Body weight versus weight training for strength? from Ask Coach David

nmr20067 asks:  What are feelings on bodyweight exercises to get stronger, mainly for people that may not have access to weights everyday. Or is weights lifting 1st now and just do what I can to find access, and bodyweight exercises are only secondary.

My answer:

+nmr20067 I think lifting weights would be #1 but there are many strong people in this world who got there doing just body weight movements. You just have to keep one thing in mind as that is “specific adaptation to imposed demand” which means you have to do a little more in each exercise, body weight or weight training session than you did prior. That is the only way to get stronger over time. That is why I like weight training, because you can add a couple pounds to each session over years and you will get stronger as long as your nutrition, stress, and sleep is under control. Thanks, Coach David