Physique or Strength??

124»

Replies

  • LolBroScience
    LolBroScience Posts: 4,537 Member

    Fat is really strong. Stronger than lean.

    But, you guys are not getting what I'm saying and keep talking about cross-overs and athletes and body fat. Pure strength is different from all that.

    If raw power lifting isn't a demonstration of strength....then I don't know what is?

    Perhaps your standards for what is considered "strong" are misguided.

    Nope. That's what I'm talking about in this case. Youre' making it too complicated. This is why I hate this place sometimes. I wish people would take things a little lighter and stop nit picking every detail. I feel like I have to write a 20 chapter book to fully explain, or else it will be torn apart. Who has time for that?

    Yet multiple people took it the same way...
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,219 Member

    Fat is really strong. Stronger than lean.

    But, you guys are not getting what I'm saying and keep talking about cross-overs and athletes and body fat. Pure strength is different from all that.

    If raw power lifting isn't a demonstration of strength....then I don't know what is?

    Perhaps your standards for what is considered "strong" are misguided.

    Nope. That's what I'm talking about in this case. Youre' making it too complicated. This is why I hate this place sometimes. I wish people would take things a little lighter and stop nit picking every detail. I feel like I have to write a 20 chapter book to fully explain, or else it will be torn apart. Who has time for that?

    You are making zero sense. There are many natural raw powerlifters who are not fat. Strength is more or less about the ability to recruit muscle fibers and the firing sequence. Motor unit recruitment is a trained and learned ability. The more motor units you can recruit, the more muscle fibers you can activate. You don't have to be fat to train or learn motor unit recruitment. Sure some fat guys can be stronger because they have never had to sacrifice strength for leanness, but fat does not mean strength.
  • Hadabetter
    Hadabetter Posts: 942 Member
    Strength, to help in athletic competitions. But also, at my age (61) I'm trying to slow the inevitable decline.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    Physique or Strength??

    both...but I also don't need to be able to lift like a power lifter nor do I have the time and inclination to obtain the necessary physique for competition or anything like that. I have a life too...
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,219 Member
    My answer is both.

    Physique: Took 1st in women's heavyweight bodybuilding October 5th, 2013.
    Strength: Took 1st in the 82.5kg class at a powerlifting meet March 1st, 2014 (tied a national deadlift record).
  • Humbugsftw
    Humbugsftw Posts: 202 Member
    Initially for strength. But I found powerlifting too stressful for me, in many ways. Now doing it for physique :)
  • lisalsd1
    lisalsd1 Posts: 1,519 Member
    When I started strength-training a year ago, my answer would have been physique (mostly).

    Now, my answer is strength (mostly).
  • SemperAnticus1643
    SemperAnticus1643 Posts: 703 Member
    Strength. I play softball every summer with friends from church and friends. So being the girl that can crank the ball is nice. :) With strength comes the physique. I do have rib tattoos that I wouldn't mind showing off this summer. So it's probably 50/50. I don't believe in doing it for anyone else. The boyfriend has no problem with my size right now but I'm sure he won't mind the size when I'm down to where I want to be.
  • DymonNdaRgh40
    DymonNdaRgh40 Posts: 661 Member
    Physique for me. Of course strength is a big part of working on the physique but I don't need nor want to lift the heaviest weights.
  • being honest... Physique.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member

    Fat is really strong. Stronger than lean.

    But, you guys are not getting what I'm saying and keep talking about cross-overs and athletes and body fat. Pure strength is different from all that.

    If raw power lifting isn't a demonstration of strength....then I don't know what is?

    Perhaps your standards for what is considered "strong" are misguided.

    Nope. That's what I'm talking about in this case. Youre' making it too complicated. This is why I hate this place sometimes. I wish people would take things a little lighter and stop nit picking every detail. I feel like I have to write a 20 chapter book to fully explain, or else it will be torn apart. Who has time for that?

    well pound for pound- most top lifters are in the 140-160 weight class. most of them are not fat.
  • ironanimal
    ironanimal Posts: 5,922 Member
    Initially, health and wellbeing. That improved in the first 6-12 months whereafter I shifted my focus more heavily to strength. Now, I'm phasing more toward physique, while still doing a lot of work for strength.
  • mustgetmuscles1
    mustgetmuscles1 Posts: 3,346 Member
    Both, but I am more mindful of physique. If my strength gains have to slow down so I can maintain or lower body fat I am fine with that.

    Initially it was all about losing weight to be healthy. Then growing muscle to look better and now improving strength is really important as well.
  • marleyskye05
    marleyskye05 Posts: 138
    Both. I feel like they go hand in hand.
  • Hadabetter
    Hadabetter Posts: 942 Member
    Both. I feel like they go hand in hand.
    They do go hand in hand, but training for strength doesn't maximize aesthetics, and training for aesthetics doesn't result in maximum strength gains.
  • Qen74
    Qen74 Posts: 3 Member
    I started powerlifting as a hobby when I was in my early 30s and my motto has always been the same

    I lift to be strong, not to look pretty.


    For those who are new to lifting, even most pro bodybuilders will tell you... start with a powerlifting style workout to get a strong base and get your strength up. Those "bodybuilding get ripped etc etc" workouts you see in magazines arent going to help you if you cant lift heavy enough weights to do any good.
  • fatcity66
    fatcity66 Posts: 1,544 Member
    I want to lose weight and be able to open my own jars and shizz.