Written by: Maternity Sports Academy. Commercial partnership.

The health benefits of strength training are undeniable. In fact, it is recommended that every adult should do strength training twice a week. While some people are looking for more stamina and energy for everyday life, for others it's a way to tone up, shape their body, support weight management or do sport-specific training, for example. There are many ways to do strength training, depending on your own goals.

This blog will introduce you to strength training with weights and bodyweight training, and the benefits and challenges of each. It will also give you a better idea of which form of exercise would best support your goals.

The most effective training is training that you can do regularly, year after year!

Training with body weights or with resistance?

Strength training can be carried out in many different ways, depending on the goals set, the equipment and space used, and the trainee's starting and fitness level.

Bodyweight training refers to training in which your own body is the load. This means that no extra weights are used in the workout. Bodyweight training offers a natural and effective way to develop strength, body control and body awareness. Because the movements are largely based on body control, they develop strength and support in the midsection in particular and overall body mobility.

Bodyweight training is easy to do in a variety of environments and requires no equipment, which makes it a particularly flexible form of exercise that can be easily integrated into everyday life. Versatile movements such as push-ups, chin-ups and squats activate several muscle groups at the same time, and the workout can be easily adapted to your starting level and goals. Bodyweight training is not just about muscle strength, but about total body control.

The particular effectiveness of bodyweight training lies in the fact that it activates large muscle groups of the body simultaneously in a very effective way. This in turn has an effect on improving core fitness, toning and weight management. The fact that no equipment is required lowers the threshold to start exercising. The challenge with bodyweight training can be to achieve upward consistency. Any workout will get you started, but if your goal is to increase strength or muscle mass in your body, you'll need some weight training alongside it at some point.

The benefits of bodyweight training:

• suitable for a wide range of goals, such as increasing endurance and energy, weight management, toning and increasing core fitness
• requires no equipment and is easy to implement anywhere
• with just a few movements you can exercise all the major muscle groups in your body

The challenges of bodyweight training:

• it can be difficult to implement uphill training
• large basic movements require body control and can be prone to strain injuries if the technique is poor
• training can be hard at first, when large muscle groups in the body are working simultaneously
• not suitable for long-term strength and muscle mass acquisition

Strength training with weights, on the other hand, offers an effective way to increase muscle strength and build muscle mass in a controlled way. Weight training is therefore also ideal if your goal is to lose weight or support weight management.

The different weights and the equipment and tools used allow even individual muscle groups to be trained precisely, so it can be used as part of rehabilitation, for example. Weights and equipment can be used to precisely adjust the training load and increase the load in a controlled way. The movements are also often easy to learn and can be done purely under the guidance of the equipment.

Training with weights is also ideal for correcting muscle imbalances and strengthening individual muscle groups to support, for example, sports performance. This is why weight training is used by beginners and elite athletes alike.

The challenges of weight training are often related to the fact that it requires more equipment, space and sometimes guidance - especially for beginners. Technical control of movements is important, as incorrect execution techniques can easily lead to injuries and overloading the body. Strength training with equipment does not support body control as well as functional bodyweight training and therefore good programming of training is important.

If your initial training is more equipment-oriented, more supportive, it is important to progress towards more functional options if you want your body control to improve and your training to become increasingly supportive of your functional daily life.

The benefits of weight training:

• allows you to train individual muscle groups
• uphill training easier when you can follow the development of weights
• controlled trajectories (in equipment training)
• a great way to increase strength and muscle mass
• suitable for all types of trainees, regardless of fitness level

The challenges of weight training:

• requires equipment and weights
• can make the training one-sided
• can even be passive and much of the movement is done sitting on the equipment
• not so supportive of the functional properties of the body

What type of training is right for you?

In reality, it is often best to combine the strengths of both forms of exercise. Strength training in the gym brings with it the potential for controlled loading and muscle growth, while bodyweight training challenges body control and increases mobility - often in ways that machines can't match.

The choice is not an either-or, but rather a question of life situation, goals and personal preferences.

If you enjoy exercising outdoors or at home, bodyweight training could be for you. But if your goal is to increase maximum strength or build muscle mass, gym training gives you the clear tools to do it.

So who are these exercises suitable for?

Strength training in the gym is suitable for almost anyone who wants to develop muscle strength, increase muscle mass or support, for example, rehabilitation or sport. It is an excellent option:

• For beginners who want to learn basic movements in a guided way
• For older people who want to maintain muscle strength and functional capacity
• For athletes who need precise strength training as part of their sport training
• For people who benefit from targeted and adjustable movements

Bodyweight training, on the other hand, is ideal:

• For those who want to work out at home or in the gym without equipment
• For travellers or busy people who value flexibility
• For those developing body control, mobility and balance
• For beginners who want to start training more gently

Both types of exercise can also be combined - for example, you can add bodyweight exercises to your gym programme to develop mobility or core control.

The most effective and efficient training is the kind you can do regularly, even for years. When choosing a form of exercise, it's worth considering not only your own goals but also the realities of everyday life - is this a way of exercising that I can commit to for the long term?