why is heavy lifting so f**** important?!

iqnas

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I_Will_End_You

I found that, for me, lifting made my body tighter & sexier the fastest. I spent many months doing workout DVDs (not knocking them...I still do them sometimes when I want to workout want something quick & easy), and I got results....but I feel like I got better results in half the time once I picked up a barbell.

I lift in my bedroom. I don't have money for a gym membership, either. I bought a cheap bench and barbell w/plates off Craigslist for $30. I also bought some dumbbells from a second hand sporting goods store.

jigglyone

I found that, for me, lifting made my body tighter & sexier the fastest. I spent many months doing workout DVDs (not knocking them...I still do them sometimes when I want to workout want something quick & easy), and I got results....but I feel like I got better results in half the time once I picked up a barbell.

I lift in my bedroom. I don't have money for a gym membership, either. I bought a cheap bench and barbell w/plates off Craigslist for $30. I also bought some dumbbells from a second hand sporting goods store.

thank you! btw you profile pic is bomb!!! great job!

elenathegreat

I don't lift heavy, body weight exercise and cardio for me...but I have lots of friends who do lift---they love me anyway!! :bigsmile: :bigsmile:

jigglyone

I don't lift heavy, body weight exercise and cardio for me...but I have lots of friends who do lift---they love me anyway!! :bigsmile: :bigsmile:

aww

ILiftHeavyAcrylics

I found that, for me, lifting made my body tighter & sexier the fastest. I spent many months doing workout DVDs (not knocking them...I still do them sometimes when I want to workout want something quick & easy), and I got results....but I feel like I got better results in half the time once I picked up a barbell.

I lift in my bedroom. I don't have money for a gym membership, either. I bought a cheap bench and barbell w/plates off Craigslist for $30. I also bought some dumbbells from a second hand sporting goods store.

Is that a typo? If not, I hate you a little. :laugh: :flowerforyou:

I just paid $300 for my bench, barbell, and plates and it seemed like a really good deal.

TemikaThompson

Personally I'm interested in it because Every person's body that I have seen has the looks that I want for my body. I have asked them all how they got their results and they told me from heavy lifting. I know that a proper diet and exercise can help you to lose fat but I don't just want a thinner version of the body I have. I want a body with definition and muscle tone.

cafeaulait7

what I think is quite ironic is that many people who scoff at just doing body weight exercises and promote only heavy lifting can't do proper pullups. :laugh:

Just about every professional athlete will incorporate some resistance training into their program.

No kidding! Also, I keep trying to convince people that yoga can be pretty hardcore for strength. They scoff.

This is what they have probably taken for locust pose:



and this is what I'm talking about for the same pose:

[img][/img] [pic was here] **edit: That's too giant!
The legs come up from the back to get where they are in that, folks ^^^^

That's another 'oh, just bodyweight' kind of thing. Bodies are heavy, lol.

**edit: Pic was giant! Here's the link
http://vimuktiyogala.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Poorna-Shalabhasana-Full-Locust-Pose1.jpg

jigglyone

Personally I'm interested in it because Every person's body that I have seen has the looks that I want for my body. I have asked them all how they got their results and they told me from heavy lifting. I know that a proper diet and exercise can help you to lose fat but I don't just want a thinner version of the body I have. I want a body with definition and muscle tone.

thats good. best of luck

jigglyone

what I think is quite ironic is that many people who scoff at just doing body weight exercises and promote only heavy lifting can't do proper pullups. :laugh:

Just about every professional athlete will incorporate some resistance training into their program.

No kidding! Also, I keep trying to convince people that yoga can be pretty hardcore for strength. They scoff.

This is what they have probably taken for locust pose:



and this is what I'm talking about for the same pose:


The legs come up from the back to get where they are in that, folks ^^^^

That's another 'oh, just bodyweight' kind of thing. Bodies are heavy, lol.

thats right!!!

I_Will_End_You

Is that a typo? If not, I hate you a little. :laugh: :flowerforyou:

I just paid $300 for my bench, barbell, and plates and it seemed like a really good deal.

Ha! No, it's not a typo. It's really crappy (probably retails for about $200-$250...at Walmart), but it's getting me through till I can get something better. Best $30 I've ever spent!

kwantlen2051

I have a back and shoulder injury and can't lift weights. Cardio plus pilates and yoga work for me. I've been losing slowly but steadily.

ILiftHeavyAcrylics

Is that a typo? If not, I hate you a little. :laugh: :flowerforyou:

I just paid $300 for my bench, barbell, and plates and it seemed like a really good deal.

Ha! No, it's not a typo. It's really crappy (probably retails for about $200-$250...at Walmart), but it's getting me through till I can get something better. Best $30 I've ever spent!

:grumble:

Seriously that's awesome. I live in a military town and had to call 15 people off of Craig's List just to find one who hadn't already sold their set. High demand I guess.

Anyway I'm just happy I can lift here tomorrow in my underwear if I so choose (that doesn't sound safe, does it?) and I can do hip thrusters without blushing. :laugh:

jigglyone

I have a back and shoulder injury and can't lift weights. Cardio plus pilates and yoga work for me. I've been losing slowly but steadily.

those are great workouts!

geekyjock76

For me, it's all about time and efficiency. My long-term goal is to lead a highly independent and functional standard of living as I age in terms of strength and mobility. One huge component in accomplishing that is increasing lean mass so it acts as a buffer against sarcopenia - thus, my lean mass and resting metabolic rate won't be significantly different than at the present. Lifting heavy allows me to achieve these goals with much less work in a short amount of time each week.

Lifting heavy doesn't require a gym membership or a lot of money, either. People are always selling used, yet high quality, squat racks and other valuable equipment for dirt cheap. A friend of mine got her squat rack, with Olympic barbell and full set of bumper plates and kettlebells for under $150.

