Strength Training: Weights vs. Body Weight Exercises

Many people believe that to build strength, you need a gym membership or a set of weights. However, the assumption that air squats are only suitable for beginners and real workouts require equipment is outdated. According to research, both weight lifting and body weight exercises can yield similar benefits for most individuals.

Exercise scientist Anoop Balachandran from the City University of New York clarifies: “The muscle doesn’t care if you’re doing a bench press or push-ups. It recognizes tension on the muscle.” This principle underscores the effectiveness of various strength training methods.

The Secret to Success Is Failure

No matter the method, achieving strength requires pushing your muscles to the brink of exhaustion. Exercise scientist James Steele, head of research at Kieser Australia, explains, “We generally say that you need to train to the point of momentary failure, so that you’re trying as hard as you can to perform the exercise until you can’t.”

Steele points to multiple studies that highlight the effectiveness of both weight lifting and body weight exercises. A 2022 study in Minnesota found similar strength gains between individuals switching from gym routines to home body weight exercises over three weeks. Another Japanese experiment comparing push-ups to bench pressing demonstrated equivalent strength and muscle gains.

The effort you exert is more critical than the specific exercises. As you build strength, maintaining a high effort level requires adaptation. In a weight room, this means increasing the weight. For body weight exercises, strategies include increasing repetitions, using tools like exercise bands, or modifying exercises to be more challenging.

Do Weights Come with a Higher Risk of Injury?

While free weights can cause injuries, most of these result from improper handling rather than overexertion. According to an epidemiological study spanning 17 years, the most common injuries from weight training occurred when weights were dropped on individuals.

Joint or muscle injuries from weight lifting vs. body weight exercises are not extensively studied. However, it’s logical to assume that the risk might be higher with free weights due to the heavier loads involved. Exercise technique, gradual progression, and proper warm-ups can mitigate injury risks.

What If You Just Want to Stay Healthy?

Not everyone aims for peak strength; some just want to maintain well-being and perform daily activities without strain. Dr. James Steele suggests that working out until near failure isn’t necessary for this goal.

Official guidelines recommend strength training two times per week, but research suggests that one session weekly provides most benefits. Dr. Steele recommends aiming for两次 weekly sessions because missing one still ensures you meet the minimum effective dose.

The most crucial aspect of any fitness routine is consistency. Jasmin Ma, an assistant professor at the University of British Columbia, emphasizes: “It needs to be part of your lifestyle, like brushing your teeth.” Incorporating strength training into your daily habits is key.

Christie Aschwanden, a writer based in western Colorado and author of “Good to Go: What the Athlete in All of Us Can Learn from the Strange Science of Recovery,” underscores the importance of adopting strength training for a lifetime.

Whether you choose to lift weights or rely on body weight exercises, the key to success is consistent effort and proper technique. Both methods can effectively build strength, prevent injury, and improve overall health.

Your Turn

Share your strength training journey with us! Do you prefer lifting weights or body weight exercises? What strategies do you use to progress in strength training? Comment below and join the conversation.