Weightlifting

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zamphir66
zamphir66 Posts: 582 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I see posts on the regular from folks who can't stand cardio but are fully gung-ho about weightlifting. And the advice is generally that's OK because as long as you're getting the heart rate up for a certain number of hours each week, you're getting the benefits of cardio anyway.

I have the opposite issue. I'm finally admitting to myself that I despise weightlifting. It's hard to explain -- for me, it hits this sour spot of boring plus painful/difficult that just completely turns me off.

Thinking that maybe it was the environment, I invested ~$1000 into a nice home gym setup. Which I sold last year because all it did was gather dust.

The problem is, that as a guy I feel like I'm supposed to be into this and supposed to be transforming myself into a stronkboi, otherwise I fail as a guy. That's toxic masculinity talking, I know, but that doesn't make the voice go away.

I'm just not into it. Is there something I can do to change my own mind? What do?

This morning, I had planned to hit my gym at 6 am. Dread has kept me at home. :/ Tomorrow morning, I'm doing a round of 10K training where I'll be running for about a solid hour. I will have zero trouble getting hyped for that (I already am) and it might be the highlight of my Tuesday.

Replies

  • jryd14
    jryd14 Posts: 58 Member
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    Mind if I ask what kind of rep range you are working out in?..I used to have a similar issue, but since I cut down to a 4-8 rep range, and not going to total failure, just technical failure, I find my lifting session shorter, more enjoyable and I've seen better gains.
    Heavy, low reps worked for me. Soon as I can do 8 without losing form, I increase weight til i can only do 4
  • SnifterPug
    SnifterPug Posts: 746 Member
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    Have you tried other types of resistance training to see if any work better for you? Bands, calisthenics, kettlebells?
  • jayemes
    jayemes Posts: 865 Member
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    What about bodyweight exercises? Push ups, planks, crunches. pull ups....
  • giantrobot_powerlifting
    giantrobot_powerlifting Posts: 2,598 Member
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    The opening paragraph gives me the impression that you were barbell training like it was for cardio (ie moving the weight fast). It’s not. Perhaps, this is why you dreaded it so much.
  • Terytha
    Terytha Posts: 2,097 Member
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    I'm with you bud. Weight lifting suuucks.

    I went the personal trainer route instead of the home gym, and she has me doing a sort of resistance cardio routine. Lots of bodyweight stuff and use of machines like the skier and the tank.

    It's not my favorite but it sucks less than the straight weights program I had before, so maybe try talking to a trainer.

    Otherwise... you don't gotta lift weights dude. You can run or swim or play sports or something, those are all manly things. You won't bulk, but you'll be fit and lean.
  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,013 Member
    edited August 2019
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    zamphir66 wrote: »
    I see posts on the regular from folks who can't stand cardio but are fully gung-ho about weightlifting. And the advice is generally that's OK because as long as you're getting the heart rate up for a certain number of hours each week, you're getting the benefits of cardio anyway.

    I have the opposite issue. I'm finally admitting to myself that I despise weightlifting. It's hard to explain -- for me, it hits this sour spot of boring plus painful/difficult that just completely turns me off.

    Thinking that maybe it was the environment, I invested ~$1000 into a nice home gym setup. Which I sold last year because all it did was gather dust.

    The problem is, that as a guy I feel like I'm supposed to be into this and supposed to be transforming myself into a stronkboi, otherwise I fail as a guy. That's toxic masculinity talking, I know, but that doesn't make the voice go away.

    I'm just not into it. Is there something I can do to change my own mind? What do?

    This morning, I had planned to hit my gym at 6 am. Dread has kept me at home. :/ Tomorrow morning, I'm doing a round of 10K training where I'll be running for about a solid hour. I will have zero trouble getting hyped for that (I already am) and it might be the highlight of my Tuesday.

    Were you working a specific program? If not, you might find something more to your liking here:

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p1

    Often, people don't like weightlifting because they don't know what they're doing or why or how :smile:

    You don't have to want to transform yourself into anything, but resistance/strength training is important if you want to be generally fit and maintain your muscle as you get older. Body weight exercises, calisthenics, dumbbells, gym machines, a barbell, TRX, and probably other stuff I'm not thinking of off the top of my head can serve as resistance training.

    Otherwise, maybe let it go for now and try again in a few months.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
    edited August 2019
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    Why not try something more in the middle of the pure cardio to heavy strength training spectrum?

    Resistance based cardio such as rowing, swimming, cycling which is still predominantly cardio through to calisthenics, circuit training (misleadingly often called HIIT), high paced functional strength training....

    Must say that if your training was "painful / difficult" you were probably doing it wrong. There is a macho thing about being masculine that seems to preclude people from seeking professional advice as we "should" know how to do it. And as the multitude of blokes doing 10 varieties of curls (and only curls) in gyms up and down the country should testify that's clearly not the case. ;)

    But ultimately if you try it properly or other options and still despise it then you are highly unlikely to stick to it long term. I've always hated running (anything more than 100m, unless chasing a ball was involved...) but for a limited time could stick to a running routine to improve my sports performance.
  • Rawrmachin3
    Rawrmachin3 Posts: 20 Member
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    You just may not like weight lifting. It’s not for everyone. Even though I despise CrossFit you may want to try that. It’ll put you in with people that can motivate you and the social aspect may be what you’re missing. Given what you mentioned about your home weight system collecting dust I’d bet this may be the case.

    I’m in the advanced lifter stage so I don’t really need people to work out with. I have people in the gym I trust to spot me but that’s about it. Do I enjoy working out with people? Yes and was up until this year on a regular basis. I’ve gotten stronger by myself though as I’m running my mouth less and taking less time between sets. It’s what works for me.

