How many of you work out? And what's the point of it!?

[Incubus]

Ok, I don't mean to start anything, but I've just been thinking a lot lately. First of all, I work out all the time....still. In high school I made all conference in baseball and football, and outlifted most of the linemen as a linebacker/safety. So I've kept working out this last year and this summer. But lately I've been wondering what's the point. Before I had a motivation to get stronger and faster so I could be a better athlete. Well, I don't play sports anymore, as I'm a full time student at wisconsin. Also, competing against my teammates to see who could lift more was awesome, but now I have no teammates.

Lately when I work out I still love the feeling, but at the end of the day I'm not sure why I do it anymore. So I can bench 280 pounds....so what? It seems to me like it doesn't matter anymore. lol not to mention squats...why bother anymore? Not only that but it's a hassle sometimes....I don't work as much as I could to make time to work out, and I go to bed early in the summertime (well, earlyish, 12-1am) to get up at 9 and go workout. Not to mention that I could be making more money in that time, or pursuing my other passion, music.

I'm not saying I'd be a total bum, as I'd still eat healthy and stay active with recreational sports...but even then do girls really care about a guy being ripped as opposed to just toned?

By the way, I've never worked out to get girls, I've always done it for me. Sorry if this is pointless, I just feel kinda down right now and trying to see if I'm doing the right decisions with my life and I guess I needed to get this out.

 

[On Point]

I think you're right to reconsider in light of the big picture. You want to be in better shape than average to get noticed and be healthy, but whether you can bench your weight or your weight plus 100 lbs isn't really going to matter.

I'd say do what you need to do to stay in shape and use the extra time for other things.

 

[ValleyDJing]

I lift for looks. That being said, lifting I think develops more than just muscles. It builds discipline and devotion. And its been said that excercise makes you feel better. I wholeheartedly agree with that.

 

[backbreaker]

I don't actually LIFT anymore.. it takes too much time. but I workout 5 days a week and swim 6

why?

1. Better overall health

2. Better frame of mind

3. Nothing like testosterone flowing

4. I can wear clothes that I like and look right in them

5. It sharpens me for the rest of the day

6. I like to swim

7. Sexual Stanima

8. I look good with my shirt off.

9. I can't demand something of a woman that I am not myself. I can't demand women with coke bottle bodies and I am an overweight slob. I can't demand women who are a size 1-3 with long legs and look so good in a swim suit you want to pour ranch dressing over them and eat them, yet I'm ashamed of taking my shirt off in public

10. I still play basketball from time to time

 

[speakeasy]

I go to the gym regularly. Both for fitness and for vanity. I also do mixed martial arts to stay in shape and that helps with confidence knowing I could kick the average person's ass if I was in a bar fight. I think part of being a DJ is not only being able to get girls, but also being able to dominate other men. So a DJ should know how to handle himself in a physical conflict if the situation comes up. Women like guys that make them feel protected.

 

[backbreaker]

being able to dominate other men.

uh..no

coming from someone who took karate for 6 years.. I do everything I can to advioid confrentation. I'm in better shape than probably 98% of the population and I was a brown belt, which is the last step from being a black belt and I would have if I wouldn't have quit.. but... it's about self defense, not intimidation or dominating.

the thing I know is... I avoid confrontation because I know what I'm capable of doing to someone. i don't go around picking fights because I know I can whip someones ass. If i get in a real fight, I'm going to put someone in the ICU and could probably kill them. I know what I'm capable of and i know my temper. If i get started you can forget it.

but at the same time it gives me the confidence to not back down from anyone. but even when I get swung at, i take care of myself, but in a defensive manner. Now if my life is threatened, I have to do what i have to do. that's the first, the very first thing you learn in martial arts.

 

[oakraiderz2]

I havent been able to work out for the past the past four months and i feel like a piece of ****. I couldnt run or swim for the past 2 months. Nothing like a runners high.

 

[bigjohnson]

Speakeasy, try to dominate a Glock and see how it goes for ya. Bad idea.

I work out because I like the way I feel and because I want to live to be very very old. I train for strength and stamina, no body building as a distinct goal.

 

[bigappledj]

I have these uber-sexy abs this summer. You guys think it would be a good idea to go to the beach and apply some suntan lotion over them in front of all the hotties?

I don't lift. I tore an abductor muscle a while back and couldn't boink for months. What made it worse was that Cletus couldn't come out and play either. Ever since I have been concentrating on yoga. Breathing in and of itself can be a dynamite workout.

 

[Kerpal]

I don't think you should stop working out. It's very important for your health and lots of other reasons. I think if you quit, you'll be sorry since you spent so much time getting in really good shape and it will be gone. Then you'll have to start back at square 1. That doesn't mean you should keep doing it just because you're "trapped" into it now or anything like that, but unfortunately if you stop working out your body starts to deteriorate.

