Weights - Questions

[TexasRanger]

How many contributors to this board lifted weights either when they started working out or after they'd been working out for a while?  With the latter, you may have been doing push ups, strands of some kind, etc.

And if you stopped lifting weights, did you switch because of:

1.  Injuries
2.  Boredom
3. Convenience (eg getting to the gym got to be a hassle)
4.  Other

[Bruce Tackett]

4.

[keith]

I would say boredom and other.

I still own two benches, about six barbell bars, maybe about 8 dumbbell bars, a tricep and ez bar with around 240 kg in discs.

I also own a portable dipping bar and pull up bar.

I sometimes use them exclusively for a few months but other times I don't use them for a while.

Keith.

[stormshadow]

I use everything and have done so for many years. Lifted weights for 47 years now. Have used isometrics and strands to supplement weight workouts. No joint issues, but no longer pushing for one rep maxes. The way I first used isos was the original tensolator, Bruce Tegner and Wittenberg iso books and sticking points in power rack for the three powerlifts as well as overhead presses. As I get older, I have stressesd flexibility and cardio. Main forms of cardio are walking, hiking, stationary bike, Concept 2 and Versaclimber. Martial arts for about 25 years. Western boxing, wrestling, Japanese jiu jitsu,BJJ, Isshin Ryu karate, Tai Chi, Krav Maga and Choy Li Fut Kung Fu and military combatives. I do lot less martial arts now. Those are quite hard on my body (except Tai Chi) at least to me. Self taught yoga and some Pilates.

[billfish]

Aug 16, 2018 2:45:14 GMT TexasRanger said:

How many contributors to this board lifted weights either when they started working out or after they'd been working out for a while?  With the latter, you may have been doing push ups, strands of some kind, etc.

And if you stopped lifting weights, did you switch because of:

1.  Injuries
2.  Boredom
3. Convenience (eg getting to the gym got to be a hassle)
4.  Other

Started out lifting weights
Stopped because of boredom and inconvenience.....limited exercises, limited places to exercise with them etc

[keith]

My weight set, benches and weights are in my daughter's play room, so there are times I can't get to them, so then the bodyweight training comes in handy.

Don't get me wrong I am not under the illusion that I will be huge in months but I like the feel weights give me but I also like the feel of bodyweight exercises.

I suppose for most it's the convenience of bodyweight training.

Keith.

[trog]

From day one in the gym, I've done a mix of weights and body weight exercises. When I started 30 odd years ago (48kgs), I did press ups. After a couple of weeks, I started on assisted pull ups; I can't remember how long it was before I managed to do one on my own, a few weeks I think. Now I'm 87kgs and still doing the same mix, although I do more pull ups and I usually do dips rather than press ups. The only exercises I find boring are abs exercises (eg crunches) and riding the stationary bike. I've been known to fall asleep on a stationary bike, which is why I ride my real bike when I can (weather permitting). I do my crunches when I'm in the gym, but I really don't like them.

There is no denying the convenience of body weight exercises, but I like the feel of a set of weights in my hands.

[fastfor40]

I started with Charles Atlas, then lifted weights for decades before quitting to do "other", (rhymes with 'Banformetrics')" for 10 mos and was mostly disappointed with the results, went back to weightlifting and enjoy every gravity-amplified rep.

[Bob50]

From my point of view, bodybuilding did not give harmonic mind-body development that I wanted. Stopped it 45 years ago.

[Michael]

I stopped training with weights probably 2007-08. Mostly because of injuries and was tired of being sore. I do prefer calisthenics, self resistance, isometrics, bands, and KBs. I have been using a mixture of calisthenics and cables. I only have dumbbells up to 20 lbs so that's the extent of weights I may use for arms or shoulders.    


    I just edited this. By the way my injuries didn't come from weights. They came from tree work.

[Deuce Gunner]

It all started for me when Dad brought home a 3 lb York roundhead dumbbell (that someone had probably thrown away) when I was about 8 years old. When he saw me work out with that regularly, my Grandfather made me a barbell out of about 3 feet of aluminum pipe with an empty can of Tiger's Milk (some powdered supplement of the time Dad bought from the health food store for himself) filled with Kwik-Crete on each end. I don't think I knew much more than curls and standing overhead presses with either. I remember my Father saying "you need more than that, go play a sport like I did".



High school I went to had a Universal machine and a few dumbbells accessible to everyone during the elective portion of your gym period. All the U.S. Navy tin cans I was on had a compartment with some equipment that Recreational Services of the ship's homeport base was phasing out of the base gym, and the ship's fund might privately purchase a bit more. The Hull Technician welders would figure out a way to fix a bench in place or maybe even fabricate one. If the ship started pitching and rolling above a certain degree the Boatswain Mate of the Watch would announce over the 1MC system "Weight room is secured till further notice". The ship's homeport base gym always had a passable or better weight room and some would go at dinner meal time (that's lunch in civilian time) or after supper when liberty call was announced.



The Criminal Justice Academy in my state tested Basic Law Enforcement students with pushups, sit ups, and a 1.5 mile run, but that was for convenience sake and it had a good weight room in it which is where they suggested students that barely passed should go. One male and one female instructor in the Physical Training Department had competed at state level bodybuilding competitions and had pictures up on the wall of the weight room to prove it.



In each of these places I always had good people that took me under their wing. It was never weightlifting or bodybuilding, it was exercising with weights to get your job done better and/or easier. I remember several people advising the same thing. A push, a pull, legs, and the legs should be a mile or so run or jog more often than not. Emphasize form over weight. This is probably the reason I never got seriously hurt, just a bit of CNS burnout from time to time. The first time I saw two guys spotting for each other doing assisted reps on the bench press, I thought they were nuts.



I did my own rehab with walking and a simple home weight setup after a REALLY bad motorcycle wreck in 2005 when I was 44. There's always going to be room for weights with me and I consider The Hook and bands just weights that are usable in the horizontal plane and more. Isometrics and KSHD seem best for 1-3 days after a good workout with the iron to extend it's effects and keep the muscles active. They seem best to me to for active recovery.

[gruntbrain]

I got a 110# barbell/dumbbell combo over 60 years ago . Aside from a few shoulder, elbow, and back aches, I never got serious weight training injuries . My knee surgery was sports related .

[mr potatohead]

I love my weights - DBs, odd and/or unstable objects and lift. They have a function, along with the holds, bands and other equipment that I've made or bought and enjoy using.
One of my favorites is a slow, controlled, Alternating Arm DB, partial squat to C&P.

[Bruce Tackett]

Aug 16, 2018 15:04:02 GMT fastfor40 said:

I started with Charles Atlas, then lifted weights for decades before quitting to do "other", (rhymes with 'Banformetrics')" for 10 mos and was mostly disappointed with the results, went back to weightlifting and enjoy every gravity-amplified rep.

A man after my own heart! You, me, and Mags!