3 Bodyweight Exercises for Strength: Pull-Ups, Push-Ups and Squats

By Roel van den Bogaard, personal trainer and founder of Aurora Personal Training in Eindhoven.

Pull-ups, push-ups and bodyweight squats are three useful exercises for building strength with your own body weight. They cover vertical pulling, horizontal pushing and squatting. Choose a variation that suits your ability, then gradually develop your repetitions, sets or resistance.

You do not always need a barbell or a fully equipped gym to become stronger. Bodyweight exercises let you practise strength, coordination and movement control.

That does not mean bodyweight training is always easier. A full pull-up requires considerable strength, while an unweighted squat may offer little challenge to an experienced lifter.

At Aurora Personal Training in Eindhoven, we use these exercises as parts of an individual programme. Below, you will learn what they train, how to adapt them and how to get started.

Bodyweight exercises use your own body weight as a substantial part of the resistance. Examples include squats, push-ups and pull-ups.

“Without weights” does not always mean “without equipment.” A pull-up requires a suitable bar, for example. A sturdy raised surface can make a push-up more accessible.

How demanding an exercise feels depends on factors including:

• How much of your body weight you move.
• Your body position.
• The range of motion.
• Any assistance you use.
• The number of repetitions and sets.

You can therefore adjust an exercise without immediately adding external weight.

Yes. Bodyweight exercises can support strength and muscle growth when they provide a sufficient challenge and your training progresses appropriately.

The 2026 ACSM recommendations identify bodyweight exercises, resistance bands and home-based training as effective options for resistance training. [1]

Research on push-ups also shows that they can provide a meaningful training stimulus. In a small study involving untrained men, push-ups and low-load bench presses performed at comparable resistance produced similar improvements after eight weeks. This does not mean every push-up variation is equivalent to every form of bench pressing. [2]

The practical question is: which variation provides an appropriate challenge for you?

These are three useful building blocks. Other movements, including horizontal pulling, hip hinging and single-leg exercises, can complement your programme.

During a pull-up, you pull your body upward toward a bar. Your back and arms produce force while your trunk helps maintain your chosen body position.

How to perform a controlled pull-up

1. Use a securely installed bar and choose a comfortable grip.
2. Adopt a starting position your shoulders tolerate well.
3. Pull yourself upward without swinging.
4. Move as far as you can control, without reaching your neck forward to clear the bar.
5. Lower yourself smoothly.

For a strict pull-up, limit momentum. This makes your repetitions easier to compare.

Allow your shoulder blades to move naturally. You do not need to hold them firmly down and back throughout the exercise.

Not ready for a full pull-up?

Start with a variation you can adjust:

• An assisted pull-up machine.
• A pull-up with suitable foot assistance.
• A lat pulldown.

A resistance band can also help, although the amount of assistance changes throughout the movement. Check the band and its attachment before use.

A full pull-up is not an entry requirement for strength training. You can build back strength with other exercises while working toward your first pull-up.

How does the pull-up relate to other exercises?

Pull-ups and rows both train pulling strength, but in different directions. They can complement each other.

A pull-up is not a prerequisite for deadlifting or overhead pressing. Those exercises require their own technique and progression.

During a push-up, you press your body away from the supporting surface. Your chest, triceps and shoulders produce force, while your trunk helps your body move as a unit.

How to perform a push-up

1. Place your hands approximately shoulder-width apart or slightly wider.
2. Choose a position in which you can maintain a controlled line through your head, torso and legs.
3. Bend your elbows and lower your body as a unit.
4. Let your elbows move in a comfortable direction.
5. Push the surface away and return to the starting position.

Allow your shoulder blades to move around your rib cage. Avoid holding them squeezed together throughout the exercise.

Choose a depth you can control. Avoid repeatedly lifting your hips before your chest as you press upward.

Make push-ups easier with a raised surface

Place your hands on a sturdy, stable raised surface. Generally, a higher support makes the exercise easier.

This lets you practise the complete movement with less load. Gradually lower the support as you become stronger.

Record the height you use. Ten repetitions against a high support are not the same load as ten repetitions on the floor.

From push-ups to bench presses

Push-ups and bench presses share a horizontal pressing pattern. However, they differ in support, technique and shoulder blade movement.

