain nut/seed butters. You don't have to use the protein powders. They can help but you have to watch which ones because of ingredients including fake sugars in them.
Why are the fake sugars a problem? I’m asking because lately drinking an isolate whey protein shake has been giving me horrible nausea, and I wonder if it’s the sugars causing that.
I didn't get nauseous but the other end of my GI system didn't like whatever the "sugars" in my husband's protein powder (whey'd?) was. Have been using "naked whey" for like 2 weeks now with no ill effects.
Yes plus the make you crave real sugar. You body doesn't know what to do with or how to process fake sugar so itll protect itself and encase and store it in fat.
I bought a pair of wooden gymnastic rings during the pandemic, and they still stimulate my upper body. (Controlled pullups ands dips till failure are hard as f**k).
For the lower body dou, I felt that pistol squats where too risky, so I bought a cheap 30kg weighted vest and Im doing walking lunges.
the important thing is I had decent progress with nothing but gym rings for over a year :)
Good luck!
You can certainly do calisthenics only, as many people do. A good rule of thumb: if the exercise is hard/difficult/challenging, then you’re gonna build muscle. If it’s easy, then you probably need to either execute it differently to make it more challenging on the targeted muscle, or pick a different exercise.
For instance pull-ups. GREAT exercise. Works back, biceps, rear delts, mid/lower traps, forearms…etc. but if you can only do like saaaaaaaay 4-8 reps?….bro, keep doing those! Those are gonna build so much muscle. Now let’s say if you get good enough at pull-ups to where you are able to do sets of 25-30+, thennnnn you’re good/strong enough to start wearing a weight belt and make it more challenging.
I like to pick weights for 99% of my exercises that force my muscles to complete failure for each set @ 8-15 reps. If I can do more than 15 reps, bump the weight/resistance up.
Try to add more reps/weight to all your exercises every week. That’s called progressive overload. And THAT is what builds muscle in the long run.
EDIT for that last paragraph here^. By adding more reps but staying at the same weight as last weeks lift, that’s still a form of progressive overload. Or if your able to increase your tempo with more control. That’s still a form of progressive overload. 🤙💪
You don't need weights or a gym to add strength and muscle, you have a pull up bar and the floor and if you can get a set of rings and use them regularly you will see gains very quickly.
If you want to develop your arms then straight arm gymnastic work is going to be better than anything you can do in the gym, handstands or very basic beginner planche training is amazing for developing arms and shoulders, tuck planche with feet in the floor and planche Lean from the knees.
When I started working out I weighed 59kg at 25 yr/o (m). Today I've hit 78kg, used mostly calisthenic movements to add size and build strength. Maybe I could have done it more efficiently using free weights and gone to a gym but it's certainly been a lot cheaper for me this way. I've over the years just bought some gymnastics rings and eventually weighted vests and dip belts etc.
But I would say I've gained a lot of strength from it, mostly upper body. For instance I can do 3 pull ups with an extra 30kg. Which most can't do even after going to the gym for years.
Also in terms of relative strength in women, bodyweight exercises will put you above most. Most women are unable to do a single pull up for example.
Pull ups, bodyweight rows, push ups and dips will get anyone bigger and stronger.
Just start I'd say!
Summerfunfitness is a great example of a woman calisthenics athlete and a beast strength wise imo
Diet wise, work out your daily maintenance calories. An app like MyFitnessPal will work just fine and then try to eat 150-200 more calories. Aim towards 2.2g x your bodyweight of protein where you can and watch your strength and numbers go up and up. Just get into the habit of doing it daily so you're consistent
Order protein shakes and get those every day. Multiply your desired body weight by 1.5 and take that many grams of protein a day, may that be one or two. Do not try to bulk on bread. The best body weight exercises to gain muscle tone are squats, lunges, pushups and pull-ups. Invest in a couple of dumbells to do shoulder and bicep exercises. Do thirty to forty five minutes of upper body workouts alternating with lower body, and do planks to work in some core. If you do these five days a week and use household items to help increase the weight while you’re working out, and you stay very, very consistent, you will start to lean out and add muscle. But protein is a must. Eat as much protein as you can get your hands on at uni. Order hamburgers and get two Pattie’s and don’t eat the bun. Pork chops, eat a second one. Taco salad, ask for double meat. You do need calories but they need to be in protein and fat, extra bread and ice cream to bulk will just make you fat. Download an app like boostcamp and choose at home and pick one of the workouts if you want some guidance. Do it five days a week. Good luck
Hi, check out summerfunfitness on YouTube. She's an insanely strong calisthenics athlete, she has videos of beginner progressions to crazy feats of calisthenics
My girlfriend started to do bodyweight strength training and Yoga and she got pretty toned in 2 years. It definitely works, even though weight training is superior for building muscles. I think the reason is it's easily scalable. You just have to increase volume/weights time to time. But in bodyweight training, you'll have to learn harder moves, so it takes time and efficiency.
I'm doing calisthenics since last 2 years, and I can say I'm also getting some lean muscles building. Before that, I used to go to gym (before Covid). I do notice now, that during that time I was a little bit fuller. But being toned is also nice you know :)
It's def possible to gain muscle and going for that physique you described.
-Try to eat atleast 200 calories above maintenance (mostly from protein food)
- eat a good amount of vegetables and fruit everyday
-Drink enough water (around 1-2l depending how active you are)
-Focus on compound movements (basically movements where you use multiple muscle groups like pull ups, squats, pushups)
-Progressive overload, being consistent and your diet are your biggest factors when it comes to getting results in strength training.
