6 Effective Bodyweight Exercises to Build Muscle Quicker Than Weightlifting for Those Over 45

After 45, recovery takes more time and joints do not rebound as quickly as before. Moreover, the risk of injuries rises when training with heavy weights. This doesn’t imply you must abandon heavy weights—but it does mean that training more intelligently is crucial, says Joe Ghafari, a certified personal trainer and nutritional educator at Eden. Below, Ghafari presents six bodyweight exercises that can build muscle more rapidly than weight lifting.

“Bodyweight training employs natural movement patterns that help keep your joints aligned and tendons robust, while still engaging plenty of muscle fibers. By incorporating variations, slowing down your reps, or adjusting angles, bodyweight exercises can become exceedingly effective,” Ghafari notes. “Another major benefit? Convenience and consistency. There’s no need to drive to the gym, wait for equipment, or manage weights. You can exercise in your living room, at a park, or while on the go. The simpler it is to begin a workout, the more likely you are to maintain consistency, and it is consistency, not lifting the maximum weight, that truly fuels muscle growth after 45.”

6 Bodyweight Exercises That Build Muscle Faster Than Weight Lifting

Pushup To Shoulder Tap

1. Assume a high plank with your hands under your shoulders and body straight.
2. Engage your core.
3. Lift your right hand off the floor and tap your left shoulder.
4. Set your right hand down and repeat with your left hand, tapping your right shoulder.
5. Keep your hips steady as you continue to tap from side to side.
6. Perform 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps per side.

Bulgarian Split Squat

1. Stand tall, a few feet away from a workout bench.
2. Place your back foot on the bench.
3. Bend your front knee to lower until your front thigh is parallel to the floor.
4. Press through your front heel to return to standing.
5. Perform 3 sets of 8 to 10 reps per leg.

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Chin-Up

1. Stand tall and begin the exercise from a dead hang position.
2. Bend your elbows as you pull yourself up until your chin clears the bar.
3. Use control to lower.
4. Complete 3 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

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Pike Pushup

1. Begin in a high plank, hands under your shoulders and feet hip-width apart.
2. Lift your hips toward the sky, forming an inverted “V” shape.
3. Slowly bend your elbows, lowering the top of your head toward the floor between your shoulders.
4. Press through your palms to return to the start.
5. Perform 3 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

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Glute Bridge March

1. Lie flat on your back with bent knees and feet on the floor. Keep your arms at your sides, palms facing down.
2. Push through your heels to lift your hips into a glute bridge.
3. At the top, lift one knee to your chest.
4. Use control to lower, and switch sides.
5. Continue to alternate, as if you’re “marching.”
6. Perform 3 sets of 12 to 15 reps per leg.

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Single-Leg Box Squat

1. Set up a sturdy box or workout bench behind you.
2. Balance on one leg a few inches ahead of the box, the other leg extended straight in front of you.
3. Bend the knee of your standing leg as you slowly lower into a single-leg squat.
4. Lightly tap the box with your buttocks.
5. Drive through the front heel to rise up.
6. Perform 3 sets of 6 to 8 reps per leg.

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Alexa Mellardo