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Home » Q & A » Strength Training

Question: Strength Training - Push Ups Vs Weights?

Question Description:
I am 15 years old, and over the past 6 months I have slowly been building up in to a good shape and although I realise their is no one simple answer to the question, if I could get some good comments I would be appreciative.My question is, as far as strength training for muscle and all that good stuff goes, what is better, Push Ups/Situps/Leglifts/Allthatjazz or good old Weight Training?Sports: Boxing, Track And Field

Answer#1: For track and field, it's usually better to work on your endurance rather than strength and it also depends on what weight class you're trying to compete in so you can monitor your muscle mass. Strength training= More weights, less reps- This means, use weightsEndurance training= Less weights, more reps- You can do push-ups, sit-ups etc b/c you're only lifting your own body weight and nothing moreI suggest you work on speed more with plyometricsexamples:- Running form cone to cone, backwards and forwards & side 2 side- Jumping over cones- Jump on small boxes and larger boxes in a row, jumping on the floor between each box- Jump rope can work both plyometrics and endurance- Switch off pushups with a medicine ball: works the pecs, triceps and serratus (punching muscles) basically.* You're 15 and still growing so I suggest you don't strain yourself and interrupt your growth plates.

Answer#2: If you want huge muscles, weight training takes over because mass gains are triggered by moving a lot of weight. As you get stronger, working with body weight, you'll be working endurance more.For actual real life applications though, it may be less of an issue. Boxing for example requires plyometric exercise - you need explosiveness, not to mention endurance. Being able to slowly lift a massive weight is not what boxers require, nor do they especially want big muscles - they want high power on as light a body as possible! I'm told clap pushups are great for boxers, as are working out with speed/heavy bags.