Lifting Heavy is so overrated.

Is it because you couldn't lift? No offence.

It's only 'excessive' if you jump up weights too high = ego. You are not alone, most of the guys at the gym have a bigger ego than their *ahem*. If you go up weights in a controlled manner, progressing nicely and eating/sleeping properly, then your technique will not suffer and you will not have any joint problems.

Calisthenics and body weight exercises are awesome but lifting heavy is about training more specifically for strength. Calisthenics is like strength and cardio in one. The aims are slightly different. Maybe you just didn't understand your goals clearly enough when you begun?

There's no way to even tell if you are progressing in terms of strength on a weekly basis with calisthenics.

It is overrated as you correctly stated. A lot of people who lift heavy and are trying to get big are often the ones who failed at sports when they were younger or got bullied/teased and feel the need to look intimidating to others. After they get bigger and stronger they still suck at the sports.

Gaining weight can be a burden if you're into a competitive sport which requires some kind of endurance.

For the majority of people who just want a reasonable physique when they take their t-shirt off at the beach, all this heavy lifting (deadlifts, squats etc...) stuff is simply unnecessary.

My aims when I began was to build muscle and get a good physique, like 90% of people who start. After joining bodybuilding forums, I was consistently fed the LIFT HEAVY EAT LIKE A HORSE mentality. Now I soon learnt eating like a horse was stupid.

Bodyweight exercises are really enough for most people. I mean how strong do you really need to be?

There's no point wasting time, energy and effort on something that's unnecessary.

Let's face it, most people just want to look good on the beach. Spare me the bull**** about functional training.

I posted about this in another thread. I agree. I'm lifting as heavy as I can at the moment to get a decent level of base strength, but my aim is body weight exercises (the tough ones, not just pushups and pullups) and probably calisthenics and the like. That's been my aim all along-- I play football, I can't get too big. Anything regarding gaining strength and muscle and Starting Strength or Strong Lifts are mentioned when they may not necessarily be the best things for the individual.

If you're main aim is strength and mass gain then lifting heavy is definitely the best way to achieve that though. I do think bodyweight exercises, calisthenics, kettle bell swings, along with other cardio such as running/swimming/cycling/boxing etc are sufficient for most people though.

I would rather progress from say 10 pullups to 25 over 400lb deadlift to 415

Thats progression

It is overrated as you correctly stated. A lot of people who lift heavy and are trying to get big are often the ones who failed at sports when they were younger or got bullied/teased and feel the need to look intimidating to others. After they get bigger and stronger they still suck at the sports.

Gaining weight can be a burden if you're into a competitive sport which requires some kind of endurance.

For the majority of people who just want a reasonable physique when they take their t-shirt off at the beach, all this heavy lifting (deadlifts, squats etc...) stuff is simply unnecessary.