Although gym machines can be a fantastic addition to any strength-training routine, bodyweight exercises provide a great alternative. If you’re tight on time or prefer not to spend money on a gym membership, bodyweight workouts are an effective way to increase muscle and strengthen. We consulted Leon Veal, a level three certified personal trainer and head of nutrition and innovation at Styrkr, who suggests four bodyweight exercises that can help you gain even more muscle than machines, especially after reaching the age of 50.

“Post-50, building and maintaining muscle becomes crucial. Age-related muscle loss speeds up during this time of life and can impact your metabolism, mobility, and even raise the risk of injury,” Veal explains. “A decrease in muscle mass means your body burns fewer calories at rest, daily activities become more challenging, and your joints are at greater risk of strain.”

By engaging in bodyweight exercises, you’re boosting coordination, firing up the stabilizing muscles, and channeling real-life movement.

“This makes them more effective for daily activities while also improving balance and reducing injury risk,” Veal adds.

4 Bodyweight Exercises That Build More Muscle Than Machines After 50

Veal mentions, “These exercises work multiple muscle groups simultaneously, provide more practical benefits for daily life compared to machines, and are adjustable to fit nearly any fitness level. When done consistently, they are one of the best methods for remaining strong, functional, and less prone to injuries after the age of 50.”

Pushups

“Pushups are a compound upper-body exercise that works the chest, shoulders, triceps, and even the core,” Veal says.

1. Start in a high plank with hands under your shoulders and your body straight.
2. Bend your elbows and lower your chest toward the floor.
3. Maintain a long, straight body as you lower.
4. Press back up, straightening your arms.
5. Perform 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps.

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Step-ups

“This move builds strength in the legs and glutes, while also improving balance and coordination,” Veal notes.

1. Stand tall, facing a sturdy chair or workout bench.
2. Step onto it with your leading leg, bringing the other leg to meet it.
3. Step back down.
4. Perform 3 sets of 10 reps per leg.

Pull-ups

Pull-ups strengthen your grip, biceps, and back.

1. Stand tall and grab onto a pull-up bar using an overhand grip, hands shoulder-distance apart.
2. Hang onto the bar with fully extended arms.
3. Pull your chest up toward the bar by bringing your elbows down and back.
4. Slowly lower back to the start position.
5. Do 3 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

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Split Squats

“This is a powerful lower-body move that develops leg strength, hip stability, and joint resilience,” Veal notes.

1. Stand tall.
2. Step one foot forward about 2 to 3 feet to assume a staggered stance.
3. Bend both knees, lowering the bottom toward the ground.
4. Press through your front heel to rise back up.
5. Perform 3 sets of 8 to 10 reps per leg.

Alexa Mellardo