this may be a fairly long question, but here goes:
i am a 20 year old male who is in good shape, about average build, 5’10, maybe a little on the skinny side. i currently alternate my days between running for 20 min., and using the rowing machine for 20 min. i am looking to bulk up a little bit, maybe putting on some muscle, and getting a little bigger. i don’t really like lifting. i want to build my pectorals, biceps, forearms, and maybe stomach.
if i could (which maybe i can’t), i was wondering what kind of weekly routine to go on w/o lifting weights…just running, rowing, push-ups?, pull-ups?, etc. what days should i do what, and what would be a good weekly workout to stay fit, but build some muscle mass w/o lifting…
thank you so much…
Pullups, pushups, rowing and those dynamic tension kind of exercises would probably work over time. Taking a kendo class would also tend to build upper body strength, but is kinda expensive.
Or you could get a part-time job on the weekends as a landscaper or something which requires carrying around a lot of heavy stuff. That way you’d get paid to get stronger.
Also, I find that if you want to bulk up, tone down the intensity of the cardio excercises. It takes a lot of energy to build mass and a lot of those calories get burnt off in the cardio workouts.
However, if you’re looking for real mass, you need to find something to do with resistence. Construction (not the guys leaning on their shovels) is a great way to add some mass.
Depending on your body type (mesomorph, ectomorph endomorph) you will have varying results with whatever excercise and workout routine you choose. Universally though, taking up the sport of boxing is probably the best way to go. All body types in all different weight classes have had success in building lean muscle tissue without weight training. You wouldn’t even have to fight, but just go through the training program.
Out of curiosity, why the aversion to weight training? I find it to be one of the more enjoyable and productive workouts available.
Push ups, Pull ups, , Dips, Squats, and Ab-work are all great non-weight lifting ways to build muscle. In fact, they are in many ways the best way to do it. I have a few friends who are personal trainers, two in particular who I’ve been consistantly consulting and working with over the past six months to reach my own goals (“it’s going super, thanks for asking!”), and I’ve always been told that workouts that encorporate larger muscle groupings (chest and arms, arms back and shoulders, legs and gluts) while using one’s own body weight in the equation is a really economical and effective way to go.
That being said, I would definitely consult a personal trainer. Knowing WHICH excersises to do is only part of it; you also have to know HOW to do them. Trying to do it without being instructed on correct technique can cause a variety of problems…at best, you won’t be getting the optimum results from your efforts, at worst, you might hurt yourself, screw up your back or neck, what have you.
Good luck. - Freewill39.
If you’re trying to add muscle, there’s no good reason to avoid weight training. You can get good results with a bodyweight program, though–give this one a look.
I’ll second the boxing…
I’m 34 and can’t run as much as I used to…boxing really tones up the upper body, great cardio at same time. Jumping rope is a great excercise ,too. I like to skip for 3-5 minutes, then do a set of pushups or some dumbbell movement …repeat 4 or 5 times
As far as “bulking up”…that is really a different type of workout…I did that in my early 20’s and wasn’t happy with the results…got bulk but felt like crap.
Pushups, pullups and such are all good. Dips are great for defining the pecs