Quit the gym - getting better results.

[Coco]

Okay... A little background info - im 16 years old, 5'9.Started working out in June of 2006, at a nearby gym. I used to go every single day, alternating muscle groups, 6 days a week. Used to drink 60g of protein (in shakes) a day. Starting weight was 150lbs. After 3 months of working out, oviously, I saw great results. However, by the 2nd month, I saw that I stopped improving a bit... by the 3th month, my muscles seem to be used to the exercises and so I reached a plateu. I tried different exercises, but nothing helped much. That's when I met this one guy. 6'0 , 170lbs RIPPED! he told me he didnt do weights, only puhshups and situps (he has a 8 pack), so I decided to give it a try. Also, might I add, Ive always wanted to see what the difference was between training with and witout protein shake. So I quit the gym AND the shakes. I started out doing sets of 20-25 pushups... about 10 sets. I alternated between pushups and pullups every other day.

The results - Much better definition, better endurance, suprisingly, more strength, bigger muuscles (Im standing at about 158-160 now) and I am sore EVERY time I train, because since its body weight, i can push myself a biit further without damaging my body. I feel much stronger, faster, more fit and confident. In addition to this, I heard a myth that you can't gain weight if you run alot. FALSE! Ive gained 5 lbs in the past 3 weeks, and all this while running 5-7 miles 5 times a week. No shakes, no ammino acids, nothing, and i can eat whatever i want!

I just thought i'd share my story for all of you, and maybe you guys can also start bodyweight exercises if you get stuck like I did.... Just remember, I could do 20 pushups and 3 chinups when i started. 3 weeks later, i can do 40 pushups and 20 chinups, more than alot of these big buff guys at the gym!

[Havoc88]

First of all, I want to state that you made some really good progress. So keep it up!

But aside from that, you must know that change is always a really big factor in getting good results. When you train for three months with the same scheme, you will reach a plateau, like you did. When you change your schedual every 4-6 weeks, you will see much better results over time.

You took a radical turn in your way of training and started to get results again. But when you will continue to train this way for te upcoming three months, you will start to notice that you will reach a plateau again, just like you did when you trained with weights.

Point is, weight training is just as good as bodyweight training (if not better for continuing results). BUT, you have to make sure you change te exercises you do on a regular basis.

Another thing to remember is that soreness isn't a indicator of a good training. So that you feel very sore after your bodyweighttraining and didn't felt sore after your weight training doesn't have to mean bodyweight taining is better. I can go deeper on this subject if you want, so just ask .

And about the running, it all come's down to the individual. Looks like you are a mesomorph. You gain muscle quick. You're lucky to, so take as much advantidge of it as possible.

Hope this helps.

But still, keep up the good work!!

Tom

[bushido_man96]

You are lucky that you don't gain much weight, eating whatever you want. Don't count on that ability to stick around forever!!

I am opposite of you. I lift 4 days a week. I can bench 305 max, but can't do push-ups well, and have to do assisted pull-ups.

I guess it just depends on the person.

[Toby]

I do all sorts of training, whenever possible.

That includes rowing, push ups, sit ups, chin ups, bike riding, skipping, weights (max on bench, middle on dead lifts/squats, light demb bells), heavy bag/speed bag.

Now, I was in a bit of a rut just like you Coco - But just in the last few days I can now max out on bench press at 50kgs/100lbs, 15-20kg/30-40lbs higher than say, a week or so ago... I don't even know why I tried to go for a higher weight... I'm glad I did though.

Now, I'm not a big guy (5'7" - 55-60kgs/110-120lbs) So I'm pretty much lifting my own body weight. I'm quite proud.

I have also tried to cut a lot of the crap out of my diet lately too.

I guess hard training and improving your diet paies off in the end... Even if you don't notice it at first.

[HG]

I guess hard training and improving your diet paies off in the end... Even if you don't notice it at first.

Well said. Get past this first hurdle and the rest just falls into place.