 

[speakeasy]

uh..no

coming from someone who took karate for 6 years.. I do everything I can to advioid confrentation. I'm in better shape than probably 98% of the population and I was a brown belt, which is the last step from being a black belt and I would have if I wouldn't have quit.. but... it's about self defense, not intimidation or dominating.

the thing I know is... I avoid confrontation because I know what I'm capable of doing to someone. i don't go around picking fights because I know I can whip someones ass. If i get in a real fight, I'm going to put someone in the ICU and could probably kill them. I know what I'm capable of and i know my temper. If i get started you can forget it.

but at the same time it gives me the confidence to not back down from anyone. but even when I get swung at, i take care of myself, but in a defensive manner. Now if my life is threatened, I have to do what i have to do. that's the first, the very first thing you learn in martial arts.

That's what I'm talking about right there. Not feeling like you have to submit to some a**hole because he's bigger or more intimidating to you. I haven't been in a fight since junior high so I'm not the guy that goes around looking for trouble. But it helps your confidence knowing that you can handle yourself...say you are in a movie line with your girl and some dude bigger than you cuts in line, you will feel much more confident telling him to go to the back of the line and wait like everyone else, and look much better in front of your girl. A situation like that happened to one of my instructors. He was in a line at a bar and some dude way bigger than him cut in front of him. When he told the guy don't cut in front of me, he starting talking sh*t to my instructor and physically threatened him, it escalated to a fight and my instructor whipped his a**. Things like this happen.

As to the guy that mentioned a glock, well, most fist fights don't end up with someone getting shot, unless you like hanging out in the ghetto.

 

[Obsidian]

i always tell myself that I'm working out neither
1. to get girls or especially
2. to look good. (I'm a pretty big believer that looks don't matter that much to girls anyway.)

Altho I suspect I may be lying to myself a tad bit, I like to hope that my motives are mostly pure. Working out should be about
1. Making yourself stronger / more powerful, regardless of looks. Imo, getting super thin and "toned" over-emphasizes male vanity and metrosexuality. Girls are primarily attracted to strong guys, anyway, not pretty ones.
2. Boosting testosterone -- and therefore making yourself more lively
3. Improving your health/increasing lifespan
4. Also developing discipline, as others mentioned
5. In some cases, sports competition, as you mentioned


And to you pacifist panzies, who bring up the subject of firearms as a reason to ignore fighting skillz: You are a bit off-base. Sure, it may not be smart to try "dominating" a glock. Sometimes weapons are not involved, however, and sometimes you may not have a choice but to fight back (or die). In any case, self-defense is always a good reason to buff up. (There are other benefits to strength as well.) Strength still means something, even in the modern world. Of course, women know this instinctively, which is why they prefer strong men, physically and otherwise.


All that said, I don't think working out is something you should really obsess over unless you're involved in a sport or some sort of fighting force (army, police, etc), or unless you just really like it. Imo, you can stay healthy and feel good just lifting weights for half an hour or so 2-3 times a week, doing some crunches and push-ups every day, and maybe running a little bit. Do more if you wish; it's your life.

But your other passions, such as music and wealth-building, are also important. Maximize your utility.

 

[PeterNorthisawesome]

Ok, I don't mean to start anything, but I've just been thinking a lot lately. First of all, I work out all the time....still. In high school I made all conference in baseball and football, and outlifted most of the linemen as a linebacker/safety. So I've kept working out this last year and this summer. But lately I've been wondering what's the point. Before I had a motivation to get stronger and faster so I could be a better athlete. Well, I don't play sports anymore, as I'm a full time student at wisconsin. Also, competing against my teammates to see who could lift more was awesome, but now I have no teammates.

Lately when I work out I still love the feeling, but at the end of the day I'm not sure why I do it anymore. So I can bench 280 pounds....so what? It seems to me like it doesn't matter anymore. lol not to mention squats...why bother anymore? Not only that but it's a hassle sometimes....I don't work as much as I could to make time to work out, and I go to bed early in the summertime (well, earlyish, 12-1am) to get up at 9 and go workout. Not to mention that I could be making more money in that time, or pursuing my other passion, music.

I'm not saying I'd be a total bum, as I'd still eat healthy and stay active with recreational sports...but even then do girls really care about a guy being ripped as opposed to just toned?

By the way, I've never worked out to get girls, I've always done it for me. Sorry if this is pointless, I just feel kinda down right now and trying to see if I'm doing the right decisions with my life and I guess I needed to get this out.

Short Answer: Better physical and mental health creates more opportunities and half your work is done when the chick is physically attracted to you.