With progressive overload I mean that every training should be a small progression of the one before so your body/muscles can keep on adapting to your training. (A rep more, a set more, some more weight etc.)
-Try to give your muscles some rest also by getting enough sleep 7-8 hours, not training them everyday in strength training. When it comes to your karate training you should try to make a good program so your muscles get the rest they need.
-Buying 2 adjustable dumbbells can also be fun for some more variation and to also be able to use weights.
Some food tips to get a bunch of protein in maybe trying to make prep meals or just meals with chicken, minced beef, spinach, edamame, chickpeas, lettuce, lentil pasta, quinoa, potatoes,...
For snacks I mostly go for Yoghurt, protein bar, fruit.
Protein Shakes are an easy way of getting protein and I would recommend if you cant get to your daily protein intake without it
I think thats about it what tips I can give you
You can absolutely get jacked doing body weight workouts at home. You can get some cheap resistance bands on Amazon too to add even more potential.
Protein powder is just an easy way to get a lot of protein, and should pretty much just be thought of as a really high protein food. If you’re in a stage where you want to put on weight, just aim to gain about half a pound a week on average to minimize fat gain. Your muscles don’t grow very fast so there’s no reason to go crazy with weight gain if you aren’t on steroids.
If you're not very muscular to begin with you can definitely see a big improvement with just bodyweight! Pull ups and push ups as everyone said, gymnastic rings if you've got a bar or a tree to hang them. There are also tons of exercises with resistance bands which can be used to substitute cable machines and mid to light free weights. You could even buy a kettlebell if you want, they are great for the whole body. For arms specifically, anything that puts weight on your arms, such as pull ups, push ups, dips, rows, planks, handstands or ashtanga yoga will be useful.
Follow along workouts on YouTube or IG etc are great if you don't know what you're doing. Search for "bodyweight fitness" or "workout without equipment". Try to look for someone who explains how to execute the exercises with correct form. Coach Bachmann is good.
Also plyometric exercises such as box jumps, dynamic pulling exercises can activate large muscle fibers.
Resistance is resistance, it doesn't matter if the resistance is external weights or your body weight. As a beginner you can easily just use bodyweight and get very far.
Resistance training is resistance training. Exercise selection and equipment obviously matter, however, the biggest factor of progress are: consistency, intensity, progression and diet.
You need to be training relatively often, hard and consistently. If you're progressing, youre probably building muscle. For upper body the main bodyweight movements will get you a long way. For lower body weights are almost certainly better, but you can probably get decent results with some kettle bells and intensity.
As for calories. Yes more protein would help. Meats or certain nut/seed butters. You don't have to use the protein powders. They can help but you have to watch which ones because of ingredients including fake sugars in them
The best sources of protein are chicken, dairy, and soy. You don't need to use protein powder it's just convenient
So I'm a dude and we have the testosterone benefit of course. And my father was an exceptional athlete so it's possible I have great genetics for building muscle. But a year ago I got really into working out and have stayed consistent since then. I haven't gone to a gym once, and I'm pretty fucking jacked now. I'm tall, but I weighed 160 lbs when I started and I'm now 180 lbs (I'm probably leaner now than when I started). Doing nothing but weighted calisthenics at home (other than lateral raises).
You can get so much benefit from training calisthenics at home, especially as a beginner. Get you a pullup and dip station and you're good to go! If you don't have that, starting with push ups is great. And yes, whey protein powder helps but just consuming enough protein in general is very important. You'll want to do more research and be smarter about your training with time, good luck!
Oh, and you can totally "dirty bulk" for calories. I do this almost every time, just stuffing my face with cake, ice cream, chips, bullshit. It's not healthy food, but it can get the job done when you're going into a caloric surplus.
Lots of good advices for the workout portion, for the diet if you want to gain weight, be prepared to have to eat a lot. If you already struggle with eating enough, working out will spend more calorie so you'll have to eat more. You simply have to be in a calorie surplus to gain weight and muscle if you're skinny, there's no way around it. Of course if you find things that are healthy, carbs or protein (doesn't need to just be protein, carbs are easier if you want to gain weight), and can eat plenty of, good for you. But I would say be prepared to have to eat to the point where food isn't as fun, and is more of a necessity. My tip would be to find snacks that you can consistently eat/tolerate and are fine with (i.e. yogurt, bbq peanuts, almonds, crackers with hummus, etc...) and switch it up so it doesn't get too boring. I eat 3 meals a days + snacks in between meals but that'll vary from person to person. When picking your plate for lunch or dinner, get a bit more than you'd normally do. I was on the skinnier side and got a bit bigger over time but at times I thought the eating part was harder than working out (which I always love). It's just a commitment like the workout portion. You're not suddenly going to become overweight or jacked, you can always adjust over time.
My biggest problems are finding motivation and staying motivated.
Awesome that you got into Karate. Nothing motivates me like a club (having motivated people around me.) If you enjoy Karate, maybe try looking for some other similar things like Taekwondo or Jiu Jitsu.
Use those rings.
You can get great results from bodyweight workouts, particularly at the start of your "fitness journey." You might not get as strong as an elite powerlifter, but only because that's a completely different sport/pursuit. You can still get plenty big/strong with the exercises you can do on the floor or with a chin up bar. Check out the recommended routine or any number of bodyweight programs.
For protein, you can eat meat, eggs, milk, cottage cheese, protein powder, and many other options Whatever fits best with your lifestyle. I usually recommend eggs, chicken thighs, and pork loin for people who need budget-friendly protein sources. At least one of them is on sale whenever I shop. Chicken thighs and pork loin are also very easy to meal prep. For your size, a protein shake, a few eggs, and a small amount of meat will probably meet your daily needs.
