weight lifting and calithenics

[Xtreme Fury]

Hi I want to improve my muscle endurance and strength. Would it be better for me to weight train or do calithenics? thanks.

[KickChick]

Your fitness routine (calisthenics/body weight exercises and/or weight training) depends on your body weight:

 

What you personally weigh makes the choice for you. The exercise which is easiest for you to get started with is the exact opposite of what you need to do! If you're underweight, you have no problem doing calisthenics. But they'll tend to burn calories rather than add muscle. By the same token, if you're very far overweight, body weight exercises become almost impossible! Weight training is a whole lot easier.

 

If you're underweight, start with calisthenics if you need to, then move to weight training and build up to bodyweight exercises.

 

If you're overweight, start with weight training if you need to (in addition to cardio), add calesthenics, and move on to bodyweight exercises.

 

To maintain your body weight, combine cardio and calisthenics for cardiovascular fitness and use bodyweight exercises for muscle tone.

 

Body weight exercises-BWE (exercises that use the full body weight for resistance) and calisthenics (exercises which move the body aerobically without a lot of resistance). Pushups, pullups, squats and dips are all body weight exercises. Arm rotations, toe touches, leg lifts and crunches are calisthenics.

 

So calisthenics to build muscle tone, and weight training to increase muscle density and then on to BWE.

[Jack]

Good post Deby, one small thing. "Tone" is not something you build, it is simply a result of muscle size and low bodyfat.

[Eye of the Tiger]

Oh I thought calisthenics was body weight exercises.

[Bon]

Yeap, they are.