Is it better to use weights or bodyweight?
A lot of people see me do handstands, play on gymnastics rings, and stretch, and put me in the camp of “bodyweight enthusiasts.”
And it’s true — I really do enjoy that stuff.
But is it more effective than using free weights or machines?
Let’s talk about strength training, intensity, and which tools to use.
Intensity
Sometimes it seems like there are SO many factors to consider when trying to get strong — which exercise, what’s the right technique, how many reps and sets, how long to rest, how many days a week…
Let’s simplify it. When doing something “strengthy,” think about getting close to failure, but not all the way there. So for instance, if you could bust out 8 pushups when you try your absolute hardest — couldn’t do a 9th, then doing a set of 6-7 would help you get stronger without creating excessive fatigue (going ALL the way until you faceplant).
This is a useful rule of thumb, regardless of whether you’re using your bodyweight or external weights. Let’s say you can do a squat with a 200-pound barbell. Doing a few reps with 185 pounds would probably take you pretty close to failure, right? But what if you do bodyweight squats — how many would you need to do to get close to failure…? 100? So if you’re doing a set of 10 or 15 bodyweight squats, you haven’t hit that sweet spot of intensity. You’ll get fatigued, but not build strength.
So is it “easier” to use weights or bodyweight?
For the above squat example, it’s probably easier (logistically, that is…) to use weights if you want to build strength. Find a challenging weight for you, and put in some work that brings you close to failure, but not all the way there.
But for something like pushups, it might be really easy to get yourself close to failure.
So weights or your own bodyweight aren’t inherently better or worse, they’re just tools that you can use to get close to failure.
Progression
When you do the same exercise over and over again, your body adapts to it. So over time, you need to gradually make it harder if you want to keep building strength.
When you have weights with small enough incremental jumps, it can make it really easy to gradually progress. On the flipside, some bodyweight movements allow you to add the tiiiiiniest bit of weight by putting yourself in a slightly different position.
So a similar question comes up: which one will make it easier for you to get the desired (small!) progression?
Which one do you enjoy more?
Pushups or bench press? Both great exercises for building upper body strength. So which one will you enjoy gradually progressing for a long time? If it helps make it fun and easy to keep showing up, it’s probably a great exercise for you. Yes, you’re allowed to enjoy this stuff :)
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