Long Answer by Pook: http://www.sosuave.net/forum/showthread.php?t=60002

 

[ConantheLibertarian]

For me personally, working out is something I take pride in. It's become a part of me that makes me feel good about myself. I was in sports throughout most of my childhood, and was very good at all sports. My focus got spread out in high school, by chicks impressed with my jock status mainly . It's just as well, not like I was going to a D1 school to play sports anyways.

But even now that I've been out of high school for awhile, I like to maintain my athletic abilities. I still have a very good 40 time, an excellent vertical leap, and a bat quicker than most. All of that is probably not important to most of you, but it is to me. It's something I put a lot into, and get much more out of.

 

[Quiksilver]

How about cut your workouts back, and just maintain what you have?

Hit the gym once or twice a week and do a quick full body workout.

As you say, you eat well, so your body should be able to maintain what you have for a good long while.

I'd say work something like this:

- Two 1-hour fullbody workouts per week(eg. monday and thursday)

- Four 30-minute low intensity morning cardio sessions per week

- Once per month, hit the weights hard(max) so your muscles don't start deteriorating.

That's what, 4h a week of health related activities. That's not too much work to stay in peak physical condition.

-----

On the other hand, you could just be burnt out. Take a solid month away from all lifting and cardio.

 

[Desdinova]

Moved to H&F

 

[Moby_On_D]

I do 3 days a week of strength and power lifting, 1-2 days of weight complexes, and I train bjj and muay thai 4-5 times a week.

 

[FutureSpartan]

I work out for these reasons

1. Women
2. Vanity
3. Hate laziness
4. Self-respect
5. Respect from others


Sounds a bit shallow? I Don't give a rats azz, I am honest with myself and it motivates me to keep coming back to the gym.

 

[stronglifts]

Ok, I don't mean to start anything, but I've just been thinking a lot lately. First of all, I work out all the time....still. In high school I made all conference in baseball and football, and outlifted most of the linemen as a linebacker/safety. So I've kept working out this last year and this summer. But lately I've been wondering what's the point. Before I had a motivation to get stronger and faster so I could be a better athlete. Well, I don't play sports anymore, as I'm a full time student at wisconsin. Also, competing against my teammates to see who could lift more was awesome, but now I have no teammates.

Lately when I work out I still love the feeling, but at the end of the day I'm not sure why I do it anymore. So I can bench 280 pounds....so what? It seems to me like it doesn't matter anymore. lol not to mention squats...why bother anymore? Not only that but it's a hassle sometimes....I don't work as much as I could to make time to work out, and I go to bed early in the summertime (well, earlyish, 12-1am) to get up at 9 and go workout. Not to mention that I could be making more money in that time, or pursuing my other passion, music.

I'm not saying I'd be a total bum, as I'd still eat healthy and stay active with recreational sports...but even then do girls really care about a guy being ripped as opposed to just toned?

By the way, I've never worked out to get girls, I've always done it for me. Sorry if this is pointless, I just feel kinda down right now and trying to see if I'm doing the right decisions with my life and I guess I needed to get this out.

5 Reasons You Should Start Strength Training

-Performance
-Health
-Physique
-Character
-You need phsyical activity

I've been lifting for 10 years now. The reason that stands out the most in my case is "character". Lifting weights learns you:
-persistence
-responsibility
-discipline
-determination
-ambition
-self-confidence
-sacrifice
etc...

That & the fact that you need physical activity to be "normal", are my reasons to lift weights.

Don't do it for the girls.

 

[bigjohnson]

As to the guy that mentioned a glock, well, most fist fights don't end up with someone getting shot, unless you like hanging out in the ghetto.

Most civil social interactions don't end in a fist fight unless you like hanging out in a ghetto. I just see no reason to bring fists to a gunfight.

Buffing up shouldn't have anything to do with fighting unless you plan to fight as a sport. Being in shape is great, fighting is stupid, and that is basically that. But then I'm a social conformist when it comes to things like following the rules, calling police immediately and not being a c0ck in general. It makes me wonder where some of you poor bastards live where people routinely try to take cuts in line and such, the only place I ever experienced that was India. I don't live in a 3rd world shythole where people were never taught manners. Why would you want to spend time in such a crappy place with such crappy people unless you HAD to?

In any case, if you want to fight get in a ring, if you want self defense get training and arm yourself. Fighting in the street isn't playtime, we're not little kids anymore. One important thing to know; if an armed person pulls the gun out he's already decided he has no other choice but to kill someone. Think about that before you pick a fight.

Being in shape and working out is great, the time spent is relaxing in a way nothing else is and the benefits are well known. Even taking martial arts is a great way to work out and I'm not saying the skills are useless, just that constructing some Jackie Chan fantasy in your mind is a potentially serious mistake. The best self defense is situational awareness and avoiding violence, second is firearms training. Everything else is essentially fancy aerobics classes for men.