Why do you lift weights ? What are you goals ?

[The_Iron_Disciple]

No ... seriously ! Why do you lift weights ? Whether it's short-term and / or long-term ... what's your goal ? What do you hope to achieve ... what do you hope to accomplish in the process ? Personally, I've always been a fan of Comic Book Superheroes. Loved the exaggerated " muscle look ".  I also remember watching some of the early Bodybuilding Shows on ESPN with my Father and thinking to myself, " WOW, how can a human being be so big ! Someday ... just someday I hope to have that much muscle on my frame ( if not more ) ! " I had to be around 6 years old at that time and I do believe the person I saw on TV was none other than Vince Taylor. I was also EXREMELY intrigued with the WSM Shows ... probably moreso than the Bodybuilding ones. Without going into my whole life story, I'd like to share my Goals for this year ... or rather goal ( as I just explained in a roundabout way WHY I lift weights ) this year. My Goal this year is to compete in a Strongman show ... I may not win it ... hell, I may not even do well at all ! I just want to be able to look myself in the mirror the day after the contest ... even 20 years down the road and say to my Wife ( being a bit presumptuous here  ) , " I did it. "  Yeah, it's not a whole lot of words to say ... but what more needs to be said when you set a goal for yourself and accomplish it ? I hope all of you achieve your goals ... not only with weights, but just if life, period. And not only this year ... but for the rest of your lives. Nothing ... and I do mean nothing's more fulfilling than setting out to do something and actually going through with it ... positive things, that is. 


With that being said, let's here it, fellas !

[chaos]

To blow off steam, since I'm there I might as well try to lift heavy. Really that's it.

I don't plan to accomplish anything, I just enjoy doing it. The feeling of total exhaustion, the satisfaction of setting a goal and hitting it, or failing and knowing what your limit to break is. It's like a game.

[PANDAEMONIUM]

No ... seriously ! Why do you lift weights ?

I started lifting over ten years ago because I wanted to be like Paul Anderson and lift up Mack trucks from the front end   Over the years my short-term goals changed but my long term goal of getting big (yeah, muscular and FAT ) were always there.  I've gotten to what's probably pretty close to my natural limit now so nowadays I just lift for fun and for maintenance.  Every now and then I go for 1 RM's but mostly try to be smart in the gym these days.  I still train for personal strength goals, like working toward personal bests in the power clean.

I've also gotten to the point where I don't put as much stock in being a "big" guy.  Partly because a couple family members in the past 1.5 years have gotten cancer and I've watched them shrink to nothing.  My dad is a naturally big guy but he shrank to a tiny 160 lbs after battling throat cancer.  Watching him wither away I realized that all the size I've worked so hard to build over a decade can disappear in a few months.  So I'm trying to be more realistic these days.  Also trying to appreciate my family more cuz fuck man, ya never know when it'll go away just like that.

[The_Iron_Disciple]

Also trying to appreciate my family more cuz fuck man, ya never know when it'll go away just like that.

That's deep man ... that's real deep. I respect that ... I truly do.

[JasonH]

Simply because I enjoy lifting weights - I always have done since I was about 13 or 14 - it's just something that feels right. Then I discovered goals and reaching the goals has helped me to stay in the game for the long term. I did have aspirations to compete some years ago but not so much anymore - I'm still trying to attain the best physique I can irrespective of whether I'm going to step up onstage anymore. Mucking around in the weights room has always been the big draw for me. I guess I lost a bit of love for the "sport" when I realised that you needed drugs to get to the very top and it kinda put me off. But regardless of all that, I'll still be training in some form or another for at least the next ten or twenty years simply because I love lifting the weights and puching myself to do better than I did before in the previous workout.

[webcake]

Its fun, gives you time to "get away" from it all and i would like to compete in the near future. If I'm good at competitive bodybuilding i will see how far i can take it, if I'm not good, ill still always lift. Ive been able to transform myself from a pretty overweight kid to someone who actually looks like they work out. I'm currently studying to be a Personal Trainer, so it looks like ill be spending even more time in the gym

[Deicide]

Its fun, gives you time to "get away" from it all and i would like to compete in the near future. If I'm good at competitive bodybuilding i will see how far i can take it, if I'm not good, ill still always lift. Ive been able to transform myself from a pretty overweight kid to someone who actually looks like they work out. I'm currently studying to be a Personal Trainer, so it looks like ill be spending even more time in the gym

You are a genetic freak! Now let's see those pics!

[duncanlukas]

to step on the olympia stage...thats the only reason anyone should want to get big.

[Obvious Gimmick]

(past goals)
in my teens = to look like Rich Gaspari
in my 20's = to get the girls

(current goal)
in my 30's = to get away from my wife

(Projected goals)
in my 40's = to keep the youngsters off my wife
in my 50's and beyond = to stay healthy enough to get the government to pay me ALL of my pension!

