Bodyweight exercises can be a fantastic way to start strength training- they’re accessible, versatile, and efficient – and all of this can feel very doable when you’re a busy woman with lots of busy things to do.
But here’s the deal: while bodyweight exercises can help you build a solid foundation and get your form on point, they might not always be enough to push you toward true strength gains over time. For real muscle-building, you need something more- something that challenges your muscles to adapt and grow.
Take lunges, for example. If you’re breezing through 10-15 reps before your legs are crying for help, it’s time to up the ante. Heavy resistance (like weights!) can help you reach that sweet spot of lower reps and higher intensity, where real strength gains live.
So, do bodyweight exercises count as strength training? Absolutely – but only up to a point.
Bodyweight exercise programs sound very appealing. No equipment needed. Can be done anywhere. What’s not to love?
But are they enough to build strength?
Here’s the deal:
- Bodyweight exercises can be a fantastic place to start, especially if you’re new to strength training, or have had a big break
- Bodyweight exercises can help you build a solid foundation and improve movement patterns. Plus, for some exercises (like push-ups_ bodyweight alone can be seriously tough!
- But to really build strength, your exercises need to be hard enough to challenge your muscles and create progressive overload
- For most women, bodyweight alone won’t be enough to meet that requirement, especially over time
- take lunges, for example. They might feel challenging, but if you can do 10-15 reps before your legs start to burn, they’re not in the ideal range for building strength or power
- To get stronger as women., we need to aim for lower reps with heavier resistance – something bodyweight alone often can’t achieve
So, do bodyweight exercises count as strength training/ Yes, but to truly build strength and power, you need to progress beyond just body weight.
Ready to level up? Start thinking about adding resistance to your routine. Your old lady self will thank you!