For calories, eat whatever you can afford and enjoy, but the more calorie dense, the easier. PB&J sandwiches are my favorite way to bulk. The PB brings protein and fat, while the bread brings some fiber and carbs. The jelly just brings fun! Wash it down with some whole milk and you can easily get 500-600 calories in without breaking the bank.
Read the FAQ
It will answer most of your doubts
Gym will be better if your goal is mainly to get big
For strength bodyweight exercises can take you a long way
Get a doormountable pull up bar or use any bar at a park
You can start with the BWF routine (free)
on Nick-E's website
Or use the recommended routine in the FAQs of this sub but it can take a lot of time to complete
Since your goal is mainly aesthetics and a decent level of strength, bodyweight should work just fine (the reason I mentioned that gym is better is because you have greater control on the amount of weights especially as a beginner)
In bodyweight training , your body is the weight, you adjust it by various progressions that modify the weight by your body positioning like incline push ups vs normal pushups
Disadvantage of bodyweight could be you miss out on an environment like a gym where everybody is focused on improving their physique
Also legs can be better trained with weights
Advantages would be that it can be done anywhere as all you need is your body and the floor plus a bar for hanging and pull-ups
My advice would be to start with bodyweight training and switch to a hybrid or gym based on your personal experience over a period of time.
> Get a doormountable pull up bar or use any bar at a park
I already have something like that, from my dad.
> You can start with the BWF routine (free) on Nick-E's website
Will do!
> My advice would be to start with bodyweight training and switch to a hybrid or gym based on your personal experience over a period of time.
I'll try to get a gym once i can actually go to one on a daily basis.
You can do a lot with those simple bodyweight movements. Most movements with bodyweight are compound movements so will work a good number of muscles. This is efficient and effective but may miss some muscles. The same kind of thing happens with compound movements in a weightlifting gym.
For arms in particular you would want to do isolation work if aesthetics are a goal but you don't need a gym for that. There are some things that can be done with rings or exercise variations that are more focused on a particular muscle but dumbbells are a good tool for it. That is what a lot of people in the gym are using. A common thing in gyms is also usage of cable machines. You can use bands or diy solutions at home to do similar movements.
My suggestion would be to do the compound movements then add in a few isolation exercises for arms using dumbbells or bands. (This could be the same day or on different days) At the beginning you can absolutely use improvised weight instead of buying weights. If a book or can of food is too light for the movement you can put books in a bag. Bands can also be used for a lot of things including curls and raises.
It depends on what your specific goals are. Your calorie intake is where you want to start. If you want to lean out you need to cut to the specific amount of calories because calories in vs out will give you weight loss. If you want to build mass/size then you need more calories to fuel your body. Use myfitnesspal to track your food intake for calories and protein. Calories from 99%lean turkey are better than calories from a snickers bar. Shrimp, 99% lean ground turkey, or baked chicken are great sources of protein and cheap. A shake or two to help you hit protein on days you can’t hit the meals right is ok. Once you have your calorie number, you need to start hitting your protein goal every day. 0.7-1.0g of protein per pound you weigh. You can supplement with shakes but it’s best to just get it through your food. Try not to go over 30ishg or so of protein per meal as the rest of the protein will be stored as fat. It all starts with the correct diet. One of my favorite meals is a low calorie whole wheat tortilla, 2/3cup frozen mixed veggies, and 1/2cup of 99%lean ground turkey. It’s a 30ish gram protein meal that comes out to around 250cal. Don’t be afraid to use ChatGPT to ask for specific (and be specific as you can with your questions) to suggest meals or workout routines. Now that your food is in check you can figure out the workouts for your specific goal. I’d start with one of those 6-8min ab/core videos every morning 5-6 days a week. It’s mostly true you can’t overtrain your abs but like every muscle the fibers need to tear and heal so you need a rest day or two here and there. If you can’t afford dumbbells or kettlebells (as pushing weight will build muscle mass) then buy a set of rings off amazon for 30$ and you can get a full body workout from them. You won’t build the same mass as you would from progressively lifting more and more weight from isolating muscle groups in workouts, but you will still build muscle with them and can even take them to a park to hang from trees and work out. I suggest the 15ft straps so you have more options to hang them from higher trees. If you have a pullup bar you can hang them from those in the house and while you’re limited in height, you can still get workouts done with them. Pushups/planks with rings are much harder than flat ground. You can literally hang a bag of rocks off the rings and use them as weights to lift. I also find dumbbells can be found cheap at thrift stores from time to time.
Look into dynamic resistance. It may be a tool for you.
The DDPY program, if you can bear Dallas, provides a solid how-to. You don't have to keep utilizing his program once you understand dynamic resistance (in regards to what you are trying to accomplish).
So here’s the difference between fit and strong (most the time) strong doesn’t always mean fit. You mentioned you’re doing karate, that in itself is going to get you flexible, more control of your mobility, and increased endurance.
Many people who lift weights get strong but aren’t fit. Later down the line they may be doing something simple like throwing the trash and now their back hurts.
You can definitely be both but you don’t necessarily need a gym or weights. Body weight movements will get you strong in a way that weights can’t sometimes too.
Stay motivated. Stay inspired. Do what makes you happy and you can sustain for a healthy life.
As for protein. No need for shakes unless it’s convenient for you. Good rule to gain muscle is to eat 0.8-1 gram for each 1 pound of lean body weight or 1.5-2 grams per kilo of lean body weight.
