calisthenics vs. weights

[jonnymontag]

this may be a dumb question but i am still a noob. do you guys find that weight training is better than calisthenics? i was talking to this marine dude yesterday and he asked if i excercise. i told him i started weight lifting and he was like oh really. it seemed that he had a low oppinion of wieghts. he apparantly excercises everyday doing running, pushups, pullups and crunches. he did have a massive chest, seemed strong and real lean. this made me wonder because most guys tell me that weight lifting everyday leads to overtraining, is this not true of calisthenics? most people i see in the gym may have bigger arms but are not as cut and do not seem as strong as this guy. and few of them have bigger chest than he does. the one exception i know is my friend who does total body weight lifting almost everyother day, and he is huge and ripped, like a cartoon character. any oppinions on this?

i think i will continue to do weights three times a week and add two days of calisthenics/running.

[Defiant1]

this may be a dumb question but i am still a noob. do you guys find that weight training is better than calisthenics? i was talking to this marine dude yesterday and he asked if i excercise. i told him i started weight lifting and he was like oh really. it seemed that he had a low oppinion of wieghts. he apparantly excercises everyday doing running, pushups, pullups and crunches. he did have a massive chest, seemed strong and real lean. this made me wonder because most guys tell me that weight lifting everyday leads to overtraining, is this not true of calisthenics? most people i see in the gym may have bigger arms but are not as cut and do not seem as strong as this guy. and few of them have bigger chest than he does. the one exception i know is my friend who does total body weight lifting almost everyother day, and he is huge and ripped, like a cartoon character. any oppinions on this?

i think i will continue to do weights three times a week and add two days of calisthenics/running.

If he doesn't lift weights...how do you know how strong he is?

[jonnymontag]

If he doesn't lift weights...how do you know how strong he is?

i don't know thats why i said he "seemed strong", i guess from the big forearms, thich chest, and wide shoulders. seems to me like hes a strong guy. he looked like an action figure in a weird way. i guess it really comes down to how you measure strength.

[LiveForDaPamp]

i don't know thats why i said he "seemed strong", i guess from the big forearms, thich chest, and wide shoulders. seems to me like hes a strong guy. he looked like an action figure in a weird way. i guess it really comes down to how you measure strength.

I doubt that he's "stronger". He probably just has lower bf% and more muscle stiation than the "Hyooge" guy. It really depends on your goals...

[jonnymontag]

I doubt that he's "stronger". He probably just has lower bf% and more muscle stiation than the "Hyooge" guy. It really depends on your goals...

i suppose this is true. but he definitely seemed to have a bigger chest than most "huge" guys i see. and its not like the chest is usually covered by fat so its easy to notice. i will mix it up and try to balance my endurance with strenght.

on a side note i work out at the columbia university fitness center, and they do have alot of team sport guys that work out with weights alot. the huge footballers can bench high most cant do more than 7 pull ups.

[darfnate]

i did 50-100 push ups and 30-50 chin ups every day this summer and i was getting pretty strong a big but all it got me was tendonitis in my tricep so now i can't lift for another 2 weeks still (ive already been sitting out for 5 weeks and it still doesn't feel right)

[LiveForDaPamp]

i suppose this is true. but he definitely seemed to have a bigger chest than most "huge" guys i see. and its not like the chest is usually covered by fat so its easy to notice. i will mix it up and try to balance my endurance with strenght.

on a side note i work out at the columbia university fitness center, and they do have alot of team sport guys that work out with weights alot. the huge footballers can bench high most cant do more than 7 pull ups.

Oh dont get me wrong, I'm a fan of calithenics. I do 3 days lifting, 3 days HIIT core/calethenics because I do alot of rock climbing.

[GetBig87]

Marines do a ton of pull-ups, thus making them wide. Most people that lift cannot do 20-30 or more push-ups and even more people cant even do 1 full ROM pull-ups. Apples and oranges my friend they have more endurance/slow twitch and gym rats work more on the hypertrophy of the fast twitch fibers.

