I’m just not some gym-bro like you see in various media and online. I hate that culture so bad that I’ve not set foot in a proper gym in something like 20 years. The cringe at seeing people pouting and posing in the mirror and into their phones was a thing even then.
Used to train with my Brother, and another time there we wanted a particular set of dumbells (15kg each I think they were). This one lad had the curls seat, and an arch with pretty much every set of dumbells there. He’d been going for something like 15 minutes, so my Brother goes and asks “can I use the 15s while you’re not using them”.
“I am using them!!” he barks. OK, we thought, we’ll wait. But as we said this and walked away he insults my Brother “not like you can lift those anyway, with those tiny arms!”
C*nt.
After doing some other sets on other equipment, and some 40-bloody-minutes-later, dumbells are free. Everyone else was cool enough to let us have first dibs. My Brother stares at cnty who’d hogged the weights, picked up a set of 25s. Cnty looks back and smirks then his jaw drops as my Brother and me curl those weights for 10 reps.
You dont need insults. You dont need to shout and posture. Just lift. Thats the reality.
Helping others made us feel good too. I remember this young girl in there, maybe 21, university rower iirc. The guys hit on her all the fucking time. I think she thought we were a gay couple or something as we didnt try and chat her up. So we ended up spotting for her on the bench press. Holy fuck could she lift. She was small, but she was STRONG!
These days I do weights at home. I just use dumbells. I dont use as much these days either. 10kg in each hand for shoulder presses, upright rowing. 5kg for more aerobic styles and warm ups. I walk all day at work so dont feel I need to do too much more. I’m not and have never been physically big. I learned that strength doesnt go hand in hand with size.
Weight work gives you this kind of adrenaline feeling, not like flight or fight as such, but you feel a kind of buzz. The gentle burning sensation feels good. I can do this shit when watching the telly or a movie.
What do you guys do to stay active or feel good?
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I love lifting weights. I usually do 25 pounds (roughly 12kg) in each hand, 40 seconds on, 20 seconds off for 30 minutes. I do a gauntlet of different exercises, from squats, deadlifts, swings, ohp, curls, bench press etc. It’s great I love it. But really I looove doing heavy deadlifts. My goal is to hit 400 pounds but I’ll probably never get there
Also, I love muay Thai on the heavy bag. So much fun
I’m a bit too tall for proper dead lifting as it tended to hurt my back, but I know what you mean. All that blood pumps through the brain and heart in one big rush.
Muay Thai gang!
I haven’t been to a gym in years, but I still practice my form on bags.
Doing that with bodyweight exercise, free weights, and cardio keep me fit
Weights are fine and all but have you considered using a rowing machine
Havent the space for it. I just have one room with the bed in it.
Get rid of the bed and row yourself to sleep
I lift maybe 5 days a week, but man, for whatever reason, I can’t make deadlifts or squat technique work. Have watched dozens of videos or website tutorials. Either the weight is light, injury-free, and feel no pump whatsoever, or the weight is moderately heavy, immediately injurious and I feel the pump…and wonder why I continue to keep putting myself through this instead of just using machines.
Have been lifting for several years, I can bench 325lbs, 20 rep sets of pull-ups, but I can only squat/deadlift 245lbs and will definitely end up hurt afterwards. I am still continuing to waste my time on squats and deadlifts, under the illusion that someday I’ll figure out what it is I’m missing.
ill figure out what it is im missing
Just stand up 😃
Its one of those things you really need a specialised personal trainer to take you through imo.
Have you recorded yourself? It may help you spot what’s wrong
Yes, recording definitely helps identify things to try, it facilitates the ongoing process of trial and error. Just wish I could figure out the specific thing or things I should be changing to get the combination that unlocks the ability to load up more weight safely.
A guilty pleasure of mine are these videos by a powerlifter who pretends to be a janitor: https://www.youtube.com/@vladimirfitness. Some of the bamboozled are pretty humble by it actually, which is nice to see.
I like lifting, used to run a lot, and I meditate. Those “highs” are much cleaner and healthier than anything else. I hope to be in a parade like this one day: https://rarehistoricalphotos.com/soviet-gym-teachers-1956/
I got into running about 10 years ago and have done it ever since. It’s the only thing I’ve done that always makes me feel good. Occasionally I have to force myself to go, or have a rough run where I feel like quitting the whole way, but it always feels good after.
I tried lifting last winter because it’s not safe to run here once it snows and I hate treadmills. I injured my shoulder and haven’t gotten the motivation to start back up. Lifting feels good for me, but it’s nowhere near as intense as the rush I get from running.
Lifting is fantastic and definitely gives me that “runners high” effect. Particularly kettlebells, there’s just something very cool about doing all these athletic movements with 62 lbs of iron wrapped around your forearm. The sort of “move your arm around the bell rather than the bell around your arm” thing of stuff like cleans and snatches just feels cool once you master it.
Circus lifts are fun too. I really enjoy figure eight based movements, slinging the bell between your legs from one hand to another and then back again in front of you is great fun. Flip swings are great too, but I need to do those over grass, still not good enough to not drop regularly.
But I will say there’s something very cool about powerlifting too. Loading down my shoulders with like 400+ lbs and squatting feels raw and primal. Also like instant ego death, you don’t think about anything but moving the weight.
Also, there’s a fitness com that’s not used often. You should definitely post more stories there.
Lifting weights always felt risky and awkward for me so I prefer to lift myself instead with dips and pull ups. Also bands are underrated!
Started going to the gym with my partner for the first time in over a decade. I’m feeling so much better and I get high from it, it’s great!
