Calisthenics vs weightlifting: What science has to say

If you are someone who is looking for ways to build muscle and maximize your strength, then you must have come across the famous comparison - calisthenics vs weightlifting. It is not just for people who are planning to start working out, but every individual who has spent some time lifting or doing some sort of physical exercise has the same question.

Both calisthenics and weightlifting can be beneficial for muscle growth and strength increase, but there are several factors that determine the level of progress through each of the workout patterns.

It will shed light on some valuable studies that have properly created a distinction on whether one should choose calisthenics or weightlifting to hit their fitness goals.

Calisthenics vs weightlifting: Diving into their core

Calisthenics vs Weightlifting (Image via Getty Images)

Calisthenics, also referred to as bodyweight training, revolves around utilizing one's own body weight as resistance for performing exercises. This form of exercise places a strong emphasis on enhancing body control, balance, and flexibility as many of its movements engage the entire body and target multiple muscle groups simultaneously.

Calisthenics offers the flexibility to be adapted to different fitness levels, accommodating both beginners seeking gradual progress and experienced individuals challenging themselves with advanced variations.

Conversely, weightlifting, known as resistance training or strength training, centers around the use of external weights, such as dumbbells, barbells, or machines, to build strength and muscle mass.

The key aspects of weightlifting lie in its ability to selectively target specific muscle groups with varying degrees of resistance, leading to focused muscle development and hypertrophy.

Weightlifting has the potential to increase bone density and elevate metabolic rate, fostering fat loss and improved body composition. It facilitates progressive overload, empowering individuals to continually challenge their muscles by increasing weight, repetitions, or sets, thereby promoting consistent progress.

Scientific research and studies

Study- 1: A 2018 study titled Effect of Progressive Calisthenic Push-up Training on Muscle Strength and Thickness, sheds light on this particular topic. Performed in the National Library of Medicine, this study delves deep into the aspect of muscle growth through calisthenics and weight training.

This study compared progressive calisthenic push-up training with traditional bench press training to assess muscle strength improvement. The study involved 23 healthy men who underwent 4 weeks of training.

The results showed significant increases in the 1-repetition maximum bench press and push-up progression. Notably, the PUSH group had greater PUP improvement, indicating the effectiveness of calisthenics in enhancing upper-body muscle strength.

Study-2: Another study titled The effects of a calisthenics training intervention on posture, strength, and body composition investigated the impact of calisthenics training on untrained individuals. The study found that calisthenics training led to improvements in posture, strength, and body composition without the need for significant equipment.

The intervention involved dynamic and static exercises, core workouts, and stretches, and it resulted in enhanced stability, strength, and reduced fat mass. The exercises targeting core and upper limb muscles likely contributed to the observed improvements in posture and strength, making calisthenics an accessible and effective physical activity for overall fitness

Study-3: This study was done on elderly men with no prior weightlifting experience and demonstrated that a twelve-week weightlifting program improved muscle performance significantly in the trained arm compared to the untrained arm.

This finding suggests the potential benefits of weightlifting for elderly individuals in enhancing muscle strength and function.

On the other hand, research on Army ROTC cadets explored the effects of calisthenics on overall fitness levels. Although the four-week calisthenics training did not yield conclusive evidence to reject the hypothesis that it improves fitness, the presence of various unaccounted factors, such as the cadets' existing intense military training and possible bias, calls for caution in interpreting the results.

The best one for you

All the studies combined have provided vital information on the factors affecting muscle hypertrophy and strength increase. Whether it is calisthenics or weightlifting, both of these workout patterns are quite popular among the generation who are trying to get into shape.

Choosing the best one for you would be completely your decision but the studies mentioned above would guide you on how to make the most out of them. However, there is no harm in being involved in weightlifting and calisthenics simultaneously.

You can easily split the days of the week to ensure you are getting to do both things and unveil the peak you always wanted.