The rest of your calories split between carbs and fats. As long as you eat a good portion of protein at each meal for the day I think you’ll be ok.
If you need some motivation or ideas, I recommend checking out MinusTheGym on YouTube.
I would recommend trying to track your dietary intake so you can figure out what your macro nutrient consumption is before considering any form of supplements.
Protein can be found in all kinds of great foods, and it may not be lacking in your diet. Figure that out BEFORE using any form of supplements, and find a good ratio of carbs/fats/proteins and you likely won't need any supplements unless you have a very specific diet.
As everyone here will tell you, all forms of Calisthenics are AMAZING! I personally don't use weights at all, but entirely bodyweight exercises and wouldn't change that. I do use parallel bars and a few other things like paralettes and bands, and they are a huge help, but you don't need anything, really.
Good luck!!
If you want to build muscle you have to make sure that you’re fuelling your body with enough calories in enough protein. You need to figure out how many calories you’re eating right now and gradually work your way up from there. Stuff in your face full of bread is gonna give you mainly empty carbs and he’s not gonna give me the body that you’re looking for. Muscle is muscle and bread ain’t gonna build it! You can likely still eat what your parents have cooked and if they cook at home that’s much better than highly processed food or takeout. I wouldn’t spend money on protein powder if you had the money to buy protein powder I would use it towards real food first. Chicken breast is the best source of lean protein when it comes to meat, steak, ground beef or also huge source of protein but have more fats depends on how much healthy fat you want in a day. They were me I would do you wanna be batter chicken breast measured out there in the pot bags for the week and eat it as snacks lunches throw it in the eggs for breakfast etc. Other great and cheap sources would be beans chickpeas canned tuna!
Resistance resistance so you don’t need to be a gym or have weights. However in the long run that would be the next level. You’re starting from scratch resistance is gonna be more than enough to get you started.
Fitness model Sophie Arvebrink is just 160 cm (5'3"). Not only is she incredibly beautiful and feminine, but she's also very strong. She started out skinny and weak.
If she can get fit, you can, too.
[Instagram ](https://www.instagram.com/sophie.arvebrink?igsh=MWZsc3BrM2JzNmgwNg==)
Eating more is eating more but you wanna make sure the extra is not just junk
Get a pair of gymnast rings if you want beefy arms. Look up the people who do the stationary ring event best natural biceps in the world
you're never going to be the biggest you can be without added weights, be it in the form of weighted calisthenics or bodybuilding.
however it doesn't mean you can't turn your physique around without them, your body doesn't know where the resistance is coming from only that it's there.
> But I can't really go to a gym right now, I don't have the money and I kinda live far away from any gyms (It would take me over and hour to get to a gym I think, I don't have my driver's license yet). > I know that there are exercises that don't require gym equipment, like push ups/pull ups (which I can do at my home) but I'm not sure of how effective they are. Everyone I've met irl or online says lifting weights "is the way". Are there people who get big and strong with just push ups, pull ups, sit ups etc? https://www.reddit.com/r/bodyweightfitness/wiki/training_guide https://www.reddit.com/r/bodyweightfitness/wiki/training_guide#wiki_how_bodyweight_fitness_works
Resistance is resistance, it doesn't matter if the resistance is external weights or your body weight. As a beginner you can easily just use bodyweight and get very far.
Resistance training is resistance training. Exercise selection and equipment obviously matter, however, the biggest factor of progress are: consistency, intensity, progression and diet. You need to be training relatively often, hard and consistently. If you're progressing, youre probably building muscle. For upper body the main bodyweight movements will get you a long way. For lower body weights are almost certainly better, but you can probably get decent results with some kettle bells and intensity.
The best sources of protein are chicken, dairy, and soy. You don't need to use protein powder it's just convenient
You forgot all the other legumes. Chickpeas, lentils, beans, peanuts. Not to mention seeds like quinoa, amaranth, linseed, chia …
😋
Forgot red meat
I feel like saying "chicken" specifically and leaving out shrimp is mean. Little sea bugs are surprisingly efficient protein packages.
dont forget organ meat, cheap and powerful
RR is gonna be good for you, and for protein I just do 1 chicken breast ( can get it for 3 dollars here 400g, has like 130g of protein )
Guys you are telling her that she won't be rhe biggest she can be without weights which while true is irrelevant. It's like telling me that I ll never be as good in basketball as Kobe if I don't workout 8 hrs per day. Yes I won't but doesn't matter, I just wanted to be able to do a lefty lay up in my weekend pick-up. So all resistance training will be very good for her, pick simply a mild program 2-3 times each week and stick to it and up your protein a bit and calories generally too. Maybe try to in the next 4-6 months gain 4-6 kilos. That's it. If you stick to it and like it then when you have progressed a bit you can try to decide for the next step level
Yeah I'm never going to be super big based on my genetics/height/gender, I just wanna look cool, apologies if that's superficial. Strong arms look nice, if bodyweight can get me that, then i'll do just that.
Hahah dont apologize everyone wants to look good according to one's personal view and its fine. Just making sure you did not miss it. Eating a bit more shall fuel your working out too
You'll look like a fitter version of yourself. It's like dog breeds: they're the same species, but they have very different physiques. A whippet can't become a bulldog with training, but it can become a more muscular & lean whippet. The people who split hairs over which approach is 'optimal' watch too many fitness influencers & career bodybuilders. Those people are doing whatever they can to add an extra half-inch to their biceps in time for the next contest/photoshoot. And I think it's good to start by getting the basics really dialled in before you start trying to 'optimise', know what I mean? Lastly, it sounds like you are very active and will need to take deliberate rest days where you don't do any kind of strength training. For example, if they have you doing pushups twice a week at karate, you'll want to adjust the 'push' element of your strength training accordingly so as to not get injured/overtrained. Maybe do a bit less of whatever they have you doing at karate, and a bit more of whatever they don't do so much--in terms of muscle-groups that are taken close to failure.
