Which are the five best bodyweight exercises to build muscle, and why are they the best?
Which are the five best bodyweight exercises? If you’ve ever wrestled with this question, you’re not alone. Maybe you don’t have access to a gym, or maybe you’re just sick of the endless debate about whether bodyweight training can truly pack on muscle. The doubt creeps in—can pushing, pulling, and squatting your own body really replace the clanging of heavy weights? The short answer: absolutely. But the why is where things get interesting.
Muscle doesn’t care whether resistance comes from a loaded barbell or your own frame—it only knows tension, overload, and effort. And when you harness the right bodyweight movements with intent, you unlock a training style that’s not just effective but adaptable, joint-friendly, and brutally efficient. So, if you’re ready to ditch the excuses and get strong with nothing but your body, let’s dive into the five best exercises to build muscle—and why they’re your golden ticket.
1. Push-Ups – The Upper Body Powerhouse
Think push-ups are basic? Think again. They’re essentially a moving plank, engaging your core, chest, shoulders, and triceps all at once. The beauty of push-ups isn’t just in their simplicity but in their versatility. Want more chest activation? Widen your hands. Looking to emphasize triceps? Bring them in closer. Need a real challenge? Elevate your feet, add a backpack, or try explosive variations.
But the real magic of push-ups isn’t just muscle growth—it’s functional strength. Every time you push yourself up from the ground, you’re training a movement pattern that translates to real-world strength. It’s the kind of power that helps you in sports, daily life, and—let’s be honest—makes you look good with your shirt off.
2. Pull-Ups – The King of Upper-Body Gains
If push-ups are the foundation, pull-ups are the crown jewel of bodyweight strength. Nothing builds your back, biceps, and forearms like pulling your own body over a bar. It’s one of the truest tests of upper-body strength—if you can’t do one yet, it’s worth every ounce of effort to get there.
Why are pull-ups so effective? They demand full-body tension and recruit multiple muscle groups at once. Unlike machines that isolate muscles, pull-ups force your core to engage, your grip to strengthen, and your shoulders to stabilize. And just like push-ups, variations keep them fresh. Wide grip, chin-ups, archer pull-ups—each tweak shifts the focus and keeps your muscles adapting.
For those who struggle with pull-ups, negatives (lowering yourself slowly from the bar) and resistance bands can bridge the gap. Because once you master these, you unlock an entirely new level of upper-body development.
3. Bulgarian Split Squats – The Leg-Day Game-Changer
Squats get all the glory, but the Bulgarian split squat is the real MVP when it comes to leg development. With one foot behind you on a bench and the other working hard in front, this move forces your quads, hamstrings, and glutes to fire like never before.
Why is it superior to regular squats? Simple: unilateral strength. Traditional squats can let one leg compensate for the other, masking imbalances. Split squats eliminate that crutch, forcing each leg to pull its own weight (literally). Plus, they’re brutal for balance, stability, and core engagement—things that traditional barbell work sometimes overlooks.
Add a weighted backpack or slow down your reps for an even bigger challenge. But fair warning: you’ll feel these for days.
4. Pike Push-Ups – The Shoulder Builder
Most people assume overhead pressing requires dumbbells or barbells, but pike push-ups prove otherwise. By shifting your hips up and bringing your torso nearly vertical, you mimic a handstand push-up—the ultimate shoulder strength move.
These torch your delts while engaging your triceps, upper chest, and core. They’re also a stepping stone to handstand push-ups, which, if you stick with them, will build pressing power rivaling strict overhead barbell presses.
To make them harder, elevate your feet on a surface or slow down the descent for more time under tension. Shoulders might not be the biggest muscles, but they define an athletic, powerful physique—and pike push-ups are your ticket there.
5. Nordic Curls – The Hamstring Savior
Your hamstrings are often neglected in bodyweight training, but Nordic curls change that. This eccentric-focused movement—where you control your descent toward the floor using only your hamstrings—is a leg-strengthening cheat code.
Why are they so effective? Most hamstring exercises focus on the concentric (lifting) portion, but Nordic curls prioritize the eccentric (lowering) phase, which is where the real muscle damage—and subsequent growth—happens. Strengthening your hamstrings this way not only builds serious size but also protects against injury, whether you’re a runner, lifter, or just someone who wants bulletproof legs.
Even if you can’t do a full rep, simply controlling the negative builds strength fast. And trust me—your hamstrings will thank (or curse) you later.
So there you have it—the five bodyweight exercises that aren’t just good but great for building muscle. But here’s the thing: It’s not just about doing them—it’s about how you do them. If you’re flying through push-ups without control or skipping pull-ups because they’re hard, you won’t see the gains you’re after.
The secret? Progression and intent. Add reps, slow down your tempo, tweak angles, and push yourself just a little harder each time. Your muscles don’t know if you’re lifting a barbell or your own weight—they only respond to challenge. And when you embrace that, you realize that bodyweight training isn’t a compromise. It’s a powerhouse in its own right.
So what’s stopping you? Find a bar, hit the floor, and start moving. Because strength isn’t built by waiting—it’s built by doing.
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