push-ups effective?

[sirmattu]

are push-ups effective? or is there something else that can give you better results for upper body strength?

[carter]

pushups are effective for endurance. if you want to get stronger or bigger your gonna need to use weights.

[Uncle Corny]

carter is incorrect. if you want to have the build of arnold schwarzenegger, then drink some metrx, shootup some steroids and pump some iron. push ups are the best excercise possible for your pectoral muscles. wide grip, tricep grip, regular grip, dive bomber. the elite commando forces of the world are trained on pushups, and not on weights. I'm not saying weights are bad for you, but you don't have to get a gym membership to get strong. get a chin up bar and dip bars. that's it. you keep on a steady push, arm, ab, cal, and leg program 2 or 3 times a week, minimum, you'll be good to go. in the best shape of your life. and yes, pushups build muscles. specifically in your arms, back and pectoralis.

[carter]

i dont see how i am incorrect. he asked if they were effective, yea they're effective for endurance but not as effective for strength as weights are.

sirmattu if your wanting to get the best results you can for upper body strength then i would highly reccomend incorporating weights into your routine. go to www.bodybuilding.com for some good articles, check out their forum also, lots of good information.

[Thai Bri]

carter - Bodbuilders are strong, but their training primarily increases muscular size and definition. That is not necessarily the same thing.

Body weight exercises do improve endurance as well as strenght. That is one of the advantages they have over weights. They also involve much of the whole body SIMULTANEOUSLY, unlike many weights exercises. This can be more relevant to producing a body capable of fighting.

[carter]

I agree that bodyweight exercises such as pushups are great for strength and endurance, I myself do push ups everyday less sunday, but i dont think that they will get you as good as gains in the strength department that weights would. sirmattu is wanting the most effective route to gaining upper body strength, and in my opinion that is with weight training. I suppose everyone is different, I respect everyones training methods and views these are just my suggestions, perhaps im incorrect.

[Thai Bri]

But we are forgetting the word "functional". Put it this way, I'm sure that the winner of the Worlds Strongest Man can lift more than any top BJJ guy. But watch who gets their arse handed to them if they have a fight.

[carter]

when you put it that way, then of course. how about this scenario. two boxers of equal skill, one uses weights and bodyweight exercises and the other only uses bodyweight exercises. who has the advantage now?

im not trying to discredit bodyweight exercises, what im trying to say is weights are going to get you better results than just bodyweight exercises alone. even if its only a 10lb plate on your back while you do push ups, its going to improve your game.

[Uncle Corny]

i still disagree with carter. back to the thread's initial question, pushups are very very effective.

[FURIOUS]

I believe push ups r effective and that youll gain strenght once you hit the weights believe me i know i did alot of push-ups in jail and hitting the weights and pushin weight of 205lbs flat & 185lbs incline and weighing in 196lbs but i bet thats nuthin 4 others but thats the achievment i made thats all folks

[vampire03]

With BWE, is there a certain sequence that you should do bwe for full upper body training(total upperbody workout)?

[tyson chicken]

pushups get you stronger but weights increase muscle mass and get you stronger. eventually your strenght will be maxed out on pushups.

[Broadsword2004]

The most elite form of pushup is the planche pushup, which looks like the normal "American" pushup, only your feet are off the ground, so you just go up and down solely under arm strength. First you have to be able to do a planche though.

[Grifter]

I agree about using weights. If you want strength thats the way to go. Everybody gets this idea of some big bulky bodybuilder who cant wipe his own ass. But seriously guys the odds of getting to thats size with no steroids or anything and close to impossible. The things is use exercise like dead lifts the work your core. Not to take away from the importance of body weight exercise either. I agree that the are important.


Bri Thai, I say this with no disrespect, but you analogy with the BJJ guy is a horrible one. You put anybody with no or little training against a top BJJ guy and he's going to get his ass handed to him.

[Thai Bri]

Yes, they will beat them with skill AND core strength. Core strength that is FUNCTIONAL to grappling (unlike the deadlift, which is functional for lifting things up a little off the floor).