Building strength without weights

"One group used the bench press, gradually increasing the weight as they got stronger. The other group only did push-ups. But instead of adding more and more over time, Kotarsky had them upgrade to harder versions. KOTARSKY: Maybe they did push-ups on their knees, and then, from their knees, they did full push-ups. From their push-ups, maybe they brought their hands closer together, changing the leverage, making it more challenging, recruiting different muscles."

"STONE: At the end of the study, he had both groups test their strength on the bench press. KOTARSKY: What we found is there was no difference in strength improvement between the push-up group and the bench press group. STONE: In other words, push-ups translated into meaningful strength while lifting weights. Now, the study was only a month, and differences could have emerged over time, but it underscores that body-weight exercise can be very effective."

"Lifting weights isn't the only way to build strength and muscle. Experts say bodyweight exercises can go a long way and are a great way to get started if you don't feel like going to the gym. JUANA SUMMERS, HOST: You might assume that you have to lift heavy weight to get stronger, but research shows that's not necessarily the case. You can make real strides using just your own body weight."

Bodyweight exercises can effectively build strength and muscle and provide an accessible entry point for people who avoid gyms. A small controlled study had two groups train three times per week for a month: one group progressed on the bench press by increasing weight; the other group progressed push-up difficulty through harder variations. Participants moved from knee push-ups to full push-ups and adjusted hand placement to change leverage and recruit different muscles. At the end of the month, both groups showed similar bench-press strength improvements, indicating push-ups translated into meaningful strength. The short duration leaves open the possibility of longer-term differences.

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