no i didn't try. i was lead by the advice of several different sources of expert advice. and it's not something you need to try yourself to *know* it won't build anymore muscle beyond a certain point... simply because the facts are out there if you look. like i mentioned, a marathon runner's legs are undergoing continual repitition in much the same way as pushups, and do you see marathon runners walking around with bulky legs? nope, not in the slightest...

in order for the muscles to grow, hypertrophy... they must experience a foreign amount of stress.. keyword being foreign.. a stress they have never experienced before. when you add the type of stress that only increasing repitions and *not* the amount of weight, it results in a different change... a change not of growth, but of muscular endurance. therefore there is no change in size, just endurance.

and besides, your experience is skewed because you said yourself, you added freeweights and you simply perform pushups as a warmup. so you can't say your continual growth in muscular size is attributed solely to doing pushups and increasing their reps.

of course youll build mass from push ups but the body maxs/peaks on size no matter how many push ups you do -

unless you tear muscle you wont get mass (which weight training does.)

thats what i think he meant

I go to the gym 4 times a week and always in the morning. If I don't go in the morning, I won't go at all. I joined in October and I've lost 15 lbs and dropped 2 sizes. I do 1 hour of cardio and 30 minutes of weights each time. I have never felt to good in my whole life and I have more energy than I can remember having in a looong time.

hmm, I see your point

but my humble opinion would be that your point is flawed in the way that a marathon runner walks for hours on end and thus does not do INTERVAL training

it is proven that INTERVAL training builds muscles

I DONT do 500 push ups in one time, if I did your theory would applie

push ups can be done in many different ways , it all depends on how you do them and what your schedule is

do you do speed push ups ?

do you do very slow ones ?

there are many variations of push ups and thus many different possible results


if you do push ups the way I do them they build muscle , but of course you are right I did add free weights so my results now are not just the push ups , but I was speaking about my results before I started using free weights, and I can guarantee you they did build muscle with me

you acn tear muscle with push ups , you just have to know how


dont do the same push ups every day

one day you do speed push ups

other day slow ones

you can do push ups on your fist

you can do speed push ups on your fist

you can do slow push ups on your fist

you can do push ups and every time your arms are stretched you wait a fraction of a second

you can do push ups very slow and wait a fraction of a second when your nose almost thouches the ground


there are just too many possible ways to do push ups that it is impossible to just say what the results would be of doing push ups

First thing in the morning for me, 1 hour cardio, 30 minutes weights and my day is off and running. Then I have a trainer 1 hour a week for just stretching.

I go 3 days a week in the mornings. I do an hour of core and weight training and then 30 mins cardio. Where do I get the energy? LOL, I don't have it, I just make myself go and then I feel like I am going to die afterwards BUT after I get my breath back I feel so much better the rest of the day :)

I agree with what others have said, the eating plays a VERY important part.

I usually work out as soon as I wake up then take a 45 min nap after coming back. I take a 45min nap around 8pm then try to work out again around 9pm or so. 4 times a week with about 1 day in between each workout.

The times rotate with my daily work schedule, some days I work late some fairly early but I usually have 24hour access to a gym so it all works out for me.

you are lost and you are wrong. you might see some initial gains but you will plateau very quickly. whether or not he has tried it or not, has nothing to do with his understanding of physiology, proper diet and training.

you can do all the same stupid shit on a bench with 60 pounds... and what? you wont get different results than doing pushups. there is a reason no one does what you are talking about to gain mass... that would be that it does not work. you have to have a few things to trigger and adaptive response from your muscles... intensity of the contraction, fatigue and overload. just because you can make your muscles sore, it does not mean you are gaining mass.

i am not a marathon runner but anyone training for aerobic indurance does interval training. the purpose of interval training is aerobic endurance... not to build muscle mass. thats a another no brainer as well. besides, you have to mix all types of cardio workouts to get optimum results and benefits. interval training is done specifically for endurance... except in the Land of You, population 1.


