Erik

I don't agree with this. First, there has long been an idea in regards to weight training that you'll bulk up and won't be able to move. It's worth noting that it is incredibly difficult to achieve the kind of bulk people fear. Even hard-core body builders don't achieve that kind of bulk without help, extremely good genetics, years of effort or some combination of these. Chances are you don't have those genetics, aren't planning on shooting steriods and won't put in the years of solid effort required. It's hard to get really big.

Second, the idea that the size of the muscle does not equate to speed is also incorrect from what I know. In fact, it's the opposite. A larger muscle can be faster than a smaller muscle precisely because it can generate more force. Take a look at very high-caliber track and field sprinters and tell me they don't lift weights and aren't very well developed physically. Same thing with boxers and other athletes.

Third, as I mentioned before, a lot of those steriod enhanced body builders are actually more flexible than you think. The real question is whether they stretch or not.

Now if you want explosive power, such as for jumping, then you probably want to do some Plyometric exercises mixed in with your weight training but you would still want to do weight training.

This is an old argument and it's been around for decades and in it's broad form is incorrect. In a narrow form, if you just go toss iron around for instance, it may have some substance but even a basic solid weight training program using heavy weights (something different for each of us) will help.

I'll try and find some more links on this but here's one to start:

http://www.lifefitness.com/weight_li...g_exercise.asp