Weightlifting: If you can X after Y, you aren't working hard enough.

Lizarking
Lizarking Posts: 507 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Anyone else hate this mantra?

> If you can text/talk/gossip between sets, you aren't working hard enough.
> If you can do isolation after compound moves, you aren't working hard enough.
> If you can keep bowel integrity, you aren't working hard enough.
> If you can walk after squats, you aren't working hard enough.

It puts a really weird goal of 'working hard enough' out there.
What is this 'working hard enough?'

It's more macho BS that should be tossed aside.

Does anyone here knock out a set of bench, or whatever, and then become completely inert?
I can honestly say I've never experienced this, even when pushing new max weights resulting in multiple failures to the pins.

Replies

  • peaceout_aly
    peaceout_aly Posts: 2,018 Member
    I agree. I will max out 2-3 times in a session and then still do a lighter weight until failure just to make sure I feel the burn and get every single muscle activated. And I feel like I work out "hard enough." And I text between sets...or change the song, or do whatever I want to do on my phone, I hate the people that judge this behavior (unless of course someone is sitting for extended amounts of time just wasting time on their phone)
  • jennybearlv
    jennybearlv Posts: 1,519 Member
    I do dishes between sets. Not sure where that fits in.
    I only do compounds because I'm lazy and they get the job done.
    Proud to say I keep my pants clean.
    If you can't walk after squats you need to squat more often.
  • TR0berts
    TR0berts Posts: 7,739 Member
    Lizarking wrote: »
    > If you can text/talk/gossip between sets, you aren't working hard enough.

    I've never heard that. I have heard, "if you can text/talk while working, you aren't working hard enough."
    > If you can do isolation after compound moves, you aren't working hard enough.

    I've never heard that, either. In fact, the vast majority of programs have you do isos after compounds. Of course, that's if isos are involved at all.
    > If you can keep bowel integrity, you aren't working hard enough.
    > If you can walk after squats, you aren't working hard enough.

    I'm pretty sure those are just jokes. I guess I could be wrong, but I hope not.
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
    It sounds like a way to injury oneself!
    I don't believe that at all. I train smart and follow my programing. Also since I train lower body 3-4x per week, maxing out one day would possibly mean sub-par workouts the rest of the week.. not ideal for me.
  • Chieflrg
    Chieflrg Posts: 9,097 Member
    Working hard enough is progression towards your goals.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    I've never actually heard any of those things...but really, working hard enough would depend on the training protocol for the day...IDK...my programming doesn't have me going balls out every single training bout.
    > If you can text/talk/gossip between sets, you aren't working hard enough.
    IDK...rest between sessions can be pretty variable...I know power lifters who will take five minutes between sets to rest...what else are they supposed to do?
    > If you can do isolation after compound moves, you aren't working hard enough.
    I would agree that they should be at the end of your workout...but I'm pretty sure body builders do tons of isolation work even after they've performed compound movements...
    > If you can keep bowel integrity, you aren't working hard enough.
    I've been in and out of gyms most of my life and I've yet to see someone *kitten* their pants
    > If you can walk after squats, you aren't working hard enough.
    The only time I've ever seen this is with someone new to squats and usually lifting in general.

    Not sure who you're hearing this kind of stuff from, but I'd just ignore it and not let it bother you...because none of it even makes sense.
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,343 Member
    edited November 2016
    Lizarking wrote: »
    Anyone else hate this mantra?

    > If you can text/talk/gossip between sets, you aren't working hard enough.
    > If you can do isolation after compound moves, you aren't working hard enough.
    > If you can keep bowel integrity, you aren't working hard enough.
    > If you can walk after squats, you aren't working hard enough.

    It puts a really weird goal of 'working hard enough' out there.
    What is this 'working hard enough?'

    It's more macho BS that should be tossed aside.

    Does anyone here knock out a set of bench, or whatever, and then become completely inert?
    I can honestly say I've never experienced this, even when pushing new max weights resulting in multiple failures to the pins.

    Sounds like you've been reading articles over at T Nation. :D
  • piperdown44
    piperdown44 Posts: 958 Member
    AnvilHead wrote: »
    Lizarking wrote: »
    Anyone else hate this mantra?

    > If you can text/talk/gossip between sets, you aren't working hard enough.
    > If you can do isolation after compound moves, you aren't working hard enough.
    > If you can keep bowel integrity, you aren't working hard enough.
    > If you can walk after squats, you aren't working hard enough.

    It puts a really weird goal of 'working hard enough' out there.
    What is this 'working hard enough?'

    It's more macho BS that should be tossed aside.

    Does anyone here knock out a set of bench, or whatever, and then become completely inert?
    I can honestly say I've never experienced this, even when pushing new max weights resulting in multiple failures to the pins.

