Gaining strength from bodyweight exercises?

_lyndseybrooke_

Disclaimer: I lift heavy. I have no interest in quitting. This question was inspired by a question I saw on another forum. I have my own ideas about it, but I wanted to see if there was any scientific data to support either side.

If someone were to do only bodyweight exercises - and by that, I mean squats, push-ups, lunges, etc. - and didn't ever lift any weights, what kind of results would they get? Could they really gain any noticeable strength by doing an excessive amount of these exercises?

http://theathleticbuild.com/herschel-walker-bio-workout-and-diet-plan/

"If you think Herschel Walker is some kind of weight room warrior you would be wrong, Herschel has never been into weightlifting, all of his exercises are body weight exercises. He started doing sit-ups and push-ups as a kid, as many as 5000 a day and still to this day he does 750-1500 pushups every day as well as 3000 sit ups. He also mixes in 1,500 pull-ups, 1000 dips, and 1000 squats every day. For cardio he will run up to 8 miles and do sprints as well. He also does a regimen of martial arts and MMA after he has completed this workout every morning."

Personally, I think that is bull. Even if it wasn't, who would do that many reps in one day? Some of us have jobs. I've gotten into an argument with someone that seems to think they can reach their goal of getting "stronger and fitter" by doing 100 squats and 50 push-ups per day, plus cardio. Personally, I consider bodyweight squats cardio.

So, any thoughts on this?

JoRocka

Body weight progression is a thing.

Waldo is on here- and he occasionally graces us with his wisdom- he's shredded- and incredible strong- and he started from - well I seem to recall saying he struggled to do a simple body weight squat without the use of a chair.

Strength Unbound is his website- great place to start for no-nonsense body weight only workouts.

The reason the gym is useful as it is a large amount of equipment and the way to add weight/difficult is easy- add more plates.

Body weight progression is an older style of lifting- but less researched/less known - so learning about more difficult progressions takes some work and effort and you have to be dedicated to doing the work.

but it's totally possible.