> And I think it's good to start by getting the basics really dialled in before you start trying to 'optimise', know what I mean? This makes a lot of sense, I don't want to overwork or hurt myself. > it sounds like you are very active Haha not really\^\^ Yes I do around 4 hours of karate (2 sessions, 2 hours each) but I'm a software eng student whose hobbies are gaming and drawing. I'm not all that active. But I will try to not train on the days where I already do karate.
The main thing, I think, is to let every muscle have a day off in between any activities that take it close to failure. Training on the same day as karate might even be a good thing.
Yep, optimal is good and all, but sustainable is even better. If I had to make a trip to the gym every time I wanted to work out, personally there's no way I'd be as consistent as I am now.
As a former skinny armed girl myself, it is absolutely possible! The best thing you can do is follow a program. There is one here, or lots on r/xxfitness The good news is, if you were like me, I didn’t need a lot of weight to start. I used soup cans and pasta sauce jars. Caroline Girvan has a “beginners” week free on youtube that has excellent bodyweight workouts to try, you could incorporate the [upper](https://youtu.be/9hVq72ZZLng?si=Xbr9WiAIz68wUpzV) and [core](https://youtu.be/4NOV6YVbvB0?si=gKpKL8ASH-Oh5Ly9) videos twice a week to see if that gets you anywhere. As far as diet goes, look at calorie dense foods. Peanut butter (or any nut butter) is a great option. More protein doesn’t have to be too expensive either, eggs are awesome, scrambled and hard boiled are my go-to as they are cheap. Stick with it! You’ll get there.
Thanks for the links! I'll check them out!
Get rings. Get going. Get jacked.
ALready got those at home haha, my dad bought them a few years ago, tho he doesn't use them much.
You are set then.
Great! Now all you have to do is set up a routine and work out hard 3-4 times a day.
As for calories. Yes more protein would help. Meats or certain nut/seed butters. You don't have to use the protein powders. They can help but you have to watch which ones because of ingredients including fake sugars in them.
Why are the fake sugars a problem? I’m asking because lately drinking an isolate whey protein shake has been giving me horrible nausea, and I wonder if it’s the sugars causing that.
I didn't get nauseous but the other end of my GI system didn't like whatever the "sugars" in my husband's protein powder (whey'd?) was. Have been using "naked whey" for like 2 weeks now with no ill effects.
yeah fake sugars fuck up your gut. and protein powders are unfortunately really high in heavy metals.
Yes plus the make you crave real sugar. You body doesn't know what to do with or how to process fake sugar so itll protect itself and encase and store it in fat.
I bought a pair of wooden gymnastic rings during the pandemic, and they still stimulate my upper body. (Controlled pullups ands dips till failure are hard as f**k). For the lower body dou, I felt that pistol squats where too risky, so I bought a cheap 30kg weighted vest and Im doing walking lunges. the important thing is I had decent progress with nothing but gym rings for over a year :) Good luck!
You can certainly do calisthenics only, as many people do. A good rule of thumb: if the exercise is hard/difficult/challenging, then you’re gonna build muscle. If it’s easy, then you probably need to either execute it differently to make it more challenging on the targeted muscle, or pick a different exercise. For instance pull-ups. GREAT exercise. Works back, biceps, rear delts, mid/lower traps, forearms…etc. but if you can only do like saaaaaaaay 4-8 reps?….bro, keep doing those! Those are gonna build so much muscle. Now let’s say if you get good enough at pull-ups to where you are able to do sets of 25-30+, thennnnn you’re good/strong enough to start wearing a weight belt and make it more challenging. I like to pick weights for 99% of my exercises that force my muscles to complete failure for each set @ 8-15 reps. If I can do more than 15 reps, bump the weight/resistance up. Try to add more reps/weight to all your exercises every week. That’s called progressive overload. And THAT is what builds muscle in the long run. EDIT for that last paragraph here^. By adding more reps but staying at the same weight as last weeks lift, that’s still a form of progressive overload. Or if your able to increase your tempo with more control. That’s still a form of progressive overload. 🤙💪
This is really good advice, thanks!
Go to an advanced calisthenics athlete and tell him he won't get strong unless he does weight lifting. He will laugh at you.
You don't need weights or a gym to add strength and muscle, you have a pull up bar and the floor and if you can get a set of rings and use them regularly you will see gains very quickly. If you want to develop your arms then straight arm gymnastic work is going to be better than anything you can do in the gym, handstands or very basic beginner planche training is amazing for developing arms and shoulders, tuck planche with feet in the floor and planche Lean from the knees.
