I don't like lifting, but love the results. Advice?
Replies
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jennybearlv wrote: »I just visited the Crossfit website and am feeling very skeptical now. WOD looked fine then there's this photo of a group running with weighted vests. WTF? Then I scroll down to some text telling me not to eat sugar. Oh hell no. Then it goes into some fun sounding strength activities, okay. Then it goes into cardio and gets weird from there. It's this the kind of woo I should expect from Crossfit or are some boxes more based in reality?
Go look at the affiliate map and find the three boxes closest to home or work. Look at their websites and FB pages.
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^ Yes, I was also going to mention look at the websites of the actual gyms. Much less intimidating!
The reason I'm so gung-ho is that I went in being SCARED. And then I saw the people who are going to be in my class (the only other girl is freaking JACKED!) and I got even more scared. But the way we went through everything made me feel really capable and excited. They laid out all the things that I CAN do, and then ways to make those more challenging. Most people at my gym aren't doing much (or any) of the RX stuff, but they make people feel good about what they can do. And for me, it's great as goals that I want to work toward.1 -
I looked up stuff around me and dang Crossfit is expensive! The web pages did not look as totally goofy as the main site. I did stumble across a gym with crossfit, powerlifting, olympic and strongman stuff that looks totally awesome. Also, expensive. $80-150 a month, but they do allow drop ins including classes, so maybe I could check out different stuff on the cheap and see what I'm into.4
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Crossfit is very fun, but very intense. Make sure to join a program with someone is is diligent about getting your form down before adding weights. No one should be rushing you to perform the RX if you can't even squat w/ a full range of motion.
I hated lifting at first, but i don't do it because it felt good or because i "loved" it. I did it for the results. If i always did what "felt good" i'd never leave the couch.0 -
jennybearlv wrote: »I looked up stuff around me and dang Crossfit is expensive! The web pages did not look as totally goofy as the main site. I did stumble across a gym with crossfit, powerlifting, olympic and strongman stuff that looks totally awesome. Also, expensive. $80-150 a month, but they do allow drop ins including classes, so maybe I could check out different stuff on the cheap and see what I'm into.
For me it's $120/ month for unlimited classes and open gym. I thought that was kind of pricey too, compared to my previous gym. But I figure if you're getting good coaching, it is worth a little more to me. Taking multiple classes at my other gym or working with a PT would've cost way more.0 -
jennybearlv wrote: »The simplicity of Stronglifts was a plus for me, but I plateaued on all my lifts at fairly low weights. I would be open to something with all compounds I can get done in 90 minutes a week like SL.
i transitioned to 3x5 after a year of sl, because trainer's format. and then when that topped out for me, he moved me onto wendler 5/3/1. it was actually rage that tipped the balance
. i do love lifting, but those last few weeks of everything-always-being-a-struggle on 3x5 was on its way towards changing my mind.
so you could try that, unless it's the actual lifting you hate.
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girlinahat wrote: »Bouldering or climbing?
My sister-in-law and brother-in-law do bouldering in AZ and go to a climbing gym. My SIL is ripped! She is 40 & 5' tall and looks like an Olympic swimmer or gymnast.0 -
Gallowmere1984 wrote: »Am I the only one who had Ronnie Coleman pop into their head, upon reading the OP?
Everyone wants to be a bodybuilder, but no one wants to lift heavy *kitten* weights..
Yep3 -
VeronicaA76 wrote: »Gallowmere1984 wrote: »Am I the only one who had Ronnie Coleman pop into their head, upon reading the OP?
Everyone wants to be a bodybuilder, but no one wants to lift heavy *kitten* weights..
Yep
I don't know who Ronnie Coleman is but that describes me well.0 -
canadianlbs wrote: »jennybearlv wrote: »The simplicity of Stronglifts was a plus for me, but I plateaued on all my lifts at fairly low weights. I would be open to something with all compounds I can get done in 90 minutes a week like SL.
i transitioned to 3x5 after a year of sl, because trainer's format. and then when that topped out for me, he moved me onto wendler 5/3/1. it was actually rage that tipped the balance. i do love lifting, but those last few weeks of everything-always-being-a-struggle on 3x5 was on its way towards changing my mind.
so you could try that, unless it's the actual lifting you hate.
I don't think I hate lifting. I do think I'm completely done with the high reps and eight exercises every time with Strong Curves. My butt does look great, but I think I actually lost some of my upper body muscle I was loving and I was pretty miserable and tired. I do think I was getting a little bored with Stronglifts, but doing the exact same thing for six months and not getting any stronger will do that.
