Are bodyweight exercises effective?
As the calf grew more each day, Milo grew stronger and stronger.
By the time Milo was an adult, he was one of the strongest in the land.
While there are some problems with this myth, it’s actually not too far off.
This concept is known as “progressive overload.”
The result is an increase in muscle sizea process known asmuscular hypertrophy.
But can you progressively overload using bodyweight exercises, thereby gaining muscle?
Bodyweight Training: How Effective Is It?
Before talking about the benefits of bodyweight training, we have to understand whether or not it’s effective.
For lighter folks, the first concern is whether their body weight is enough for hypertrophy to occur.
Even if you don’t weigh that much, the good news is that it’s probably enough.
In one study, hypertrophy occurred usingas little as 30% of the maximum weight that one could lift.
What about heavier folks who are worried that they can’t perform bodyweight exercises?
That can be solved by finding versions of exercises that youcando, such askneeling push-upsorwall push-upsinstead ofregular push-ups.
Don’t beat yourself up if you use an easier version of an exercise.
What truly matters is improvements week over week.
Basically, no matter what you weigh, you’ll be able to progressively overload.
it’s possible for you to do so in the following ways:
More reps.
There’s an awesome list of bodyweight exercise progressionshere.
Aside from the obvious financial and convenience benefits, there’s a huge psychological benefit for beginners.
Coach Ben Hessel, who runs the siteGym Free Workoutsexplains:
Many people are uncomfortable in a gym atmosphere.
For them, this allows them the comfort of being in their own home - or any comfortable environment.
They don’t feel judged, so they can challenge themselves to be uncomfortable and improve.
The gym can be an incredibly intimidating experience for beginners.
Remember,just getting started is the most important thing you could do.
Bodyweight training is a great option if it makes you more likely to start a routine.
He says:
Body weight movement isn’t something I consider an option, but more like a prerequisite.
It is only when they learn to move properly unloaded that they earn the option to load the movement.
Proper body weight movement is extremely joint friendly and allows for a more natural range of motion.
The Cons of Bodyweight Training
While youcangain muscle through bodyweight training, there are a few drawbacks.
First off, progressive overload is harder from a practicality standpoint.
Also, it’s not a question ofifbutwhenit will become necessary to increase an exercise’s resistance.
it’s possible for you to’t do both.
While both high volume programs and high intensity programs will lead to hypertrophy, high-volume programs require longer workouts.
Lastly, many of the best exercises cannot be done with bodyweight.
Unfortunately, there is no true bodyweight equivalent for barbell deadlifts.
Pick a program and stick to it.Find a program that you like and stick to it.
Don’t venture off on your own unless you know what you’re doing.
ensure that you have your nutrition down.Remember, exercise is just one part of the equation.
Recognize that bodyweight training may just be a stepping stone to the program that’s best for you.
As we’ve mentioned before, there is no best program, diet, or exercise.
When it comes to fitness and health,everything is contextualand depends on the individual.
Images byA&A Photography,Nick Royer,Rohit Mattoo,soldiersmediacenter, andAdrian Scottow.
