Training at home with minimal equipment (such as 10 to 15 kg dumbbells) is just as effective for building muscle as a gym membership, provided that progressive overload is applied by adjusting variables such as tempo, number of repetitions, and rest intervals.

noli's read

The claim that one can build muscle mass at home with light weights is scientifically sound. A meta-analysis by Schoenfeld et al. (2017), published in the 'Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research', demonstrates that hypertrophy (muscle growth) is similar between low-load and high-load training, as long as sets are performed close to muscular failure. Thus, adjusting tempo or reducing rest periods is indeed an effective way to create the mechanical tension necessary to stimulate muscle at home. However, the advice is exaggerated regarding pure strength development: this same study proves that heavy loads in a gym remain significantly superior for maximizing maximal strength. Furthermore, for advanced practitioners, home progression with only 15 kg eventually hits a physical plateau, as certain large muscle groups, such as the legs, eventually require a greater external load to continue adapting.

the sources

1. 1Schoenfeld BJ, Grgic J, Ogborn D, Krieger JW 2017
2. 2Refalo MC, Helms ER, Trexler ET, Hamilton DL, Fyfe JJ 2022