Push ups or weight lifting?

[Al B. Sure!]

I realize that the problem with push ups is that there is a finite amount of weight that you can lift (your own body weight) whereas you can always add greater weights to your dumbells, etc. but in general, for an average person, what is better for strengthening your upper body? Push ups or weights?

[KrazyHorse]

Feeling inadequate again?

[Al B. Sure!]

the problem is KH that i'm overly adequate (perhaps too adequate) in my lower regions, it's just my upper body that needs some work.

[KrazyHorse]

I've never heard of anybody who needed to lift weights in order to gain the ability to masturbate before.

[Asher]

Medication is always the answer, Speer.

[Al B. Sure!]

I've never heard of anybody who needed to lift weights in order to gain the ability to masturbate before.

so you're saying push-ups will do the trick?

i'm glad I came to you, KH... such an expert

[KrazyHorse]

In all possible situations I recommend push-ups.

[Urban Ranger]

Pushups only train a limited set of muscles on your upper body. You can always add other exercises such as chin-ups, though.

[Ted Striker]

start with pushups and then move up to weights later

don't underestimate push-ups, you can build alot of mass and strenght with them. if your wrists start to get strained you can get pushup handles that raise you hands off the ground and alleviate the stress on your wrists.

start off with 10 sets of 10 pushups. If you can do that very easily then move up to 4 sets of 25. alter your hand width every once in a while. close grip is better for triceps, wide grip is better for chest.

[Al'Kimiya]

Doesn't this depend on your weight

[Ted Striker]

not really

any weight is better than doing nothing

pushups can be even better for skinny guys since they start low they can build up quick and build alot of chest strenght whereas the fatter guys might give up early if they are too heavy

[Solly]

Skinny guys + push ups = low weight and high reps = not much mass gain = skinny guy stays skinny

Fat guys + push ups = heavy weight and low reps = mass gain, but underneath flab = fat guy gets more muscle buried beneath the same old fat

So I would say weight lifting and explosive cardio activity.

[Ted Striker]

but look at some of the guys that go into the military and get huge off of nothing but pushups and pullups. pushups are the best way to build up a foundation of upper body strenght. just put a bar in your doorway and you can get huge by just doing pushups and pullups.

the main thing is the diet. if your diet sucks you aren't going to grow no matter what you do

not only that, you get your tendons, ligaments, and bones used to support heavy weight. that's important

my recommendation is to ALWAYS do alot of pushups before going into the weight room

the progression should go:

1) bodyweight exercises
2) machines
3) free weights
4) combo of all 3 when you are experienced

[DeathByTheSword]

well what i always have to do is this: (REMEMBER: together with a full excirsize)

80% MAX Weight benchpress 15x
80% flies with free weights 15x
push up 15x
no brake between them

and that 3 times...

it is great to get everything strong and you will get some extra mass...and it tires you out like hell

[DeathByTheSword]

over all ted here is totally right...and oh yeah never forget to do your back....everybody always forgets that one

[Ted Striker]

you can gain alot of mass by building your back

[DeathByTheSword]

yes and it is so stupid to see guys with totally pumped up chests and totally no back so that they are humped over all the them be the power of there muscles....

[Pekka]

Don't worry if you don't have weights or can't go to a place that has them. Push ups are very good also. It's a a bit different kind of training and gives you different kind of results and you should combine different things, but push ups are good as they are.

I used to train 'weight free' for many years. I only started using weights when I was 17. In the army, again I was doing 'weight free' training, using my own body weight. It's good workout and you can do different kinds of stuff. If you want to build up muscle, get beefy hands and chest and neck like Hulk, I suggest you go with the weight training more seriously, but if you just need some condition in your upper body, or like that, then weight free training is jsut as good. I like is as a 'natural' choice, and I used to work on my cardio extensively. Don't forget chin ups, and dips. Do dips, chin ups, and push ups, but you still lack the work out of some areas in your upper body, but that would do good already.

Also there are many different types of moves, not just push ups. You can go next to your bed (or something more solid is better, maybe a small chair) back facing the bed (or preferrably chair) and you put your legs forward and straight. You get into a position if you'd lower yourself to the ground, your be sitting in the ground your legs straight and on the floor. Get little higher, and now do 'push ups' with your arms. Your hands are on the bed. You're doing kind of pumping now. You'll soon find the correct position for you. It's a good one too, I do this often and it really gets to your guns.

