With gyms closed and home equipment scarce, many are turning to bodyweight training to preserve strength gains. Experts say it's possible to maintain muscle with creativity and progressive overload, even without weights.
Luke Worthington, a performance coach and Nike trainer, notes that strength gains typically last about four weeks before declining. He advises focusing on the same principles as gym training: squat, hinge, lunge, push, and pull movements, using bodyweight variations.
Laura 'Biceps' Hoggins, author of 'Lift Yourself', recommends increasing reps and adding unilateral exercises like lunges or pistol squats to increase difficulty. For example, a lunge is harder than a squat, and a pistol squat is harder than a lunge.
Both experts emphasize that bodyweight training can yield results if done with sufficient intensity and progression. The key is to adapt exercises to keep challenging muscles, even without heavy weights.
