Thinking of strength training without gym equipment, but don't know where to start? Does the thought of lifting heavy weights in the gym make you sore mentally? Most of us would answer a big ‘Yes’ to these questions! But then, how do we strengthen our muscles without going to the gym?
This article dives into the art of building muscle strength at home with easy-to-follow and safe bodyweight strength training exercises utilising one's own body weight, forming an effective home workout without equipment.
MedBound Times connected with Dr. Abey Rajan (PT), Founder & Head of Sports Rehab, INSYNC Physiotherapy & Sports Rehabilitation, Bengaluru, on this aspect of strength training. He said, “Strength training does not require specialised equipment; the key determinants of progress are consistency, adherence, and good movement patterns.”
He further highlighted the benefits of strength training at home. He said, “Population and clinical studies show that even simple, home-based strength routines can improve joint stability, enhance neuromuscular control, increase resting metabolic rate, support healthier blood pressure and blood glucose regulation, and reduce the risk of several chronic lifestyle diseases, including cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.”
Age is definitely just a number!
Dr. Abey Rajan also encouraged everyone by sharing, “As a sports physiotherapist, one of the most compelling reminders that age is not a barrier comes from my 95-year-old client, who continues to perform her prescribed home exercises consistently, allowing her to maintain strength, independence, and functional capacity in daily life.”
Muscle strengthening or strength training refers to improving and maintaining one's muscle strength by performing specific exercises targeting individual muscle groups. These exercises can be performed through the use of body weight, hand-held tools or devices and gym equipment.
When it comes to bodyweight training, India is known for a deep-rooted tradition of bodyweight fitness exercises practised by Indian wrestlers and fitness enthusiasts. Exercises like ‘dand’ (push-ups) and ‘baithaks’ (squats) performed by Indian wrestlers during training sessions target multiple muscle groups simultaneously and resemble modern calisthenics exercises.
Yoga1, a traditional Indian fitness exercise form, also encourages use of body weight while performing ‘asanas’ or yoga postures for muscle strength, flexibility and endurance. These exercise forms help one to master their own body weight to build muscle strengthening exercises at home without the use of external weights and equipment.
Body weight strength training exercises use one's own body weight as a form of resistance to challenge the muscles to work more. Once a muscle is able to work against the body weight of an individual, principles of progressive overload must be applied to further increase muscle strength. Let us understand this further.
Progressive overload provides an optimal challenge or stimulus to the target muscles during training sessions. Progressively loading the muscle above its capacity proves beneficial in many ways including:
1. Builds muscle strength
2. Improves muscle endurance
3. Protects muscles and joints from stress or injury
4. Increased efficiency in performing daily or specified tasks
Body weight exercises should be progressed through progressive overload discussed below2,3,4:
Repetitions and sets
A set contains a specified number of repetitions, usually beginning with 10. Therefore, 1 set is 10 repetitions of the body weight exercise. Repetitions and sets must then be increased in order to increase muscle strength.
According to American College of Sports Medicine recommendations, novice and recreational exercisers typically benefit from 1 to 3 sets of 8 to 12 repetitions for major muscle groups when performing resistance training.
Intensity
Intensity denotes how fast or slow an exercise is performed, difficulty level and the rest time taken between exercises. One can increase the exercise difficulty by performing the body weight exercise at a fast or slower speed, using different surfaces or at a different angle and taking less rest between exercises or sets of the same exercise.
Frequency
Frequency is the number of exercise sessions done per week. As per general exercise guidelines, a low to moderate intensity session includes 3-5 sessions per week. Therefore, to challenge the muscles, one can add in an extra session, provided there is a reserved recovery day.
The World Health Organization recommends muscle strengthening activities involving major muscle groups on two or more days per week for adults.
Duration
Exercise duration is the amount of time involved in an individual exercise or the entire exercise session. A 30 minute bodyweight exercise workout may be progressively overloaded to 45 to 60 minutes depending on individual capabilities.
Here are 4 important and highly beneficial body weight exercises one can perform without the use of weights or equipment. 4,5,6
Please note: The below exercises are general recommendations for strength training without weights or gym equipment. The exercises may vary or need to be modified as per individual capabilities and needs, particularly individuals after a major surgery, unstable cardiovascular diseases, pregnancy, severe osteoporosis and any other illness and should only be done in consultation with a physical therapist.
Body weight squats target the glutes, quadriceps, back extensors and the core muscles. To perform squats as a beginner, one must ensure safety at all times. Stand against a wall with your back parallel to it. Start by sliding down the wall until you come into a chair sitting position. Slide back up into standing and repeat.
Stand with legs apart one behind the other facing a wall or a chair. Bend and lower your body weight on the front knee up to the toe level and touch down with the other knee. A side lunge may also be performed by keeping the legs apart sideways and bending one of the knees in one direction. Lunges help strengthen the quadriceps specifically and also the core muscles.
Sit ups help target the abdominal muscles. Begin by lying down on the back with knees bent. With hands by the side of the body, try to reach out to the bent knees with your head and upper body while maintaining feet contact with the floor. Difficulty level may be progressively increased by changing hand and arm position and introducing holds.
A push up involves lifting one's body up into the air with the arms and hands in a stomach down position, targeting the triceps muscle, muscles of the arm and the shoulder complex. Contact with the floor is maintained with hands and toes. As a beginner, one may start by keeping the knees down and gradually progressing to toe contact.
Strength training does not require a gym or heavy equipment; it can be effectively achieved at home by utilizing your own body weight, a practice deeply rooted in Indian traditions like wrestling and Yoga. The key to building muscle and endurance without weights is "progressive overload," which involves continuously challenging your muscles by increasing repetitions, intensity, frequency, or workout duration.
To get started, one can focus on four fundamental exercises—squats, lunges, sit-ups, and push-ups—adapting the difficulty to personal capabilities. Good for a moderate intensity workout between 3-5 sessions a week targeting 1-2 sets per exercise. However, to ensure safety and effectiveness, it is recommended to modify these movements based on individual needs and consult a physical therapist before beginning.
Begin strength training at home today and let us know about your fitness journey! Comment below to share your success story and suggestions.
Yoga Journal. “Yoga Poses for Strength.” Accessed December 13, 2025. https://www.yogajournal.com/poses/types/strength/yoga-poses-for-strength/
Coutinho, Luke. “Indian Strength Training Exercises.” Luke Coutinho Holistic Healing Systems. Accessed December 13, 2025. https://www.lukecoutinho.com/blogs/indian-strength-training-exercises/
Verywell Health. “Progressive Overload: What It Is and How It Works.” Accessed December 13, 2025. https://www.verywellhealth.com/progressive-overload-11853224
Hydrow. “Strength Training Without Weights: Key Benefits and 12 Exercises to Try.” Accessed December 13, 2025. https://hydrow.com/blog/strength-training-without-weights-key-benefits-and-12-exercises-to-try/
Healthline. “Strength Training at Home: How to Get Started.” Accessed December 13, 2025. https://www.healthline.com/health/exercise-fitness/strength-training-at-home
Healthline. “Calisthenics: Benefits, Beginner Exercises, and Tips.” Accessed December 13, 2025. https://www.healthline.com/health/fitness-exercise/calisthenics
World Health Organization. WHO Guidelines on Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour. Geneva: World Health Organization, 2020.
https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240015128
American College of Sports Medicine. “Progression Models in Resistance Training for Healthy Adults.” Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise 41, no. 3 (2009): 687–708.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19204579/
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