well many times i've heard that push-ups,sit-ups,crunches and such exercices are better(healthier too) and much more useful than lifting weights and doing exercices on gym machines.well i was just interested if that is true and why.i would also like to know how much more is gym workout effective than home workout(push-ups,sit-ups,etc).for example if i lift 50 kilos about 8 times,is it much more effective than doing 25-30 push-ups,if you know what i mean.thanks.
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gym or home workout
- Thread starter shc
- Start date
You can get a great workout from bodyweight workouts. Check out Craig Ballantyne's Bodyweight workouts at workoutmaunals.com or alwyn cosgroves at
You will find some challening workouts and if you are a newbie you will see some muscle gains too. The exercises can be as easy or hard as you want to make it.
You will find some challening workouts and if you are a newbie you will see some muscle gains too. The exercises can be as easy or hard as you want to make it.
Herschel Walker did bodyweight workouts almost exclusively. He claims he rarely worked out with weights. However he did have his wife sit on his back while he did push ups. Sounds kinda fun!
Herschel Wlker also drilled 4-5 hours 5-6 days a week. He ate like a guinea pig. I doubt seriously, if somehow he built a pro body without either enhancements or following more protocols he never spoke of.
well many times i've heard that push-ups,sit-ups,crunches and such exercices are better(healthier too) and much more useful than lifting weights and doing exercices on gym machines.well i was just interested if that is true and why.i would also like to know how much more is gym workout effective than home workout(push-ups,sit-ups,etc).for example if i lift 50 kilos about 8 times,is it much more effective than doing 25-30 push-ups,if you know what i mean.thanks.
You heard wrong. Bodyweight exercises are fine and dandy....they are far from being more healthier than external loads. Machines are mainly horrible devices that keep you nonfunctional.
You have to keep i mind the SAID principle here. A man can do a million crunches and pushups and simply become more efficient at doing a million crunches or pushups. When it comes to being a more healthy "functional" human. You will most likely want to pull more than you push. Build up your posterior chain and your going to stay functional. If this isn't possible at home....get to a gym.
well thanks for answers people.im practicing taekwondo and i have alot of other obligations so i'll hardly find time to go to gym,but it's still possible.i want to increase my muscle mass but i dont want to get too big.i want to make a combination of strength and agility.i was wondering can push ups and such exercises replace working out with machines and to what extent.thank you
Body weight exercises are great for the health of the body, you will gain healthy muscles and joints, but you will not get much stronger than you are today. There is a very limited potential.
If you want to get stringer than you need to be lifting weights. Machines will make you stronger at that particular machine but will the gain in strength will not be functional. i.e. if you can lift 20lbs on the chest flye and improve to 100lbs over a year, you wont be able to do any more puch ups.
For functional, practial improvments in strength you need to hit the raw iron.
If you want to get stringer than you need to be lifting weights. Machines will make you stronger at that particular machine but will the gain in strength will not be functional. i.e. if you can lift 20lbs on the chest flye and improve to 100lbs over a year, you wont be able to do any more puch ups.
For functional, practial improvments in strength you need to hit the raw iron.
Herschel Wlker also drilled 4-5 hours 5-6 days a week. He ate like a guinea pig. I doubt seriously, if somehow he built a pro body without either enhancements or following more protocols he never spoke of.
Yeah i know. But im just saying, bodyweight exercise are great and can get you where you want to go, if you really want to work on them. Weight training however is obviously more effecient.
Yeah i know. But im just saying, bodyweight exercise are great and can get you where you want to go, if you really want to work on them. Weight training however is obviously more effecient.
As I said in my last post, you have very limited potential with body weight.
You could have a nice deffined phisique, but you could never put on serious muscle mass.
Most body weight guys have good shoulders, from handstand pushes, but their chests and traps are normaly very small.
well im just trying to have a strong body but i dont want to get too big.so push-ups wont make my chest much stronger(my goal is not to get much wider,i just want to make it more firm)?and how does it improve your stamina,does it only make you able to do more push ups or you can even run longer or swim longer ? why do they focus so much on push ups in the army for example and not the bench press for example.many people say like ''you dont need the gym just do pushups often''.sorry for bothering...
because the Army trains you to be quick and dexterous, with some strength. too much muscle can slow you down, and if you don't stretch and stay limber, can also reduce mobility.
they train push ups because that trains you to be able to push yourself up off the ground when you need to move during combat. as long as you can press your weight up ,t hat's all that matters. being able to press 300lbs on the bench doesn't really help you push yourself up off the ground any faster than trainig with pushups....and pushups are less likely to cause any injury than bench pressing.
and yes, it does build more endurance, since the average person should be able to do at least 20 push ups..which is far past 'hypertrophy' and well into the range where you're training type I muscle fibers..endurance fibers.
they train push ups because that trains you to be able to push yourself up off the ground when you need to move during combat. as long as you can press your weight up ,t hat's all that matters. being able to press 300lbs on the bench doesn't really help you push yourself up off the ground any faster than trainig with pushups....and pushups are less likely to cause any injury than bench pressing.
and yes, it does build more endurance, since the average person should be able to do at least 20 push ups..which is far past 'hypertrophy' and well into the range where you're training type I muscle fibers..endurance fibers.
I did army time. Pushups didn't do much. It was climbing ropes. Pulling yourself up. Fireman carries with your buddy on your back that built the soldier. In my opinion most of the military physical training needs some serious revamping. Who the hell cares how many situps and pushups you can do?? Not many.... Give me someone who can sprint in full battle gear including a nice heavy rucksack....in combat boots. He can easily decipher necessary paths and engage enemies without compromising mission and time.
Therefore being able to use external load as weight is pretty darn smart.
Therefore being able to use external load as weight is pretty darn smart.
The reason the Armed forces do body weight exercises is mainly because its the cheapest way to get 1000's of men healthy using just a field and some guy shouting.
Just think of how much it would cost to build gyms and buy the amount of equipment needed to train the US army!!!
I know they have gyms, but not the sort of gyms that could train 200men at the same time.
Just think of how much it would cost to build gyms and buy the amount of equipment needed to train the US army!!!
I know they have gyms, but not the sort of gyms that could train 200men at the same time.