:1orglaugh

lol, I like the land of You , or should I say land of ME :winkwink:



I should be posting pics to make you folks shut the fuck up ;)


and yeah, once I post those you folks will claim ALL my results that are in the pic are just because of the free weights ,

before stating that pls remember I only use weights of 6 kilo each ( around 12 pounds) so no heavy lifting here

:pimp

I used to work out at least 6 hours/day when I was fighting and was calculated to be burning over 5000 calories per day. I simply couldn't eat enough food (all tuna, turkey, rice, etc)...was even eating while working the heavy bag. Now, I'm down to about 3-4 hours/day with lower intensity. I'm healing a shoulder injury so I can't do bag work or push-ups, etc...I feel like a slug. When it gets healed, I want to hit it back into high gear.

Let's pump together YAAA! :winkwink:

http://www.agerated.com/gfy/uppete.jpg

and btw , I get in discussions like this on a regular basis when people want to know how I work out , when I say I get most results of push ups and sit ups the refuse to believe me and alway and I mean ALWAYS bring up the same points as in this thread.....

thats why I do push ups , I like my muscle to have a NATURAL look :winkwink:

As far as body building, I've never done anything but push-ups, sit-ups and pull-ups. For my goals, it's always worked best for me.

Early morning is the best time for burning calories, and late morning to early afternoon for energy and strentgh. Any combo of the two usually works best!

Pullups are one of the best workouts! Bicept and lateral! :thumbsup also tricept dips.

yeah I forgot to add pull ups , those can do miracles too :thumbsup

lol if you're referring to pushups doing anything to biceps, they don't.

no there I was talking about NATURAL looks


I am no muscle expert ,but I do know that it is possible to train every muscle in your body with push ups

even your fuckin legs :2 cents:

what exactly is "natural"? you don't have to limit yourself to things like pushups in fear of not looking "natural" - trust me, it takes years to build up muscle to the extent at which it looks significantly altered. many of the top male models who have that "natural" muscular look you're referring to, train with freeweights.

exactly. you are no expert on muscles. this is demonstrated by the fact that you clearly have no idea why muscles grow and what triggers growth. people trying to gain mass are not doing pushups to achieve that goal. there is no way to argue against that. ask any serious body builder how many pushups they do everyday to "build their biceps and chest or train their legs" and they are going to look at you like you are retarded.

anyway, we can both agree that further debate is useless.

right now I do push ups sit ups and occacionely pull ups

my problem with just using free weights and no push ups or other natural stuff is my fear of getting short muscles that I think many of the free weight users have

yeah , but ehmmm, who said anything about bodybuilding ? ? ? ? LOL


bodybuilders are dummies , I could beat the crap out any bodybuilder any day , no I was talking about building mass not about blowing your body up

I already stated earlyier in this thread that it should be more than clear that you CAN NEVER get any result like a bodybuilder by doing push ups , I mean duh I know that

To be honest, the most mass I gained was about 6 lbs. My goal was never to gain size, but to gain fight related strength and muscular endurance. While I did gain a lot of muscle and noticable size, I don't think you'll ever get a lot of mass from just pushups (etc). Although I still say they are the best overall exercises.

Although I didn't start with weights and I don't do them now (when shoulder is healed), my peak work-out was: 500 push-ups, about 3800 sit-ups, 200 pull-ups and 250 squats per day each with a 45 lb weight straped to me via a bookbag (later I moved that workout to every other day for more healing time and not all 3800 sit-ups had the weight...maybe only 1000 did). I would go each set to failure and then allow only 30 seconds rest between sets and continue until I hit the full 500 (etc). First sets typically were 80-100 for push-ups between two tables so I could go further down and 60 for the pull-ups, palms out and with the weights for the pull-ups.

Even with all that on top of 4-5 hours of martial-arts training, cardio, and creatine, I never gained more than 6 lbs. I mean, I was ripped and maybe a little freakish, but again mass wasn't my goal. Of course, I'm sure you could gain a lot more than that if you just did the push-ups (etc), since I was burning serious calories and still eating everything I could (although it was probably still not enough).

it all depends on what you call an increase of mass and what look you are going for


if this is what you are aiming for


http://weightlifting.cowebz.com/bodybuilding.jpg


then yeah push ups wont do the trick


http://www.peoples.ru/sport/boxer/ali/ali_08.jpg

if you like this look (in my eyes he has WAAAAY more mass than any average person )

then push ups , sit ups and pull ups can do that for you

it should be obvious what I am shooting for :winkwink:

I kinda understand what Fake Nick is saying! there is a lean look and there are these body builders who work on building massive muscles that just don't look like nature intended! It's ok to be a bit bigger than average! train for stregnth, but these guys take it way too far. You need to include a sport and cardio to complete any exercise regime.

