Are Bodyweight Exercises Enough To Build Muscle?

[Suspicious Dingo]

So in Sydney we are in total lockdown due to covid, so all gyms are closed. I have been doing the following bodyweight exercises every day:

150 x push ups
100 x incline push ups
100 x decline push ups
100 x dips

And finishing off with 20 mins or so of cardio with a jump rope. Do you guys think that is enough to maintain and/or build muscle? If not, any suggestions?

 

[The ADD]

So in Sydney we are in total lockdown due to covid, so all gyms are closed. I have been doing the following bodyweight exercises every day:

150 x push ups
100 x incline push ups
100 x decline push ups
100 x dips

And finishing off with 20 mins or so of cardio with a jump rope. Do you guys think that is enough to maintain and/or build muscle? If not, any suggestions?

Depends on how much muscle you are talking about and during what time period. If you mean body comp changing levels/slabs of lean muscle then likely not. What you laid out isn’t going to stimulate MPS much at all and most likely not over a sustained period. That said building that level of muscle take time anyway so I don’t imagine you will be in lockdown that long.

You could get leaner and see better definition and of maintain mass but probably lose some direct strength.

 

[Gully Bull]

Depends on how much muscle you are talking about and during what time period. If you mean body comp changing levels/slabs of lean muscle then likely not. What you laid out isn’t going to stimulate MPS much at all and most likely not over a sustained period. That said building that level of muscle take time anyway so I don’t imagine you will be in lockdown that long.

You could get leaner and see better definition and of maintain mass but probably lose some direct strength.

Unless you start doing tire flips with your couch


Well what’s it gonna be

 

[Neo. The Only. The One.]

Imma say yes, because I've been doing nothing but bodyweight exercises for the past 3 weeks and I already see a noticeable muscle gain in my arms and shoulders.

In fact, my shoulders are bulking and getting definition at the same time, and I was thinking to myself the other day that it's the same type of muscle gain I would get back in the day when I used to hit the gym and do shoulder exercises with dumbbells (lateral raises and front raises).

Now I don't expect to be looking like prime Ronnie Coleman just from doing bodyweight exercises... but like I said, I'm definitely putting on muscle - and it's happening quickly.

I'm assuming at some point I would hit a wall as far as size, but in the meantime, there's a noticeable muscle gain happening.

 

[Neo. The Only. The One.]

So in Sydney we are in total lockdown due to covid, so all gyms are closed. I have been doing the following bodyweight exercises every day:

150 x push ups
100 x incline push ups
100 x decline push ups
100 x dips

And finishing off with 20 mins or so of cardio with a jump rope. Do you guys think that is enough to maintain and/or build muscle? If not, any suggestions?

This is the routine I do. I follow along with these brothas in the video






They got these for like 30 days, I believe (just change the day number up and you should be able to search all of them)

This stuff will have you looking right. Last night, I was exhausted, so all I did was 200 pushups and 200 squats. But normally I'm doing at least 300 squats, 300 pushups, and whatever other exercise they throw in on that day (dips, crunches, russian twists, leg raises, hip raises, etc). I'm working my way up to 600 of everything.

And I try to follow this routine every day. I did miss a night the other night (women issues) but before that, I had gone like 8 or 9 days without a day off.

 

[Drip Bayless]

Yes, but for certain muscle groups, lower back, legs it’s harder to get that progressive overload going
Doing 150 push ups isn’t gonna make you much stronger, it’s just gonna help you do more push ups
Instead of doing hella calis throughout the day just do a few sets of weighted exercises

 

[Neo. The Only. The One.]

Yes, but for certain muscle groups, lower back, legs it’s harder to get that progressive overload going
Doing 150 push ups isn’t gonna make you much stronger, it’s just gonna help you do more push ups
Instead of doing hella calis throughout the day just do a few sets of weighted exercises

Do you feel the same way about pullups?

 

[Drip Bayless]

Do you feel the same way about pullups?

Yeah my point stands for muscle building exercises in general
Once you can do more than 8-12 each set for 3 or more sets you should be either adding weight or doing a more difficult variation (ring dips vs. regular dips, toes to bar vs hanging knee raise, etc.)
Even with weights I hardly ever do more than 8 reps, for compounds I’m usually <6 reps per set
Rep ranges for gaining strength are more: 2-5
For hypertrophy (looking bigger): 6-9
For endurance: 10+

 

[Neo. The Only. The One.]