RaggedyPond

I did body weight for a year. It became too easy and I needed to move on. Started with just 5 lb weights and had to move up every week. Now I am squatting 130 lbs plus body weight.

MstngSammy

Grabs popcorn, plops down in favorite chair to watch the show.

LiftAllThePizzas

I haven't seen any bodyweight exercises that would do for me what deadlifting 400 lbs would do.

eryquem

THIS is why lifting heavy means so much to so many:

http://jasonferruggia.com/how-to-get-a-body-like-jessica-biel/

See, this right here is the problem.

Yes, lifting heavy can lead to good results. No, it's not the only way to get good results. Case in point, Jessica Biel. Her workout plan incorporates a wide variety of bodyweight, dumbbell, medicine ball, plyometrics, etc., all wrapped up in a HIIT style circuit training routine. She doesn't "lift heavy", even though, according to the article, that is the only way to get a body like, well, hers.

The real key is to constantly push past your physical abilities. That can be done in a variety of ways, lifting included, but can also be done with things like sprinting, boxing, HIIT, power yoga, lighter weights IF lifted to failure, and more.

The bottom line: Push yourself hard, and your body will adapt and grow stronger.

cafeaulait7

For me, it's all about time and efficiency. My long-term goal is to lead a highly independent and functional standard of living as I age in terms of strength and mobility. One huge component in accomplishing that is increasing lean mass so it acts as a buffer against sarcopenia - thus, my lean mass and resting metabolic rate won't be significantly different than at the present. Lifting heavy allows me to achieve these goals with much less work in a short amount of time each week.

Lifting heavy doesn't require a gym membership or a lot of money, either. People are always selling used, yet high quality, squat racks and other valuable equipment for dirt cheap. A friend of mine got her squat rack, with Olympic barbell and full set of bumper plates and kettlebells for under $150.

Yeah, I like lifting heavy for the shortcut it provides. My love is still more in the bodyweight feats from yoga and other disciplines, even though it takes longer to get good at the really heavy stuff there (you have to progress so much with flexibility and strength both, I mean). I find it more fun to do, and it's harder! That's bad for motivation to get to that level unless you love the act of practicing it. I don't have room for all the equipment I'd like, though, so it's good I feel that way

Lifting heavy weights is very linear, I think. That makes it wonderful and efficient. It also makes me more bored on motivation to lift more and more. I still do it and enjoy it for the linear, efficient aspect to it. There's only so much bodyweight practice I want to do in a day! You have to really stretch out and stuff. It can take a while, lol. Weights are fast!

Hauntinglyfit

I don't understand why it bothers you so much.
Heavy lifting has tons of benefits, which is why a lot of people on this site recommend it. However, one should find some form of exercise they like, otherwise they will not stick with it. No one will go to the gym and lift 3-4 days a week if they hate every minute of it.
Heavy lifting IS important. Heavy is relative though, for a complete beginner bodyweight stuff can be "heavy".

You seem to be good at ignoring users/posts in this thread, so why don't you just do the same in general when you see something you don't like?

__freckles__

Here's what a body without heavy lifting (and crap loads of cardio to boot) looks like...

Not sure where you heard he doesn't lift heavy. According to this he does weight lifting sessions 2-3 times a week including squats and bench press. Sounds like heavy lifting to me kids.

http://healthyceleb.com/cristiano-ronaldo-workout-routine-diet-plan/5720

BUT...thank you for posting this pic. It made my day.

MstngSammy

Here's what a body .....looks like...

Continues munching popcorn

DamePiglet

sure don't lift.. just stay flabby.

so im gonna be flabby for not heavy lifting???

No. You can maintain your muscle without heavy lifting. But you should do some kind of resistance training.

I like this girl.
Great response.

****

OP, just worry about you and what's gonna work for you long term. If you don't like doing something, you won't do it long term.
There are plenty of fit people who don't lift. My husband (a Tae Kwon Do instructor and almost 50 years old) doesn't lift, but has the body that men half his age are envious of. He's been at it since before most of the "lift heavy" brahs were born.

AllonsYtotheTardis

OP hopes to look like this.

do you really think body shaming is going to help your point?

MstngSammy

...and the shaming begins....


Grabs remote and tries changing the channel.

jpbeck

Strength training, whether it be for heavy, endurance, or maintenance is important.

The more muscle you have the more it needs to burn glucose for energy, this is important for diabetics because it influences insulin sensitivity.

Muscle, as a rule, burns more calories than fat.

Strength training improves the strength of joints. the muscles around the joints actually contribute to joint stability. This especially becomes important the further along you age because it can actually prevent falls and the injuries that result from it, and if you do fall the injuries will be less than someone of the same age who doesn't strength train.

poohpoohpeapod

it isnt..lol. just herd mentality. Strength training with light weight is fine.

seltzermint555

In order for your muscles to grow, you must lift weights heavy enough to cause your muscle fibers to tear. Your body then repairs the microtears in your muscles and your muscles grow and get stronger as a result. Heavy lifting is the most effective way to cause muscle growth. You want to lift with weight heavy enough to cause failure in 12 reps or less, otherwise the lifting is not nearly as effective for muscle growth. Body weight exercises are certainly much better than not lifting, but lifting to failure in the 8-12 rep range is optimal for muscle growth.

dang, i didnt know that! thank you

Me neither, that kind of freaks me out actually.

For some reason the term "lift heavy" bugs me, when it's referred to as "heavy lifting" it doesn't bug me.

thekyleo

I TRY to lift heavy, but I don't eat enough to build muscle so it's kind of counterproductive, but I agree with everyone. Find something you like, no one will look down on you for not lifting. If they do, it's their problem not your's