the best "weight" you can lift is your own bodyweight! if you want a high-intensity workout that's cheap, easy, and very effective, try this....

1. sell your dumbbells to the teenager on your block for $30
2. take that $30 and buy a pullup bar -the best kind is like this one here:
http://www.sportsdirection.com/doorpulupgym.html.
3. do the following workout:

-1 set of pushups to failure (you'll be breathing reeeeal hard trust me)
-1 set of pullups to failure (ditto)
-now for the finale.... put your hands about 1 foot from a closed doorway, and kick upside-down and let your feet lean against the door....this is a "handstand". hold this for 10-15 seconds. if you can, do another one. work up to 1 set of 6 "reps"

Now, repeat this as many days per week as you can handle. It will take about a whopping 5-10 minutes per day. When you get used to 1 set, work up to 2. Then 3. etc...

Oh, did I forget legs? do 50-100 bodyweight squats per day, how? you squat down as low as you care to, then come back up. yes, they also make you breathe very hard.

when you can do 50 in a row, start working on 1 legged squats! start on stairs, or use a box to "sit" on part-way down.

Believe me, this is high-intensity. You'll get strong as hell, with no "bulk". You'll also improve your balance, flexibility, and aerobic capacity.

Keep track of your progress with a simple Excel spreadsheet, and aim to increase your workload each week.

No hype, no frills. Just results! Welcome to my current workout!

I work out with free weights, and love it. However, I do see the value in body weight exercises, and am incorporating some into my usual routine. This is an awesome website detailing the various moves mentioned above, and then some!
http://www.weighttrainersunited.com/getinshape.html

can't speak for him but yes bulk is normally thought of as having large muscles. AS opposed to having well defined muscles.

Bodyweight training is good, but strength will be limited at some point. Handstand push-ups, pull-ups and pistols should be the base of your routine.

"strength will be limited at some point"

how so? i assume you mean "limited" as in "you won't be able to bench 455 lbs" or whatever?

now, i only weigh 160 lbs, and do bodyweight stuff to stay in shape, and cos I have better things to do with my spare time than spending 2hrs/day in the gym! but if you feel "limited in strength" at some point...it's just cos you don't do bodyweight workouts, don't take them seriously, or don't have any imagination...

can you say.... 1 arm pushups? or pullups? or handstand pushups? there aren't many weightlifters who can do any of these!

what would make you say that? Most lifters can and many of them do those exersices, perhaps not as many repititions as you but that is because they are training for strength not endurance.

I swim. I am competitive. I lift weights to supplement swimming. It allows me to move my body faster because I have greater strength. It would be very difficult to increase strength by merely swimming alone.

Nothing wrong with your work-outs, but there is nothing wrong with lifting either. And on last point most folks that lift spend 30-40 minutes 3-4 times a week lifting, not 2 hours a day.

Have a good one,
dug

Well, i guess i must NOT have better things to do, cuz most of my lifting workouts do take that long. Hmmm... But, that's besides the point.

Body weight workouts are GREAT, i totally agree with you. I do the exact type of workouts you described...On my "off" days; when i just don't feel like a super heavy lifting workout. The 2 types of workouts are different and supplemental.
It's great that you're so happy with your routine, so could you please be nicer here?

Yes there are. Doing these things, however, probably isn't at the top of their list of importance. Most of the lifters i know concentrate on getting really strong and doing competition lifts.

How so.....? Perhaps in your 'spare time' you can figure it out for yourself.

Dude, I'm a former Marine and MMA fighter. I know plenty about bodyweight conditioning. I can knock out 20 handstand push-ups in my sleep and at least a dozen one arm push-ups. I do pull-ups in sets of 6 with a 50 lb dumbbell between my feet using only my index finger and my thumb. I can also do one-legged squats until the cows come home. My strength and conditioning is better than the average persons, but continuing to build strength will just not happen forever unless additional weight is added to the body. Otherwise, endurance and strength endurance is primarily what is being trained.

Bodyweight training is great and should be done by everyone at least a little bit, but it is not all-inclusive for strength conditioning.

Oh and for imagination sake, I'm now training to do rafter pull-ups, windshield wipers and muscle-ups. I've got more things in reserve once I master these.

I think most of us who weight train do at least some body weight training too. Maybe it's just all a matter of what your goals are and what you enjoy doing. Personally I want all the muscle and strength I can get naturally-- absolutely love weight training-- get excited over bench pressing 155 lbs-- but I also get excited about getting 33 push-ups -- (which after kbfunTH post isn't very impressive . ) I guess I just love challenging myself, and seeing improvements. And I love variety and trying new things. And the time I spend working out isn't a problem for me. It's my hobby pretty much, and takes as long as it takes. Which is usually about 45 mins. weight training 20 mins. cardio. The main thing is everyone should do what they enjoy and will keep doing, I think.

Also-- I think the information in the first 2 posts will be helpful to those trying to figure out things they can do without investing much money or space. And I am NOT trying to minimize bodyweight training, just agreeing with the other values of it which was already stated. I think body weight training is great.....but so is weight training.

Good post!

A 155 lb bench press is very good as is 33 push-ups.

My personal feeling is that most people starting out would be better-served by doing more bodyweight routines, and not feel that they "have" to lift weights to get strong, and that is what I am trying to advocate, and that's it. 'kpfunth' and etc. are FAR more advanced in their workouts than I am, and I certainly meant no offense or lack of respect. It's just after the xxxnth injury I got from weights, I don't want other beginners here who are asking basic questions about how to gain strength, to feel they have to suffer injury to get strong.

Holy cr*p! I had to look those up on the net. I stand in awe my friend...you are awesome!

I think anyone starting out with weight training should chose a program that they enjoy. If you don't enjoy what your doing whether it be a bodyweight routine, freeweights, home gym or plated stations, you will lose interest and you won't keep up with it. Also, where you train will be important, I like gyms and going to one motivates me, but some people prefer working out at home.

So, all this to say my best advice is to pick something you enjoy and keep doing it!


BD