Drinking & Lifting

Can anyone tell me the efeects of drinking on a lifter? I am only 17 and I was wondering if it could affect my body’s development? Drinking is my only vice I don’t smoke anything(weed or tobacco) or do any other drugs. How badly can the booze hold me back in my PL efforts? If it matters I avoid beer usually and prefer hard liqour(generally whiskey or vodka).

~Pitbull11188

Dude- This one has been done to the n’th degree. Use that cool new search feature.

search around here… you’ll soon find out its bad for you.

do a search i’m pretty sure there was an article on here about 6 mnths ago

[could have been another forum though]

basically it’s not good, it will hamper progress, and make your health worse

But, i have a few beers a couple of times a week, nothing too serious, and the occasional binge. I don’t worry about it too much

HOWEVER, I definitely believe that no booze is best really

Sorry about posting i usually use the search feature but i forgot aboutit today.

pitbull11188

[quote]pitbull11188 wrote:
Can anyone tell me the efeects of drinking on a lifter? I am only 17 and I was wondering if it could affect my body’s development? Drinking is my only vice I don’t smoke anything(weed or tobacco) or do any other drugs. How badly can the booze hold me back in my PL efforts? If it matters I avoid beer usually and prefer hard liqour(generally whiskey or vodka).

~Pitbull11188[/quote]

A few things:

-Decrease in testosterone levels
-Massive dehydration leading to massive water retention/smoothness
-Empty fast-absorbing carbs which will most certainly translate into fat.

I know what you mean though, i definitely enjoy a drink now and then. (more often now than then)

But just be aware it’s counter productive, so definitely use moderation.

Grrrr you are only 17…Bad habits start early. I guess you have to ask yourself what is more important to you? Your athletic skills, body comp., lifting or is drinking more important? It’s your choice.

Dude, you know the answer to the question you’re asking. You just want someone to tell you that drinking isn’t going to affect you’re lifting and physical goals and that getting wasted may even rev up your CNS.

But we all know that isn’t true. I’m not criticising you btw, i’m in university too, which along with being in the rugby team basically means you’ll drink a hell of alot of beer. I know i drink too much. I know it affects my lifting. I know i should cut down. And until i do, i won’t see the gains that my training should produce.

i was at similar place about a year ago…i was in great shape for a 22 yo, and bigger than most people that train at my age…but i used to drink alot, all day drinking binges were the norm for me on the weekends…than i started reading how alcohol lowers your testostorone, and how as someone that’s trying to gain muscle that’s the last thing you want, so the following weekend i just stopped cold turkey, yeah i don’t see those friends as often as before, and when i do is kindda weird me beign the only sober one…but that’s what it takes…and i believe that things like this is what’s helping take me to the next level…

you know what the right answer is, it’s just a matter of having enough strength to follow with the solution…

Thanks for the responses. I wasn’t looking for anyone to tell me that drinking was okay i just wanted to know how bad it is for me. I’m going to cut back drastically, only once a month. I defintely don’t want any less test than I have, but I enjoy a party now and then.

~Pitbull11188

[quote]pitbull11188 wrote:
Thanks for the responses. I wasn’t looking for anyone to tell me that drinking was okay i just wanted to know how bad it is for me. I’m going to cut back drastically, only once a month. I defintely don’t want any less test than I have, but I enjoy a party now and then.

~Pitbull11188 [/quote]

You will be absolutely fine. If ever you are not happy with your progress and everything else is dialed in, then perhaps it’s time to look to eliminate it entirely.

[quote]nw-big wrote:
i was at similar place about a year ago…i was in great shape for a 22 yo, and bigger than most people that train at my age…but i used to drink alot, all day drinking binges were the norm for me on the weekends…than i started reading how alcohol lowers your testostorone, and how as someone that’s trying to gain muscle that’s the last thing you want, so the following weekend i just stopped cold turkey, yeah i don’t see those friends as often as before, and when i do is kindda weird me beign the only sober one…but that’s what it takes…and i believe that things like this is what’s helping take me to the next level…

you know what the right answer is, it’s just a matter of having enough strength to follow with the solution…[/quote]

Good answer nw-big. And it took balls to do what you did.

It is all a matter of one’s priorities. You can sacrifice maximal gains to have fun with your friends, or you can give up a little fun to maximize your progress in the gym.

yeah, i used to hear it all the time but never took it seriously…this is a 24 hour job…and you know at the end, when all those friends that you used to have so much fun with are gone, all you’re gonna have is your self…it’s your body 'til the end…might as well take of it…just my 2 cents:)

I believe this is a dillema many students in our situation face. I’ve giving it up cold turkey before and have found that I personally am at my best when I do not feel like I am completely shutting out the whole party scene. I actually found that when I started letting up on myself a little bit on the weekends, my progress in the gym went up. Testosterone is affected by many things, with alcohol being one of the most quantifiable. However, it is less easy to measure how much of an effect any type of depression or just feeling mentally bad can have on these levels. I personally have a habit of being a little obsessive compulsive, so for me, the complete elimination of alcohol just made me feel as if I was headed back into that problem. Although scientifically, complete elimination of alcohol is best, I personally found that I am best in the gym and in life in general when I feel as if everything, training, social life, school, etc. are in harmony. To each his own.

He probably only drinks 'cause MTV tells him too.

Maybe T-Nation should hijack MTV…

For a youngster like yourself, I suggest you look at it like the following. When i first got into fitness, I thought that I could never ever have one beer or alcoholic beverage. I did know in the back of my mind that one or two alcoholic beverages would not evenmake a noticeable difference in my health, performance, or physique but I was just so overly disciplined and stoic with the fitness lifestyle. The same thing happened to me with staying out with friends late at bars and clubs. Needless to say, this left me with very little fun and quite a few friends and women who thought I was the biggest tight-ass to hang with. Now, my view has changed a bit. Sure, if you ABUSE alcohol, eat junk everyday, and party until 6 AM on weekends consistently, you will encounter problems with your fitness and health goals. Now, I do have that one beer or alcoholic drink. I do have that night where I stay out until 2 AM (not 5 or 6 AM). I also became more loose with my cheat meals as well. If I have had a cheat meal during a current week and all of the sudden I find myself at someone’s house or a party or whatever and they are serving junk food, I DO have it! If I miss A meal during the week because I slept late on the weekend, I do not pay mind to it. I am a hell of a lot stronger now, feel better and happier, and am more suitable to actually appearing as a tightass to a date or a friend. So, in closing, have some FUN but do not go overboard. Say A drink or TWO, tops, when you go out, and do not be a tightass with life simply because you are involved in PL.

Well, I know a 17year old austrian powerlifter, who can deadlift 616lbs for 2 reps @275.
He and his training partner drink like 1-3l beer during their training.
He’s pissed, as hey could beat the 275+ IPF sub junior world records but he missed the world championship…

And then the german IPF lifter Achim Kirchner with a 588lbs Bench@242 is caled “Dr. Wodka”

So i think a little drinking sometimes will not interfere with your goals.