I am leaning towards body weight training, or maybe a combination, because I'm not sure I can make much improvement in lower without weights. I ordered some books to give me a better idea. The 3x5 or 5/3/1 may be a good approach to look at for the exercises I plan on sticking with. I really can't imagine a program without the basic compounds. I have really missed standard deadlifts.1 -
jennybearlv wrote: »VeronicaA76 wrote: »Gallowmere1984 wrote: »Am I the only one who had Ronnie Coleman pop into their head, upon reading the OP?
Everyone wants to be a bodybuilder, but no one wants to lift heavy *kitten* weights..
Yep
I don't know who Ronnie Coleman is but that describes me well.
8-time Mr. Olympia bodybuilding champion.
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jennybearlv wrote: »VeronicaA76 wrote: »Gallowmere1984 wrote: »Am I the only one who had Ronnie Coleman pop into their head, upon reading the OP?
Everyone wants to be a bodybuilder, but no one wants to lift heavy *kitten* weights..
Yep
I don't know who Ronnie Coleman is but that describes me well.
8-time Mr. Olympia bodybuilding champion.
Yeah, he definitely enjoys lifting more than I do.4 -
I don't like working, but I do like having money, so I just do it. Not everything in my life is going to be fun!8
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I don't like lifting that much either. It's a little boring for me. I could never do a gym. I can't imagine taking the time to drive to a gym, wait for equipment, shower and drive home again. That's just me. I have a lot of other hobbies that I prefer to spend time on! However, I can't argue with the results.
What worked for me is slowly building out a small corner of our basement for a workout room. My husband and I started a couple years ago with adjustable dumbbells and an incline bench. This was fine for a while, but I outgrew the max weight of the dumbbells for some exercises. I added a barbell, weights, a mini squat rack and a flat bench. My husband made a pull down apparatus with a pulley and a big crate. It's awesome and takes barely any room because it's tucked above the floor joists. I think the total cost of the gym was less than $1000. Some things I found used and on clearance. Not bad for something that gets used a lot and will in the future.
Anyway, I just force myself to pop down to the basement 3-4 times a week and just get it done. If I concentrate, I can pump out a full workout in 30 min. Usually, it's a little longer if my kiddo is hanging out with me, or if I get distracted by my phone. Frankly, I think it's a lot easier to just lift some weights, rather than take the time to go to a crossfit class, or drive to a place to go rock climbing, rowing, etc. a few times a week.
I've also done Strong Curves since the spring. I agree about the high reps. I get tired of them too. I'm not sure my butt looks any better. It's never been flat though. I'm also pear shaped and a few lbs overweight, so I still have most of my fat on my backend. I will probably switch to something else soon just to change it up.0 -
I'm another "Hate lifting" person, but wanted to get stronger and generally more fit. started climbing (mostly in the gym, a bit outside) about 2 years ago now and love it. On its own it won't get you professional body builder built, but it definitely got rid of a lot of excess fat and added muscle for me. (If you care to see progress or before/after stuff I have some videos from the last year and a half or so here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrSh09ATsIcu93LL-kGvo_w )
The thing I love about it is that it keeps my interest with constantly improving goals, both big and small. Right now I want to finish this route or problem, long term I want to be climbing higher grades. I can also be social and go with friends and have belay partners, or just have some nice solo time on the boulder.
I do augment with some non-climbing stuff at the gym and at home, Pull-ups, core work, hang board exercises. Nothing especially hardcore, but it does help and knowing I can do more pull-ups than before or whatever is another measure of progress.
I think the key is finding something you enjoy, if you're really going to stick with it.0 -
Alatariel75 wrote: »I don't like working, but I do like having money, so I just do it. Not everything in my life is going to be fun!
Me: I don't wanna go to work
Bills: Bch! Where's my money
Me: Off to work I go.4 -
jennybearlv wrote: »I don't think I hate lifting. I do think I'm completely done with the high reps and eight exercises every time with Strong Curves.
yeah, exactly . . . not that i've done strong curves. but that same thing of 'no, definitely don't hate it . . . it's just that right now it sure feels like i do.' that does seem like it's turned into my personal sign that it's time to switch something up.
totally relate to the missing-normal-deadlifts thing.
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I would highly recommend looking into some kettle bell work. I wasn't really into weights either until I fell in love with kettle bells. If there is a kettle bell specific gym by you, check it out and try it for a couple months to at least learn the basics.
