lifting only your body weight

[go lakers]

what are the pro's and con's of staying away from free weights and sticking to only your body weight (pushups, situps, dips, pull-ups, etc.) and doing cardio? what kind of body will this produce?

[Big H]

Originally Posted by go lakers

what are the pro's and con's of staying away from free weights and sticking to only your body weight (pushups, situps, dips, pull-ups, etc.) and doing cardio? what kind of body will this produce?

You'll eventually hit a wall, and rather quickly too.

Doing calisthenics is a great foundation to build on but your muscles will adapt to your actual weight the same way they adapt to a fixed weight on free weights.

Now if your trying to lose weight then this kind of routine isn't as bad, but always remember that the more muscle you have equates to more fat loss. Just cop a decent set of interchangeable dumbbells or invest in a bench; you won't regret it.

[khalid a.k.a Genocide]

Yeah, I agree with Big H, the original poster will hit a wall quickly with no machines or free weights. A fixed routine could only spell growth/weight loss stagnation. Since your muscle will get used to only bodyweight exercises which are not many so you will have very limited alternatives to shock your muscle groups in different ways. Machines/free weights offer an unlimited ways to shock your muscles hence inducing growth and so forth. Since whenever your exercising(for muscle gain, weight loss) you always want to switch up the exercises and your routine in order to keep an upward linear curve in regards to muscle gain/weight loss.

Whats is your main goal though?

[go lakers]

thanks guys. i've been doing weights for about 6 months i just wanted to take a break from them and try this out.

my goal is/was to get very lean and strong, not big.

but im pretty sure i cant get big because im a vegetarian and there's only so many protein shakes and soy beans i can eat, ya dig?