Alternatives to strength training Plenty of ways to move well and Sep 24, 2021 · There are plenty of ways you can gain muscle strength without lifting weights, though. With so much interest in strength training, you might wonder if there are ways to get stronger without working with barbells or dumbbells. It is no secret that deadlifts are a great exercise, and a popular in all types of strength training, utilized in many programs for powerlifting and even bodybuilding, but not everyone is suited to performing them. Apr 27, 2025 · Heavier loads is a good variable to have for hypertrophy and strength training. Our condition can be improved in many ways. “You can do a full-body workout with no extra equipment,” says Julia Brown, a . Hypertrophy & Strength: Use a rep range of 6-12 for hypertropy and strength gains. Apr 7, 2025 · Increasing Lean Mass and Strength: A Comparison of High Frequency Strength Training to Lower Frequency Strength Training. Apr 14, 2025 · Given its focus on strength training, we rate the equipment demands at 4 out of 5 since you’ll need access to resistance training tools like the best barbells and cable machines — we’ve Sep 11, 2023 · Strength & Power: Go for lower reps and higher weight in the 1-5 rep range for strength and power. Don’t worry if you want absolutely nothing to do with the weight room! Perfecting any strength-building workout will take time and training, but the important thing is to remember not to shy away after one or two bad experiences. To maximize your desired results, deadlifts and their alternatives are key exercises to include throughout your training. And Nov 28, 2024 · Strength training is good for everybody’s body. Few programs are as mythical in the strength training world as the 5x5 system. Resistance Training induces improvements in range of motion: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. 4 out of 5 stars 36 Apr 11, 2024 · Such training regimes aim to combine strength and athleticism. ”Combined with daily walking, strength training can help you build the body of your dreams, ward off illness, and help you live a longer, more independent life. By incorporating a variety of exercises that target the same muscle groups, individuals can maintain engagement and motivation in their fitness journey. But it has its shortcoming. Lifting weights is like the secret sauce for seniors, offering a smattering of benefits. Mar 11, 2024 · Managing back issues does not allow lower body strength training. Written by Jake Dickson, NASM-CPT, USAW-L2 I think strength training is usually used more as a way to prevent injury. How to Use Sandbags Instead of Dumbbells Nov 20, 2024 · The best alternatives to dumbbells for strength training include resistance bands, kettlebells, medicine balls, sandbags, and bodyweight exercises. Sandbags: Perfect for Dynamic Strength Training. If you're trying to put together a home gym, you might be surprised to learn you don't actually have to invest a lot of money in it. Jun 25, 2024 · But there are four problems with these training plans: Template Training Plans: Endurance athletes all have unique challenges, schedules, and events that happen leading up to race day. Suppose the goal is to get stronger, leaner, and healthier. Before discussing alternatives, let’s take a look at the purpose behind the Olympic lifts. Always remember protecting you back is paramount and these alternatives offer a path to continue your fitness journey without discomfort. 4 out of 5 stars 36 Jan 31, 2025 · Exploring alternatives to chest dips is essential for diversifying workout routines and preventing plateaus in strength training. Time that should not be carelessly managed when an athlete is training for an upcoming game or season. 2023 Aug 19;13(1):13505. For elite athletes, although alternative training may not be ideal, it is still desirable. Sci Rep. Effects of progressive body-weight versus barbell back squat training on strength, hypertrophy and body fat among sedentary young women. Alternative Strength Training: Build Muscle Without Weights Resistance Bands May 12, 2024 · Here at Fitness Drum, we believe in editorial integrity and providing genuine value to our readers. Here are some ways to build strength without lifting weights. 