I love that I can pick up a kettle bell and just flow with it depending on how I'm feeling.0 -
I say this with some hesitation, but compared to other types of cardio, rowing is on the more muscle-encouraging side.
I'd say I got a bit of recomp out of it, doing it while maintaining at obese BMI. (Lost a couple of sizes at constant weight, but it was very slow).
On-water is very fun . . . some people like machine rowing, but I pretty much only do it because we have Winter here and my river gets crunchy.
Rowing uses a wider range of muscles than kayaking (sliding seat, more kegs/back), plus you get to go faster, and backwards.
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If we are going to use a work analogy that actually represents someone in OP's position I think it would more accurately go like this:
Me: I hate my job
Me: I have bills to pay!
Me: I'll find a job I don't hate so I can pay my bills while not being miserable.
To the original poster of this thread, here are my thoughts and I get that I'm not necessarily providing answers here:
You have some fitness related goals and/or body composition related goals. The tools you have to choose from to bring you closer to these goals likely exist on a continuum where some tools are highly specific to the goals you have and some are less specific and some are not even close.
Just for example, if someone were sedentary and they wanted to improve leg strength they could start cycling and at least for some period of time they'd get stronger by doing so. They could go to a gym and leg press, they could squat, they could do body-weight squats and lunges and step-ups at home, etc.
But if someone had the goal of squatting 500lbs then they must select the squat. They might do a few other things along with it, but they pretty much must squat (often, and aggressively for the most part) if they want to reach this goal.
I only type this out to give some examples about exercise selection and specificity.
In YOUR case, you state that you don't like lifting weights and that you like what lifting weights does for you.
I would first find out WHAT you don't like about lifting weights and I would also ask you what specific outcome you like which lifting weights gives you.
From there, you might at least be able to narrow down which modalities of training you could try out which would reasonably accomplish the goals you're after. And additionally, if you determine that you must lift weights to accomplish those goals, you'd have a good starting point for finding a method of lifting weights that has less of the stuff you don't like.
One minor thing to point out, at least a good portion of the adaptations you can get from lifting weights could be achieved with body-weight training if you think that's something you'd find more amusing.
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Scrolled through this post.
Thoughts and observations in no particular order:
- not every thing that's good for you is fun, but there are ways to mix things up so you can engage better with your training
- crossfit can be a great way to introduce people to a less monotonous way of working out
- not all crossfit boxes are the same
- a good coach to teach you proper form for oly (and other) lifts is essential. Not necessarily to continue with forever but certainly to set your foundation
- I would be less worried about breaking your floor and more worried about injuring yourself is you have never been taught how to lift correctly
- it's possible that not everything you think is 'woo' is actually as crazy as you think
- the quote you screen shot is basically the gist of what the dude who started crossfit suggested for being fit and healthy. People who use that template tend to have pretty sweet results
- you can still do an activity if you don't buy into an underlying philosophy
- sometimes you need to do things you don't like if you want a particular result3 -
OP my first question is, what about lifting don't enjoy? What are the specific things? Can you name the two or three things that make you go "ugghhhh I don't like this."?0
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DawnOfTheDead_Lift wrote: »OP my first question is, what about lifting don't enjoy? What are the specific things? Can you name the two or three things that make you go "ugghhhh I don't like this."?
I have been doing some thinking about what I don't enjoy. The high reps and eight exercises of Strong Curves have really bored me to death. Which is funny, because I was getting bored of the same thing all the time with Stronglifts. A change is definitely in my future. I like lower reps for sure, but might want to do more than five exercises.
Another thing that bores me about lifting is my view from my weight room. Its basically a fence and my neighbors living room window. Sometimes they watch TV with the blinds open in the evening, but when I work out it generally looks like this:
I need to plant something interesting on that fence. That would help a little.If we are going to use a work analogy that actually represents someone in OP's position I think it would more accurately go like this:
Me: I hate my job
Me: I have bills to pay!
Me: I'll find a job I don't hate so I can pay my bills while not being miserable.
To the original poster of this thread, here are my thoughts and I get that I'm not necessarily providing answers here:
You have some fitness related goals and/or body composition related goals. The tools you have to choose from to bring you closer to these goals likely exist on a continuum where some tools are highly specific to the goals you have and some are less specific and some are not even close.
Just for example, if someone were sedentary and they wanted to improve leg strength they could start cycling and at least for some period of time they'd get stronger by doing so. They could go to a gym and leg press, they could squat, they could do body-weight squats and lunges and step-ups at home, etc.