The bottom line is what looks good to you! Pesonally I train for stregnth, and do extensive cardio! I don't want to get to bulky, like these guys that can't even wipe thier own asses! at the same time I don't want to look like a marathon runner. :2 cents:

body building IS building mass. you have been trying to say that you have had more luck with pushups to build muscle than free weights and a couple people are trying to tell you thats because you do not know what you are doing and do not know what you are talking about. there is just no comparison between plyometrics and lifting weights when it comes to gaining muscle. they are two entirely different things that accomplish two entirely different goals. its like saying your corvette is great for deer hunting on logging trails and 4X4's are stupid.

and yeah my guess is Mr IZZ is also going for pic no 2 and thus could just do my workout ;)

i work out as soon as i wake up, 15 min of punching bag to warm up, 30 min on the precor, then lift weights, and punching bag before i go to bed also. i work from home so i have some more spare time on my hands.

read my post with the two examples :winkwink:

Best workout! :winkwink:

http://www.heinekeninternational.com...tcm4-11321.jpg

I would disagree greatly with the choc milk being as good as a protein shake. Checkout www.proteinfactory.com for better sources of protein :thumbsup

I see a MASSive belly in your future :1orglaugh

I train pretty intense, much like a bodybuilder does and I've been at it for a few years now... and I don't think I look overly bulky or gross or anywhere near your "standard bodybuilder"...

You will not achieve that massive muscular look many bodybuilders have by training with freeweights intensely for even a few years... It takes many years, and usually a lot of steroids to get the look that those bodybuilders have.

So don't be "afraid" that you're going to turn out to be a monster if you train with freeweights, because you won't, i can practically guarantee it.

http://www.bodygain.com/members/phot...1102661282.jpg
http://www.bodygain.com/members/phot...1077964891.jpg

There was a study that showed that people who worked out in the AM stayed at it longer. They also found that if you work out at the same time each day you will stay with it longer as well.

I worked out at 11 am for 20 years but the last 2 years I haven't been able
to take 1 1/2 - 2 hour lunches because I'm too busy and gained fucking 40 pounds.

if those pics are you , you are right you dont look extreme at all

looks like you work out regulary and well balanced ,

you should try adding some push ups to your work out and see what it does for you I am pretty sure it will add an extra new dimension to your work out :winkwink:


btw I am around 210 - 220 lbs

Yo galleryseek i lost your aim add me again nickopray

Yeah, I wholeheartedly agree.

I want to start but.....well you know the rest

I usually go to the gym around 10am, and do a 2hour workout 4-5 days a week than I go for lunch than home and work again.....I eat lots of food and drink protein shakes for enery....

I work out every morning before work and i think that if you go everyday you will get use to it and you will not be able to pass one day without working out!!!

accually they do work on your "top" of the biceps.....

I used to work out twice a day, 1 hour in the morning and 2 in the evening and that for 5 days a week. Working out in the morning is very good because it will give you extra energy for the day, but if you work out in the mornings you need to watch your breakfast

I workout about 4 days a week then ride my bike 20 - 70 miles on the weekend. I usually workout in the mornings because byt he afternoon the kids have me so worn out. Energy = coffee.

I'm in the gym @ 5:30am and then back in the gym at 6:30pm

nope. they work pecs, delts and triceps. no such thing as the "Top" of your biceps... the bicep is just one continuous muscle vertically. and the only way your biceps will get a workout is if you're doing pulling movements, and in the case of pushups you aren't, you're doing a pushing movement (which works the backs of your arms triceps).

I concur.

The best time is whenever you can do it.

Just keep it consistent man. I was consistent for 4 months, lost 30 lbs of FAT. Gained amazing strength.

3x a week for weight lifting and 5 days a week for low intensity cardio.

Diet is very important.

I recently havent worked out for 3 weeks. Lifted last night... ugh. Cant believe I ever let work get in the way of my health again. Luckily, thanks to a pretty decent diet, I only gained around pound of fat... sadly, I lost some strength.

Biggest weight loss tip - stop drinking pop/soda, juice and booze.

The body has the most strength and energy a few hours after lunch, unless you are trying to lose weight than morning is the best time.