Bodyweight Exercises vs. Lifting Weight

rybo

The myth that eventually you get diminishing returns with bodyweight just has to be dispelled. It's just not correct.

If you are going to stick with conventional push-ups, weightless squats and a few burpees then yes, you are right. But bodyweight doesn't have to stop there. How many people who lift heavy can perform pullups, pistol squats or handstand presses?

The only problem with bodyweight exercising is meeting the strength gaps that exist between the different intensities of bodyweight exercises - for example between doing inverted rows and moving on to chin-ups and pullups. Or the gap that lies between Squats, One Legged Squats and Pistol Squats.

You can keep upping the intensity in bodyweight exercises to build incredible strength but you have to be creative, whereas it is easier to just keep putting the weights up in tiny increments with weight lifting and keep with more conventional movements.

I used to be a purist, but my view now is why does it have to be one or the other? Why not a blend of both?

Weights can help support bodyweight progress and vice versa. To increase strength in pull-ups for example, you can incorporate dumbell rows and bicep curls maybe to strengthen the weaker links in the pull-up chain. Military press is a great weightlifting link between decline push-ups and handstand presses.

I am rediscovering the buzz I used to get from lifting weights and finding weights and bodyweight working to be really compatible training methods.

This needs quoted again because its very true. Unless you are attempting to be a power lifter you can get all the strength training you want from body weight w/o running out of moves.

MercenaryNoetic26

I work on both. Was able to do more chins yest and was stoked. From 2-4... BIG deal for me. All while doing weight training w/mod-heavy weights.

ttippie2000

There's a tendency for people to undervalue skills and knowledge that they don't have. I can see this in the schism between people to do weights vs. bodyweight exercises. IMO both can yield great results. Both have specific technique that you have to learn to progress. Both require effort and patience to develop.

After working out with gymnasts and seeing the amazing things they can do it's hard to dismiss bodyweight exercises. By the same token, it's hard to be on the receiving end of a power lifter's hakashime (rear naked choke) and not have some respect for it.

Perhaps there is another way of thinking about this. Perhaps we're talking about a dichotomy where none exists. Maybe asking a question like: 'What can I learn from each that will benefit me?' might yield better results.

allisonrinkel

To START body weight exercises will be good. But eventually you get diminishing returns. It would be kind of like saying, well, I am walking, there isn't any reason to run or jog.

I started here:

http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2009/12/09/beginner-body-weight-workout-burn-fat-build-muscle/

But eventually you will have to make it harder still:

http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2009/12/17/advanced-body-weight-workout-warning-this-will-kick-your-*kitten*/

And eventually even harder. But you don't have to have alot of money or a gym membership to lift heavy things. Make sand bags, fill up bags with books or canned goods. It really depends on your creativity.

But short answer, YES, start with body-weight exercises.

OMG I have never heard of nerd fitness before I saw your post, just checking it out now. Thank you times a million! It's such a great site

mikeatmichael

I can't recommend the book Convict Conditioning enough. It shows progressively more difficult versions of six different exercises so you can start at a very low level and work your way up. Between the six exercises you can get a full body workout. Besides needing less equipment I find it takes much less time than weights because each exercise is working multiple muscle groups. I also prefer it because it teaches the muscle groups to work together better than weights and forces you to work on balance at the same time.

Yogi_Carl

There's a tendency for people to undervalue skills and knowledge that they don't have. I can see this in the schism between people to do weights vs. bodyweight exercises. IMO both can yield great results. Both have specific technique that you have to learn to progress. Both require effort and patience to develop.

After working out with gymnasts and seeing the amazing things they can do it's hard to dismiss bodyweight exercises. By the same token, it's hard to be on the receiving end of a power lifter's hakashime (rear naked choke) and not have some respect for it.

Perhaps there is another way of thinking about this. Perhaps we're talking about a dichotomy where none exists. Maybe asking a question like: 'What can I learn from each that will benefit me?' might yield better results.

Definitely agree. What frustrates me the most here on MFP is when beginners in strength post the question, "how can I maintain muscle while losing fat?", or, "how can I gain strength?", and most times someone will come along and post, "LIFT HEAVY". Yeah - that's one way, but those with no experience at all could go away with the belief that lifting things and putting things down is the only way to build strength and it's just not true.

