Does body-weight resistance training do any good at all?

athenasurrenders

Hello,

I've never really done any resistance training but I am starting because I'm very worried about losing lean mass (don't have much to start with!). I don't have free weights and money/time/space prevents me acquiring them or joining a gym for the foreseeable future.

I also have very little body strength. Body weight squats and lunges are hard for me and I am really feeling it after 2 sets of 10-12. I still do my pushups on my knees.

So what I want to know, is this helping me at all? Is there anything I can do to ensure I'm getting the maximum benefit out of what I can do? At the moment I'm doing pushups, squats, lunges, double crunches, dumbell rows. I have access to a basic set of resistance bands and adjustable dumbells, and also an exercise ball.

Any good advice or resources? Or am I kidding myself that this is making any difference at all?

fraser112

Look up body weight exercises as many variations exist. Weights just make progressive overload easier.Body weight is better than nothing by miles. Once you hit say 20 reps for 5 sets move to a harder variation and keep progressing.

By the time you can do 100 1 leg squats and 100 1 arm weighted push ups you will have put on some muscle for sure.
Milk cartons also work well or just a metal pole with chains rapped around it anything that lets you push yourself.

seekingstrengthX2

Sounds like you're doing great! Yes, it will make a difference. Keep going!

waldo56

Resistance is resistance.

Bodyweight is harder in the sense, to progress you need to add reps and/or move on to more difficult exercise variants, and there is very little good programming info out there. You will over time need to develop an encyclopedic knowledge of exercises and how to perform them, and learn how to program for yourself.

athenasurrenders

Thanks guys. I guess common sense should tell me anything is better than nothing! I just read about all these women half my size who are deadlifting huge weights and think 'yikes! I'm so behind!'

I appreciate the encouragement.