Why is there so much more emphasis on lifting heavy weights vs. mastering bodyweight exercises?

GetHimSomeMilk · 2017-03-26T19:59:32+00:00

Because most people have no idea what it feels like to lift heavy ass weights consistently. They want to get in shape and look good but they don't know dick on how to do it. That's why we say go pick up a lifting program right now and then keep learning everyday as you go because the shit takes time. Once you do it for 3 months you will understand and realize what it can do for you. Thats why we keep drumming it

All that other shit is great but if you ever want to have a body like actors on tv or athletes you need to spend some solid years in the gym building a base of solid muscle mass

Then people will say "oh I don't want to be a big meathead" don't worry it won't happen over night... matter of fact just keep doing your crunches and jogging idgaf. Sorry not yelling at you I just have freinds like this who don't listen to me but they ain't got the nuts for it anyway

abdada · 2017-03-26T19:41:01+00:00

I did 18 months of bodyweight fitness hardcore style and lost 16 pounds of muscle (DEXA scan proven). Bodyweight fitness just doesn't offer the same amount of overall resistance that weight training does.

That being said, if I could have had time to put 3 hours a day towards bodyweight like some pros do, I think it would have worked out great, just time consuming.

With resistance training you can work out just 30 minutes a day 3x a week and get a HUGE amount of time under tension for hypertrophic gains. With bodyweight, I'd need to work out literally 180 minutes a day, 5x a week, to get similar time under tension.

I still do bodyweight fitness but just for agility and stamina and some minor muscles that get ignored somewhat from lifting. I love my gym rings and travel with them (straps attach to anything). I also like the variety of pull-ups, chin-ups and push-up options that are available to "grease the groove" overall.

Bodyweight fitness also keeps me more flexible.

vandaalen · 2017-03-26T20:23:40+00:00

I am not against bodyweight training per sé, but lifting is a whole other experience than doing stuff with your body alone.

It makes a huge difference if you can't make one more rep with only your bodyweight, or if there is your bodyweight (or double, or more) on your shoulders. You will not get the same mental benefits from bwe.

I stopped lifting (for the moment) and solely do bwe but I do them with other people's bodyweight on top since I train MMA and BJJ six to eight times per week and I believe the mental benefits are even much higher with that.

I tried lifting and training though, but it was just too much for me and strength and explosiveness aren't really my problem at lhw.

If you want mobility, do a yoga course at your gym on top of lifting and stop your hamstering.

Or go and do the shit I do.

ProfoundSavage · 2017-03-26T21:29:54+00:00

You can do both. Focus is placed on lifting weights because you can take advantage of the principle of progressive overload. when engaging a lifting program you can get stronger week in and out by increasing volume via weight, reps and sets. With calisthenics you can't use the principle of progressive overload readily.

You can do both tho. You can use calisthenics as warm ups and on deload weeks to keep your body generally conditioned. As for mobility, you can definitely stay mobile while gaining mass, you just have to make the time for it. Doing soft tissue work such as foam rolling is a stable in mobility. I hope this helps a bit.

Andrew54321 · 2017-03-27T01:31:02+00:00

I follow the canadian air force 5bx program. 11 minutes of hell. I have to keep a certain level of mobility and flexibility in order to remain competitive at my martial art (arnis).

I'm an easy gainer, lifting heavy in high school resulted in stretch marks across my biceps but gave me a nice base to work with.

refelgallo · 2017-03-27T02:17:05+00:00

body weight/calisthenics builds strength in muscles and tendons in whole muscle groups which will protect you from strains. As opposed to weightlifting which isolates 1-4 muscles at a time and you have to build a regimen to to build arms. Where simple pushups (proper) will strengthen arms, chest, abs and back.

So what if you can bench 405 one time, if you have to wrap your wrists, push off your toes to balance onto your shoulders?

one last note, the godfather of modern bodybuilding, eugene sandow, built his body to Grecian standards with calisthenics.

W_O_M_B_A_T · 2017-03-26T23:35:49+00:00

Is your body heavy? Then lift that too.

yayogghost · 2017-03-28T17:16:33+00:00

I have done SL5X5 for a couple months and I have done a lot more BWE. I am still a beginner because I wad weak my entire life.

The only real reason to go the gym is squats and deadlifts. If you do 2 sets of pulls ups, dips (weighted if needed), push ups and inverted rows and some core work each day at home, you never need to go the gym for upper body.

There is no acceptable way to train lower body strength, the only real option may be squatting a bag of sand.

Thats my expierence at least.

GunsGermsAndSteel · 2017-03-27T05:35:46+00:00

I think to continue to make gains at the point I'm at, I'd have to do hours of bodyweight exercises to even come close to matching what I can accomplish in an hour with a barbell and a few hundred pounds worth of plates.

(Plates as in iron plates. Not spinning plates. Heh.)

BrodinsOats · 2017-03-27T06:04:43+00:00

After being a sedentary desk worker for a few years, I started working out and following Starting Strength.

With time, I kept on getting recurring muscle knots and pain in my upper back. So I went to physical therapy.

I ended up going to physical therapy for about 2.5 years...for functional scoliosis. Learned a fuckload about corrective exercise and rehab.

Somewhere along the lines I started getting really into bodyweight fitness because of the benefits it had for my goal of achieving perfect posture.

I think that the recommended routine in the bodyweightfitness subreddit's wiki is the best introductory program for the widest range of people. This is because

Mobility work is spelled out for you in the program.
The bodyline drills are the best introduction to training your core.
The exercises themselves serve really well to assess and correct imbalances or mobility problems

Just mastering the basics (doesn't take long) will provide you with a ton of body awareness and a great base to pursue whatever fitness goals you have...whether that's weightlifting and bodybuilding, powerlifting, or sticking with BWF.

I recommend adding barbell squats and deadlifts to the program. I'm also a big fan of glute bridges, weighted hip thrusts, and reverse hypers.

Oh, and BWF has given me great hypertrophy results.

full_silver · 2017-03-27T17:50:54+00:00

The simple answer as to why weights are superior is because they provide a greater overload and disrupt homeostasis far better. Progressive tension is king with strength and growth, there is no better way than with a barbell.

Title	Why is there so much more emphasis on lifting heavy weights vs. mastering bodyweight exercises?
Author	bacheloritis
Upvotes	8
Comments	44
Date	March 26, 2017 7:39 PM UTC (9 years ago)
Subreddit	Posted in /r/askTRP
Original Link	https://old.reddit.com/r/asktrp/comments/61ngus/why_is_there_so_much_more_emphasis_on_lifting/
Archive Link	https://theredarchive.com/r/askTRP/why-is-there-so-much-more-emphasis-on-lifting.88398 https://theredarchive.com/post/88398

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