Stopped lifting weights for good

C

code

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Weight training has never really been my thing. Infact, I hate it. I hate spending roughly an hour each day in the gym, I hate the vain selfish people I see there, I hate the "pump", I hate the competition surrounded around it (although there are people who lift for personal benefits alone, the majority of people are competing in some form or another), I hate having to worry whether or not I ate enough that day to benefit my training, I hate working towards a goal (lets say a 300 pound bench press for example) when I know that it will be an extremely rare occasion where I'll ever need that amount of strength, etc. etc.

So yeah, I'm tired of it. I'm not a big kid, I'm 14, 5'5, 130 pounds but I'm not fat or skinny, and I'm not too too weak. I can deadlift about 140lbs, hack squat around 135lbs, and I don't bench but I can dumbell press with 40lbs on each hand. But I've noticed since I've been trying so hard to increase major lifts, my other physical attributes have gone down. I'm not as fast as I used to be, I can't do as many pushups or situps, etc. etc. because I didn't include those in my training routine as I'd be overdoing it. And I listed out my personal pro's and con's, and strength training with my own bodyweight seemed to win.

So I'm just wondering your personal opinions on this, what I should expect to happen, etc. I will still be doing a strength routine by the way, but I'm only going to be working with bodyweight exercises (made a thread before that gave some good advice) and I'm going to set up a routine that I'll actually enjoy doing (will include a lot of things I can do outside) and things that will benefit me a lot more in life then moving hunks of metal around. Also I'll still be following a semi strict diet, aiming mostly for maintenance/a bit over maintenance so although it will take a while to actually build muscle, that's not the intent of my training. Thinking of picking up muay thai aswell, finally found a gym for only $30 a month that I like.
 
I don't think I will, I just don't like weight lifting. I didn't like it when I started either, even when seeing newbie gains I just didn't like it. Don't like the goals it's directed towards, don't like the feeling I get, etc.
Just seems like a big waste of time to me.
 
Im pretty much the exact opposite. I love weightlifting, i think its a brilliant way to gain confidence and feel much better with yourself. I think it helps you reach your goals because with weightlifting you have to work hard and watch what you eat. As well as your physical health improving your mental health does too. Not too long ago I was depressed, losing sleep and had anxiety attacks. I started weight lifting as my friends adviced it and guess what, all my worries went away and I cope with stress so easily now. I just take everything in my stride.

I think maybe as you mature and grow older you may see the benefits of weightlifting and may take it up again.
 
Do you not want that hot rippling brown beach body what all the women would die for?

Lol wait until you are wanting attention from gorgeous women in a few years time - things will change!
 
A lot of your reasoning is pretty dumb. If you don't like the people, don't lift there, or don't blame the weights. Your physical abilities have fallen short because you're probably doing something wrong, such as training in such a way that you loose althleticism (poor ROM, overtraining, constant muscle failure, simply the wrong exercise choices, etc). You'll probably find that the BW exercises you do will lead you back to your previous state of athleticism due to the fact that they train these things specifically, but if you were to lift the way that benefits what you look for most, then you'd get the similar results.
 
lifting isnt for everyone. if you hate, it then do what you like. some people like wrestling....some like running far....some like swimming.
we like lifting weights. its more hard core than body weight exercises.
you like body weight exercises though. so do them.
btw, if you saw the long term benefits and transformation weight lifting can do, i bet you wouldnt hate it.
 
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C-MayheM said:
You are 14, thats all I have to say.
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To be fair MayheM, him being 14 doesn't really play a part in this. His general view of weight training and people in with it, is obviously based on some pretty bad experiences.

Btw TC, I'm your age and I wouldn't really say your lifts are strong. As for losing other 'attributes' that must be through working out in a bad way. Since I've done weights I've got my pushups to 100 in a row, 1 handers up to around 18, and believe me, it gets you female attention, and that's not even what I work out for. So dude, you can dislike weight lifting for valid reasons, or you can post a new topic under 'what am I doing wrong' and I'd be happy to reply to it.
 
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One of the questions I would ask my clients when I was training was "What types of exercises do you enjoy?" - Because, on one hand, it was my job to create a good program for them physically, on the other hand, it was also my job to create a program they would actually want to do.

It's called thinking outside the box. If you don't like the traditional 'stand in front of a mirror and lift wts' - then don't, there are plenty of ways to get fit and strong. If you've found something that you enjoy that will help you be fit and healthy, I think that's great.
 
The only way to stay fit for life is to find something you like to do, what is the point if you hate it?

I love the powerful feeling I get when I lift, or use cables etc., but I can sometimes feel just as awesome when I do Tai Chi or rollerblade...

If what you switch to is some form of martial arts, you should be fine... enjoy it, love it, and stay fit.
 
code said:
So I'm just wondering your personal opinions on this, what I should expect to happen, etc. I will still be doing a strength routine by the way, but I'm only going to be working with bodyweight exercises (made a thread before that gave some good advice) and I'm going to set up a routine that I'll actually enjoy doing (will include a lot of things I can do outside) and things that will benefit me a lot more in life then moving hunks of metal around. Also I'll still be following a semi strict diet, aiming mostly for maintenance/a bit over maintenance so although it will take a while to actually build muscle, that's not the intent of my training. Thinking of picking up muay thai aswell, finally found a gym for only $30 a month that I like.
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Well using your body weight for strength training is a fairly good idea. I mean it's not bad, nor is it the very best.

You can try so many things using your own weight. Pushup, situps, squats, pull ups, upsidedown pushup, etc. I think all these will play well if you do a good cardio exercise and outdoor activities.

As far as what will happen if you don't do strength training? I don't really know myself. I'm not a buff person. You'll probably end up like Ahnold right now. All flabby, and pointing at things in the distance while talking to someone.
 
I think at your age it's fine to stick to body weight stuff, so long as you're eatting well and keeping active then you're doing OK

One odd thing I've noticed about weight lifting though is that ever since I started about 12 months ago I've never been ill; not so much as a head ache! That might not sound like much to some of you but bear in mind that I used to have about 10 sick days a year.
Now I'm lifting and I'm a lot bulkier I've had times when my family were all ill and my whole team at work were ill but I stayed untouched. Lifting has bullet proofed my immune system!
I used to be a great long distance runner and have always been very fit but it wasn't until I started lifting that my body has become more resilient.

In short - There are more benefits to weight lifting than increased strength
 
CCR, that's not the same story for everyone, unfortunately. If you overtax the CNS like I've done on multiple occasions, you will open yourself to illness. Since I've started lifting heavy and seriously, I've gotten sick several times a year more than when I did a lot of areobic activity (swimming).

I usually got sick maybe one week a year when I was doing tons of aerobic activity and even when I stopped a few years after. Now I have like three or four sick weeks a year.
 
all i have to say is this... if you hate it so much that you have to come here and type out why you hate it, then don't even bother with it. the way i see it, if you do something you hate, the negatives will outweigh the positives in the long run. find something you actually enjoy doing; maybe you will gain more muscle, maybe you won't. maybe you will lose more weight, maybe you won't. but at least at the end of the day you will be happy.
 
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