[quote=sdduuuude]Bo Jackson would disagree. He rarely lifted weights. His training focused on isometrics and exercises like pushups, pullups and dips.
Being the first athlete voted to all-star teams in two major american sports, I think it prepared him for a bit more than … just doing pushups.[/quote]
There are pro athletes, many of whom are physically gifted beyond mortal man, and above them are the Bo Jacksons and Mike Tysons, who are genetic freaks. Your average untrained middle-aged male who can’t bench 150 can do 100 pushups a day for a year and still not come close to benching 200. Unless you’re a freak, muscle doesn’t work that way.
I know an amateur MMA fighter who does 100 pushups/pullups etc. a day, but endurance is useful in his line of work (160 lb class). However, a life or death situation or fight with an angry drunk isn’t going to be 3 rounds of 3 minutes, it’s going to be 30-60 seconds, and for that, weight and strength trump all else. It’s the reason there are weight classes in MMA and boxing, and for most people the only way to get there is to lift and eat. I’d much rather have 30 more pounds of muscle than a black belt. Of course a little jujitsu training and cardio isn’t a bad idea.
Everybody is different, and a great way to test its effect is to lift and eat for 6 months (an untrained person will gain a decent amount), then stop and do 100 pushups a day for a couple weeks, then lift again. Most people will see their strength drop significantly.
