Bodyweight exercise effective?

rachelmazour

so I can only find enough time during the week to get into the weight room two times/week. I also tore my PCL (knee) 7 mos ago and so leg day heavy sets are limited (leg press instead of full squats).. So I've been looking on the Internet and can't seem to find a straight answer for this.
Are body weight exercises/air squats/lunges etc effective for muscle definition?
I've heard that with fat loss it's not possible to 'spot treatment'..that fat loss is a whole body fat process. But what about building or toning muscles specifically with Bodyweight workouts?
Can anyone shed some light on this subject?
I really want to lose fat/increases muscle definition but some sites and lifters say 'you can't get that with air squats'. Well what can you get from airsquats since I'm limited lol thanks in advance!!!:):)

JoshuaMcAllister

Heavy lifters will always argue 'you can't get that with air squats' its nonsense. You will never look like a bodybuilder using body weight exercises but I don't imagine that's what your aim is.

So the answer to you question "Are body weight exercises/air squats/lunges etc effective for muscle definition?" is yes, you are less likely to build muscle mass or increase strength but you will definitely begin to see definition.

Definition of muscles is mostly linked with low body fat, so continue to monitor your calorie intake.

You may have posters jumping on this thread saying its not possible, use your limited time doing stronglifts but that's their opinion and its obviously worked for them. Myself, I've gained strength and definition from body-weight/calisthenics so personally have experience training this way. There are some great leg workouts on google and youtube, try searching calisthenics or barbrothers and give them a try, you WILL notice a difference.

Lewisg51

Yeah they are but you can make them better, when I injured myself and was easing back into everything I did bodyweight workouts and because I couldn't go to the gym I either added incline to some, weight (not actual weights just things in the house) or just changed to like jumping squats from normal and they do get you bigger.

cgvet37

I do a lot of body weight training with my PT. I can tell you that it's affective. Especially when doing circuit training.

Larissa_NY

I've heard that body weight exercises work better for women than for men. You'll have to really put effort into it, though - air squats aren't going to do much. Look at Convict Conditioning and You Are Your Own Gym, and remember that part of getting muscle definition is stripping off the fat covering them.

BigGuy47

Try doing pistol squats or shrimp squats. If those become too easy then you can figure out if you need to add a bar and plates.

Yes, heavy lifting is very effective. This doesn't make other forms of resistance training ineffective. Resistance training is resistance training. Your body weight provides resistance. With BWF you have to work through progressions to make the exercises more difficult as you get stronger.

The most important aspect of any fitness program is consistency. If your goal is to drop.fat you need to.dial in your diet.

LKArgh

It is possible to strength train doing bodyweight exercises only, and get also an impressive physique. But it is not as simple as doing lifting exercises without the weights. And since you asked about legs, here you go: http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/wheels-of-steel-al-kavadlos-bodyweight-legs-workout.html
I think he would argue that you really do nto need weights

cwolfman13

Of course they work...but like any resistance training, it requires progressive overload which means you'll have to progressively do more difficult variations of various body weight movements. Look at something like You are Your Own Gym or Convict Conditioning.

But yeah...have you ever seen a gymnast?

IGbnat24

Throw in plyometric exercises. Bodyweight workouts are great.

Topsking2010

Bodyweight exercises are awesome. Ask any professional boxer or MMA fighter.

tiffanylacourse

Depending on your goals, Strong Curves has a program that is bodyweight only. I'm doing it now.

Timshel_

If your goal is to drop some fat to tone and improve flexibility and strength, then yes. If you simply wanna be big, you have to load progressively. Most people could reach their goals if they did calisthenics and body weight/movement, but marketing gets to them.