    Sounds like you've been reading articles over at T Nation. :D

    Or over in the teen section at bodybuilding.com

  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    I have seen comments to the effect of "you're not working hard enough if you're not sore after leg day." I am a fan of working legs 2+ times a week, though, so I don't feel the need to annihilate them in order to make up for ignoring them all week.
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
    This is complete crapola. Where are you hanging out or where have you been surfing the net?
  • butterbuns123
    butterbuns123 Posts: 150 Member
    If you can't walk after your squats then you don't squat enough. I skwaat everyday to a 90%+ 1rm. And I'm fine after all while making aalll kinds of gainz
  • canadianlbs
    canadianlbs Posts: 5,199 Member
    i've heard that kind of stuff. it just sounds like overexcitable silliness to me, so yeah. i don't take it seriously and i either roll my eyes or get irritated depending on how cranky and hangry i am at the time.
  • Lizarking
    Lizarking Posts: 507 Member
    RoxieDawn wrote: »
    This is complete crapola. Where are you hanging out or where have you been surfing the net?

    Many lifting/powerlifting blogs/pages/groups, and some of it from this very forum. (The isolation thing.)
  • Charis50
    Charis50 Posts: 181 Member
    Um, "bowel integrity?" Really? Does this mean that if you don't *kitten* yourself, you're not working hard enough?

    (I don't work hard enough--I'll gladly stipulate that. I'm just curious about the phrase "bowel integrity.")
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    Never heard any of those phrases in four decades of gym workouts - then again mobile phones hadn't been invented when I started training. :)
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,343 Member
    butterbuns123 wrote: »
    If you can't walk after your squats then you don't squat enough. I skwaat everyday to a 90%+ 1rm. And I'm fine after all while making aalll kinds of gainz

    You forgot the link to a Hodge Twins video.
  • canadianlbs
    canadianlbs Posts: 5,199 Member
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    I've been in and out of gyms most of my life and I've yet to see someone *kitten* their pants

    according to someone in my 'club' there's a guy somewhere in america who offers a free t-shirt to anyone who does do this while squatting in his gym.

    they told me about this last week and i was sort of baffled. seems to me that if you wanted to fake your way to that kind of cred it couldn't be too terribly hard. not that i'm planning to experiment or anything.
  • GottaBurnEmAll
    GottaBurnEmAll Posts: 7,722 Member
    edited November 2016
    I purposely don't go all out when lifting because I found that it triggered migraines for me. It's the same reason I don't do HiIT. Guess I'm a poser.

    Here's a another one where I'm sacrilegious... I prefer dumbbells. Because I have scoliosis and have major imbalances that the barbell only masks. My left side is significantly weaker than my right and working with the barbell only made it worse.

    I'm a weirdo.
  • KDar1988
    KDar1988 Posts: 648 Member
    GottaBurnEmAll wrote: »
    I purposely don't go all out when lifting because I found that it triggered migraines for me. It's the same reason I don't do HiIT. Guess I'm a poser.

    Here's a another one where I'm sacrilegious... I prefer dumbbells. Because I have scoliosis and have major imbalances that the barbell only masks. My left side is significantly weaker than my right and working with the barbell only made it worse.

    I'm a weirdo.

    No you're not...you know what your body can take. :)
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    GottaBurnEmAll wrote: »
    I purposely don't go all out when lifting because I found that it triggered migraines for me. It's the same reason I don't do HiIT. Guess I'm a poser.

    Here's a another one where I'm sacrilegious... I prefer dumbbells. Because I have scoliosis and have major imbalances that the barbell only masks. My left side is significantly weaker than my right and working with the barbell only made it worse.

    I'm a weirdo.

    Not a weirdo :)

    I incorporate a lot of dumbbells in my workouts. Right now I am doing dumbbell RDLs because I like the extra range of motion and stretch. I like the added strength I get with big barbell work but find that I can focus on feeling my muscles work more with dumbbells.
  • GottaBurnEmAll
    GottaBurnEmAll Posts: 7,722 Member
    jemhh wrote: »
    GottaBurnEmAll wrote: »
    I purposely don't go all out when lifting because I found that it triggered migraines for me. It's the same reason I don't do HiIT. Guess I'm a poser.

    Here's a another one where I'm sacrilegious... I prefer dumbbells. Because I have scoliosis and have major imbalances that the barbell only masks. My left side is significantly weaker than my right and working with the barbell only made it worse.

    I'm a weirdo.

    Not a weirdo :)

    I incorporate a lot of dumbbells in my workouts. Right now I am doing dumbbell RDLs because I like the extra range of motion and stretch. I like the added strength I get with big barbell work but find that I can focus on feeling my muscles work more with dumbbells.

    I love dumbbell RDL's! It's probably my favorite lift.

  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    GottaBurnEmAll wrote: »
    jemhh wrote: »
    GottaBurnEmAll wrote: »
    I purposely don't go all out when lifting because I found that it triggered migraines for me. It's the same reason I don't do HiIT. Guess I'm a poser.

    Here's a another one where I'm sacrilegious... I prefer dumbbells. Because I have scoliosis and have major imbalances that the barbell only masks. My left side is significantly weaker than my right and working with the barbell only made it worse.

    I'm a weirdo.

    Not a weirdo :)

    I incorporate a lot of dumbbells in my workouts. Right now I am doing dumbbell RDLs because I like the extra range of motion and stretch. I like the added strength I get with big barbell work but find that I can focus on feeling my muscles work more with dumbbells.

    I love dumbbell RDL's! It's probably my favorite lift.

    I love hamstring exercises. They are probably my favorite muscles to work.

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