Can bodyweight training alone(calisthenics) build muscle mass?

By the tee-rex

 I have to say if you're looking to build muscles as big as Ronnie Coleman's, then this post is not for you... but if you want to gather lean muscle mass ,carry your weight around like it's cotton candy and still be flexible, you're in the right place,now that that's sorted lets go back to the question..."can I build muscle with bodyweight training (calisthenics) only".

The answer is a very big 'YES'.First I wanna tell you what the word ‘ calisthenics’ truly means.
Calisthenics is basically building muscles with bodyweight alone…yeah bodyweight alone ,no equipments (except gymnastic rings , pull-ups and the likes) needed.Think of it as gymnastic movements. Now one of the most important aspects of muscle building (even with free weights) is progressive overload which basically means "constantly changing your workout program's" in layman terms.

Now I'm aware no human being can rack and unrack their own bodyweight which comes as quite a bummer... but all is not lost because there are other ways to push your muscles to breaking point without adding weights (directly)

 1)Increasing time under pressure: this involves doing an  exercise with a very slow range of motion or counting 2 or more seconds in between reps I.e top of the exercise (starting point) and buttom of the exercise.

2) Changing the position of your body and/body parts ,I.e feet position for instance elevating your feet during push-ups or changing body's position and/or direction during pull-ups; using one arm/leg( for advanced builders)

 *Holding oneself at the top of the movement also makes it more challenging for the muscles involved, for instance: pull-ups.

Another angle to pay much attention to is nutrition...proteins especially animal proteins are essential to promote muscle growth(if you prefer to go all natural...no supplements).

The truth is there are fitness enthusiasts on social media who claim to have built their physiques with bodyweight training only, and I must say their physiques are impressive...and you don't want me to start on their strength and composure when handling a bar.

Guys like Al and Danny kavaldo, Frank Medrano, Bar brothers and there's this guy I saw on Facebook, Igor kowtin an yours truly.
Check them out and your perception of calisthenics will change ,hope I was able to answer your question, leave a comment and I'll get back to you... CHEERS

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