Calisthenics vs Gym-Weights?

[Robertcw]

Calisthenics is a purely body weight regimen. I don't know if it originated in California or what. I have two examples of people who trained using each method. They wind up looking different. Which do you prefer?

Calisthenics

Gym/Weights

[NearlyNapping]

I don't even have to think about it. If I had a choice of one or the other, I'd take calisthenics.

Because first, it tends to be more cardio. And second, because I don't like lifting. You can get in top notch shape without ever touching weight.

The guys in the tip pic are pretty extreme. That's not a typical calisthenics build at all. For the bottom pic, you can easily get like that without touching weights.

[Robertcw]

Yeah I guess I chose some ringers to share. These are two if my favorite fitness guys around right now.

The bottom guy is Brett Mossing. He'a too young for me to take much from in terms of what I learned and why.

The top guy is my age. It's Chris Heria. I actually do and did learn a lot from this guy in terms of bodyweight stuff. I learned most of my weight lifting from varsity sports, but also a little bit on diet and exercise from Conner Murphy (who's also my age).

I might give Calisthenics a go though. Murphy is all about progressive weights, and it works for me well. But the Calisthenics guys, and the gymnastics guys, don't look bad at all. Plus, being able to do bodyweight maneuvers is great. Though, I think weights are better for developing muscle size, but the body weight stuff has impressive proportionality but I notice a lot of them have small trapeziuses, which mine have always been large so I don't know.

[NearlyNapping]

Well I was a gymnast, so a lot of body weight. But before that I wrestled which was a grueling work out. So I was in decent shape before I started gymnastics. A natural gymnastics build, with no other type of workout, gives a really different build. It's mostly hanging which uses opposite muscles from what you normally use.

If you want lats. do some iron crosses. Although straight arm pull downs to the side will do much the same thing. It's roughly the equivalent as straight arm pull downs with half your body weight. Gymnastics will also give you good pecs, better than the guys in the pictures.

I've never really worked with weights. I've been in there just messing around, but never done it regularly.

[Games_]

The gym is better because you have more motivation. Once I start doing home workouts I feel unmotivated because I feel like after all that time, that I'm just toning up my body and not bulking it up

[Robertcw]

Underrated input. I'm lucky to have a public and free calisthenics park near me I can go to to train. Sometimes just being in a place built for exercise makes all the difference.

[Optymistyk]

You can't just show two shirtless dudes side by side and compare their workout methods based on their looks.

In general calisthenics = better dexterity and motor coordination

Weight lifting = easier progressive overload, faster results, simple form (easier to perform correctly)

[Ripper_E]

Weight lifting is far superior in terms of building muscle and strength, so I go with weight lifting, but both are great. Calisthenics allows you to be more flexible. There are times in the gym where you can't get to a machine because someone is using it. Bam, you can still work out. If nothing else, work on your abs because you can work em out more frequently than other muscles.