Lifting Heavy Things Makes You Happy

[drozmight]

A few weeks ago I bought a gym membership after negotiating them down to a reasonable $30 a month rate. This one lets me go to any of the gyms around the area. There's one near my parent's house, one near work, one near my apartment. It's great. I go every other day.

I feel much better already. Things seem far more interesting again... I can read three books... AT THE SAME TIME. I am sleeping better. I watched LOST and actually found it's elusiveness arousing. Every morning I do a front flip out of bed. Etc... etc...


 


How long does this usually last before you stop going? Three months?

[Powerslave]

I went for a year before I completely stopped. God I miss it though. I don't have the will to return lifting.

[xnikki118x]

I went to the gym with friends a few semesters ago a total of like 4 times. I was a gym nut when I was like 12 but that didn't last long, either.

I never weightlifted. I think I'd be able to bench press like 50 pounds.

[Cormacaroni]

I think it'll last as long as it takes for you to plateau in terms of performance or return on your investment, or just get bored doing the same routine (as most people do...i have no idea about you of course).

Luckily, there is no need to do the same routine all the time. In fact, routine really is your enemy. There is a world of stuff you can be trying, and you can never been good at all of it to your satisfaction. As soon as you near your max in one area, set yourself a new goal in another area. I don't want to be a one-trick pony but if you're interested, i did some more Fitness Nazi ranting in the 'Himuro wants to lose weight'.

p.s. i got a new PR in the deadlift today and feel like a Greek god right now 

[Eric P]

I went for a year before I completely stopped. God I miss it though. I don't have the will to return lifting.

same

but himu's dedication has gotten me off my lazy ass and i'm doing some exercise again

thanks himu

[Powerslave]

Did anyone else notice an incredible boost in performance after having used protein shakes?

[Powerslave]

I never bothered with creatine, since I got the idea that it would be very addictive and once you stopped, your performance would drop drastically.

[tiesto]

I just started going on Saturday, actually (had my orientation session with a PT), and will be going tonight. I'm planning on hitting the gym 3 times a week, I'm locked into a yearly membership, so hopefully this'll continue. Gonna work on building a bit of body mass.

[Madrun Badrun]

It does.  I've been working on these things that are four 4X4s 98 inches long nailed together, frozen too.  They weigh about 250-300 pounds.  They make me happy.

[CajoleJuice]

It never made me feel any better. I hated working out. A lot. I hate running even more, but I think that actually gives me a bit of a boost afterwards.

[Cormacaroni]

It never made me feel any better. I hated working out. A lot. I hate running even more, but I think that actually gives me a bit of a boost afterwards.

When i look around at the gym (when i go to the gym, which is increasingly rare as i accumulate more equipment at home...), i see about 90% bored or depressed faces. Most people just read magazines or watch tv while on a treadmill or an eliptical. Their minds aren't engaged in what they're doing at all, so of course they're bored and they hate it. The key to enjoying it is to keep your workouts short (but intense), have achievable goals, have a wide variety of tasks to perform, and to always be working on something new.  Of course, it will still suck mightily when you're actually doing it, but afterward, you'll feel great.

[Cormacaroni]

DC - It amuses and terrifies me that you don't consider 1km to be a 'distance' 

Why don't you try doing some skills work (weights optional) before/after the main workout? Doing some squats or thrusters with just a bar for example. Once you get used to the basic moves, I guarantee you'll WANT to start incorporating different stuff into your workouts rather than doing another set of sit-ups etc.

[Smooth Groove]

I went to the gym with friends a few semesters ago a total of like 4 times. I was a gym nut when I was like 12 but that didn't last long, either.

I never weightlifted. I think I'd be able to bench press like 50 pounds.

50 lbs would actually be quite a lot for a skinny chick like yourself.

[Cormacaroni]

Any tips for people with VERY weak wrists beyond "w2nk more" ?

Why do you want stronger wrists, in particular? Just to play devil's advocate (or to be honest, just to be a dick): Would it do any good to have strong wrists but weak arms, chests and shoulders, even if such a thing were possible?

[Cormacaroni]

i want stronger wrists because it's stopping me lifting things!

On friday - check out the size of my wrists, they are somewhat small...

if i do free weights, it's not that i can't lift the things, it's my wrists that give in.

so - i want stronger wrists to help make the lifting of things easier so i can improve my arms, chest, shoulders.

FITNESS NAZI HAT ON Your body is not a series of discrete parts, and if you approach training this way, you will ALWAYS have a bottleneck somewhere. It should be a holistic process where you're always working to improve your overall condition (unless you're training for something specific, like arm wrestling or the high jump...).

You could use straps to help you deadlift more weight than you could lift without them, but then you'd always have to use straps. Just keep lifting, your wrists and grip will improve. Do pull-ups, handstands, push-ups, kettlebell work, thrusters, snatches etc etc and engage multiple muscle groups as much as possible, and watch in amazement as you start lifting more AND seeing a major improvement in overall fitness.

[Powerslave]

Yeah, my wrists are bitch-made.

[CrystalGemini]

I have girly wrists too.  It sucks.  They sometimes "pop" when I do certain exercises.

My knees pop EVERY time I bend them.  >_<

[Cormacaroni]

I have girly wrists too.  It sucks.  They sometimes "pop" when I do certain exercises.

My knees pop EVERY time I bend them.  >_<

mine do too. doesn't seem to affect anything tho. it's kind of embarrassing at the gym though.