When was the last time you engaged in strength training? If lifting weights isn’t your thing, you may be thinking, “never?” or questioning if activities like yoga, kickboxing, or other bodyweight exercises can be considered as strength training. The reality is, you don’t necessarily need to use dumbbells or barbells to see progress. Certified exercise physiologist Luke Carlson, CEP, CEO and founder of Discover Strength explains, “In order to build strength, we simply need to engage and exhaust our muscle fibers.” This can be achieved using machines, free weights, resistance bands, or just your own body weight, he states.
Bodyweight workouts absolutely qualify as strength training. Certified personal trainer Nicole Thompson, CPT, affirms, “Bodyweight workouts are indeed a form of strength training.” Instead of relying on equipment for resistance, these exercises utilize the weight of your body. Thompson mentions classic bodyweight exercises like push-ups, pull-ups, and squats effectively target various muscle groups. These exercises can stimulate muscle growth, improve muscular endurance, and enhance overall health similar to traditional weightlifting.
While heavy weights can aid in improving strength and muscle mass, they are not essential. Research has shown that utilizing body weight as resistance can lead to significant muscle growth. In one study, two groups of healthy adults underwent bodyweight and free-weight resistance training for eight weeks, resulting in both groups experiencing muscle growth. Another study focusing on young women found that both bodyweight squat training and barbell squat training produced similar gains in muscle strength and size.
Pushing your muscles to the point of momentary muscle failure, where you can’t perform any more reps, is crucial when it comes to building strength. Fatiguing your muscles significantly can maximize muscle fiber activation, which is key for muscle adaptations. This becomes even more important in bodyweight training, where lighter loads are utilized.
If you feel like your bodyweight exercises are becoming too easy, there are various ways to progress them to maintain a challenge. Manipulating factors like frequency, intensity, time, and type of exercises can help you keep pushing your muscles to new limits. Additionally, incorporating unilateral exercises, adjusting leverage points, increasing time under tension, and decreasing rest time are effective strategies to continually challenge your body.
In conclusion, don’t underestimate bodyweight workouts for strength building. They can be highly effective when done correctly. Combining bodyweight exercises with other forms of training can create a well-rounded fitness routine, preventing monotony and ensuring continued progress. Consider working with an exercise professional to design a personalized program that aligns with your goals and abilities. Stick with it, and you’ll likely see impressive results.
