[octygen]

What's a gym? COVID made me forget. COVID also gave me more time to do things especially without the commute. What did I learn to do with 0 équipment?

1) Want to lose fat? You can run outside. You can also swim outside if you're lucky. It's free. Or you can walk briskly. Even better for losing fat. Want to improve your technique? There's plenty of instruction on YouTube and online.

2) Want to get strong? You can follow along workouts from Iron Wolf on YouTube and do some hardcore basic calisthenics. It's free. Don't worry, you're not stronger than him. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBUo6dgGR82QOfidtpNRQww

3) Want to improve your flexibility? You can follow along workouts from Human 2.0 on YouTube to hit flexibility, mobility and body maintenance. It's free. https://www.youtube.com/c/Humantwopointzeroinc

Also, you can do all of the above with friends! They don't need any equipment either.

[flictonic]

Strength training is extremely hard to do without equipment. It's a common misconception that body weight or minimal equipment is an adequate substitute. Iron Wolf is not strength training, it's endurance. I'm not knocking him, it looks like a great workout, but any intermediate barbell lifter will lose strength and size on this workout. There's simply no substitute for heavy compound barbell movements.

[mtalantikite]

I guess it depends on what you mean by strength. For body building/size, yeah for sure you need weights. You can do a ton with some rings and p-bars along with your own body weight though (and maybe a kettlebell or two). I personally don’t care about size or external looks, that’s not what I practice for, but you certainly can get strong without weights. I’m sure a lot of people that can lift heavy can’t do a planche, they’re just totally different body goals and both require strength.

[megameter]

The amount you lose when training at BW is considerably less than not training at all - studies show retention of size for months and months - and in a pinch I absolutely would go for a program that emphasizes bridges and planks and hanging. As for the rest - training goals can be multidimensional and this influences the optimal methods a lot. Training for martial arts, for example, tends to mean training for overall coordination and mobility, as well as strength and stamina. Judo players, MMA players, they can be strong, they can benefit from weights, but they aren't bodybuilders or powerlifters or strongman competitors. Eddie Hall, a strongman champion, has been covering his training for a boxing match on his YT channel, and while he does still do his presses and squats, he's slimmed down a ton.

There is an argument around calisthenics having too many compound movements and gaps in difficulty progression, which makes it hard to overcome specific bottlenecks. But what calisthenics absolutely is great at is mobility and CNS engagement. Combine calisthenics with a yoga mat and doorframe bar with bands training to add more granular progression and isolations, and you have some really good overall coverage with minimum equipment.

NB: One major reason we have historically seen more material about weights than bands is that it's easier to compare weight progression apples-to-apples. Bands change difficulty with slight changes in grip position, hence results are harder to compare.

[rezz]

Before the pandemic I definitely would agree with this. I was doing a meathead lifting routine and BJJ 6x a week and was fairly strong. When everything shut down I started doing door pull-ups and Dylan Werner’s True Strength series and could not finish a single workout without stopping or cheating. 4 or 5 months later the gyms open up and I’m at least as strong if not stronger than I was before.

[faangFar]

I'm a bit lucky that I bought a barbell, squat rack and bench 2 years ago trying to save on gym fees.

I can't imagine what my fellow strength trainers are doing.