It is entirely possible to sculpt an athletic upper body and train effectively at home using only body weight, without any strength training equipment.

noli's read

Bodyweight training is indeed a scientifically validated method for developing strength and physical fitness. A major meta-analysis by Schoenfeld et al. (2017) shows that muscle growth can be stimulated comparably with light loads (such as body weight) or heavy loads, provided that a high intensity of effort close to failure is maintained. Another study by Kikuchi and Nakazato (2017) (a controlled trial) thus confirms that push-ups and the bench press produce similar gains in upper-body muscle volume. However, the idea of building an extremely voluminous physique solely at home is slightly exaggerated, as progression becomes difficult to measure and apply without precise load adjustments. Furthermore, the absence of suspension equipment like a pull-up bar at home limits balanced back muscle training. In conclusion, the effectiveness of this method is very real for toning one's physique, even if gym machines offer greater simplicity for long-term progression.

the sources

1. 1Schoenfeld BJ, Grgic J, Ogborn D, Krieger JW 2017
2. 2Refalo MC, Helms ER, Trexler ET, Hamilton DL, Fyfe JJ 2022