Sorry if I go on about bodyweight so much, but my posts are nothing compared to the countless times you read this: "To START body weight exercises will be good. But eventually you get diminishing returns." It's just rubbish because you can take bodyweight training as far as your potential body strength will take you if you approach it correctly.

You're right - the balance is somewhere in between the two extremes and a blend of both according to your goals.

Yogi_Carl

I can't recommend the book Convict Conditioning enough. It shows progressively more difficult versions of six different exercises so you can start at a very low level and work your way up. Between the six exercises you can get a full body workout. Besides needing less equipment I find it takes much less time than weights because each exercise is working multiple muscle groups. I also prefer it because it teaches the muscle groups to work together better than weights and forces you to work on balance at the same time.

I agree. I've tried the CC system and liked it's simplicity. The only problem I have with CC is where the program instructs you to do 3 sets of 50 of something before moving to the next level of intensity; great for muscle stamina but not working within the strength range of 8-12. I preferred 5 x 8-12 rather than 3 x 50 and I saw faster strength returns that way.

Slatzuk

I think cc is great, especially if you are strapped for cash. No gym fees, you are already equipped with all the equipment you need.

ttippie2000

If you haven't tried them before, you should check out gymnastics rings. You can work dips, pushups, pullups at all sorts of weird angles, and that's just for beginners. Advanced guys have amazing stabilizer muscles and can do pushups out of a planch position, or transition into and out of an iron cross and then flip over into a handstand and do pushups from there.

This isn't meant to take away anything from weight training. Weight training is great if you know how to train for what you want out of it. But bodyweight exercises should not be trivialized.

toutmonpossible

They're both good types of exercises but some body weight exercises are hard if you don't have a certain level of strength. For example, most women can do chest presses with weights before they can do a standard pushup. I need to use the assisted pull up and chin up machine at the gym.

Many body weight exercises require a fair amount of abdominal strength. You can build yours by doing planks.

If you want to develop size, weights are more effective.

Yogi_Carl

The use of weights can definitely be useful if you don't yet have the strength to do the bodyweight equivalent - dumbbell press before pressups, dumbbell rows and bicep curls to help pull-up strength and so on.

One reason why I don't train in weights at home is I know I could never afford the weight plates I would need to perform conventional squats and deadlift and the safety equipment I would need to rack the weight. Bodyweight exercises are just as effective in progressing strength though you dont get so pumped with BW exercises so you tend to gain strength without so much size. In my case (as a Yoga student) that runs in my favour.

Topsking2010

I would say that body weight exercises are a great place to start, and that eventually you'll either need to move on to more complex body weight exercises, or lift weights. Personally, I find it easier to just lift weights.

Agree

CJ_Holmes

Bodyweight has the potential to get you comparable results, but the issue is that progression doesn't just happen through increased load like with weights. With bodyweight training, as your strength goes up, balance, flexibility, coordination, and control have to go up as well. There's a lot of skills work involved with progressing via bodyweight training that most people aren't willing to attempt to work on. If you choose to stick with bodyweight only and are willing to work at it, you CAN get the results you want. But it will mean eventually progressing to exercises that require near-gymnast levels of flexibility, balance, and coordination as well as just focusing on strength. With weights, it's as simple as adding more weight.

^^ This is why I LOVE bodyweight exercise! The skill and "fun" factor is way more appealing to me than loading with weights. I probably could have a better lower body if I did weights, but I prefer being outside and practicing things like handstands and pull-ups.

Picturing myself doing a human flagpole is just more motivating to me than lifting a heavy weight. Find out what gets you fired up and stick with it!

Typo edit.

coffee4me57

bump to read later

SherryTeach

Alternatively, I don't see any reason to run or jog. I walk 5-8 miles a day and my fitness seems to be fine. M grandmother lived a healthy life to age 96 without ever running or jogging either. To each his own. I'm happy to keep my joints in tip top shape, though I will aqua jog when convenient.

Gremlinbaby

Try checking out bodyrock.tv. They post new free workouts every day that are a combination of HIIT and body weight exercises. No equipment needed. I checked them out a few months ago but the workouts seemed really intense and I got scared.:)

DaniH826

Unless you want to be a power lifter, you will never run out of body weight exercises.

I adore barbells, but he speaks truth. You can get amazing results with only bodyweight exercises, but you're going to have to do progressive training just like the barbell folks do. That means you increase reps and/or difficulty as you go.

pelpec

Bump

Squamation

Bump so I can come back and check out all the links.