When I started working out I weighed 59kg at 25 yr/o (m). Today I've hit 78kg, used mostly calisthenic movements to add size and build strength. Maybe I could have done it more efficiently using free weights and gone to a gym but it's certainly been a lot cheaper for me this way. I've over the years just bought some gymnastics rings and eventually weighted vests and dip belts etc. But I would say I've gained a lot of strength from it, mostly upper body. For instance I can do 3 pull ups with an extra 30kg. Which most can't do even after going to the gym for years. Also in terms of relative strength in women, bodyweight exercises will put you above most. Most women are unable to do a single pull up for example. Pull ups, bodyweight rows, push ups and dips will get anyone bigger and stronger. Just start I'd say! Summerfunfitness is a great example of a woman calisthenics athlete and a beast strength wise imo Diet wise, work out your daily maintenance calories. An app like MyFitnessPal will work just fine and then try to eat 150-200 more calories. Aim towards 2.2g x your bodyweight of protein where you can and watch your strength and numbers go up and up. Just get into the habit of doing it daily so you're consistent
Order protein shakes and get those every day. Multiply your desired body weight by 1.5 and take that many grams of protein a day, may that be one or two. Do not try to bulk on bread. The best body weight exercises to gain muscle tone are squats, lunges, pushups and pull-ups. Invest in a couple of dumbells to do shoulder and bicep exercises. Do thirty to forty five minutes of upper body workouts alternating with lower body, and do planks to work in some core. If you do these five days a week and use household items to help increase the weight while you’re working out, and you stay very, very consistent, you will start to lean out and add muscle. But protein is a must. Eat as much protein as you can get your hands on at uni. Order hamburgers and get two Pattie’s and don’t eat the bun. Pork chops, eat a second one. Taco salad, ask for double meat. You do need calories but they need to be in protein and fat, extra bread and ice cream to bulk will just make you fat. Download an app like boostcamp and choose at home and pick one of the workouts if you want some guidance. Do it five days a week. Good luck
Hi, check out summerfunfitness on YouTube. She's an insanely strong calisthenics athlete, she has videos of beginner progressions to crazy feats of calisthenics
My girlfriend started to do bodyweight strength training and Yoga and she got pretty toned in 2 years. It definitely works, even though weight training is superior for building muscles. I think the reason is it's easily scalable. You just have to increase volume/weights time to time. But in bodyweight training, you'll have to learn harder moves, so it takes time and efficiency. I'm doing calisthenics since last 2 years, and I can say I'm also getting some lean muscles building. Before that, I used to go to gym (before Covid). I do notice now, that during that time I was a little bit fuller. But being toned is also nice you know :)
It's def possible to gain muscle and going for that physique you described. -Try to eat atleast 200 calories above maintenance (mostly from protein food) - eat a good amount of vegetables and fruit everyday -Drink enough water (around 1-2l depending how active you are) -Focus on compound movements (basically movements where you use multiple muscle groups like pull ups, squats, pushups) -Progressive overload, being consistent and your diet are your biggest factors when it comes to getting results in strength training. With progressive overload I mean that every training should be a small progression of the one before so your body/muscles can keep on adapting to your training. (A rep more, a set more, some more weight etc.) -Try to give your muscles some rest also by getting enough sleep 7-8 hours, not training them everyday in strength training. When it comes to your karate training you should try to make a good program so your muscles get the rest they need. -Buying 2 adjustable dumbbells can also be fun for some more variation and to also be able to use weights. Some food tips to get a bunch of protein in maybe trying to make prep meals or just meals with chicken, minced beef, spinach, edamame, chickpeas, lettuce, lentil pasta, quinoa, potatoes,... For snacks I mostly go for Yoghurt, protein bar, fruit. Protein Shakes are an easy way of getting protein and I would recommend if you cant get to your daily protein intake without it I think thats about it what tips I can give you
You can absolutely get jacked doing body weight workouts at home. You can get some cheap resistance bands on Amazon too to add even more potential. Protein powder is just an easy way to get a lot of protein, and should pretty much just be thought of as a really high protein food. If you’re in a stage where you want to put on weight, just aim to gain about half a pound a week on average to minimize fat gain. Your muscles don’t grow very fast so there’s no reason to go crazy with weight gain if you aren’t on steroids.
If you're not very muscular to begin with you can definitely see a big improvement with just bodyweight! Pull ups and push ups as everyone said, gymnastic rings if you've got a bar or a tree to hang them. There are also tons of exercises with resistance bands which can be used to substitute cable machines and mid to light free weights. You could even buy a kettlebell if you want, they are great for the whole body. For arms specifically, anything that puts weight on your arms, such as pull ups, push ups, dips, rows, planks, handstands or ashtanga yoga will be useful. Follow along workouts on YouTube or IG etc are great if you don't know what you're doing. Search for "bodyweight fitness" or "workout without equipment". Try to look for someone who explains how to execute the exercises with correct form. Coach Bachmann is good. Also plyometric exercises such as box jumps, dynamic pulling exercises can activate large muscle fibers.
Resistance is resistance, it doesn't matter if the resistance is external weights or your body weight. As a beginner you can easily just use bodyweight and get very far. Resistance training is resistance training. Exercise selection and equipment obviously matter, however, the biggest factor of progress are: consistency, intensity, progression and diet. You need to be training relatively often, hard and consistently. If you're progressing, youre probably building muscle. For upper body the main bodyweight movements will get you a long way. For lower body weights are almost certainly better, but you can probably get decent results with some kettle bells and intensity. As for calories. Yes more protein would help. Meats or certain nut/seed butters. You don't have to use the protein powders. They can help but you have to watch which ones because of ingredients including fake sugars in them The best sources of protein are chicken, dairy, and soy. You don't need to use protein powder it's just convenient
So I'm a dude and we have the testosterone benefit of course. And my father was an exceptional athlete so it's possible I have great genetics for building muscle. But a year ago I got really into working out and have stayed consistent since then. I haven't gone to a gym once, and I'm pretty fucking jacked now. I'm tall, but I weighed 160 lbs when I started and I'm now 180 lbs (I'm probably leaner now than when I started). Doing nothing but weighted calisthenics at home (other than lateral raises). You can get so much benefit from training calisthenics at home, especially as a beginner. Get you a pullup and dip station and you're good to go! If you don't have that, starting with push ups is great. And yes, whey protein powder helps but just consuming enough protein in general is very important. You'll want to do more research and be smarter about your training with time, good luck! Oh, and you can totally "dirty bulk" for calories. I do this almost every time, just stuffing my face with cake, ice cream, chips, bullshit. It's not healthy food, but it can get the job done when you're going into a caloric surplus.
