The importance of physical strength and lifting weights

BrianD3

Coach Mark Rippetoe: "Strong people are harder to kill than weak people and are more useful in general".

Discuss?

Most boardsies are middle aged, it is even more important to lift when you are 40+ than it is when younger. It's not (just) about building muscles but about bodyfat, metabolic, bone and connective tissue health and preparing for the challenges of old age.

I'm middle aged and busted myself in the gym from about age 25 to 42 then had to basically stop as I became a 24/7 sole carer for a family member. However, the strength that I had built up was of huge benefit for my duties. I have deadlifted 250 kg+ and sumo deadlifted 290 kg, that's 45 stone yet I don't have a "bad back" like many my age who can get back spasms if they do so much as sneeze.

Young lads are obviously big into lifting these days, they have to be, it's no longer a niche activity that can be used to make themselves stand out. Unfortunately, steroid usage is also rife. But best of luck getting laid if you are a fat or skinny 20 year old when most of the competition are jacked.

As I say, I'm middle aged and received many compliments from women, including much younger ones, about my strength and build once I developed an obvious (in clothes) V Taper and large shoulders.

Interactions with other men - they notice. You don't have to be a 20 stone steroid freak either. At my biggest, I was less than 14 stone and a boss I had at the time who was himself into martial arts and cardio training described me as "fcukin terrifying". A great compliment. Also, I am acquainted with some Travellers who my parents engaged to do work around the house and I have an uneasy relationship with. These lads definitely notice, they make comments and notice the implements I have outside for doing farmers walks. Implements haven't been robbed yet to my surprise.

Charlo30

Cool story, Bro. Can't wait for the movie.

BrianD3

Over 100 views and just one lame response and nobody has called me a misogynist or incel.

GYMMAXXING. Interesting that in this they think that a 5/10 male may hurt his chances of getting laid if he lifts.

https://incels.wiki/w/Gymmaxxing

Eoinbmw

I have been heavy weight training for 20 years +.

I have a similar story to you I care full time for my young adult son which requires a lot of lifting.

The functional strength developed over years has been invaluable for me and my family.

Im lucky in that i still get time to train 3 times a week I have even incorporated movements that i feel assist me in my daily lifting requirements at home.

Like yourself I seem to be holding up very well! For 46

BrianD3

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123843302#Comment_123843302

Great to hear. In situations like this, your strength is life changing for you and your family.

In my case, I was able to keep my relative out of a nursing home. That was also life changing.

The_Kew_Tour

Lifting weights is better long term than running all day.

Science proves it.

Many marathon runners die lot younger than expected. Just a little example.

Once ya stay away from the steroids you be fine.

Wanderer78

fair play on working on your physical health, but have you worked on your emotional care just as much?

BrianD3

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123843562#Comment_123843562

Traditional cardio bored me to tears. IMO for someone who lifts a lot, a minimal low level of cardio exercise is needed for health. Walking and w*nking are sufficient, if there is riding as well, even better.

I got to 8% bodyfat lifting heavy in the partial to 5 rep range, eating a fair amount of junk and doing no cardio apart from what I'd be doing anyway e.g walking a hundred metres from car park to shop. RHR was low. Blood pressure also low.

BrianD3

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123843616#Comment_123843616

When you are a 24/7 sole carer and dealing with the utter sh1tshow that is health and social care, it's sink or swim when it comes to your own emotional care.

Also, this summer I passed a barrage of psychometric evaluations for a particular job, assessments that are designed to weed out emotional instability and other undesirable traits. The vast majority of applicants fail these tests.

Wanderer78

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123843865#Comment_123843865

im sensing many insecurities with your posts, the fact you are now in a care position, this will ultimately test your emotional well being, passing tests may not mean sh1t! you may need some professional emotional support such as a therapist, yes, your exceptional physical well being will be critical to be in this supportive role, but every bit of your emotional well being is gonna now be tested to its limit.

sxt

Lifting weights is the best activity for combined physical and mental health. There is nothing else that comes close

BrianD3

The V gets the V -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=91C_fTlLyYQ

BrianD3

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123844183#Comment_123844183

Just going back to this I'll give you the benefit of the doubt that this therapy suggestion is a genuine one rather than typical boardsie faux concern. Anyway, my emotional well being has already been tested to the limit through lived experience over many years, it's not a case of "will be". I'm out the other side now but if caring has taught me anything, it is that life is even more brutal and other people more appalling than I thought. I don't need any happy clappy nonsense of:

Get some therapy

You're insecure

It's your personality

Women don't care about looks

Women are wonderful

Just talk about your problems

As V. Zelenskyy famously said, "I need ammunition, not a ride".

On the talking about problems point, women abhor weakness, not just in romantic partners but platonic friends. I have female "friends" but they seemingly only want to hear about my successes. When I talk about my failures or concerns or ask for advice on dating etc., they ghost.

Also, I have to be careful about telling new women about the caring. It's not sexy and it's not exciting. I'd be better off being a drug dealer or criminal thug. This is part of the brutality of life, survival of the fittest, strongest and most violent. At least I can mitigate that to some extent by being very physically strong. Going back to Rippetoe quote, strong people are harder to kill.

89897

Well, you did start a thread about how lifting weights is good for health but really what you wanted was to rant about women, perhaps thats where the emotional concern is coming from.

Buddy Bubs

Is this a self congratulatory 'I'm better than you because I go to the gym' thread or is there anything more to it?

JupiterKid

Mod:-

Calling time on this thread as it's obvious that it's just another platform for the OP to rant about women, the world and a general "woe is me" mentality.

JK