    I love the stares I get in the gym when I’m powering through 455x5 on bench or squatting 625 without a belt or deadlifting 765. That motivates me but I also love when people come ask me questions and let me help them. I just enjoy being in the gym. I hate cardio so I don’t really do it more then 5-10 minutes and I have to push myself through it.

    You have to find what you like and are willing to stick with. Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS for short) will subside the longer you keep at it. I’m perpetually sore but I’m used to it and it doesn’t stop me from living life. I’ve been doing this for 10 years now and I’ve dealt with lower back issues, shoulder issues, knee issues, and biceps tendinitis at various time throughout my lifting. I have just kept pushing myself and now I’m feeling the best I have in years. It isn’t easy but anything worth having is worth working for.

    Understand that not liking weight lifting doesn’t make you less of a man anymore then say, not liking beer does. Try out classes, hiking groups, etc to find what you like. If you don’t enjoy it you won’t stick with it.




  • zamphir66
    zamphir66 Posts: 582 Member
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    Sorry folks I was in a real foul mood this morning.

    I was doing StrongLifts 5 by 5 for a good long while until I eventually hit a wall with everything.

    I will investigate other programs.
  • wiigelec
    wiigelec Posts: 503 Member
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    Yeah pushing max 5x5 day in and day out isn’t the best way to do it...
  • sgt1372
    sgt1372 Posts: 3,978 Member
    edited August 2019
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    OP: Your body, your choice.

    No doubt that you can lose/maintain wt and remain fit w/o doing any lifting but that does not mean there aren't any consequences.

    When I was 150#/12% BF (measured by DEXA) w/nil (almost 0) VAT about 18 months ago, but I felt burnt out and decided to stop lifting and just do cardio (rowing) only.

    BTW, my hydro BF measurement at the same time was 8%; hydro always gives lower measurements than DEXA. I believe the "truth" is in the middle and considered mysef at 10% BF then and think that I'm about 15% now.

    So, the only exercise I did after that was to row 5-10k meters/day.

    BUT, I just started lifting again after getting new DEXA measurement last month at 153# and 17% BF due primarily to the loss of about 5# of muscle mass and a gain of about 1# & 40 cu in of VAT which was where I was about 3 yrs ago!

    Am I still fit and do I still look lean and healthy. Yes but I definitely was NOT happy to learn of the hidden chgs that occurred while I was not lifting.

    So, I using my garage gym again. Not going to try to lift as heavily as I did b4 but I definitely want to regain the muscle mass that I lost and lose the VAT that I regained while I was not lifting.

  • cupcakesandproteinshakes
    cupcakesandproteinshakes Posts: 1,092 Member
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    OP it sounds like some programme research is in order. Stronglifts is a good programme. But it’s only intended as a novice programme and you may need something with more stimulus. I did it for 3 months topped out and moved on to an intermediate programme which also had a greater variety of exercises. I was so bored with squatting benching and deadlifting and needed a bit more variety.
  • cupcakesandproteinshakes
    cupcakesandproteinshakes Posts: 1,092 Member
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    To add. Last time I looked at the thread with all the lifting programmes on it there were a couple of really good intermediate resources that weren’t on it: barbell medicine - has lots of different options powerlifting, bodybuilding, oly lifting templates and also really good online forums. Also Eric helms e books called muscle and strength pyramids have template programmes for strength and hypertrophy.
  • Kekekylene
    Kekekylene Posts: 112 Member
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    zamphir66 wrote: »
    Sorry folks I was in a real foul mood this morning.

    I was doing StrongLifts 5 by 5 for a good long while until I eventually hit a wall with everything.

    I will investigate other programs.

    definately check out other programs! i love olympic and power lifting but am not a fan of 5x5. mix things up, find a new program, etc. Once you find what's what you enjoy it will be different for sure.
  • giantrobot_powerlifting
    giantrobot_powerlifting Posts: 2,598 Member
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    zamphir66 wrote: »
    Sorry folks I was in a real foul mood this morning.

    I was doing StrongLifts 5 by 5 for a good long while until I eventually hit a wall with everything.

    I will investigate other programs.

    You probably exceeded your easy newbie gains. Look for an intermediate program, like Juggernaut. I’m running the Powerbuilding AI program as an off-season and rehab program and for $27 a month I’ve been really pleased with it.
  • springlering62
    springlering62 Posts: 7,453 Member
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    Why beat yourself up? You’re doing this for health and you might as well enjoy the trip. You said you can run a 10k. There’s a lot of lifters who can’t, and may wish they could but just can’t get into running.

    Life is too short to beat yourself up with a program you don’t enjoy. Do what you like. You’re still reaping benefits.

    Try something new besides weight. I know some guys who do yoga and Pilates (at advanced levels) who are pretty darn buff. And the flexibility helps with the running.
  • emmamcgarity
    emmamcgarity Posts: 1,593 Member
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    Would a change in perspective help? Since you are training for a 10k perhaps research the strength training benefits to support running. I am also training for 10k and have recently been incorporating strength training and beginner yoga after reading about how it supports my running.
  • CipherZero
    CipherZero Posts: 1,418 Member
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    zamphir66 wrote: »
    Sorry folks I was in a real foul mood this morning.

    I was doing StrongLifts 5 by 5 for a good long while until I eventually hit a wall with everything.

    I will investigate other programs.

    Stronglifts is a novice program. It’s definitely not designed to last forever.

    I’ve run the very similar Starting Strength program. It lasts six months, at most, before you’d need to change to any of the intermediate programs because you’ll be unable to recover enough between sessions.

    But anyway... the best exercise is the ones you’ll do consistently.

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