[nmanmpl]

you know he's strong because he's a Marine. Trained to be combat ready at all times for life. Marines also have the mental advantage over most people. When you truly believe anything is possible, you will have the advantage over anyone, friend or enemy.

[jonnymontag]

thanks for responses. i am wondering what caused the tricep tendonitis? any more info?

[240kat]

you know he's strong because he's a Marine. Trained to be combat ready at all times for life. Marines also have the mental advantage over most people. When you truly believe anything is possible, you will have the advantage over anyone, friend or enemy.

wow...just...wow.

oh, you also spelled dishonor wrong.

[sylkkdaskr]

actually he's right in a way. before i became a marine some things i thought were impossible seemed trivial at most. you figure you can do anything with enough dedication and nuts

[brad71983]

this may be a dumb question but i am still a noob. do you guys find that weight training is better than calisthenics? i was talking to this marine dude yesterday and he asked if i excercise. i told him i started weight lifting and he was like oh really. it seemed that he had a low oppinion of wieghts. he apparantly excercises everyday doing running, pushups, pullups and crunches. he did have a massive chest, seemed strong and real lean. this made me wonder because most guys tell me that weight lifting everyday leads to overtraining, is this not true of calisthenics? most people i see in the gym may have bigger arms but are not as cut and do not seem as strong as this guy. and few of them have bigger chest than he does. the one exception i know is my friend who does total body weight lifting almost everyother day, and he is huge and ripped, like a cartoon character. any oppinions on this?

i think i will continue to do weights three times a week and add two days of calisthenics/running.

i bet he uses the perfect pushup. I hear it gives you ripped arms, a ripped chest and ripped abs.

[LiveForDaPamp]

i bet he uses the perfect pushup. I hear it gives you ripped arms, a ripped chest and ripped abs.

lol.

[nmanmpl]

I know 60 and 70 year old Marines that push themselves harder than most "bodybuilders" and even though they may be overshadowed by the huge muscles, I'd put my money on that old man's strength, mental and physical. When you learn that perceived limitations are just that, perceived, your body can be pushed so much further...and there are multiple spellings for many words in the english language.

[timberwolf]

It really comes down to the physique goal you're after.
And even then, there's no reason why you can't mix both. Choosing just one method over the other simply limits you.

[A & B]

It comes down to two things:

1) What kind of physique you want
2) What kind of strength / fitness level you want

Weights and calisthenics each will train you differently and give you different kinds of strength and fitness, as well as physiques.

Personally I do both. Weights, plus some calisthenics and pilates/yoga.

I find this allows me to continue gaining cosmetic muscle, while giving me lots of flexibility, endurance and functional strength.


For example the kind of fitness you need to be a Marine you probably can't get in the gym alone.

[jonnymontag]

i will be honest i think his physique looked better than most weight lifters i see. i imagine its because he always does cardio too and does more calisthenics as opposed to doing cutting or bulking cycles.

i think i will work on just putting on more lean muscle. not really concerned about physique, i am still just trying to build a strong base and will take it from there.

p.s.- why was this moved into teen from excercises? this is about different styles of exercise, and im 26 and not a teen

[240kat]

I know 60 and 70 year old Marines that push themselves harder than most "bodybuilders" and even though they may be overshadowed by the huge muscles, I'd put my money on that old man's strength, mental and physical. When you learn that perceived limitations are just that, perceived, your body can be pushed so much further...and there are multiple spellings for many words in the english language.

no scuba bubble no care.

[danmanxx]

a ton of clueless idiots in this thread. Yes, 3 year bump ftw.

[gymnast739]

calisthenics will help you on strength. It will help your muscle endurance more than weight lifting and will also allow you to be able to control your own body weight. Use weight lifting for mass and muscle increase, and calisthenics for body control, strength and endurance. At the end of each chest workout always do 3 sets of push ups till failure. For your back, alot of pullups. Also do them slow and steady not fast. after each weightlifting session i always finish it off with calisthenics.

[BitterBlossom]

a ton of clueless idiots in this thread. Yes, 3 year bump ftw.

What is the purpose of you bumping this thread?