1. For those who are still looking for ways in which they can strength train without weight training, doing exercises that are using your own bodies weight is the best option. You train three times per week, alternating between workout A and workout B, like this: Jan 1, 2024 · Water Weights Aqua Bag, Workout Sandbag Alternative Strength Training Sand Bag Portable Stability Fitness Equipment – Ultimate Core and Balance Training for Home Gym – 33 LBS 4. Apr 14, 2023 · Just because you don't have a pair of dumbbells doesn't mean you can't start a solid strength-training routine. Most are not exclusive to seniors—strength training does not care about your age. Jun 15, 2020 · Time is required to master the technical aspect of the lifts. Apr 22, 2025 · After an in-depth assessment, the app will create a training program based on your answers—weight, training load, personal records, training schedule, and fitness goals. Feb 20, 2021 · Strength Sports: If your sport is weightlifting, powerlifting, strongman, or bodybuilding, you don’t really have a choice, so weight training is a must here. Another factor to consider is the amount of training experience the athlete has in the weight-room. These exercises use your own body weight as resistance, making them an effective way to build strength and endurance. Jan 1, 2024 · Water Weights Aqua Bag, Workout Sandbag Alternative Strength Training Sand Bag Portable Stability Fitness Equipment – Ultimate Core and Balance Training for Home Gym – 33 LBS 4. This isn’t just my opinion; research also supports the long-term health and fitness benefits of strength training – especially for older adults . Hack squats are great for hypertrophy and isolating the quads; however, they do lack the stability, balance, strength, and athleticism-building components of barbell squats. Along with that, he is the assistant strength and conditioning coach at Shenandoah University. Weight Vest: You can wear a weight vest while using a sandbag for additional load. Fortunately, there are several alternative strength-building techniques that can help you gain strength without the need to continuously add more weight. Mobility and injury restrictions may also interfere with the athlete’s ability Nov 12, 2024 · In fact, relying too heavily on lifting progressively heavier loads can lead to plateaus, injuries, and overtraining. Each offers unique benefits: resistance bands are great for targeting muscle groups and improving flexibility, while kettlebells provide full-body exercises that build both strength and endurance. Feb 21, 2020 · by Christian Thibaudeau How to Make 5x5 Training Even Better The 5x5 system has been around forever for a reason: it works. It might not give someone huge progress in their running but it could help them avoid injury. It is like having a personal strength training and weightlifting coach in your pocket. 2016 Apr 1;9(2):159-167. Nicole Davis is a writer based in Madison, Wisconsin, a personal trainer, and a group fitness instructor whose Dec 15, 2024 · The Best Deadlift Alternatives. Its unique design and user-friendly operation make it suitable for users at any fitness level. Nov 24, 2024 · 5. Their (specific) condition is often so good that alternative training adds little. You can still build strength without picking up a weight. For elite athletes, alternative training is, in theory, less beneficial. Apr 26, 2025 · Starting Strength helped pave the way for proper strength training to become part of mainstream fitness. 1038/s41598-023-40319-x. Apr 25, 2023 · This article explores what people should look for in weight benches, several weight benches to consider, alternative strength training equipment, and the associated health benefits and risks Mar 13, 2025 · Powerlifting: Increasing the front squat, or simply training it, can help increase quadriceps strength and development, improve anterior core strength, and increase overall leg development. You know this if you've ever done push-ups, planks or pull-ups, since they're all super-challenging moves that use your body's own weight Sep 2, 2020 · Weight Training Alternatives. Ideal for safer strength training. Nov 24, 2024 · If you don’t have any of the above-mentioned alternatives, it’s time to get creative. doi: 10. DIY weights are surprisingly effective and easy to make with common household materials. A bag of flour, a heavy bucket of sand, or a large water bottle can all serve as weights for strength training exercises. If you don’t believe me, try doing a bicycle crunch, push-up, or Apr 11, 2023 · A systematic review of all the research around resistance training and muscle hypertrophy reached the same conclusion: Resistance training should be used by people looking to maximise muscle growth. Alizadeh S, Daneshjoo A, Zahiri A, Anvar SH, Goudini R, Hicks JP, Konrad A, and Behm DG. Safe And Easy To Learn: The leg press is less technical than other squat and hinge variations and there is less chance of injury because the leg press machine has built-in safety mechanisms. Some popular bodyweight exercises include push-ups, squats, lunges, planks and burpees. Not involved in strength sports: If you don’t have a specific reason to hoist a barbell over your head, then bodyweight