Yes, I have certainly “heard of” calisthenics. :) (I am an online personal trainer)
I highly doubt those with large legs (26 inches+) are going to maintain off of bodyweight. Perhaps we have different definitions of success. Certainly you can have shapely legs, but the calisthenics guys you mentioned have minimal lower body development (hence being good at calisthenics) OR are on steroids (in which this entire discussion becomes quite meaningless as you can grow doing anything)
I’m a big believer in research. Most of my posts on Quora (where I primarily have been posting and have ~29m views) are based in science.
However, we must not discount what the largest and most muscular people in the world do. It is common for even gymnasts to lift weights, yet extremely rare for bodybuilders (natural or otherwise) to do bodyweight exercises beyond maybe dips and pullups.
Why is that?
Because they are inferior.
Now, don’t get me wrong, I’ve been gymless for several months, and have diligently been doing bodyweight movements, most of the ones in your excellent article. But they are not as good for advanced athletes. Beginners, sure. If you cannot do 50 pushups, just do pushups. Don’t bench. The pushup is actually better in many ways. But not for advanced athletes.
“mechanical tension is mechanical tension”
Yes. The body doesn’t know you are in a gym, or holding a barbell. But many bodyweight movements are not limited by the muscles listed. They are limited by balance, or core strength, or are simply not loadable to an extent needed to produce gains past a certain point.
With a barbell or dumbbell or even machines, you can apply tension exactly where you want it, have much more variety, as well as scale it exactly to the loading you want for exact progression.
Furthermore, as a personal trainer, asking someone to take multiple sets of 40 to actual failure…isn’t going to happen. I absolutely dispute a lot of the research. I spend a good deal of my time reading research, and a lot of these studies measure “muscle growth” right after the session, or a few hours afterwards. Of course you’ll get a great pump from 30–40 reps! And you’ll store more glycogen, too.
Science is good, but “good science” is rare.
But in the long term, I don’t see sets of 40 being optimal for progression. Again, if it was, more people would be doing that. But they aren’t. Because it’s not. Also because it sucks. But mostly just because it’s not that good.
Pistol squats?
Limiting factor is balance, almost always. Or, glute medius strength, not quads. Or knee durability. Or hamstring mobility.
Anyway, maybe I am just angsty from no gym. :) Again, it was an excellent post, just wanted to share my thoughts. If I come off as strong worded, it is just my passion for the sport and science of lifting.
