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Yes building muscles without lifting weights... by weights, I mean barbells, dumbbells, gym equipment, etc. However, you will in fact be lifting WEIGHT!
This type of basic working with your body is the best way to get started. If you are already fairly active you might NEED to start with a more advanced resistance program, but resistance is the only way to increase muscle mass.
The first phase of building muscle is awakening the muscle groups. Many of us have allowed ourselves to become so sedentary that carrying the groceries in from the car can result in sore arm and back muscles in the morning. So beginning the process doesn't require a large amount of weight. You don't even have to do monstrous reps and sets (sorry, weight lifting terms. Reps are the number of consecutive attempts to do a specific exercise. Sets are the number of times you do the exercise with a rest period in between groups of reps.
I would recommend not trying to work the whole body on the same day or time of day. Do arms one day, with muscle groups broken up into different times of the day.
Example: Triceps (the back of the upper arm), stand a foot or two away from a wall. Place your palms agains the wall, chest high and allow yourself to lean toward the wall (slowly and controlled). Then push yourself back to the standing position. Try to do 10 to 15 of these and take a break (1 to 3 minutes) and do it again, take a break and do it a third time. If you can't do 10 to 15, work on it and you will in a day or two, maybe a week or two, you will get it. The next step would be to step back further from the wall and build it up again.
Finally, I would work on doing the same exercise leaning forward against a set of stairs. Trying, at first, to advance the exercise each time you can do 3 sets of 15 reps by moving down one step and starting over. At some time in the future you will end up with yout hands and feet on the floor, doing PUSHUPS! (For kicks and grins you can then do your pushups with you feet on the bottom step, and slowly advance till you are doing your pushups as high up the stairs, with your hands still on the floor.)
The same can be done with your biceps, and forarms. Doing curls with just your arm, concentrating on feeling the muscle contract, squeeze it for a 2 or 3 count and then extend it.
Your back, lie on the floor and allow your self to curl backward lifing your head and shoulders off the floor. As you get stronger, you can make the motion bigger and last longer. (BTW, getting to the floor and back up works all sorts of muscles.)
Your stomach, do crunches, you can also lie on your side and do side crunches.
Gluts (your butt muscles) quads (muscles of the front of your thighs) and hamstrings (muscles in the back of your thighs) all can be exercised by finding a strong chair and sitting and standing with as little assistance from your arms as possible. Once comfortable with the chair you can work on doing squats without the chair.
Your calves, use the floor, find a board, concrete block or the bottom step of your stairway (use the railings for balance.) Remember, the location of where you do these depends on your present strength and stamina. Simply put, allow your calves to relax, easing your heels to the floor or lower if on an object like a step. Carefully, lift your heels to as high as you can comfortably go and feel the calf muscle squeeze tight for a 2 or 3 count then lower yourself back to where you started.
Also, especially for beginners, walk. You don't have to speed walk, or take monster steps just walk. As you progress, you will naturally pick up the pace.
Lastly, after doing each exercise, take time to stretch out the muscles worked.
Simply put, working with your own body will cause you to build muscle. The exciting part is the more muscle you have the high your metabolism will be. Muscle, automatically requires more food than fat, so you will burn mor energy as you become more active. Building your bigger muscle groups will have the greatest effect on your metabolism and your ease of movement.
As always consult your Dr. before commtting to start any new exercise program.
Once you find yourself not getting the necessary workout, then you can look into buying weights to increase the intensity and continue to build the new you.
Good luck building the new you!
forbey
Yes building muscles without lifting weights... by weights, I mean barbells, dumbbells, gym equipment, etc. However, you will in fact be lifting WEIGHT!
This type of basic working with your body is the best way to get started. If you are already fairly active you might NEED to start with a more advanced resistance program, but resistance is the only way to increase muscle mass.
The first phase of building muscle is awakening the muscle groups. Many of us have allowed ourselves to become so sedentary that carrying the groceries in from the car can result in sore arm and back muscles in the morning. So beginning the process doesn't require a large amount of weight. You don't even have to do monstrous reps and sets (sorry, weight lifting terms. Reps are the number of consecutive attempts to do a specific exercise. Sets are the number of times you do the exercise with a rest period in between groups of reps.
I would recommend not trying to work the whole body on the same day or time of day. Do arms one day, with muscle groups broken up into different times of the day.
Example: Triceps (the back of the upper arm), stand a foot or two away from a wall. Place your palms agains the wall, chest high and allow yourself to lean toward the wall (slowly and controlled). Then push yourself back to the standing position. Try to do 10 to 15 of these and take a break (1 to 3 minutes) and do it again, take a break and do it a third time. If you can't do 10 to 15, work on it and you will in a day or two, maybe a week or two, you will get it. The next step would be to step back further from the wall and build it up again.
Finally, I would work on doing the same exercise leaning forward against a set of stairs. Trying, at first, to advance the exercise each time you can do 3 sets of 15 reps by moving down one step and starting over. At some time in the future you will end up with yout hands and feet on the floor, doing PUSHUPS! (For kicks and grins you can then do your pushups with you feet on the bottom step, and slowly advance till you are doing your pushups as high up the stairs, with your hands still on the floor.)
The same can be done with your biceps, and forarms. Doing curls with just your arm, concentrating on feeling the muscle contract, squeeze it for a 2 or 3 count and then extend it.
Your back, lie on the floor and allow your self to curl backward lifing your head and shoulders off the floor. As you get stronger, you can make the motion bigger and last longer. (BTW, getting to the floor and back up works all sorts of muscles.)
Your stomach, do crunches, you can also lie on your side and do side crunches.
Gluts (your butt muscles) quads (muscles of the front of your thighs) and hamstrings (muscles in the back of your thighs) all can be exercised by finding a strong chair and sitting and standing with as little assistance from your arms as possible. Once comfortable with the chair you can work on doing squats without the chair.
Your calves, use the floor, find a board, concrete block or the bottom step of your stairway (use the railings for balance.) Remember, the location of where you do these depends on your present strength and stamina. Simply put, allow your calves to relax, easing your heels to the floor or lower if on an object like a step. Carefully, lift your heels to as high as you can comfortably go and feel the calf muscle squeeze tight for a 2 or 3 count then lower yourself back to where you started.
Also, especially for beginners, walk. You don't have to speed walk, or take monster steps just walk. As you progress, you will naturally pick up the pace.
Lastly, after doing each exercise, take time to stretch out the muscles worked.
Simply put, working with your own body will cause you to build muscle. The exciting part is the more muscle you have the high your metabolism will be. Muscle, automatically requires more food than fat, so you will burn mor energy as you become more active. Building your bigger muscle groups will have the greatest effect on your metabolism and your ease of movement.
As always consult your Dr. before commtting to start any new exercise program.
Once you find yourself not getting the necessary workout, then you can look into buying weights to increase the intensity and continue to build the new you.
Good luck building the new you!
forbey
But that is just me!
)
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