training is a fine alternative. Benefits of Strength Training for Older Adults. Oct 1, 2022 · #1 Running. With that being said, the shoes on this list are not all true weightlifting shoes (with an elevated heel) but rather niche shoes that, we feel, excel in gym and strength training and have other characteristics of both a weightlifting shoe and a minimalist shoe. Not being injured is super important if you’re trying to get faster so I don’t think strength training is useless if you’re training to be fast. By using the force of a powerful throw, you're engaging your chest, shoulders, and arms in a movement that maximizes power output. Additionally, the movement requires significant core engagement to generate and control power, contributing to core strength and stability. Some effective lower-impact training styles to consider include: Bodyweight Training Dec 25, 2024 · Deadlift Alternatives for Strength Training. It taught the principle of progressive overload to lifters which is a huge achievement in it's own right. While heavy lifting is not advisable after a certain age, strength training remains very important for staying fit and maintaining muscle mass as you get older. Jan 6, 2022 · Strength Training; You Don't Need Dumbbells to Lift Weights — Use These Everyday Items as Alternatives Here are a few ways to plug in these alternatives in common free-weight moves: Bicep Dec 12, 2022 · Unless you’re a competitive powerlifter or weightlifter whose goal is to lift max weight for your sport, dedicating too much of your training focus to one-off max lifts is a bad idea, according Feb 20, 2025 · Deadlifts and their alternatives are strength training exercises that have massive benefits for muscle building and fitness goals. Jun 24, 2023 · Alternative Strength Training Approaches for Older Lifters. Jan 29, 2015 · These days, there are many alternatives the strength and conditioning coach can use to build a comprehensive program that will increase power while mimicking the movement and results of Olympic lifts. DIY Weight Bags Feb 29, 2024 · A great example of a strength training workout routine using the fundamental movements and the best strength training exercises for beginners from the list above is the Beginner Barbell Program. As we age, our hormones change and we begin feeling and even looking different. Apr 24, 2025 · Why we like it: The app offers a variety of strength training modalities, like yoga strength, Pilates strength, push-pull training, HIIT, bodybuilding, kettlebells, explosive power classes and Aug 6, 2024 · Strength training is now widely recognized as an essential component of healthy aging. These off-the-shelf training plans might personalize your training paces and effort levels, but beyond that, you're left on your own to follow the plan for good Strength Training: Incorporating strength training into your workout routine is an excellent alternative to HIIT. Int J Exerc Sci. Running provides a full-body, aerobic workout that can help you lose weight, get into decent shape, and feel great about yourself Apr 19, 2024 · Launched in February 2023, the free tier gives users access to Fiit's daily live group classes and includes popular workouts like spin and treadmill classes, weight and strength training, recovery Dec 29, 2024 · The compact Tempo Move offers a strength-training experience comparable with that of the excellent Tempo Studio for a fraction of the price because it primarily relies on your iPhone and TV. Let's make it even better. Like cable machines, they allow you to isolate muscles. A popular alternative to weight training is running. Pilates or Yoga: These low-impact workouts focus on flexibility, core strength, and balance. This form of exercise is also used during physical therapy for people recovering from an injury, as a gentler way to rebuild muscle strength. For example, use household items to add weight to your regular Nov 12, 2024 · Ultimately, the key to strength-building without lifting heavier lies in variety and progression. Nov 14, 2022 · Body weight exercises Body weight workouts are no joke. Lifting weights or using resistance bands can help build lean muscle mass, increase strength, and improve overall body composition. Here are some of the top benefits. They Oct 25, 2023 · Strength training versus stretching for improving range of motion: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Apr 11, 2024 · Such training regimes aim to combine strength and athleticism. Endurance & Hypertrophy: Target 12-20 reps for muscle gain and endurance. While deadlifts are the ultimate test of posterior chain strength, alternatives like glute bridges, hip thrusts, stiff-leg deadlifts, and leg curls can provide more focused tension on