Can you build muscle with just bodyweight exercises?

cloggsy71

More here: http://youtu.be/eNkIgWEZvDc

cloggsy71

And here: http://youtu.be/ete9gaFvmHs

This bloke is IMMENSE IMHO!

MeanderingMammal

The Military has built many strong soldiers with just using bodyweight exercises.

Indeed, however that's a very functional size and strengththat's developed. One doesn't want to be excessively bulky as it has little purpose on operations.

Essentially yes one can build both strength and size using progressive bodyweight training, but it's a slow process.

Because adding a barbell makes it quick.

Equally, it makes it more boring than bodyweight work...

But in the context of the prior point, the military have plenty of track record in developing recruits physical strength and size using predominantly bodyweight training. It's functional, adaptable and doesn't require much in the way of equipment.

Get a recruit trooop out in the field, then thrash them with bodyweight circuits, it puts them under pressure and gets them out of their comfort zone. Increasing the challenge may involve doing bodyweight exercises with fighting order on, or by buddying up and lifting another body.

The fundamental point remains valid.

DYELB

The Military has built many strong soldiers with just using bodyweight exercises.

Indeed, however that's a very functional size and strengththat's developed. One doesn't want to be excessively bulky as it has little purpose on operations.

Essentially yes one can build both strength and size using progressive bodyweight training, but it's a slow process.

Because adding a barbell makes it quick.

Equally, it makes it more boring than bodyweight work...

But in the context of the prior point, the military have plenty of track record in developing recruits physical strength and size using predominantly bodyweight training. It's functional, adaptable and doesn't require much in the way of equipment.

Get a recruit trooop out in the field, then thrash them with bodyweight circuits, it puts them under pressure and gets them out of their comfort zone. Increasing the challenge may involve doing bodyweight exercises with fighting order on, or by buddying up and lifting another body.

The fundamental point remains valid.

You missed the sarcasm font.

Anyone who thinks strength gains are quick in any capacity either started out weak and is now slightly less weak or doesn't lift.

waldo56

Indisputable visual evidence that not only is is possible, it isn't even any less efficient than building muscle with weight (may actually be MORE efficient):

http://strengthunbound.com/monthly-progress-photos/

The only weight I use are some DB's to weight pistol squats and step ups (when I do them). I've done weighted pullups in the past but find bodyweight variations more effective for size and strength gains.

Now bodyweight training doesn't mean repping out to infinity, you have to keep increasing the resistance by doing increasingly more difficult exercises.

Building muscle is all about your calorie surplus.

People somehow have a difficult time grasping the ramifications of strength increasing as a function of area, weight increasing as a function of volume. Once you pass a certain point, building muscle makes you "weaker" with BW exercises because they all rely on strength to weight ratio, not ultimate strength. At some point the strength gain from more muscle mass isn't enough to offset the weight gain from that muscle.

HeidiMightyRawr

Yes you can.

It may be harder since it's not as easy to progress in terms of resistance, but it's not impossible. I'd say if you're putting your muscles under stress regularly, and you're eating enough to support muscle growth, then it can be done. You may find though that over time, once you get more advanced, you'll feel the need for more resistance. Even if you still do exercises with your own body such as push ups, pull ups, squats (without a barbell/rack) there are still ways to make them harder or add more weight.

rybo

Yes as shown by several here, you can build muscle and increase size thru body weight training.

It would be nice for once to have those who feel BW exercises are inferior to quit spouting their misinformation.

No_Finish_Line

It will improve endurance.

To build muscle, you need constant/growing resistance as your muscles get stronger. This is called progressive overload. Bodyweight exercises (unless you're doing calisthenics) get easy too quickly, which means that your muscles aren't challenged for long, leading to no muscle gain.

Eating at a surplus (or at least at maintenance) is also needed to build muscle.

if standard push ups, pull ups, etc. was all that was available, this would be true.

fortunately there is a nearly inexauhstable library of body weight exercises. there will always be a variation out there that you can only perform 8 or less of

under 8 reps should be considered heavy lifting IMO

No_Finish_Line

Indisputable visual evidence that not only is is possible, it isn't even any less efficient than building muscle with weight (may actually be MORE efficient):

it should be nearly exactly the same. resistance is resistance