It’s the iron game – I want to win. Every day that I lift, I’m competing with myself to lift more and I love achieving goals.
Staying healthy and taking care of my body.
Mind-Body Link.
Image. I’m both a FFB and a former scrawny distance runner. Not only is the muscular male body is more pleasing to the eye, but it also commands respect. Unfunctional muscle or not, people move for me on the sidewalk. Also, it makes attracting females easier but you still need a good personality.
I agree with most of what has been said, and to list it again for my own post would be redundant. Here’s a few of my personal reasons though:
It’s the challenge, looking better than 99% of people around me, feeling better about myself (i had long bouts of self esteem issues growing up), perhaps a bit of sado-masochism, the fact that I need to stay in shape for another deployment to Iraq, and the fact that I have Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, and working out is part of the routine I have to compulsively follow to remain happy.
To be better today than I was yesterday and tomorrow better than today. And to be better than you. It is also pretty bad ass to be the Alpha Male in 99% of the places I go. To have someone bump into you at a bar, turn with a look like they want to fight, see you and get the “oh shit” look in their face. Not that I would fight. It takes a long time for me to get that mad.
To have a woman put her hand on your arm or chest and all she can say is “Oh Wow!” To keep my sanity. To think. To punish myself for my inadequacies and sin. To be prepared in case the dragon comes. To learn, to teach, to challenge myself. To be a role model for my daughter.
I would say your best bet in keeping motivation to keep lifting is to stay healthy and fit. I know you don’t need huge muscles to impress your wife b/c that’s not why she married you, and against what most here might believe, you really don’t need to be strong to do every day chores. The biggest thing is you don’t wana break a hip due to weakness or suffer a heart attack, etc. You always want to be there playing with your kids and being active with them, be there for their weddings, graduation, to be the grandpa that is active and takes the grandkids out to play with them too, all that stuff.
Most people think you need huge muscles to do things, you don’t. It all comes down in the end to still looking good like you know you should for your wife, being there and active for your kids (setting a good example like this will pay off more than you think once they are older), and not having to deal with health pain. This doesn’t mean you need to slave away in the gym or buy tons of supplements, but it also doesn’t mean you can slack and just do curls and leg extensions. Honestly, if I were in your place, I’d just focus on form and the main big lifts. You don’t wana screw up your back or mess up a knee or pull a muscle trying to be superman and all. Have fun and don’t let it control your life :).
Now as far as motivation for myself goes, I personally enjoy seeing my 1 rep maxes go up, but I am not sure at what cost I’m willing to go for that as I really don’t wana get hurt. I’d also like to get a bit bigger, and, if you look around in certain places you’ll find seriously inspiring pictures of women/men in their 40’s who look better than people in their teens/20’s. That to me seems pretty awesome and keeps me going. For now I’d say I’m really serious and only into lifting, but I can’t wait til I get to where I wana be in terms of size/looks, which is probably 5’9" 180-185 and 8-10% bf, then I plan on doing it all; rock climbing, TKD, road races, you name it. That makes me happy personally.
one day I quit smoking . a year later I noticed I gained almost 20 pounds .
then I realised that a lot of folks carry a gut , walk like they got a a melon up there ass , and generally appear to be in a state of dis-repair…damned middle-aged , AND I WAS ONE OF THEM !!
so I joined the local “Y” . eventually got invited to lift with a few PLers . went from shit to suck since then .
Unlike a lot of the other posters on here, I can’t say I’ve got a great job, a woman standing by me (or getting laid on a regular basis), and I can be a bit socially awkward at times, but like the OP, I asked the same question of myself a few years ago after high school and football.
I’ve realized I just want to be as strong as possible, look it, and just be a BAMF. Like swissrugby said, it is therapeutic, when I’m disappointed with life or angry at the things in it. Just lift (and listen to metal). The soreness I feel the day or two after is the gratification I need.
Even though I haven’t been on the path as long as some, and feel I don’t have as much to show for it for the years training, what I have done is at least one thing I can be truly happy about. I refuse to be like so many people who remain unhappy their appearance and health because they don’t put in the effort.
At 23, I’ve got a lot of hidden potential both in and out of the gym, so I’m very intent on unlocking it.
