Why don't more guys on here weight lift

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Crazyfool
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08 Sep 2015, 10:02 am

All I hear about in the L&D section is: shell never like me I'm too shy, too short, too weak, too fat, too "beta" blahblahbllah

You can do something about all of that with the exclusion of height. I think it would help a lot of people here out if they hit the weights regularly and got more of muscular physique. It would help with the bullying, the self confidence, and the self respect I see a lot of people lacking by their tone on the forums.

I don't mean this to be condescending at all but if your body and your confidence bother you so much then why not take steps to better it? Plus it's great for your longterm health as well.



C2V
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08 Sep 2015, 10:24 am

Right on brother :wink:
I'm just getting back into it myself after a long illness, between surgeries, to help my bounce-back time.
Some people have health issues like me, but I think for a lot of people it just doesn't come naturally or easily - they're intimidated by gyms, have troubles with sensory complications with working out, plus I don't know if it's related but many autistics seem to have less than ideal body types for physical activity. But that can be overcome in the right ways. Also of course exercise helps just about everything else - mood, blood pressure/cholesterol, weight, metabolism, etc. Even socialising. But it's also hard, and unpleasant.


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kraftiekortie
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08 Sep 2015, 10:50 am

I used to lift weights, and run marathons.

I haven't done neither for a while.

I'm short: 5 foot 5.

It really hasn't affected how women view me.



Dillogic
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08 Sep 2015, 10:55 am

I do 100 chin ups a day. Over in a couple of minutes.

Don't need any more than that, as I appear strong enough for all work I do around the farm.

I'd rather spend my free time reading and learning to shoot better (especially archery), than using weights.

I don't care what I look like.



Crazyfool
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08 Sep 2015, 11:02 am

C2V wrote:
Right on brother :wink:
I'm just getting back into it myself after a long illness, between surgeries, to help my bounce-back time.
Some people have health issues like me, but I think for a lot of people it just doesn't come naturally or easily - they're intimidated by gyms, have troubles with sensory complications with working out, plus I don't know if it's related but many autistics seem to have less than ideal body types for physical activity. But that can be overcome in the right ways. Also of course exercise helps just about everything else - mood, blood pressure/cholesterol, weight, metabolism, etc. Even socialising. But it's also hard, and unpleasant.


Kudos bro! I'm also recovering from an injury (stroke) that left my left arm paralyze. The neurologist said it'd be a year before she even knew if I'd get any feeling or movement back in it. I said Fukk that and persistently tried moving my fingers then eventually my arm and just put all my energy into it. After a month I had almost a full range of motion back and minor tingles and numness from nerve damage. Now I got it back complexly minus some pain and weakness. So I know how discouraging it can be recovering from an injury, so good job sticking it out man.

I don't buy into the "not having the ideal body type" reasoning for weight lifting. Maybe I'm being ignorant to the lower functioning on the spectrum as I don't really know how autism affects those, but the human body has a remarkable ability to morph and adapt to the stress you put on it.

No doubt gyms are extremely intimidating! That was the hardest part for me to overcome, and with out overcoming that first step any results are obviously impossible. It grows character though when you can get yourself to go into a gym and overcome the anxiety and insecurities and just focus on bettering yourself. Sensory wise it isn't hard for me if I just plug in my headphones and focus on me and my weights, I completely block everyone else out.



Crazyfool
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08 Sep 2015, 11:04 am

[quote="Dillo
I don't care what I look like.[/quote]

Well then I guess this wouldn't apply to you. This was more or less directed at those who are unhappy with their physique.



Lars_A
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08 Sep 2015, 4:21 pm

I've been on and off weight lifting a few times, but I just recently started more serious, joining my brother. Me and both my bros are pretty much competing to lift the most weight in the future, and I know I will beat them both! We're all relatively weak (compared to lifters, not general population) right now.

I almost think the mental benefits are even better than the physical benefits.



Sethno
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08 Sep 2015, 4:54 pm

Dillogic wrote:
I do 100 chin ups a day. Over in a couple of minutes.

Don't need any more than that, as I appear strong enough for all work I do around the farm..


You're an honest to goodness farmer? Kewl.


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ConceptuallyCurious
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08 Sep 2015, 5:13 pm

I'm a women, but I do a full contact sport and training is taken seriously by the team.

Perhaps because my arms aren't atrong enough, but it seems when I'm having a sensory overload day I have difficulty with the EF side of changing between going between different circuit training areas (even with written prompts!).

I find that I forget how to initially lift the weight or one arm drifts off.



