Bodyweight Exercises vs. Lifting Weight

Great advise everyone. Thank you for the information, and congratulations to the many success stories I've seen here. Everyone is such an inspiration that keeps me pushing forward towards my goal.

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.

Hey kind of in the same position as you, I downloaded YAYOG app today so going to try and incorporate that into my exercise routine, i do kickboxing classes and i know this is primarily cardio but we do incorporate some basic bodyweight moves such as pushups etc which has got me interested in strength training, just completed the 30 day shred and actually found julian michaels strength, cardio, abs formula good.

Personally for me mixing a bit of julians strength moves in with the bodyweight app is enough for now, maybe later i will move on and read New Rules of Lifting for Women or Starting Strength, seen them names float around the forum a good bit but for now bodyweight is still challenging me enough to tone up. Sorry its not much help, im in the same boat as you and still looking for advice on lifting....going into a gym doing free weights, i honestly don't know where to start and it may sound jeuvenille but im nervous doing it in college in front of other students when i dont have a clue what im at :P

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.

Great Post. Check out this YouTube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=POdzasJklxw

great link tacguy - thank you.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.