To Lift or Not To Lift?

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rileyes
rileyes Posts: 1,404 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I say lift.

And the reason for me is lifting can help with power, speed, endurance and strength in a sport.

Heavy compound lifts have helped give me more power in tennis. Ball speed and jumping have increased when I lift heavy.

Barbell Hip Thrusts have helped me with sprinting speed. I've noticed I am quicker on the court. I'm not a runner, but if I were, I would work that posterior chain like there is no tomorrow. If my goal is a quick dash to the finish line, that is. (I am curious, any runners here notice a sprinting change after BB Hip Thrusts?) I have read lots of articles about rugby, footbal and baseball players performing this lift for speed.

I am still experimenting with lifting and realizing all the benefits I get from it. At the moment, endurance is my weakness. (And strength. Always strength.)

What is it about lifting for you?

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Replies

  • auddii
    auddii Posts: 15,357 Member
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    I lift because I see too many frail older people with tons of health concerns. Maintaining muscle mass and bone density is my main driver. Plus, I really enjoy it. Feeling strong is awesome. And it's really helped my posture.

    Others may not enjoy lifting, but I'd still recommend some kind of progressive resistance training of some other kind that they enjoy for the same reason.
  • rileyes
    rileyes Posts: 1,404 Member
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    auddii wrote: »
    I lift because I see too many frail older people with tons of health concerns. Maintaining muscle mass and bone density is my main driver. Plus, I really enjoy it. Feeling strong is awesome. And it's really helped my posture.

    Others may not enjoy lifting, but I'd still recommend some kind of progressive resistance training of some other kind that they enjoy for the same reason.

    That's what got me into it. Then I noticed the other benefits too.
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
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    auddii wrote: »
    I lift because I see too many frail older people with tons of health concerns. Maintaining muscle mass and bone density is my main driver. Plus, I really enjoy it. Feeling strong is awesome. And it's really helped my posture.

    Maintaining my lean muscle mass as I age + injury resistance as a runner are my reasons for strength training.

    Agree with auddii.....everyone will benefit from engaging in some form of strength training.
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
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    I chose not to lift. I find lifting boring and limiting. I also dislike the fact that I'm limited to only a few moves and that I have to be extra careful with the form. I don't feel the time/money investment is worth it to me just to improve my other fitness goals a little bit. I'm okay with not being at my full potential because I don't compete in any sport and do the exercises I do enjoy for fun/stress relief/calories, so I don't feel pressured to maximize my results. Don't get me wrong, I do seek improvement, I just don't feel the value lifting can provide for me personally is worth the effort.

    I believe lifting is a great choice of exercise for people who enjoy it and whose goals it fits, but I don't think it's absolutely necessary for everyone's goals.
  • JQuinnLife
    JQuinnLife Posts: 102 Member
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    Everyday Brodin blesses me with the opportunity to enter the Church of Iron and preach the Swoly Bible. It would be blasphemous to not preach heavy lifts.

    Every human being, with very few exceptions, should be lifting heavy. Compound lifts with barbells on your back and in your hands transforms who you are, internally and externally. Ignoring that reality, or trying to justify why you "can't" lift is nothing but mental weakness.

    I lift because it has been given to me to lift. Brodin be praised. - Wheymen
  • pondee629
    pondee629 Posts: 2,469 Member
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    BrianSharpe wrote: »
    auddii wrote: »
    I lift because I see too many frail older people with tons of health concerns. Maintaining muscle mass and bone density is my main driver. Plus, I really enjoy it. Feeling strong is awesome. And it's really helped my posture.

    Maintaining my lean muscle mass as I age + injury resistance as a runner are my reasons for strength training.

    Agree with auddii.....everyone will benefit from engaging in some form of strength training.

    Can't do much about the older but I can hope to stave off the frailer.
  • DaddieCat
    DaddieCat Posts: 3,646 Member
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    Nage3000 wrote: »
    Everyday Brodin blesses me with the opportunity to enter the Church of Iron and preach the Swoly Bible. It would be blasphemous to not preach heavy lifts.

    Every human being, with very few exceptions, should be lifting heavy. Compound lifts with barbells on your back and in your hands transforms who you are, internally and externally. Ignoring that reality, or trying to justify why you "can't" lift is nothing but mental weakness.

    I lift because it has been given to me to lift. Brodin be praised. - Wheymen

    You... I like you.
  • ash_law
    ash_law Posts: 70 Member
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    I lift because nothing feels as good as the high of a new PR - whether it be finally reaching a 1-plate bench, a huge squat, 350lb deadlift, whatever. To me, nothing compares.

    Also, on a more shallow note, I like the way it transforms my body. :)
  • kami3006
    kami3006 Posts: 4,978 Member
    edited January 2016
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    After a tough leg day today, I was just pondering if I should "lift or not lift" my *kitten* off this desk chair and make the family some food. I'm still sitting here obviously. :D

    ETA: my dog is not having any of my shenanigans though and is demanding supper.
  • JQuinnLife
    JQuinnLife Posts: 102 Member
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    ash_law wrote: »
    ...on a more shallow note, I like the way it transforms my body. :)

    I agree, I like the way it transforms your body.