Aristophanes
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08 Sep 2015, 6:18 pm

Well if the person is complaining about extra weight, i.e. fat, weight lifting isn't going to do much except maybe tone up the skin that's beneath inches of fat, and if you're doing weight lifting appropriately you're going to be gaining weight not losing it. My recommendation is heavy cardio, low sugar intake, moderate eating and moderate weight lifting. After the fat has been burned to a satisfactory level then back off the cardio to a moderate level and increase the weight lifting.



2wheels4ever
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08 Sep 2015, 11:22 pm

^ That is a major issue with weight training to lose weight. I know I initially became discouraged when I seemed to stay the same weight; not realizing that I was indeed losing weight in fat but also gaining it in muscle. I started hitting the iron again myself after a nearly 20 year absence. For me it was a matter of having easy access to a gym and I found out my OneCare covers it so I thought what the hey I'm not doing anything else productive at the moment, at least I ought to try and get my form back. That and hoping to reach the point of being able to lift the entire stack of weights on the machines I mainly use is what keeps me motivated. As far as intimidation; no reason to be - 80% of the people on the gym floor are poseurs with their noses in their phones or try-hard MMA wannabes. 15% are using the equipment incorrectly and soon give up. That leaves the rest of us who strive to become better than we were yesterday.


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SpaceAgeBushRanger
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08 Sep 2015, 11:32 pm

I used to weight-lift in High School, as an alternative to P.E.

I liked it. I didn't find the gym intimidating at all, and it was a way to exercise without worrying about teamwork or other people.

I preferred the cardio stuff to weight-lifting, things like the rowing machine, stairmaster, and my favourite was the treadmill. All these machines were in a nice, cool dark room with TVs.

I don't know if gym attendance made me more attractive to females. The confidence that comes from wearing contact lenses made a greater difference for me. Neglecting to shave for a few days also gets me extra female attention, though I'm not sure if its the good kind.

Going to gym is worthwhile, but you should be doing it for health reasons, not just to impress people.



olympiadis
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09 Sep 2015, 12:44 am

I do it. It seems to be the best treatment for me to deal with depression and anxiety, especially the anxiety.



svaughan
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09 Sep 2015, 1:33 am

I train regularly and I almost need to do it otherwise I feel restless. I love the feeling you get post- workout.



0regonGuy
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09 Sep 2015, 2:05 am

Cause I don't need a lot of muscles to sit here and use the keyboard and mouse, and fap all day. :mrgreen:


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TheCoolStoryBro
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09 Sep 2015, 2:52 am

I lift weights almost everyday for at least an hour. I am just as ripped as Bruce Lee if I flex. I'm six feet tall, and I also have mild pectus excavatum with moderate rib flaring that only goes away if I flex my abs, so if I do not flex a little, I don't look anywhere near as good, and there seems to be no way to fix that without surgery. I've gotten a few great compliments about my muscles from women that are unavailable.

Still way too shy. Still have a very severe phobia of rejection. Still thinking about why I even bother existing. Been obsessed with women since I was a toddler, and has always been the main obsession. Just before school first started, became obsessed with video games. Music became an obsession when I turned 13, also had a fling (shear luck with douche bag friends). Long term girlfriend a few years later (shear luck in a special school). Skipped high school entirely by cheating the system and dropping out. Girlfriend left me. Isolated myself as a shut in for about 9 years since then. Talked with some people online here and there, and that lead nowhere.

Became extremely depressed after girlfriend left me 9 years ago, took me a few years to get over her... and I wasn't even that into her to begin with. Became even more depressed as I could not figure out how to meet women. For years, I tried to find a way to kill myself because of that. Almost did kill myself after a failed attempt at meeting women a few years ago. Somehow forced myself to get distracted with video games for about a year, and started to exercise. Now I look really buff, and have lost most of my interest in video games. Near the beginning of this year, I showed one girl who said she was interested in me here on wrongplanet, but said she doesn't like muscles. Bad times. Very depressed, and getting worse.

Having a lot of muscle and good looks does not seem to be enough for women. I need to not have the Autism and Anxiety that I have. I rarely leave the house. I have no obsession outside of the house, other than women accepting me, therefor there is no reason to go out there other than for food and completely pointless therapy sessions where every word of English I speak is somehow the kind of English that comes from another solar system.

It's impossible for me to do things unless I absolutely must do it out of immediate need, or very intense desire. Where am I supposed to go to meet women and show them I have a lot of muscle? I have no idea. Is it even going to be enough for women that I have a lot of muscle? I'm a good listener... but I don't know what to say other than whatever is on my mind, and that is hardly ever relevant to anyone else. No job, and unable to get one or keep one. Impossible. No friends, don't know how to make them. Don't have any interests that will help me meet women, and I can't change that.

Body Building, difficult video games, metal and electronic music, The Walking Dead TV show. Not much to say about those things, nowhere to go with them in order to meet women, so there's no way I'll ever meet anyone. Not happy.