Will I come to love strength training?

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lokihen
lokihen Posts: 382 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
People keep telling me that I'm going to love strength training and become addicted. It hasn't happened yet; still a chore.

I found a spreadsheet that I can fill out to track progress, which helps keep my nerd side engaged. But it would be wonderful if it became something I looked forward to, like cycling.

My question is: were you converted to the strength training side and how long did it take?
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Replies

  • sammyliftsandeats
    sammyliftsandeats Posts: 2,421 Member
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    I converted for sure. It took a structured program to really get me to love it so about six weeks. Wish I started sooner.
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,100 Member
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    What program are you using? That can make a big difference.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 32,070 Member
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    I really don't love the activity itself, but if I can keep myself going until I start to see strength gains, and get that steady nice, taut, worked-out feeling going on the reg, I can usually stick with it. Which activities people get addicted to is a pretty individual thing. Personally, I'm only addicted to on-water rowing. ;)
  • lokihen
    lokihen Posts: 382 Member
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    rileysowner wrote: »
    What program are you using? That can make a big difference.

    Just dumbbells at home.
  • eisterunicorn
    eisterunicorn Posts: 158 Member
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    Honestly, I tried to be one of the cool weight lifting kids for a while, bout a year ago. Don't get me wrong! No regrets here! :)
    It was exciting when I conquered my fear of the weight room and started learning how to do the exercises, BUT over time and as my weight started going up and it became more challenging, I really just became more afraid of the workouts and dreaded each set. All I could think about after a while was "omg I have to do this for the rest of my life to stay in this kind of shape???" For me, it wasn't worth it.

    Now I do a lot of cycling and yoga and while I probably won't get sculpted from it, I actually enjoy and look forward to exercising now. :)

    So in my opinion you just gotta do what you enjoy, do what you'll stick with and that you wanna get good at. :) There's something for everybody!!
  • Gallowmere1984
    Gallowmere1984 Posts: 6,626 Member
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    As already noted, some do, and some don't. Personally, I was hooked within the first week. Them noob gains made for great initial motivation, and by the time they died out, I had become obsessed with the idea of any improvement and progression being better than none.
  • Meganthedogmom
    Meganthedogmom Posts: 1,639 Member
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    I loved it right away. It's cardio that I have a love/hate relationship with.
  • kenyonhaff
    kenyonhaff Posts: 1,377 Member
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    I'm more of a cardio type of girl myself. It's not that I don't like strength training, but I don't really enjoy the same exercises month in month out. But strength training does not have to use weights. I tend to rely on "Classical Stretch" by Miranda Osmond-White which is more yoga/tai chi/dance based.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    I have never really enjoyed it. i do just about enough to get the health benefits. body weight stuff isn't to bad.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
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    Maybe you will, maybe you won't.
    Maybe you might like the results so much you "endure" it rather than enjoy it?

    Personally I took to it immediately (in about 1974....).
    Loved getting, feeling and looking stronger. Also made a big difference to a bullying situation at school - not just the strength but the self-confidence it gave me.

    On the other hand - long distance running I immediately loathed and still loathe it now.
    I will cycle all day and absolutely love it but running for anything other than sport or sprinting bores me to death.


    PS - "just dumbbells at home" could be a great and productive workout or could be virtually a waste of time. Depends what you do with them!
  • mir1104
    mir1104 Posts: 101 Member
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    May I ask you something? Are you working out for a specific sport that means you are bound to do strength training the way you do?
    Because if it's not the case, if you are working out for general fitness, for getting healthier, living longer, etc...there is no reason why you shouldn't pick an activity you like more.
    I deeply dislike all ball sports, if I had to play them I'd not last a week...even if someone told me I'd come to love them, just not! But I found sports I love and it's not a chore to do them, even at 4 in the morning on a cold winter day/night.
    Personally I suggest that you look for something you can enjoy, not force yourself to do something you don't because it's a sure, safe and tested recipe for failure.
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
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    At some point, you will learn to love the results and that should help.

    I find it a chore myself at first, but I figure out some tricks to stay engaged and then when I reached a certain level where I could actually feel the muscles engage and start to do "strong things", I became more internally motivated.

    If you don't enjoy it now, then o also recommend just doing the basics. With the right intensity and exercises, you can get a lot of benefits with 6-8 exercises.
  • Chieflrg
    Chieflrg Posts: 9,097 Member
    edited February 2017
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    Will you? Thst is a question you can answer for yourself.

    Me? I was never converted. I fell in love with it the first time I held a barbbell at age 12 some 35 years ago. Some things we are ready for at different points of life. Never force yourself to love some thing or someone, it doesn't work that way.
  • ew_david
    ew_david Posts: 3,473 Member
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    I loved it immediately, but that doesn't mean you will and that's totally okay. Lifting was the first exercise I looked forward to doing.
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
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    It's great, but I really fell in love after seeing how amazing the results were (the strength, the progression, the aesthetics) and finding the right program was a must for me.
  • lokihen
    lokihen Posts: 382 Member
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    Thanks for all the replies.

    It's cycling I really enjoy; I do get up at 4:00 a.m. to use my stationary bike on work days.

    There are a few reasons I wanted to include a little strength into my life. I'm getting close to the half-way point in my weight loss (84 lbs down so far) and this feels like the right time. My son won't always be around to do the heavy stuff. I'd like to be able to clean the chicken coop without feeling like I'm going to die. :)
  • jjpptt2
    jjpptt2 Posts: 5,650 Member
    edited February 2017
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    lokihen wrote: »
    People keep telling me that I'm going to love strength training and become addicted. It hasn't happened yet; still a chore.

    I found a spreadsheet that I can fill out to track progress, which helps keep my nerd side engaged. But it would be wonderful if it became something I looked forward to, like cycling.

    My question is: were you converted to the strength training side and how long did it take?

    I can echo every part of this post.

    Lifting is a grind for me. Period. Seeing regular progress helps a lot, but it's never been something I do for the love of it (like cycling). Some lifts and certain programming help make it less of a drudge, but even then it's a means to an end for me.
  • Sharon_C
    Sharon_C Posts: 2,132 Member
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    I love weight lifting, hate cardio. My husband loves, loves cardio, hates weight lifting. He's a runner. He's tried weight lifting with me and just doesn't like it. I think some people are just like that.

  • marieamethyst
    marieamethyst Posts: 869 Member
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    I still don't after working out for over 3 years now... I guess I'm just a cardio bunny at heart, lol. I enjoy doing push ups/squats/planks, but I get no enjoyment from doing weights and such.
  • pondee629
    pondee629 Posts: 2,469 Member
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    While spending some time with Uncle Sam's Misguided Children we questioned why we always chanted about how much we loved PT Our DI finally confided that nobody really loves PT, BUT we have to do it, we are going to do it and it makes it a lot easier if you can convince yourself that you do love it.

    You may or may not "love" strength training. It then becomes easier to do regularly if you do "love" it. You either will love, or very much like, the results of strength training and that will be your motivation supplying you the determination to continue. It then becomes easier to continue. If you find yourself not "loving" strength training and/or not being very happy with its results, you'll find something else to love to create the you you want to become.

    Seems you have cycling to love, you've also got strength training. If you like strength trainings results you'll just have to put up with it, if you find love does not come. It might, it might not. It just may forever be a chore, kinda like dusting or laundry.

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