[The_Iron_Disciple]

(past goals)
in my teens = to look like Rich Gaspari
in my 20's = to get the girls

(current goal)
in my 30's = to get away from my wife

(Projected goals)
in my 40's = to keep the youngsters off my wife
in my 50's and beyond = to stay healthy enough to get the government to pay me ALL of my pension!

Great Post ! LOL !

[Stubborn]

To become a Pro Strongman. I have done bodybuilding and it was very rewarding but not enough for me. Size is not what Im looking for (I think Im big enough ). Strength of body and mind are all that matters. Am I wrong?


I think to become Pro is to be included in an elite class of people who have extreme willpower and determination. If you can bring yourself to achieve such a feat, you can do anything!

[windsor88]

I lift weights to make everyone in my gym look like a weak bitch.  No matter what these other posers are lifting I jump in right after and double up whatever they attempt.  I thrive on owning these toothpicks.














In reality though.  It relieves stress and it is cool to see some nice females running around at the same time.  Pretty much just to maintain healthy body.

[The_Iron_Disciple]

To become a Pro Strongman. I have done bodybuilding and it was very rewarding but not enough for me. Size is not what Im looking for (I think Im big enough ). Strength of body and mind are all that matters. Am I wrong?


I think to become Pro is to be included in an elite class of people who have extreme willpower and determination. If you can bring yourself to achieve such a feat, you can do anything!

I'm with you there, Brother ... definitely with you there ... although, I still want to be a big fucker. A big, strong fucker, that is !!! 

[Moosejay]

I started lifting over ten years ago because I wanted to be like Paul Anderson and lift up Mack trucks from the front end   Over the years my short-term goals changed but my long term goal of getting big (yeah, muscular and FAT ) were always there.  I've gotten to what's probably pretty close to my natural limit now so nowadays I just lift for fun and for maintenance.  Every now and then I go for 1 RM's but mostly try to be smart in the gym these days.  I still train for personal strength goals, like working toward personal bests in the power clean.

I've also gotten to the point where I don't put as much stock in being a "big" guy.  Partly because a couple family members in the past 1.5 years have gotten cancer and I've watched them shrink to nothing.  My dad is a naturally big guy but he shrank to a tiny 160 lbs after battling throat cancer.  Watching him wither away I realized that all the size I've worked so hard to build over a decade can disappear in a few months.  So I'm trying to be more realistic these days.  Also trying to appreciate my family more cuz fuck man, ya never know when it'll go away just like that.

Geez...I hope your family members , and your dad, are okay.

[240 is Back]

To get muscles.  To be the best 31-year old in every room I enter.

[candidizzle]

the reason i lift weights...   to be able to come as close as i can to having a body like this...

[Earl1972]

to look good naked and have something the average guy doesn't have

every other answer is basically bullshit

E

[G.R.H.]

i'm gonna be 40 soon, and i want to look like i'm 20! (f'in huge and ripped!) 

[haider]

just something I got into in my wrestling years, and now I can't think of any reason to stop. I really lift for no fucking reason, althought I set myself strength goals which it makes it more interesting (plus the motivation of keeping the hard earned muscle).

[Deicide]

the reason i lift weights...   to be able to come as close as i can to having a body like this...

So you want gyno?

[snowboarding_bear]

my goal, is to get a 300on my PFT(phyical fitness test) for the USMC i want to be able to go to bootcamp and be one of the strongest there, screw that not one of the strongest, i want to be the strongest, i need to be the strongest, i dont like being beat i always need to be the best.
i lift weights to find my limit, to see if i can go pass that limit to see if i can prove other people wrong, im now down to 158lbs, and i used to be 220lbs of nothing but fat. now im getting lean, and im getting mean. i was told many times that i wouldnt make it into the marines, so my goals are.
make it into the marines.

sorry this reply doesnt make to much sense, i have a bit of a problem wit hthe whole eating right..i had a lot of sugar today..

[Geo]

my goal, is to get a 300on my PFT(phyical fitness test) for the USMC i want to be able to go to bootcamp and be one of the strongest there, screw that not one of the strongest, i want to be the strongest, i need to be the strongest, i dont like being beat i always need to be the best.
i lift weights to find my limit, to see if i can go pass that limit to see if i can prove other people wrong, im now down to 158lbs, and i used to be 220lbs of nothing but fat. now im getting lean, and im getting mean. i was told many times that i wouldnt make it into the marines, so my goals are.
make it into the marines.

sorry this reply doesnt make to much sense, i have a bit of a problem wit hthe whole eating right..i had a lot of sugar today..

go get em "tiger" !

[snowboarding_bear]

might i add*
getting a 215 on the PFT sets you in the first class range. a 300 is damn near impossible. but i want it.

[Beener]

the reason i lift weights...   to be able to come as close as i can to having a body like this...

AMEN

[Dawn Melanie]

  OK, asides from the same ol' "manage stress" and other health benefits... I lift weights bec. it helps me with curves I'll never have naturally. Nope - no childbearing hips here.  But, by "growing my lats" my waist appears smaller...and a "SHAPE" seems I have.