The Ultimate Showdown: Body Weight Exercises vs. Free Weights
Most regular gym-goers believe that bodyweight exercises aren’t effective for building big muscles. They typically opt for weights or machines instead. However, bodyweight exercises can be highly effective for muscle growth.
In addition to increasing muscle size, bodyweight exercises also strengthen ligaments and tendons, which improves joint durability and allows for a full range of natural movement. This type of training offers better overall athleticism compared to using weight machines, especially when following a balanced bodyweight program.
A simple beginner’s bodyweight workout might include:
a) Push-ups (horizontal push – targets chest, triceps, front shoulders, core, and thighs)
b) Inverted rows (horizontal pull – targets back, biceps, rear shoulders, core, and glutes)
c) Drop squats (drop hips below knee level – targets glutes, thighs, and core)
Bodyweight exercises are crucial for building a lean, athletic body. Some people think that after an initial phase of muscle gain, bodyweight exercises can’t help you build more muscle. But this is a misconception likely because people associate these exercises with high reps and endurance.
Because of this belief, many think they need to switch back to free weights to continue gaining strength and size. However, if you look at the muscular development of male gymnasts, it’s clear that bodyweight exercises can be extremely effective.
The reputation of bodyweight exercises suffers because many people don’t know how to progress with them. Muscle growth depends on the repetition range you use. To build muscle size, you need a rep range of 5-12. For example, if you can do push-ups in high numbers easily, they’re no longer effective for muscle building. But switching to a single-arm push-up can bring the rep range back to the desired level.
So, not only do bodyweight exercises help you build muscle and strength, but they also boost endurance and overall athleticism. They have the added benefits of being cost-effective and convenient since you can train anywhere and anytime. With more parks and recreational areas being equipped with pull-up bars, gymnastic rings, and systems like the TRX Suspension Trainer, bodyweight exercises are coming back into the spotlight in the fitness world.