[Rainbow_Warrior]

by the 3th month, my muscles seem to be used to the exercises and so I reached a plateu

Man , you wil not be an Arnold shawazenegger in 3 months. The plateu is a common thing , and is obvius that after training for some time , you will be in that situation . You have ASK your gym coach and tell to change your exercise routine , to work your muscules in different angles.

Doing pull ups and push ups is great , but you should still with weigth lifting , one thing does not exclude the other.

The aminoacids like musashi....are pure comercial thing ...like the enegy bar of Homer simpson when climbing the montain..... is better to eat well and balanced.

more than alot of these big buff guys at the gym!

well..... If a ´´big guy´´ can not do 40 push ups , is a big fat, not a big guy

[elbows_and_knees]

So I quit the gym AND the shakes. I started out doing sets of 20-25 pushups... about 10 sets. I alternated between pushups and pullups every other day.

The results - Much better definition, better endurance, suprisingly, more strength, bigger muuscles (Im standing at about 158-160 now) and I am sore EVERY time I train, because since its body weight, i can push myself a biit further without damaging my body. I feel much stronger, faster, more fit and confident. In addition to this, I heard a myth that you can't gain weight if you run alot. FALSE! Ive gained 5 lbs in the past 3 weeks, and all this while running 5-7 miles 5 times a week. No shakes, no ammino acids, nothing, and i can eat whatever i want!

1. soreness isn't necessarily a good thing. you can't judge intensity by whether or not you are sore the next day.

2. you are doing high rep exercises that are 1.) slightly elevating heart rate, 2.) increasing your muscular endurance and 3.) burning lots of calories. THAT is why you have better endurance and more definition.

3. I guarantee you that you haven't gotten stronger, if you were on a serious lifting program. you can do more pushups now, for example, because you are increasing your muscular endurance. This is not the same as strength. You will NEVER find a guy who only does body weight squats who can out squat me. But, he will be able to do more bodyweight squats than me, because his endurance will be better than mine.

4. As long as you eat enough, you can gain weight. However, the body can only be in one state at a time - anabolic or catabolic - it can't be in both. right now, your body is in a growth phase. That doesn't mean it will stay there. With all of the endurance training and running, it may switch.

Just remember, I could do 20 pushups and 3 chinups when i started. 3 weeks later, i can do 40 pushups and 20 chinups, more than alot of these big buff guys at the gym!

like I said, you're not stronger than them - you have more muscular endurance than them. try this. Once you can do 100 pushups, have a contest with a guy who can bench press 350. you will likely beat him. Next, you try to bench 350 - it won't happen. you are training something completely different than what he is training.

In any event, keep training and making progress!

[elbows_and_knees]

You are lucky that you don't gain much weight, eating whatever you want. Don't count on that ability to stick around forever!!

I am opposite of you. I lift 4 days a week. I can bench 305 max, but can't do push-ups well, and have to do assisted pull-ups.

I guess it just depends on the person.

see, this is what I'm talking about. I bench a little over 300, I squat 450, dead 455, etc. But I am in the 40 rep range on pushups. It's the difference in the type of training that I mentioned above.

[bushido_man96]

You are lucky that you don't gain much weight, eating whatever you want. Don't count on that ability to stick around forever!!

I am opposite of you. I lift 4 days a week. I can bench 305 max, but can't do push-ups well, and have to do assisted pull-ups.

I guess it just depends on the person.

see, this is what I'm talking about. I bench a little over 300, I squat 450, dead 455, etc. But I am in the 40 rep range on pushups. It's the difference in the type of training that I mentioned above.

You see, I have trouble doing around 30 push-ups, and I let it bother me. I can bench 305, but I feel like it is not justified, because I suck at push-ups.

[elbows_and_knees]

yeah, that's a muscular endurance issue. it's fixed easily enough, though. set a goal to do 100 pushups every morning. get up in the AM and start doing them. rest when you have to - start by doing sets of 20 - 25 until you reach 100. the number you are able to do per set can increase as it gets easier for you.