But if someone had the goal of squatting 500lbs then they must select the squat. They might do a few other things along with it, but they pretty much must squat (often, and aggressively for the most part) if they want to reach this goal.
I only type this out to give some examples about exercise selection and specificity.
In YOUR case, you state that you don't like lifting weights and that you like what lifting weights does for you.
I would first find out WHAT you don't like about lifting weights and I would also ask you what specific outcome you like which lifting weights gives you.
From there, you might at least be able to narrow down which modalities of training you could try out which would reasonably accomplish the goals you're after. And additionally, if you determine that you must lift weights to accomplish those goals, you'd have a good starting point for finding a method of lifting weights that has less of the stuff you don't like.
One minor thing to point out, at least a good portion of the adaptations you can get from lifting weights could be achieved with body-weight training if you think that's something you'd find more amusing.
Great insight. I am thinking of doing some bodyweight. Between my high bodyweight and my not particularly well trained upper body strength I have a huge amount of progression I can make. I can make a little progress still in lower body, but I I'm leaning towards weight in that area. I do enjoy squatting and deadlifitng with weight. I'm considering doing an upper lower split with weights and lower body 2 days, then doing upper body 2 days at the parcourse near my house, since I love getting outdoors.
I'm not sure what to do for programming though. I got the book Overcoming Gravity which is very technical and am sort of getting the gist of writing my own program for a mix of bodyweight and weights, but not feeling super confident. It does have a chapter on goals. I did a mix of bodyweight goals, weight goals, and a gymnastics goal: Squat and deadlift my bodyweight, do 1 pullup and 1 wall handstand pushup, hold a freestanding handstand for ten seconds.Scrolled through this post.
Thoughts and observations in no particular order:
- not every thing that's good for you is fun, but there are ways to mix things up so you can engage better with your training
- crossfit can be a great way to introduce people to a less monotonous way of working out
- not all crossfit boxes are the same
- a good coach to teach you proper form for oly (and other) lifts is essential. Not necessarily to continue with forever but certainly to set your foundation
- I would be less worried about breaking your floor and more worried about injuring yourself is you have never been taught how to lift correctly
- it's possible that not everything you think is 'woo' is actually as crazy as you think
- the quote you screen shot is basically the gist of what the dude who started crossfit suggested for being fit and healthy. People who use that template tend to have pretty sweet results
- you can still do an activity if you don't buy into an underlying philosophy
- sometimes you need to do things you don't like if you want a particular result
I do not have the money for Crossfit or a gym membership at this point in time. I do absolutely think I need to visit the crossfit/oly/powerlifting/strongman gym near me though. Their website says they have classes in all of these areas and they are only $10 for a drop in. Not something I can do often but I do think it would benefit me to show up a few times a month and get my form checked and to learn new movements.2 -
jennybearlv wrote: »DawnOfTheDead_Lift wrote: »OP my first question is, what about lifting don't enjoy? What are the specific things? Can you name the two or three things that make you go "ugghhhh I don't like this."?
I have been doing some thinking about what I don't enjoy. The high reps and eight exercises of Strong Curves have really bored me to death. Which is funny, because I was getting bored of the same thing all the time with Stronglifts. A change is definitely in my future. I like lower reps for sure, but might want to do more than five exercises.
Another thing that bores me about lifting is my view from my weight room. Its basically a fence and my neighbors living room window. Sometimes they watch TV with the blinds open in the evening, but when I work out it generally looks like this:
I need to plant something interesting on that fence. That would help a little.If we are going to use a work analogy that actually represents someone in OP's position I think it would more accurately go like this:
Me: I hate my job
Me: I have bills to pay!
Me: I'll find a job I don't hate so I can pay my bills while not being miserable.
To the original poster of this thread, here are my thoughts and I get that I'm not necessarily providing answers here:
You have some fitness related goals and/or body composition related goals. The tools you have to choose from to bring you closer to these goals likely exist on a continuum where some tools are highly specific to the goals you have and some are less specific and some are not even close.
Just for example, if someone were sedentary and they wanted to improve leg strength they could start cycling and at least for some period of time they'd get stronger by doing so. They could go to a gym and leg press, they could squat, they could do body-weight squats and lunges and step-ups at home, etc.
But if someone had the goal of squatting 500lbs then they must select the squat. They might do a few other things along with it, but they pretty much must squat (often, and aggressively for the most part) if they want to reach this goal.
I only type this out to give some examples about exercise selection and specificity.
In YOUR case, you state that you don't like lifting weights and that you like what lifting weights does for you.
