Last week, we began to tackle the enigma of gaining muscle without the use of free weights or resistance machines. While I receive so many interesting and stimulating queries about every aspect of health and fitness, when asked if weight gain without weights was possible, I could not help but get my teeth into it.

I’ve always believed that natural ways are best, and simplicity wins over complexity when it really counts. In the context of indulging in the decidedly unnatural act of increasing body size beyond normal proportions, unfortunately I have little evidence to draw upon.

While the actual results of past clients help to substantiate the answers I offer, for this question I can only hypothesise. The most effective solution for gaining mass quickly that I have used in the past is the 20-repetition-squat programme. In this, the second instalment of my answer to that fateful query, I offer my best solution at a non-equipment version of the ultimate bulking workout.

Last week we had a look at the basic requirements for such a bulking programme to work, and if we can meet these, then we have cracked the code. To build muscle we need to tackle the big three: a training stimulus combined with freely available protein and growth hormones.

The good news is that the training stimulus itself serves to stimulate growth hormone production in itself, so if we can get the training right, we’ve nailed two out of three and can turn the rest of our attention to executing a high-calorie eating plan.

Increase the size of your meals and supplement with an additional high-calorie source.

I recommend milk, nature’s original weight-gain shake. It has been said that muscles are broken down in the gym and built in the kitchen.

To be effective, the training stimulus must involve the expression of maximal muscular force production for myofibrillar muscle growth, the correct amount of all-out effort to fully tax the anaerobic energy system for sarcoplasmic muscle growth, and above all, these two methods combined into one movement targeting enough muscles at the same time to suitably stimulate the production of adrenaline and growth hormones.

Let’s begin with maximal force production. This sounds easy enough to do with weights, but how will we achieve maximum force production using only our bodyweight? Sir Isaac Newton may have the answer.

According to Newton, force is the result of mass multiplied by acceleration. There are therefore two requirements to generate force: a mass to overcome and the action of accelerating it.

In traditional resistance training, we move at a constant speed, so there is little to no acceleration. The only variable we are altering in the production of force is mass or, more specifically, the amount of weight we are lifting.

So if we aren’t going to use any additional equipment, our only option is to increase acceleration. The more we accelerate, the more force we generate and the more myofibrillar hypertrophy we can stimulate.

The more we accelerate, the more force we generate and the more myofibrillar hypertrophy we can stimulate

One way to achieve this is with jump squats. Jump squats require a comfortable padded shoe and/or a padded surface to jump and land on. You should also be properly warmed-up by performing some general movement like jogging in place, some bodyweight squats and some sub-maximal jumps, as well as some dynamic stretching.

To perform a series of jump squats, descend into the bottom position of the squat with thighs parallel to the ground, weight distributed predominantly over your heels, knees pushed out and chest up. From that position, jump.

Accelerate out of that bottom position by pushing your feet down through the floor all the way until you are airborne, propelling you up as high as possible. For maximum force production, don’t pace yourself, aim for maximum height on each jump. Upon landing, re-bend the knees and hips upon impact, allowing the muscles to absorb the landing forces as you descend seamlessly back into the bottom position to continue with the next jump.

If you are truly generating maximum force and jumping as high as you can, then you won’t be able to do all that many. Traditional strength training is performed in the one-to-five repetition range, so don’t do any more than five.

So that’s one box ticked, we’ve generated maximum force, but this won’t take any longer than 10 seconds. For growth, we need to fully tax the anaerobic energy system for at least 40 to 60 seconds. For this, I have the perfect solution: the raised-arm, static-squat hold.

After the fifth squat jump, descend back down into that bottom position of the squat, put your hands together and raise your arms straight above your head.

Hold this position strictly for 45 seconds and you can expect pure agony from the isometric contractions occurring in your major muscle groups, especially after expressing maximum force in the squat jumps. Just like all other bodyweight moves, these will get harder as you get heavier.

Once you’ve completed your jump and static hold combo, proceed with 10 chin-ups or equivalent, challenging upper body-pulling exercise, followed imme-diately by dips or equivalent.

Rest no more than three minutes and repeat this pull/push cycle a total of three times. Finally, finish off with three core exercises of your choice and eat as much as you can. If you try this out, please let me know how you got on.

matthew.muscat.inglott@mcast.edu.mt