  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
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    I am the older so, I am in the same category as some here..

    Don't want my limbs to fall off before their time, also other don't want any old age ailments to keep me down as I would like to keep moving ... and as I lift, i am getting a new body transformation... its all good! :):)
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    edited January 2016
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    I lift cos after 2 sections and almost 30 years of yo yo dieting I have got that midriff back...and I am not losing it again

    And cos it makes me feel fecking awesome

    And cos I really like the people who are in the free weights section, even though I'm a little intimidated by some of them ...I don't get intimidated often and I find it refreshing to be honest

    And getting older

    And cos I can take my son on at push ups but he still beats me on pull ups

    And cos my daughter is aiming to do her first push up because we can do them

    And cos I am lighter when I walk, springier and faster ...and I don't take asthma medication at all any more (well very rarely) and I'm not even having a flu shot this year

    And cos I'm not invisible any more

    I lift cos I can
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,575 Member
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    I lift because I love it. I mean...I'm absolutely whole heartedly in love with lifting. It's the only form of exercise I have ever felt this way about and sometimes I cannot BELIEVE not only the strength benefits, but the physique I'm creating. I'm transformed body and soul.
  • middlehaitch
    middlehaitch Posts: 8,483 Member
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    I lift because I don't want @auddii et al to see me as a frail older person - that would be so scary.

    Seriously, I am just finishing my first round of All Pro and have enjoyed it no end. I will be upping the weight for the first time on Monday- so exciting. (I did Nerdfitness for a couple of years before)

    Why? I love me - what I can do, how I look, and having no medical problems is just making life too much fun.

    I just need @rabbitjb's nice flat belly to make me totally satisfied.

    Cheers, h.



  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
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    middlehaitch wrote: »
    I lift because I don't want @auddii et al to see me as a frail older person - that would be so scary.

    Seriously, I am just finishing my first round of All Pro and have enjoyed it no end. I will be upping the weight for the first time on Monday- so exciting. (I did Nerdfitness for a couple of years before)

    Why? I love me - what I can do, how I look, and having no medical problems is just making life too much fun.

    I just need @rabbitjb's nice flat belly to make me totally satisfied.

    Cheers, h.

    You can't see the pooch then ;)

  • middlehaitch
    middlehaitch Posts: 8,483 Member
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    I have never noticed a small dog in your pic. >:)
    No belly bloop either.
    Cheers, h.
  • RoseTheWarrior
    RoseTheWarrior Posts: 2,035 Member
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    I lift because it gives me the best body image. After I lift, I feel invincible (for a while at least!), and I feel like I look great. I also like being able to carry 8 bags of groceries at once, and show my 20something kids how to do real pushups LOL. I also love to play tennis and I believe that strength training really does pay off in that sport. You need to sprint, you need power. And let's face it, you just feel bad *kitten* for some reason when you can lift heavy things - over and over again - like a boss :wink:
  • IILikeToMoveItMoveIt
    IILikeToMoveItMoveIt Posts: 1,172 Member
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    I started unloading trucks by hand at 16 years old. I got strong just from work. I worked this way for years, just functional lifting. It's what I knew. (I remember one time someone didn't set up a pallet to catch a bale correctly, so when the bale came out, it landed half on half off the pallet. I propped myself up against some nearby stacks and pushed that b*tch back into the baler. It took me a couple minutes, but that was a thousand lb bale...)agree with Ariditerose. I LOVE lifting. I love feeling strong and the independence it gives me. I like the respect I get from men/women and the snearing from men/women. I like seeing how heavy I can go and for how long. The thing is I never learned form. Turns out when I lift I use whatever it takes to get me there and it's not always pretty. So in that respect I feel slowed down, but I still love it! I lost a lot of strength after my kiddos but I'm working back up to it. It seems like my body remembers and is like AWE YEAH, let's do this! Let's do this for HOURS!. But I know that's not feesable. I would like to though. I'm learning moderation and consistency. I have a hard time waiting for the next time to work out. I'm starting the splits thing, but I always feel like I'm not doing enough...I just want to burn into a puddle then do it again. lol Which is why complexes seem cool. I'm still working it out though. I actually thought about buying a trailer and filling boxes with books, rocks, water bottles. Setting up a sifting area and just do it to it like at work. But I don't have the money or space for that. lol I don't even have room for a barbel at this point. Anyway. Yay lifting!
  • adamhendrickson92
    adamhendrickson92 Posts: 29 Member
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    It's simple for me. I lift for the gains.
  • Serah87
    Serah87 Posts: 5,481 Member
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    I lift because it does beautiful, wonderful things to my body. ;)

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