I would first find out WHAT you don't like about lifting weights and I would also ask you what specific outcome you like which lifting weights gives you.
From there, you might at least be able to narrow down which modalities of training you could try out which would reasonably accomplish the goals you're after. And additionally, if you determine that you must lift weights to accomplish those goals, you'd have a good starting point for finding a method of lifting weights that has less of the stuff you don't like.
One minor thing to point out, at least a good portion of the adaptations you can get from lifting weights could be achieved with body-weight training if you think that's something you'd find more amusing.
Great insight. I am thinking of doing some bodyweight. Between my high bodyweight and my not particularly well trained upper body strength I have a huge amount of progression I can make. I can make a little progress still in lower body, but I I'm leaning towards weight in that area. I do enjoy squatting and deadlifitng with weight. I'm considering doing an upper lower split with weights and lower body 2 days, then doing upper body 2 days at the parcourse near my house, since I love getting outdoors.
I'm not sure what to do for programming though. I got the book Overcoming Gravity which is very technical and am sort of getting the gist of writing my own program for a mix of bodyweight and weights, but not feeling super confident. It does have a chapter on goals. I did a mix of bodyweight goals, weight goals, and a gymnastics goal: Squat and deadlift my bodyweight, do 1 pullup and 1 wall handstand pushup, hold a freestanding handstand for ten seconds.Scrolled through this post.
Thoughts and observations in no particular order:
- not every thing that's good for you is fun, but there are ways to mix things up so you can engage better with your training
- crossfit can be a great way to introduce people to a less monotonous way of working out
- not all crossfit boxes are the same
- a good coach to teach you proper form for oly (and other) lifts is essential. Not necessarily to continue with forever but certainly to set your foundation
- I would be less worried about breaking your floor and more worried about injuring yourself is you have never been taught how to lift correctly
- it's possible that not everything you think is 'woo' is actually as crazy as you think
- the quote you screen shot is basically the gist of what the dude who started crossfit suggested for being fit and healthy. People who use that template tend to have pretty sweet results
- you can still do an activity if you don't buy into an underlying philosophy
- sometimes you need to do things you don't like if you want a particular result
I do not have the money for Crossfit or a gym membership at this point in time. I do absolutely think I need to visit the crossfit/oly/powerlifting/strongman gym near me though. Their website says they have classes in all of these areas and they are only $10 for a drop in. Not something I can do often but I do think it would benefit me to show up a few times a month and get my form checked and to learn new movements.
It sounds like you may not really care for the lack of variety that traditional strength training offers. And honestly, if you don't have any goals of being very strong or gaining an appreciable amount of muscle, then there are many avenues. You could set up your routine so every day had different exercises and rep ranges or heck all my friend does is jazzercise classes and you would think she "lifts"0 -
I would also add that when I was heavier I felt very similiarly about lifting. It wasn't until I got my body fat lower and muscles started to "pop" that I got hooked on it.1
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Hitting PRs makes lifting enjoyable for me.
If I was not progressing in my lifts in some way I would become bored too.0 -
You could also try lifting less frequently -- would that be more tolerable? Nia Shanks has a program for 2x a week and she recommends it for people who are in a phase where they are not loving strength training.
http://www.niashanks.com/two-day-strength-program/0 -
You can split up your lifting. I.e. instead of spending 30 minutes doing 3 sets of 8 reps of 3 lifts, etc. Spend ten minutes before work in the morning doing one. If you can, at lunch spend ten minutes doing the second. After work (while making dinner), do the third. Just work it into your day.
I used to do ten pushups every time I went to the bathroom. It takes like 30 seconds. I tried pullups, but the darn stall doors act like Im too heavy
So I started doing 5 squats right before I sit on the toilet. Stuff like that.
I think there is some paleo type workout thing (mark's daily apple?) where he says you can get a full body resistant/progressive workout from just 4 exercises - squats, pushups, pullups and planks I think. He gives bodyweight progressions to help you keep doing better (i.e. pushups against a wall standing first, work your way down to floor and knees, then regular ones, then put your feet up on a wall so downhill, clapping pushups, etc). If you spread them through out your day, you dont even really work up a sweat or need to change clothes. Save your real workout time for stuff you enjoy.1 -
Can you get a couple of friends to join you?0
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Have you looked at New Rules of Lifting? Any of the books/programs, really.
Specifically speaking to New Rules of Lifting for Women, you have a few core lifts, but you change rep/set ranges and other lifts every few weeks. So that might help alleviate some boredom?1
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