Bodyweight Training
Move · Resistance Training · Movement, Typed Supps
Resistance training without equipment. The hard part is adding difficulty as you get stronger.
Stage by stage
- Warm-up (Joints and movement patterns): Warm-up prepares joints and rehearses the pattern, particularly wrist and shoulder positions in pushing movements.
- During (Tension regardless of source): Muscle fibres respond to mechanical tension, and cannot distinguish bodyweight resistance from external load.
- Immediately after (Damage and repair response): The same microscopic damage and repair cycle occurs as with weight training.
- Days later (Progression by leverage): Growth follows the same timeline, though progression requires changing leverage rather than simply adding load.
Muscles trained
- Primary: chest, abs
- Secondary: triceps, quads, glutes
Intensity
8 METs (Calisthenics (e.g., push ups, sit ups, pull-ups, jumping jacks), vigorous effort).
Time to effect
- Wks–mo: Strength improves within weeks; measurable muscle growth takes around 8 to 12 weeks.
Related supplements
Common myth
“You cannot build real muscle without weights.” In reality: Muscle responds to mechanical tension regardless of its source — the genuine limitation is progressing difficulty once basic variations become easy.
More in Resistance Training
In the glossary
Sources