How does body weight training compare to weightlifting and cardio?

[DiscoBiscuit]

This all depends completely on one's goals. It is not "best" for everyone's goals.

Absolutely, different strokes for different folks.

 

[swordpath]

I would like to get in shape enough to where I would consider trying out for ninja warrior.

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As a memomorph, that would be a difficult feat. Ninja stuff is for the ecto's!

 

[DiscoBiscuit]

As a mesomorph, that would be a difficult feat. Ninja stuff is for the ecto's!

Given the fact that I'm a meso closer to endo than ecto, my body gets the hardest workout when I do bodyweight and cardio.

 

[swordpath]

Given the fact that I'm a meso closer to endo than ecto, my body gets the hardest workout when I do bodyweight and cardio.

For your body type, body weight exercises do seem like they'd work pretty well for over all fitness. Do you do pull ups at all?

 

[DiscoBiscuit]

For your body type, body weight exercises do seem like they'd work pretty well for over all fitness. Do you do pull ups at all?

Not right now, I'm still in my general weight loss cardio and eat right stage.

As an example here are two pics:

Good time Disco.

MMA, and a little cardio Disco.

No weightlifting at all.

 

[DiscoBiscuit]

I'm still good time Disco right now, but soon I will be back.

 

[wolfy]

Like was said, no program is right for everyone. You could think of weight training as body-weight training with strategically placed weight to increase body-weight. It is more about what you are after. This is a pretty good article on how weights can be used in different ways. You might like Martin Rooney, if you don't already. Here are a couple of articles. 1 2

 

[SD45T-2]

The grip strength required for a guy my size almost makes that shit impossible lol.

Then start working on your forearms. This ain't rocket surgery.

 

[Winds of Thor]

All three combined and alternating between makes an awesome regimen and you can really boost your metabolism and anabolic drive.

If mass and lean muscle are the results wanted then one important thing could be to do training with weights far enough apart from the cardio workout so the body knows what results to get in melting fat off and on mass.

 

[DiscoBiscuit]

Then start working on your forearms. This ain't rocket surgery.

I've always wanted to find a good rocket surgeon.

My thrusters have been acting up lately.

 

[scienceresearcher]

Having played a lot of different sports in my life I feel like I have a pretty solid grasp on the quality of a workout.

Having done MMA, I would have to argue that bodyweight training is the best.

We evolved to use our bodies. Playing sports replicates that activity our ancestors used to get chasing game and fighting one another.

We didn't evolve to jog long distances. We would walk mostly, and sprint when we needed to (like after prey or away from predators).

We didn't need to be able to lift hundreds and hundreds of pounds if we could move through and interact with our enviroments athletically.

This is why I would say, if you're looking for the best workout, play an intense sport, do crossfit, or take up bodyweight training.

This is the second post of your related to some sort of sport (the other was the olympic genetic factors) performance that I've read. You've had the right ideas in both of the posts. I am only typing in this thread to confirm what you've assumed.

For a while now, the general population has assumed that long distance running at low intensity for 30-60 minutes or more would burn more fat in the long run and burn more calories. The most recent studies since 1996 have been showing otherwise. In the exercise physiology world, people's fitness levels are tested by the amount of oxygen they consume per Liter per Minute. The more oxygen one consumes, the fitter they are. Olympic athletes consume about 95-100L/min of Oxygen while State level athletes consume about 60L/min of oxygen.

The goal for ALL athletes is to increase their v02 max or in other words, the maximum oxygen consumption that an individual is able to process. We increase our v02 max through training of course. The more muscle we have, the more oxygen we can consume. The stronger our hearts are, the more oxygen rich blood we can deliver to the oxygen-demanding muscles. The more trained we are, the more mitochondria we have in our cells which generate the energy necessary for working out.

Long distance running has shown to increase a person's v02 max. It has also shown to increase fat. This works on the premise we deplete our fat storage during long bouts of exercise and our beta blocks will send foods we consume post workout to replenish those fat storage systems. Long term runners have also shown an increase in chronic injuries in the knees.

The most effective way to increase a person's v02 max can be done in as short as a 4 minute workout for someone already fit or 12 minutes for someone who has a decent heart capacity and in good health but moderately trained. A doctor named Izumi Tabata did research that showed a method to increase someone's v02 max DRAMATICALLY in less time than the standard long distance running. If a person does an ALL OUT SPRINT for 20 seconds and then takes a 10 second walking break and repeat 8 times, the amount of v02 gain was equivalent to 1/5 of the amount of time running. Basically if you do the 4 minute workout, it is equivalent to a 20 minute run. For some odd reason, doing 3 weeks of tabata, or high intensity interval training (which is what I do and is a little different), at 3 times per week had the same gains as long distance runners who ran at 5 times a week for 8-12 weeks.

Another benefit that is seen through tabata and high intensity internval training (HIIT) is that it is known for sky rocketing your testosterone. I got blood tests on May 18th that measured my testosterone at 604. At June 22nd, my testosterone level came in at 794 and I had put on nearly 20 pounds of lean muscle mass and my bench went up from repping 175lbs to over 235lbs. In addition to HIIT's I do plyometrics which focus on explosive maximum all out movements for the legs. These workouts cut fat insanely quicker than long distance running.