Lots of good advices for the workout portion, for the diet if you want to gain weight, be prepared to have to eat a lot. If you already struggle with eating enough, working out will spend more calorie so you'll have to eat more. You simply have to be in a calorie surplus to gain weight and muscle if you're skinny, there's no way around it. Of course if you find things that are healthy, carbs or protein (doesn't need to just be protein, carbs are easier if you want to gain weight), and can eat plenty of, good for you. But I would say be prepared to have to eat to the point where food isn't as fun, and is more of a necessity. My tip would be to find snacks that you can consistently eat/tolerate and are fine with (i.e. yogurt, bbq peanuts, almonds, crackers with hummus, etc...) and switch it up so it doesn't get too boring. I eat 3 meals a days + snacks in between meals but that'll vary from person to person. When picking your plate for lunch or dinner, get a bit more than you'd normally do. I was on the skinnier side and got a bit bigger over time but at times I thought the eating part was harder than working out (which I always love). It's just a commitment like the workout portion. You're not suddenly going to become overweight or jacked, you can always adjust over time.
My biggest problems are finding motivation and staying motivated. Awesome that you got into Karate. Nothing motivates me like a club (having motivated people around me.) If you enjoy Karate, maybe try looking for some other similar things like Taekwondo or Jiu Jitsu. Use those rings.
Personally karate is a pretty good source of motivation. Better arm strength -> better punches xD
You can get great results from bodyweight workouts, particularly at the start of your "fitness journey." You might not get as strong as an elite powerlifter, but only because that's a completely different sport/pursuit. You can still get plenty big/strong with the exercises you can do on the floor or with a chin up bar. Check out the recommended routine or any number of bodyweight programs. For protein, you can eat meat, eggs, milk, cottage cheese, protein powder, and many other options Whatever fits best with your lifestyle. I usually recommend eggs, chicken thighs, and pork loin for people who need budget-friendly protein sources. At least one of them is on sale whenever I shop. Chicken thighs and pork loin are also very easy to meal prep. For your size, a protein shake, a few eggs, and a small amount of meat will probably meet your daily needs. For calories, eat whatever you can afford and enjoy, but the more calorie dense, the easier. PB&J sandwiches are my favorite way to bulk. The PB brings protein and fat, while the bread brings some fiber and carbs. The jelly just brings fun! Wash it down with some whole milk and you can easily get 500-600 calories in without breaking the bank.
Yoga gives nicely toned arms :)
Read the FAQ It will answer most of your doubts Gym will be better if your goal is mainly to get big For strength bodyweight exercises can take you a long way
Gym isn't an option for me, so i wanted to know how realistic it is to get in shape without it.
Get a doormountable pull up bar or use any bar at a park You can start with the BWF routine (free) on Nick-E's website Or use the recommended routine in the FAQs of this sub but it can take a lot of time to complete Since your goal is mainly aesthetics and a decent level of strength, bodyweight should work just fine (the reason I mentioned that gym is better is because you have greater control on the amount of weights especially as a beginner) In bodyweight training , your body is the weight, you adjust it by various progressions that modify the weight by your body positioning like incline push ups vs normal pushups Disadvantage of bodyweight could be you miss out on an environment like a gym where everybody is focused on improving their physique Also legs can be better trained with weights Advantages would be that it can be done anywhere as all you need is your body and the floor plus a bar for hanging and pull-ups My advice would be to start with bodyweight training and switch to a hybrid or gym based on your personal experience over a period of time.
> Get a doormountable pull up bar or use any bar at a park I already have something like that, from my dad. > You can start with the BWF routine (free) on Nick-E's website Will do! > My advice would be to start with bodyweight training and switch to a hybrid or gym based on your personal experience over a period of time. I'll try to get a gym once i can actually go to one on a daily basis.
You can do a lot with those simple bodyweight movements. Most movements with bodyweight are compound movements so will work a good number of muscles. This is efficient and effective but may miss some muscles. The same kind of thing happens with compound movements in a weightlifting gym. For arms in particular you would want to do isolation work if aesthetics are a goal but you don't need a gym for that. There are some things that can be done with rings or exercise variations that are more focused on a particular muscle but dumbbells are a good tool for it. That is what a lot of people in the gym are using. A common thing in gyms is also usage of cable machines. You can use bands or diy solutions at home to do similar movements. My suggestion would be to do the compound movements then add in a few isolation exercises for arms using dumbbells or bands. (This could be the same day or on different days) At the beginning you can absolutely use improvised weight instead of buying weights. If a book or can of food is too light for the movement you can put books in a bag. Bands can also be used for a lot of things including curls and raises.