You do not need to achieve a particular number of push-ups before starting light bench presses.

During a bodyweight squat, you bend through your hips and knees, then stand up again. Your thighs and glutes provide a substantial part of the force.

Your body proportions and chosen variation influence how your squat looks. There is no single stance or depth everyone needs to copy.

How to perform a bodyweight squat

1. Stand with your feet at a comfortable width.
2. Turn your toes slightly outward if that suits you.
3. Bend your hips and knees and lower yourself with control.
4. Keep your feet firmly in contact with the floor.
5. Stand up smoothly.

Your knees can move forward and pass your toes. Do not force them backward to match a fixed shape.

Choose a depth you can control. You do not need to squat as deeply as possible immediately.

Make the squat more accessible

Use a sturdy bench as a target or hold a stable support.

Squatting to a bench helps you choose a repeatable depth. Holding support lets you practise the movement with less emphasis on balance.

When are unweighted squats too easy?

If many repetitions require little effort, adding resistance may be more practical. A goblet squat or another suitable variation can be an option.

A full bodyweight squat is not an absolute requirement before trying light external resistance. Sometimes a different variation helps you learn the movement more comfortably.

The following plan is an additional starting example, rather than a personalised training programme. Choose an appropriate variation of each exercise.

For example, begin twice per week with a rest day between sessions. Perform a few easy practice repetitions beforehand.

Start with approximately 1–2 minutes of rest between sets. Rest longer if needed to perform the next set well.

Choose a variation that leaves you estimating you could complete another two to three controlled repetitions at the end of each set. This is an estimate, rather than an exact measurement.

The plan introduces these three movements. For a broader programme, consider adding a row and a hip hinge exercise, among other movements.

Compare the same variation under similar conditions.

Record details such as:

• Assistance used for pull-ups.
• Push-up support height.
• Chosen squat depth.
• Repetitions per set.
• Rest between sets.
• How challenging the sets feel.

If you reach the top of your repetition range across several sessions with consistent control, try a small progression.

Preferably change one element at a time. Slower movement can help you learn an exercise, but is not automatically a better stimulus for strength or muscle growth.

Read more about progressive overload.

That depends on how demanding they are for you.

A few easy squats can form part of a warm-up. A set of pull-ups close to your maximum is already a substantial training effort.

For a warm-up, choose an easy variation and limit fatigue. Then perform exercise-specific warm-up sets where needed before heavier lifts.

During busy periods, a short session can help maintain your routine. Whether it provides enough stimulus to maintain strength depends on the demands and what you normally train.

Are bodyweight exercises suitable for beginners?

Yes, with appropriate variations. An elevated push-up or supported squat can be accessible. A full pull-up is too demanding for many beginners.

Can you build muscle without weights?

Yes. The exercise needs to be sufficiently challenging, and your training should develop appropriately. For some muscle groups, additional resistance or equipment becomes more practical over time.

Do these three exercises make a complete full-body workout?

They train substantial parts of your upper and lower body, but do not cover every relevant movement. Hip hinges, horizontal pulling and single-leg exercises can complement the programme.

Read our comparison of full-body versus split workouts.

Are bodyweight exercises safer than weights?

Not automatically. A full pull-up can be harder than a light machine exercise. Choose according to the load, your control and your current abilities.

Should both sides move exactly the same way?

Small differences occur. Perfect symmetry is not a requirement for getting started. Pay particular attention to changes, control and any symptoms.

What if an exercise hurts?

Reduce the range, choose an easier variation or stop that particular exercise. Have persistent or worsening symptoms assessed. Avoid using these exercises as self-tests to diagnose an injury.

At Aurora Personal Training, we consider your goals and choose variations that suit you.

Pull-ups, push-ups and squats help us discuss your current performance and control. They are not tests that predict injuries on their own.

From an appropriate starting point, we develop your training using body weight, assistance, machines or free weights.

Book a free intake at Aurora Personal Training in Eindhoven to explore how you can train these exercises at your level.

1. American College of Sports Medicine (2026): updated resistance training recommendations.
2. Kikuchi and Nakazato (2017): Low-load bench press and push-up induce similar muscle hypertrophy and strength gain.

These sources support the potential of resistance training and push-ups. They do not establish these three exercises as the best combination for everyone.