Body weight calisthenics vs. weight training

Working out is a generic term used to describe the physical excursion of the body using some form of calorie burning, muscle stimulating exercises to achieve a specific result. Most people work out to lose fat, tone muscles, and overall feel better. One problem that comes up with regards to working out is what kind of work out to do. There are many choices depending on what results one is looking for. It takes commitment and proper instruction for any work out routine to be successful. The question to ask is if you are training your body to be a strong, successful body or setting yourself up for injury with improper training. Weight training is one way to set oneself up for pain and possible injury.

Weight training using single range movement is one of the reasons why so many people get stopped in their work out routines. When a person does a bench press with a barbell or machine, they leave their shoulder open to rotator cuff wear and tear. Possible injury in the future can arise when the shoulders are constantly overloaded with weight. Another potential problem can happen pertains to the wrists. When lifting the bar off the machine, the wrists should be locked in a straight position similar to a vertical karate punch. If the wrist is bent back slightly, this could injure the wrist or create problems later on. The same goes for the lower back and shoulder area. When the weight becomes difficult during the last few repetitions, many times the lower back and shoulders take some of the stress off the chest if the person moves their body to compensate.

During my experience as a trainer, I have met many people who have hurt their knees and vertebrate from squatting with weights on their shoulders, torn rotator cuffs from bench pressing, and severely hurt their backs and legs from dead lifting. Even in high school, I remember being able to pick out the girls who played soccer and field hockey. The outstanding characteristics were their highly developed quadriceps, calves, and one out of every four had a surgery scar on a knee, usually from a torn ACL or meniscus. Since most weight strengthening exercises use a straight singular motion, {leg extensions, hamstring curls, leg presses}, the tendons and ligaments around the knee are never strengthened to be able to move horizontally. For example, when you play sports that you need to stop suddenly and move in a different direction; typically the untrained ligaments around the knee will strain and possibly tear if they are not strong and flexible. Weight training will not help that. Body weight calisthenics will.

I started lifting weights at the age of 14. I severely strained my right pectoral when I pulled too hard on a pec deck machine when I was 16. That stopped me from not only working out, but playing sports and doing everyday activities. I was annoyed that I injured myself doing something that was supposed to be good for me. Being a student of the martial arts for over 16 years, I never injured myself doing push-ups, body weight squats or full body sit-ups, no matter how intense the workout was. Jack LaLanne, fitness guru, became famous not for weight training, but for his amazing feats of hand balancing, hand stands and other strength demonstrations using no weights.

Weight training can produce great results if done properly and intelligently. To insure that injuries remain minimal, basic body weight calisthenics should be done in addition to weight training for full functional body strength. Weight training for a workout can be very effective when a person wants a certain shape to their muscles. Like Michelangelo sculpting David, each individual chisel, or repetition, must be done with specific movement. For example, some women want a long, straight hamstring while others prefer a fuller, more rounded hamstring to show definition. The proper form to shape the hamstring would be to perform a specific range of motion for the desired look. Full range for the rounded look and partial range for a longer, leaner looking muscle.

Balancing weight training exercises is also important. When many people weight train, they focus on the 'mirror muscles', the upper trapezius, anterior deltoid and pectorals. As a consequence, the 'non-mirror muscles', lower trapezius, rhomboids, latissimus dorsi and rear deltoid, are underdeveloped. This leads to a muscular imbalance about the shoulder, which results in poor scapular stabilisation. since the non-mirror muscles are the ones that work to stabilise the scapula. In addition, over-developed mirror muscles can lead to a round-shouldered posture, which incorrectly places the scapula up and forward. To correct this, one would need to focus on the non-mirror muscles. In addition, body weight calisthenics like Hindu pushups and reverse handstands will not only strengthen all the muscles in the chest and shoulder area, they will stretch and improve flexibility in those areas as well.

When incorporating body weight calisthenics into any workout, one must begin slow and with control so that the body will adapt to the exercises. Basic exercises like push-ups, pull-ups and modified squats can be used to begin to strengthen the body. More advanced exercises can be incorporating like the one found in Matt Furey's "Combat Conditioning". Try a full body push-up or a v-up {lifting both legs and arms together forming the body into a V} and see how your body feels. If you feel pain or discomfort in your lower back or neck, consider that this is an area that has not been trained sufficiently and may need to additional work.

Another area of the body that is regularly missed doing weight training is the neck. Remember ab-rollers? When they came into the fitness world, their claim was that one does not have to worry about straining the neck during abdominal exercises because the head can rest in the neck holder. They failed to mention that not strengthening the neck muscles another way can allow the muscles in the neck to become weak if not used. Dr. Marsha Schreiber, a chiropractor in Highland Park said, "Strong neck muscles are critical because the neck supports the head. If the neck is unable to properly support the head, it will cause poor posture which may lead to headaches, spinal pain, jaw problems, chronic neck strains and arthritis. Strengthening neck muscles has been shown in studies to reduce chronic neck pain and disability." Some people may feel that they are stopped doing everyday things in life because of a hurt back, knee, shoulder, etc... Body weight calisthenics can improve strength, flexibility and reduce pain in one's knees, neck, wrists, ankles, and lower back.

Train intelligently and you can work the body as a whole. There are so many different forms of exercise out there. If you stick to something, it will work. If you have the time to go to a gym and do a separate muscle and heart-lung workout, go for it. If you only have a limited amount of time to give to your body, train so that your heart, lungs, and muscles get trained together as one. The key is to do something that you enjoy and stay with it. The body is an amazing machine. With the proper nutrition, training and rest, it will heal itself and give you years of good use. Nike said it best, "Just Do It."

Ron Shuali is the owner of FunFit Fitness. He has been a personal trainer for 9 years and currently lives in Highland Park. He is also a marital arts instructor at Family Martial Arts Academy and co-founder of Bully Education Theater. He can be reached at 732 -777-1326 or e-mail at ron@funfittraining.com