The not-so-new fitness debate has got everyone talking. Body weight or lifting weights? Body weight refers to calisthenics, which is a low resistance form of strength training that mainly utilizes your body weight rather than regular gym apparatus, while lifting weights refers to a rather well-known training method used to strengthen one’s muscles by lifting heavyweights.

When most people think of calisthenics the first thing that pops up is people doing maneuvers with their bodies that seem to be impossible, but that’s not what it is all about. Calisthenics is a form of exercise that engages multiple muscle groups at once and mandates a large amount of activity. Bodyweight exercises also help with balance, flexibility, coordination, muscle definition, and weight loss as you burn lots of calories in a short period.

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Weightlifting is the type of strength training that allows you to isolate a group of muscles that you would like to focus on and increase the size of. By using external weights you are adding more strain to the muscle making it more likely to tear and repair, resulting in stronger and larger muscles. It is easier to progress when doing weightlifting when you find that your regular weights or training no longer works for you; you can just use heavier weights. Choosing one or the other has more to do with your personal body goals than anything else. While both exercises are strength training they are different enough to the point where you can incorporate both into your workout, but you have to make sure not to overdo it as that can put an unhealthy amount of strain on your body.