To sum this all up, I agree with you in that intense workouts and sports are the way to go.

 

[lauranna]

This is the second post of your related to some sort of sport (the other was the olympic genetic factors) performance that I've read. You've had the right ideas in both of the posts. I am only typing in this thread to confirm what you've assumed.

For a while now, the general population has assumed that long distance running at low intensity for 30-60 minutes or more would burn more fat in the long run and burn more calories. The most recent studies since 1996 have been showing otherwise. In the exercise physiology world, people's fitness levels are tested by the amount of oxygen they consume per Liter per Minute. The more oxygen one consumes, the fitter they are. Olympic athletes consume about 95-100L/min of Oxygen while State level athletes consume about 60L/min of oxygen.

The goal for ALL athletes is to increase their v02 max or in other words, the maximum oxygen consumption that an individual is able to process. We increase our v02 max through training of course. The more muscle we have, the more oxygen we can consume. The stronger our hearts are, the more oxygen rich blood we can deliver to the oxygen-demanding muscles. The more trained we are, the more mitochondria we have in our cells which generate the energy necessary for working out.

Long distance running has shown to increase a person's v02 max. It has also shown to increase fat. This works on the premise we deplete our fat storage during long bouts of exercise and our beta blocks will send foods we consume post workout to replenish those fat storage systems. Long term runners have also shown an increase in chronic injuries in the knees.

The most effective way to increase a person's v02 max can be done in as short as a 4 minute workout for someone already fit or 12 minutes for someone who has a decent heart capacity and in good health but moderately trained. A doctor named Izumi Tabata did research that showed a method to increase someone's v02 max DRAMATICALLY in less time than the standard long distance running. If a person does an ALL OUT SPRINT for 20 seconds and then takes a 10 second walking break and repeat 8 times, the amount of v02 gain was equivalent to 1/5 of the amount of time running. Basically if you do the 4 minute workout, it is equivalent to a 20 minute run. For some odd reason, doing 3 weeks of tabata, or high intensity interval training (which is what I do and is a little different), at 3 times per week had the same gains as long distance runners who ran at 5 times a week for 8-12 weeks.

Another benefit that is seen through tabata and high intensity internval training (HIIT) is that it is known for sky rocketing your testosterone. I got blood tests on May 18th that measured my testosterone at 604. At June 22nd, my testosterone level came in at 794 and I had put on nearly 20 pounds of lean muscle mass and my bench went up from repping 175lbs to over 235lbs. In addition to HIIT's I do plyometrics which focus on explosive maximum all out movements for the legs. These workouts cut fat insanely quicker than long distance running.

To sum this all up, I agree with you in that intense workouts and sports are the way to go.

Excellent post. Totally agree with your points.

 

[Hyena]

I'll certainly admit that I definitely have benefited from both, and I still do both, but they've complemented my goals in different ways.

For one, I think doing push ups and pull ups improved my muscular endurance considerably but did not lead to as much hypertrophy as I had hoped. I've gained the most muscle and gotten the most cut while combining weight lifting with interval training. I genuinely enjoy aerobic activities such as distance running, cycling, and swimming, but as someone mentioned earlier, nothing works like fast, explosive exercises.

I mostly do plyometrics for legs, weight lifting and body weight exercises on my upper body in conjunction with abdominal work outs, sprints, and plenty of basketball and tennis for fun. The benefits gleaned from HIIT can't be stressed enough. I still run and participate in endurance activities simply to get that "runner's high" but when it comes to physique maintenance you can't go wrong with sprints and lifts!

Often the most beneficial program is one that promotes muscle confusion to circumvent frustrating plateaus. My best advice - based on personal experience - would be to mix it up and avoid specializing and investing too much in one training method. That is, unless you're a professional athlete who needs to focus on a more one-dimensional training regimen for optimal results.

 

[Silence]

Having played a lot of different sports in my life I feel like I have a pretty solid grasp on the quality of a workout.

Having done MMA, I would have to argue that bodyweight training is the best.

We evolved to use our bodies. Playing sports replicates that activity our ancestors used to get chasing game and fighting one another.

We didn't evolve to jog long distances. We would walk mostly, and sprint when we needed to (like after prey or away from predators).

We didn't need to be able to lift hundreds and hundreds of pounds if we could move through and interact with our enviroments athletically.

This is why I would say, if you're looking for the best workout, play an intense sport, do crossfit, or take up bodyweight training.

Swimmers and gymnasts live the longest out of all the athletes in the olympics.

Distance runners have a higher life expectancy than Sprinters.
Personally I like to run the distance and try to tone my body to be like that of spider-man. I'm not extra large. More of the kinda shape the military wants their soldiers in.

Weight lifting isn't as healthy as lifting one's own body weight, this is true.

 

[Lark]

Brilliant thread, shame there's so many people banned posting in it, I wish people who had good things to say at one time didnt do fool things at another time and get banned.

 

[Orangey]

I do bodyweight and traditional cardio, though I fucking hate the treadmill and try to keep it to cycling or running outdoors as much as possible.

I just feel more fit if I maintain my longer distance cardio exercises, and I don't really care all that much if they are less efficient for keeping thin than the bodyweight circuit stuff.