Never let it be said that you need to go to the gym to build muscle. Building muscle is more about what you know than about what equipment you use – although some equipment is always needed, which I’ll explain the reason for in a moment.
Generally, there are a few reasons why people go to the gym, and a person may have any number of them:
1: The gyms contain special weight lifting machines.
2: Running machines.
3: To socialise.
Assuming you don’t want to run, and you aren’t interested in socialising in the gym and all you want to do is build muscle, I’ll tell you now – you don’t need special machines. Machines, in fact, are less useful for muscle growth than free weights.
Free weights are the key to building muscle in both the gym and at home. In fact, a bench and a barbell is all you need.
The exercises you need to do to build muscle are known as compound exercises. They use many muscle groups at once, and, help you to develop immense strength and maximum size in minimum time.
Using weights, the exercises you’d need to do are:
- Barbell Squats
- Bent Over Rows
- Bench Press
- Shoulder/Military Press
- Dead Lift
You can always use bodyweight exercises if you wish, such as one-legged squats, head-standing push ups (against a wall), regular push ups, etc.
The problem is, resistance in the form of weight always has to be added; it’s a universal law of building muscle – which is why I advocate weights over bodyweight exercises, if possible. It’s simply easier and more efficient and effective.