do lunges & squats count as weight training?

they count as strength training, but not as weight training until you add more then just your bod yweight, imo.

Agreed.

No, you will not build muscle until you use weight.
You can not build muscle unless you break your muscles down. This does not happen without weight.

No, you will not build muscle until you use weight.
You can not build muscle unless you break your muscles down. This does not happen without weight.

incorrect.

you can absolutly build muscle using body weight exercises. it will take more repetitions, and you will never ever become huge and built up like dwayne johnson, but you can most certainly see gains from doing body weight exercises.

My goals are to be strong. I want a strong core and back. I want to feel strong in my body. I care a lot less about the numbers on scales or in clothes.

you i like.

I assume the answer is 'yes' but what about when I'm doing them with just body weight, not additional weights? I do a lot of reformer pilates and often come away sore from the resistance training, but I'm not sure if the weight is high enough to really be getting the weight lifting benefits.

Meh it's not progressive but it's a start. I noticed a benefit at first but kind of topped out after a while. You'll top out and at a point you won't get much benefit to them and there's a point that to many repetitive squats are going to do a number to your joints. I was doing Spartacus for a while with up to 20lbs each hand. If you do something long enough it well make you sore no matter what but won't necessarily give you the benefits of progressive weight lifting. I'm much happier doing something like Stronglifts over a shorter period of time and getting better benefits from it. If you find it hard then stick to bodyweight till you can pump out a few sets of 15. After that I'd definitely strongly consider weights. You wouldn't have to do half so many, you'd be able to farther benefit from it, and it would take less time.

Even if you are 'weight' training. If you stop progressing and keep using the same weight and reps, you're not going to 'progress'. But you are helping yourself from degrading the muscle you'd be losing if you weren't doing it. Progressively up your weights to see progressive quicker improvements to your body.

No, you will not build muscle until you use weight.
You can not build muscle unless you break your muscles down. This does not happen without weight.

This is absolutely not true !! Have you ever seen a military recruit before and after basic training? How about the quads on a serious cyclist.

Find documentation here:

http://www.mensfitness.com/training/build-muscle/bulk-up-without-lifting-a-weight


http://dailyhealthpost.com/top-15-body-weight-exercises-for-building-muscle-and-strength/#axzz2WVZMa9Nr


http://bodybuilding.about.com/od/weighttrainingprinciples/a/Top-Bodybuilding-Bodyweight-Muscle-Building-Exercises-For-Muscle-Building.htm

http://www.menshealth.co.uk/building-muscle/bodyweight-exercises/

http://www.muscleandfitness.com/training/tips/ultimate-bodyweight-workout-bodybuilders




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It's a tie, you're both wrong.

You need a calorie surplus to BUILD muscle. Can't grow denser mass without the fuel.

If you're on a calorie deficit then you'd just be retaining the muscle you have and you'd be more likely to lose your fat over your muscle if you were weight training.

Now if we're talking about building muscle...If you're a sedentary couch potato, you can use no weights and build muscle. And then that stops and you're just retaining the tiny bit of muscle you gained. Then you can use body weight exercises to build muscles. And then progress comes to a halt again if you can't find a way to progressively lift more weight. That being said there's a lot most people can do to progress with body weight exercises. If you can drop a few sets of 15 body squats out, then chances are you're in better shape then those people, and to show noticeable improvement you would need noticeably heavier weights.

Progressive overload is all that's needed.

Once you stop overloading your muscles (because they adapt) then strength training is no longer being accomplished.

For the record, the cyclists wiht HYOOGE quads do weight training. As do most serious athletes, outside of pure endurance sports.

For the record, the cyclists wiht HYOOGE quads do weight training. As do most serious athletes, outside of pure endurance sports.

This, mostly. But some question it because they 'know someone'. I know a girl with hyooge quads that can't fit into womens clothes that only runs. She's tiny everywhere else. That being said she's working mainly one group of muscles (her legs), and I'm sure she had hyooge quads before she started running. Some people just have it in their genes.

No, you will not build muscle until you use weight.
You can not build muscle unless you break your muscles down. This does not happen without weight.

incorrect.

you can absolutly build muscle using body weight exercises. it will take more repetitions, and you will never ever become huge and built up like dwayne johnson, but you can most certainly see gains from doing body weight exercises.