Yeah my point stands for muscle building exercises in general
Once you can do more than 8-12 each set for 3 or more sets you should be either adding weight or doing a more difficult variation (ring dips vs. regular dips, toes to bar vs hanging knee raise, etc.)
Even with weights I hardly ever do more than 8 reps, for compounds I’m usually <6 reps per set
Rep ranges for gaining strength are more: 2-5
For hypertrophy (looking bigger): 6-9
For endurance: 10+

Not trying to argue with gym brehs... but my chest, arms and shoulders have grown significantly and I'm doing a lot of reps of bodyweight exercises currently.

Again, not trying to argue, but wondering what is the science explanation for that?

 

[King]

Not trying to argue with gym brehs... but my chest, arms and shoulders have grown significantly and I'm doing a lot of reps of bodyweight exercises currently.

Again, not trying to argue, but wondering what is the science explanation for that?

Genetics

 

[The ADD]

Not trying to argue with gym brehs... but my chest, arms and shoulders have grown significantly and I'm doing a lot of reps of bodyweight exercises currently.

Again, not trying to argue, but wondering what is the science explanation for that?

"Significantly" is based on your judgement in the mirror. You said above that you made this progress in three weeks. That's not a realistic amount of time to grow sizeable lean muscle regardless of the method. I won't sit here an tell you don't look and feel bigger to yourself but also a lot of it is based on your perception to say you've grown significantly in that time frame is kind of outside of the science.

 

[Neo. The Only. The One.]

"Significantly" is based on your judgement in the mirror. You said above that you made this progress in three weeks. That's not a realistic amount of time to grow sizeable lean muscle regardless of the method. I won't sit here an tell you don't look and feel bigger to yourself but also a lot of it is based on your perception to say you've grown significantly in that time frame is kind of outside of the science.

I mean yeah it's anecdotal. But other ppl are even commenting on it.

Of course that is anecdotal as well, I realize.

I'm not going to argue the point as there is no type of proof I can give you to make you believe me.

But with that being said, I'm telling you my body has changed within 3 weeks.

 

[The ADD]

I mean yeah it's anecdotal. But other ppl are even commenting on it.

Of course that is anecdotal as well, I realize.

I'm not going to argue the point as there is no type of proof I can give you to make you believe me.

But with that being said, I'm telling you my body has changed within 3 weeks.

Right and that’s my point. I’m not denying change but significant muscle gain in 3 weeks is not scientifically realistic.

I doesn’t take away from what your are doing but as much as we can we have to advise people realistically.

 

[King]

I mean yeah it's anecdotal. But other ppl are even commenting on it.

Of course that is anecdotal as well, I realize.

I'm not going to argue the point as there is no type of proof I can give you to make you believe me.

But with that being said, I'm telling you my body has changed within 3 weeks.

Yeah you probably lost body fat and a lot of water weight as a result of your increased physical activity.

Making your muscles appear fuller.

 

[Son Goku]

So in Sydney we are in total lockdown due to covid, so all gyms are closed. I have been doing the following bodyweight exercises every day:

150 x push ups
100 x incline push ups
100 x decline push ups
100 x dips

And finishing off with 20 mins or so of cardio with a jump rope. Do you guys think that is enough to maintain and/or build muscle? If not, any suggestions?

@OP: No, it's not enough. Let's not even address the fact that you've only directly targeted like 3 of your muscle groups.

Something like this will prolly lead to better definition through increased caloric expenditure than it would be to muscle gain.

Also, don't be surprised if your shoulders crap out doing this (450 BW reps of pushing/ 0 pulling) everyday.


@neotheflyingone You might have gained size in three weeks but whoever said it was muscle?

Some of what you are seeing is mostly likely a combination of the pump and sarcoplasmic hypertrophy, increased fluid/water retention, and possibly even optical illusions (you know you're working out so you think you're seeing amazing results).

Not saying that you aren't making any progress, but thinking three weeks of calis without optimal sleep and nutrition will lead to noticeable muscle gain is very suspect.