Bodybuilding Exercises You Can Do Without a Gym

A common concern that some of you have expressed to me is not being able to bodybuild without a gym membership. While a gym membership is definitely going to enable you to perform a much wider range of bodybuilding exercises, a gym membership is not essential to achieve your bodybuilding goals.

There are bodybuilding exercises you can do just by using your own bodyweight, and if you’re a beginner bodybuilder this is a great place to start with. Once you outgrow your own bodyweight however,  you’ll need to use equipment that will provide you enough progressive resistance.  This is when investing in setting up your own home gym could come in handy.

Home Gym Essentials

I’d say the minimum requirements for a home gym are:

• Workout Bench
• Sets of Barbells and Dumbbells (those with detachable weight plates are best)
• Stability Ball

Optional:

• Resistance Band (great for travelers)
• Exercise Mat (for abdominal floor work exercises and stretching)
• Medicine Ball

In the end, it doesn’t really matter what resistance equipment you use, as long as you can have progressive resistance. Put on your MacGyver hat and improvise with whatever heavy objects you have in the house or wherever.

Get your kids to jump on your back as you do your squats, lunges and push ups.

Carry another person or a sack of rice on your back and climb up and down several flights of stairs.

As long as you have enough resistance to challenge your muscles, it’s good enough. Just remember that progression is key.

Bodybuilding Exercises

Below is a list of weight training exercises you can do even if you have no access to a gym. I’m still working on building an exercise database so that you know how to do each of these exercises with proper technique.

If you can’t wait for me to finish the exercise database, a great resource is Vince DelMonte’s The Insane Muscle Demonstrator, included as a Bonus in his No Nonsense Muscle Building Program.

Chest Exercises

You can do Bodybuilding Exercises without a Gym

Barbell Bench Press

Barbell Incline Chest Press

Dumbbell Bench Press

Incline Dumbbell Chest Fly

Decline Bench Press

Dumbbell Fly

Incline Dumbell Chest Press

Pushups

• standard push ups
• push up with elevated feet
• dumbell pushup and row
• pushup with rotation
• 1 leg push up

Upper Back Bodybuilding Exercises

• Bent Over Barbell rear Delt Row
• T Bar Row with Barbell
• Standing Bent Over Row
• Dumbbell Bent Over Row

Lower Back & Hamstrings

• Barbell Deadlift
• Stiff Leg Deadlift
• Hamstring Ball Curl
• RDLs with Dumbbells
• Single Leg Hip Extension
• Single Leg RDL with Dumbbell
• Single Leg Kickbacks
• Superman
• Bodyweight Lateral Lunge Squat
• Hip Bridges on Ball
• Supine Bridge Leg Curls
• Supine Hamstring Curl With Bridge
• Reverse Hyper on Ball and bench

Outer Back

• Close Grip Chin Up
• Pull Ups
• Dumbbell Pullover

Legs

• One Leg Box Step Up
• Standing Dumbbell Front Lunge
• Wall Sit
• Dumbbell Bulgarian Split Squat
• Squats
• Bodyweight Squats
• Barbell Squats
• Squat Jump
• Alternating Split Squat Jump
• Dumbbell Step Up

Shoulder Exercises

• Lateral raises (with dumbbells, resistance bands or plates)
• Shoulder Press
• Standing Horizontal Rotation Press
• Seated Dumbbell Arnold press
• Upright Rows
• Lying Side Raise
• Military Press

Biceps

• Incline Hammer Curls
• Dumbbell Hammer Curl
• Supine Close Grip Bench Press
• Dumbbell Preacher Curl
• Dumbbell Curl (1 arm or 2 arms)
• Reverse Barbell Curls
• Concentration Curl

Triceps

• Lying Single Arm Tricep Extension
• Lying Dumbbell Tricep Extension
• Bench Dip
• Close Grip Bench Press
• Decline Tricep Extension
• Skull Crushers
• Lying Barbell Extension
• 1 Arm Overhead Tricep Extension
• Advanced Tricep Bench Dip (ankles on stability ball)

Abdominals Workout

When doing your abs it’s great to do a circuit of 1 to 3 sets, about 10 to 20 reps each exercise. Go from stable positions (floor) to increasingly unstable positions (stability ball, BOSU ball), or from ab exercises with no weights to those with added weights.

• Full Sit Ups
• Weighted Ball Stability Crunch
• Plank
• Elbow Bridge
• Reverse Crunch
• Double Crunch
• Ball Crunch with Resistance
• Lateral Flexion With Medicine Ball Overhead
• Hip Thrusts
• Hanging Leg Raises
• Incline Hip Raises
• Side plank
• Side Crunch
• Weighted Russian Twist
• Straight Leg Leglift
• Decline Reverse Crunch
• Prone Knee Tuck on Ball

Bodybuilding Tips

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Before you attempt any of these it’s important to:

• Consult your doctor first and make sure it’s safe for you to engage in bodybuilding.
• Start with very light weights first as you focus on getting the techniques right. Progress to heavier and more complex exercises when you get the hang of the basics.
• Never attempt to lift really heavy weights and train to failure when  you have nobody to assist you. Be safe, not stupid.
• You can introduce progression on certain exercises simply by changing positions (from lying to seated to standing; from flat to incline to decline, etc.)
• Most exercises listed below can be varied by using different types of resistance equipment (e.g., dumbbells, barbells, weight plates or resistance bands). Feel free to use whatever is appropriate to your fitness level.
• Make sure you know what you are doing, instead of randomly selecting exercises and doing random sets and reps. The best way to go about bodybuilding is to follow a structure to your weight training routines. So before you begin it really is best to educate yourself first.

If you’re a beginner, it’s wise to perform a bodily conditioning program first before you embark on a serious muscle building program. A great way to start is perform Vince DelMonte’s Upside Down Training Program for 4 to 6 weeks prior to doing some heavy lifting. Doing a program like Upside Down Training will ensure you address muscular imbalances, get your techniques right, minimize likelihood of injuries, and build up your fitness. To get your free Upside Down Training, just scroll towards the top of this page and sign up to my newsletter, and I’ll send you the download link right away.