When someone comes from training with weights they have questions and rightfully so. What is one of the questions? Can I build muscle with self resistance, VRT, isometrics and even calisthenics? My opinion and general answer is this: No one can tell You that. Only You can see for Yourself by putting in the work. Other factors weigh in on this also like genetics, age, years of training, ect....
The challenge for most people with these styles of training is You don't use outside resistance. Also, how to progress without adding more resistance is a challenge for some. There is a learning curve that requires patience. If You have the patience and want to put some effort into it You can change the make up of Your body. Are You going to become Mr. Olympia? LOL, I doubt that very much, no magic pill exsist. But these are good ways to train.
From what I know with these training types there are two ways to make the exercises more challenging. Changing leverage and tension. Calisthenics can be made harder by changing the leverage. But for some people the harder variations are rough on them. So why not just use tension for things like push ups, squats and even pull ups? Here's a good video that shows a way that I really like. Kind of wish I thought of this before.
Thanks, Michael. Great video! I would like also emphasize several tips that works for me in my specific stick/belt self-resistance training:
1. Keeping of constant high muscle tension (80-90% of max) through the full of range of motion
2. Muscles should not have a break through the set
3. The number reps is not important. Only intensive burning in the muscles is a criterion to stop the set. Usually high muscle tension does not allow high numbers of reps (>10-15/set)
4. Using 3-6 sets for each muscle group
5. Tension of muscles under different angles and periodical usage of new movements
6. Maximum mind concentration on the muscles of interest
7. Using supplemental isometrics to increase the tolerance to high voluntary muscle tension
P.S. I think that these tips might satisfy the needed requirements for muscle hypertrophy
a. Prolonged time under tension
b. Metabolic stress
c. Muscle damage
Michael great video, and calisthenics work!
PS: I think that Isometric Weightlifting AKA VRT makes muscle but a leaner body then weightlifting. I've mentioned my uncle trained Boxers and he used an Atlas Course on Isometric Weightlifting and he noted it made a muscular Boxer but leaner then using Weightlifting does. It is an observation that I agree with.