3 VARIANTS Bodyweight Muscle Builder
A bodyweight full-body plan for muscle growth, in three variants (2, 3, or 4 days) — pick by the time you have, the volume scales with it. Progression runs through reps and harder exercise variations instead of added weight, so the same plan carries you from beginner to advanced. All you need is a pull-up bar and a band.
Who is this plan for?
- For building muscle at home or on the road — from beginner to advanced
- You can do a few clean push-ups and rows; you are working up to pull-ups
- Goal: build muscle without a gym, progressing through harder variations instead of weight
- Equipment: a pull-up bar and a band (for the Nordic curl)
How it works
- Full-body, 2–4 days: Pick the variant by your time. More days means more volume — every muscle is trained at least twice a week.
- Push/pull supersets: Push and pull exercises are paired. That saves time and keeps pushing and pulling balanced.
- Rep progression: Instead of adding weight, you drive the reps up. Hit the top target with clean form and you move to the next-harder variation — the steps are in the exercise notes.
- Close to failure: Leave about 0–3 reps in the tank. With light load especially, proximity to failure is the key to growth.
Pros & Limitations
Muscles trained
Avg. hits per week · Primary 1.0 · Secondary 0.5
Variant
Program Structure
6 exercises · 18 sets
~43 min
Steps: incline → push-up → decline → archer → diamond. Clean 3×12: next step.
Needs a pull-up bar. Steps: dead hang → negative → pull-up → archer → weighted (backpack).
Steps: squat → split squat → Bulgarian → sissy. For more load: backpack/vest.
Steps: bodyweight Romanian deadlift → Nordic negative (band) → Nordic curl → glute-ham raise.
Steps: plank → side plank → L-sit. Build the hold time first.
Steps: two-legged → single-leg → donkey.
6 exercises · 18 sets
~41 min
Steps: upright → horizontal → feet elevated → single-arm. No bar: row under a sturdy table.
Steps: incline → push-up → decline → archer → diamond. Clean 3×12: next step.
Steps: squat → split squat → Bulgarian → sissy. For more load: backpack/vest.
Steps: bodyweight Romanian deadlift → Nordic negative (band) → Nordic curl → glute-ham raise.
Steps: lying leg raise → hanging knee raise → hanging leg raise → L-sit.
Steps: plank → side plank → L-sit. Build the hold time first.
6 exercises · 18 sets
~40 min
Steps: incline → push-up → decline → archer → diamond. Clean 3×12: next step.
Needs a pull-up bar. Steps: dead hang → negative → pull-up → archer → weighted (backpack).
Steps: squat → split squat → Bulgarian → sissy. For more load: backpack/vest.
Steps: floor glute bridge → single-leg → feet elevated.
Steps: lying leg raise → hanging knee raise → hanging leg raise → L-sit.
Steps: two-legged → single-leg → donkey.
Talk to your doctor before starting a new training program, especially if you have pre-existing conditions or haven't trained in a while. Start lighter than you think — good technique always comes before heavy weight.
Start this plan in hitPR
Free. All progression rules pre-configured.