At its most basic level, a gym is just a room filled with fitness equipment. Most people are thinking about "what" pieces of equipment they should be using (maybe at a higher level what muscle groups/priorities) when they enter the gym. It's important to remember that bodyweight exercises are some of the most effective training tools that can be used for training whether alone or in conjunction with other training types. Let's talk about some basic strategies that can be used.
Re-patterning
When we are learning a new exercise or trying to improve upon its position, adding weight is more likely to have the body return to its original pattern. I often use bodyweight exercises in conjunction with weighted exercises to improve the positions of the weighted exercises. For example, I might have someone do a core exercise like leg-lowering followed by loaded lunge or squat. By activating the core first most people will recognize immediately that they feel more stable (sometimes I'll describe this as "waking the muscles up" which isn't true but it gets the point across to the client).
More Volume
Volume over time (with frequency) is what makes us grow. If you're looking to increase muscular size, bodyweight exercises generally have more overall volume which can help initiate more growth quickly. Don't discredit adding pull-ups into your pull day or pushups on a push day.
You recover from it quicker
We use our time in the gym to break our bodies down and it is outside the gym where we grow. The faster you're able to recover, the sooner you can get back to the grind. Bodyweight exercises are a great way to ensure you can continue to frequently hit those gym routines. Again, volume and frequency are what lead to great results when consistent.
No equipment needed and it's effective
You don't need any equipment to get started and it's a highly effective form of strength training. There are plenty of examples of jungle gym fitness guys or martial arts practitioners with incredible strength; and most of it was done with body weight training. If you're struggling to figure out how to incorporate bodyweight exercises into your routine based on your current level, leave a comment below for guidance.
https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/expert-answers/body-weight-training/faq-20147966
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