Remember to do your back too. IF you move to weights, be extremely careful about what you do. Pay lots of attention so you will execute the moves CORRECTLY, or it'll eat your back (if you're doing back) like a mofo. You'll end up doing more harm than good if you use heavy weights.

Also one good move is to get something relatively heavy (not too heavy!) like a ... phonebook maybe, stand straight, back straight, everything straight, spread legs a little and put your hands forward to 90 degree angle (reaching straight forward) and hold the weight (phonebook). Like you were driving a car except your arms are Straight. Now 'drive the car', twist the weight left and right like it was a wheel. Go as far as you can go left and right, and not moving your hands in the weight. You should hold the weight from both sides, so when it's in starting position, your thumbs would be facing up and hands in the same level. This is good for you, you'll find out soon if you try it! It burns like a mofo!

Or you can find some rocks, get rock to your each hand and do the same like you were turning a door knob, left and right, arms straight forward. Find the right weight for you, it should start feeling pretty soon and soon after that it should start burning. No use using computers mouse, something heavier .

There are lots of workouts you can do, and when you combine them and find your own routine, it's a great workout. I can give you more tips if you want to, and how to find workouts that you can do in your home with stuff you have already.

[Spiffor]

Pushups are an excellent exercize, as they train a great variety of muscles. However, they are good if you want to have a healthy body, but they're not the real blast if your intend is to to better your looks / your muscular mass.

[Ted Striker]

for your legs you can do bodyweight squats or lunges

for advanced strength to one legged squats

those are hard as hell and you will learn some mad balancing skills

[Maniac]

Originally posted by Ted Striker
the main thing is the diet. if your diet sucks you aren't going to grow no matter what you do

What should the diet be? Simply eating some more proteins?

[Pekka]

There are several suplements you can use. But that's only if you train hard, otherwise you'll just end up fat.

[Urban Ranger]

Originally posted by Park Avenue
Skinny guys + push ups = low weight and high reps = not much mass gain = skinny guy stays skinny

Fat guys + push ups = heavy weight and low reps = mass gain, but underneath flab = fat guy gets more muscle buried beneath the same old fat

Do pushups correctly, that means slowly. You can do a lot of them quickly, but that's just wrong.

[Al B. Sure!]

Pekka:

you confuse me...

Also there are many different types of moves, not just push ups. You can go next to your bed (or something more solid is better, maybe a small chair) back facing the bed (or preferrably chair) and you put your legs forward and straight. You get into a position if you'd lower yourself to the ground, your be sitting in the ground your legs straight and on the floor. Get little higher, and now do 'push ups' with your arms. Your hands are on the bed. You're doing kind of pumping now. You'll soon find the correct position for you. It's a good one too, I do this often and it really gets to your guns.

i don't understand this... would i sit down with my back against the bed, my legs outstretched in front, my arms pulled back at the top of the bed? would i pull myself up? and then bring myself back down almost back to the sitting position. is that what you're saying?

and the thing with the phonebook... you mean just stand there, arms out in front of me holding a phonebook and turning it like a steering wheel, clockwise then counterclockwise? and just do this for five minutes?


thanks

[Solly]

Do pushups correctly, that means slowly. You can do a lot of them quickly, but that's just wrong.

With lifting/exercising I prefer to know that I am making improvements, so knowing that body weight and form can fluctuate, push-ups aren't the greatest indicator.

So long as I can keep lifting heavier, and adding distance on to how far I can run in 12 minutes, I'll be happy.

[Ted Striker]

Originally posted by Maniac


What should the diet be? Simply eating some more proteins?

You need 1-2 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight per day to grow.

You also need to take in protein at least 5 times per day.

[Al B. Sure!]

You need 1-2 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight per day to grow.

how the hell is this humanly possible?! I just looked in the kitchen and saw a hotdog is 6 grams of protein... how is it possible for someone to intake 200-300 grams of protein a day when a piece of meat rarely exceeds 10.

[KrazyHorse]

Hot dogs are ****.

Eat tuna.

[Ted Striker]

what he said

hot dogs are the most nutrionally WORTHLESS food you can eat

a can of tuna provides about 35 g of protein

get a protein powder. 2 scoops is 50 grams of protein

chicken is also good. and eat red meat once a week if you can

peanut butter is another source but eat it with alot of fibre because it clogs up your system

[Spiffor]

Originally posted by Ted Striker
a can of tuna provides about 35 g of protein

So, a 140lbs muscle-wanabee should eat 4 cans of tuna a day? I'm not sure my soctor would like the idea