the hamstrings and glutes. Weight Sled Alternative: Sandbags can be dragged as an alternative to weighted sleds If you have a dip belt that has a long enough chain, you can attach a sandbag to the belt for drags Example 2. Alternatives to Strength Training Our bodies change over timethat is just a "given". The app is programmed, keeping in mind effective workout methods. You can re-purpose ordinary items and even other exercise equipment to use as dumbbell substitutes. If you’re a strength athlete or play a competitive team sport, I recommend sticking with barbells or doing split squats and belt squats (plus other accessories). Lifting weights builds stronger muscles, bones, and joints, can control your weight, and will improve your athleticism and functionality. Perfect for inspiratory muscle strength training, the Bas Rutten O2 Trainer restricts air intake to strengthen your diaphragm, boosting stamina and endurance. Granted, these studies used slow speeds applied to strength training with machines and free weights, but the same principle applies to bodyweight exercise. For us, normal people 😅, it's different. By exploring these alternatives and integrating them into your routine, you can continue to break through plateaus, prevent boredom, and achieve sustainable strength gains while maintaining a balanced and safe approach to training. Mar 3, 2021 · At least two studies have shown that slow cadence exercise outperformed the strength gained with regular speed training. Healthcare (Basel) 9, 2021. Oct 8, 2019 · He works with athletes of all ages and levels, ranging from nine-year-olds to Division I athletes. Mar 31, 2020 · Really, the only true, essential piece of workout equipment that you need to get a good sweat sesh in is yourself. PMID: 27182422; PMCID: PMC4836564. Strongway 5×5 functions as your strength training and weight lifting coach, helping you become stronger and endure tougher training sessions. Sandbags are another great alternative to dumbbells, especially for those who want to build dynamic, functional strength. Sep 11, 2024 · Bodyweight exercises are a great alternative for those who want to stay fit without investing in expensive gym equipment. Prior to FASST, Brandon was an assistant strength and conditioning coach at Bridgewater College, where he worked with more than 20 sports. Unlike dumbbells, sandbags shift weight as you move them, forcing your muscles to engage in a more controlled and stabilizing manner. Sports Med 53: 707-722 6 days ago · Best Inspiratory Muscle Strength Training Device. Feb 24, 2024 · After over 30 years working as a personal trainer, I’ve come to the conclusion that strength training is “big medicine. It was the cornerstone of Reg Park’s training (Arnold’s idol), but it was first popularized by Bill Starr with his book, “The Oct 25, 2023 · Strength training versus stretching for improving range of motion: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. These exercises are easier on your lower back and allow targeted muscle engagement without heavy loads. Resistance bands are a great alternative strength training tool because they’re easy to use. Apr 11, 2024 · Wei W, Zhu J, Ren S, Jan YK, Zhang W, Su R, He L. Key to success is tailoring exercises to personal needs, ensuring they are back-friendly and performed with correct form. Sep 12, 2024 · Explore 10 effective deadlift alternatives for a full-body workout that’s gentler on your body. However, you can find that you can do weight training without actual weights. Just ask any woman about the differences in her body between the ages of 30 and 40 and she would be likely to say that fat accumulation patterns changed and that her motivation Feb 25, 2020 · Mix and match these alternatives to take your strength training to another level. Jul 3, 2024 · The 10 Best Strongman Exercises (and Alternatives) for Beastly Strength Get good at, well, anything athletic by mastering these movements. The app will make adjustments on a short-term basis as well, since it asks about your current level of soreness and fatigue prior to each workout. Nov 8, 2024 · Best Online Workout Program for Strength Training: Caliber App; Aaptiv is a great option for people looking for an alternative to video-based workout programs. The 13-week Centr Power at Home program uses a blend of resistance band and dumbbell exercises to build serious muscle, strength and size without the need for a full gym. For this review, we tried and tested 17 popular fitness apps (referenced at the bottom of the page) and rated each app based on price, ease of use, workouts, exercise demonstrations, unique features and overall effectiveness. ocflc tck hgwv yajuugx zxlibusn wrq kqtqfb sqmsi pneul gqhc mjqnt rewwijw eoidq dqaha njer