[quote]D_S wrote:
I refuse to be like so many people who remain unhappy their appearance and health because they don’t put in the effort.
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I gota say, on one hand I agree, but on the other I don’t. Before I lifted, I was a distance runner, and at 5’9" 135 lbs I felt fine about my appearance/body. It was not a concern of mine so long as I was running fast and eating pretty healthy. Now that I’ve gotten into lifting, anything under 5’9" 180 lbs under 10% bf makes me think “small”.
I’m about 182 right now and probably 13% bodyfat, and I think it’s ridiculous how small I perceive myself. On the other hand, I feel good about myself and where I’m headed. However, it bugs me how as far as I’ve come, I still don’t feel satisfied anymore.
As dumb as this will probably sound to most, I almost feel like maybe it’s time for me to cut down to like 165 and really get under 10% bodyfat, then build back up gradually to 180-185 under 10. Who knows.
For two hours in the morning the gym is all I concentrate on. There is no test around the corner, no quota to meet at work, no gf issues. Just the music on the radio fading to the back of my mind as i concentrate my full attention to each lift.
It is pretty therapeutic. Also, after playing sports for years, it feels odd no to work out.
[quote]lifter85 wrote:
D_S wrote:
I refuse to be like so many people who remain unhappy their appearance and health because they don’t put in the effort.
I gota say, on one hand I agree, but on the other I don’t. Before I lifted, I was a distance runner, and at 5’9" 135 lbs I felt fine about my appearance/body. It was not a concern of mine so long as I was running fast and eating pretty healthy. Now that I’ve gotten into lifting, anything under 5’9" 180 lbs under 10% bf makes me think “small”.
I’m about 182 right now and probably 13% bodyfat, and I think it’s ridiculous how small I perceive myself. On the other hand, I feel good about myself and where I’m headed. However, it bugs me how as far as I’ve come, I still don’t feel satisfied anymore.
As dumb as this will probably sound to most, I almost feel like maybe it’s time for me to cut down to like 165 and really get under 10% bodyfat, then build back up gradually to 180-185 under 10. Who knows.
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once you hit 200 it’s like the magic number where you don’t feel small anymore.
For those concerned that I personally am losing motivation- trust that’s not the case. I just like to examine life from different angles sometimes.
Truth be told I have plenty of motivation- my wife and kids, my diabetes (currently in check), the hot girls who work in my office (who doesn’t like to get noticed?), and my goal of being the most fit guy at the nursing home.
Actually, in all seriousness, I’m on the verge of dipping below 10% BF for the first time in my life. Pretty damn good for an FFB. That’s my current motivation.
Wow, all the answers are deep and meaningful. Good work guys.
Me? I try to get big and strong to make up for my lack of good looks and personality. So far things aren’t turning out how I want. I guess it’s time to look for some chloroform…
Now for the serious answer (well, more serious)
I do the whole lifting thing to make myself for capable of doing things. I remember having a safe delivered two my house by a couple shaved apes who moved it around like a cardboard box. After they left I tried moving this half ton of steel and it wouldn’t budge. I kept thinking “what the hell? I work out. I should be able to do this kind of stuff.”
Of course, that was when I thought squatting with equivilent of my bodyweight on the bar was impressive. After I started paying attention to the weight strong people were moving I knew I wanted to do that too. This was about a year ago and while my numbers are still far from impressive, they’re a nice improvement.
once you hit 200 it’s like the magic number where you don’t feel small anymore.
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that all depends, i’m 6’ 5" and 200 and I feel (and i’m sure look) too thin. I’ve been gaining though and i’ll let you know when I feel I’ve hit that mark. i’m guessing it’s going to be at about 220.
once you hit 200 it’s like the magic number where you don’t feel small anymore.
that all depends, i’m 6’ 5" and 200 and I feel (and i’m sure look) too thin. I’ve been gaining though and i’ll let you know when I feel I’ve hit that mark. i’m guessing it’s going to be at about 220.[/quote]
I hate to lose. This is soemthing everybody can do but most people are afraid of actually sharpening up their skills because they are a afraid to get hit.
I feel as thought I got the msot potential in this area,I feel like Im getting better everyday and maybe be as great as Crocop or even greater. It makes me feel alive to punch somebody in the face and vice-versa. I cant explain it. Its like an animal instinct.