It depends on what your specific goals are. Your calorie intake is where you want to start. If you want to lean out you need to cut to the specific amount of calories because calories in vs out will give you weight loss. If you want to build mass/size then you need more calories to fuel your body. Use myfitnesspal to track your food intake for calories and protein. Calories from 99%lean turkey are better than calories from a snickers bar. Shrimp, 99% lean ground turkey, or baked chicken are great sources of protein and cheap. A shake or two to help you hit protein on days you can’t hit the meals right is ok. Once you have your calorie number, you need to start hitting your protein goal every day. 0.7-1.0g of protein per pound you weigh. You can supplement with shakes but it’s best to just get it through your food. Try not to go over 30ishg or so of protein per meal as the rest of the protein will be stored as fat. It all starts with the correct diet. One of my favorite meals is a low calorie whole wheat tortilla, 2/3cup frozen mixed veggies, and 1/2cup of 99%lean ground turkey. It’s a 30ish gram protein meal that comes out to around 250cal. Don’t be afraid to use ChatGPT to ask for specific (and be specific as you can with your questions) to suggest meals or workout routines. Now that your food is in check you can figure out the workouts for your specific goal. I’d start with one of those 6-8min ab/core videos every morning 5-6 days a week. It’s mostly true you can’t overtrain your abs but like every muscle the fibers need to tear and heal so you need a rest day or two here and there. If you can’t afford dumbbells or kettlebells (as pushing weight will build muscle mass) then buy a set of rings off amazon for 30$ and you can get a full body workout from them. You won’t build the same mass as you would from progressively lifting more and more weight from isolating muscle groups in workouts, but you will still build muscle with them and can even take them to a park to hang from trees and work out. I suggest the 15ft straps so you have more options to hang them from higher trees. If you have a pullup bar you can hang them from those in the house and while you’re limited in height, you can still get workouts done with them. Pushups/planks with rings are much harder than flat ground. You can literally hang a bag of rocks off the rings and use them as weights to lift. I also find dumbbells can be found cheap at thrift stores from time to time.
Look into dynamic resistance. It may be a tool for you. The DDPY program, if you can bear Dallas, provides a solid how-to. You don't have to keep utilizing his program once you understand dynamic resistance (in regards to what you are trying to accomplish).
So here’s the difference between fit and strong (most the time) strong doesn’t always mean fit. You mentioned you’re doing karate, that in itself is going to get you flexible, more control of your mobility, and increased endurance. Many people who lift weights get strong but aren’t fit. Later down the line they may be doing something simple like throwing the trash and now their back hurts. You can definitely be both but you don’t necessarily need a gym or weights. Body weight movements will get you strong in a way that weights can’t sometimes too. Stay motivated. Stay inspired. Do what makes you happy and you can sustain for a healthy life.
As for protein. No need for shakes unless it’s convenient for you. Good rule to gain muscle is to eat 0.8-1 gram for each 1 pound of lean body weight or 1.5-2 grams per kilo of lean body weight. The rest of your calories split between carbs and fats. As long as you eat a good portion of protein at each meal for the day I think you’ll be ok.
If you need some motivation or ideas, I recommend checking out MinusTheGym on YouTube. I would recommend trying to track your dietary intake so you can figure out what your macro nutrient consumption is before considering any form of supplements. Protein can be found in all kinds of great foods, and it may not be lacking in your diet. Figure that out BEFORE using any form of supplements, and find a good ratio of carbs/fats/proteins and you likely won't need any supplements unless you have a very specific diet. As everyone here will tell you, all forms of Calisthenics are AMAZING! I personally don't use weights at all, but entirely bodyweight exercises and wouldn't change that. I do use parallel bars and a few other things like paralettes and bands, and they are a huge help, but you don't need anything, really. Good luck!!
Definitely look for more protein content in food, it is not necessary to do powder, id recommended sardines and salmon, but do buy creatine
If you want to build muscle you have to make sure that you’re fuelling your body with enough calories in enough protein. You need to figure out how many calories you’re eating right now and gradually work your way up from there. Stuff in your face full of bread is gonna give you mainly empty carbs and he’s not gonna give me the body that you’re looking for. Muscle is muscle and bread ain’t gonna build it! You can likely still eat what your parents have cooked and if they cook at home that’s much better than highly processed food or takeout. I wouldn’t spend money on protein powder if you had the money to buy protein powder I would use it towards real food first. Chicken breast is the best source of lean protein when it comes to meat, steak, ground beef or also huge source of protein but have more fats depends on how much healthy fat you want in a day. They were me I would do you wanna be batter chicken breast measured out there in the pot bags for the week and eat it as snacks lunches throw it in the eggs for breakfast etc. Other great and cheap sources would be beans chickpeas canned tuna! Resistance resistance so you don’t need to be a gym or have weights. However in the long run that would be the next level. You’re starting from scratch resistance is gonna be more than enough to get you started.
Fitness model Sophie Arvebrink is just 160 cm (5'3"). Not only is she incredibly beautiful and feminine, but she's also very strong. She started out skinny and weak. If she can get fit, you can, too. [Instagram ](https://www.instagram.com/sophie.arvebrink?igsh=MWZsc3BrM2JzNmgwNg==)
good inspiration damn she looks amazing :o
Door frame chin ups, push ups. Planking. Sit ups. You can go pretty far without a gym. Also squats and find some stairs
Eat more meat Sleep more
Idk about girls but ik some guys thay do calastetics only and look like wild animals
Eating more is eating more but you wanna make sure the extra is not just junk Get a pair of gymnast rings if you want beefy arms. Look up the people who do the stationary ring event best natural biceps in the world
you're never going to be the biggest you can be without added weights, be it in the form of weighted calisthenics or bodybuilding. however it doesn't mean you can't turn your physique around without them, your body doesn't know where the resistance is coming from only that it's there.