Happy ThanksGiving!

[DIVISION]

Tired of it? Honestly, no...I really don't even think about it that much.

I'm not near as nuts about it all as I used to be...nuts as in compulsive to where other areas of my life suffer.

As for a trophy...I could care less right now. I don't know what I'll do in the future, I have no plans right now. If I decide to really diet down again for something it will be more about personal satisfaction then anything else.

Think about it this way. You enjoy moving the largest amounts of weights possible. Do you actually get anything out of that, i.e. money, fame, power, etc? Obviously no, you do it for your own personal satisfaction.

I know you might say that you get actual functional strength and that's great. I get the same thing, it's just a different approach and different goals. In the end it boils down to the same kind of thing.

Functional strength is important in life, as it tends to deter people from ever perstering you.

You're right though, it's all about what's important to you.

If I had genetics like Sergio Oliva, I'd probably reconsider, but I'm stuck with a powerlifter's build akin to a baby Cuter, so.......

I think it's funny to be knows as "baby Cutler", you really see how people's perspectived are shaped.


DIV

[Arnold jr]

Functional strength is important in life, as it tends to deter people from ever perstering you.

You're right though, it's all about what's important to you.

If I had genetics like Sergio Oliva, I'd probably reconsider, but I'm stuck with a powerlifter's build akin to a baby Cuter, so.......

I think it's funny to be knows as "baby Cutler", you really see how people's perspectived are shaped.


DIV

I agree, functional strength is important...can't argue that. But if someone is lifting more along the BB style, if they're doing it correctly they should build some solid functional strength. Of course sometimes even a vast quantity of functional strength means nothing, I say this because of something that happened here where I live a couple weeks ago that still blows my mind.

Two 17yr old high school boys had been arguing and fighting for weeks and then their two dads got involved. Both of their fathers are in the late forties, one owns a restaurant here in town, the other works as a building contractor.

They argued on the phone and then set up a meeting to fight it out...these are grown men mind you and men who most in our town would consider good citizens. The restaurant owner is what I would call just an average size guy; the other guy isn't huge but he's got some good meat on him and in a face to face fight I'd put my money on him all day long.

The two met up for the fight. With their two sons standing there and about 50 other high school age kids, the two dads got out of their cars and met face to face.

They stood there for all of about 30 seconds yelling at each other, before one punch could be thrown, the average sized restaurant owner pulled out a snubbed nose .38 and shot the other dad in the chest twice...dead on the spot.

Just a crazy story. I still agree functional strength is great, i enjoy what I've got...but a bullet is a bullet, no matter who you are.

[DIVISION]

I agree, functional strength is important...can't argue that. But if someone is lifting more along the BB style, if they're doing it correctly they should build some solid functional strength. Of course sometimes even a vast quantity of functional strength means nothing, I say this because of something that happened here where I live a couple weeks ago that still blows my mind.

Two 17yr old high school boys had been arguing and fighting for weeks and then their two dads got involved. Both of their fathers are in the late forties, one owns a restaurant here in town, the other works as a building contractor.

They argued on the phone and then set up a meeting to fight it out...these are grown men mind you and men who most in our town would consider good citizens. The restaurant owner is what I would call just an average size guy; the other guy isn't huge but he's got some good meat on him and in a face to face fight I'd put my money on him all day long.

The two met up for the fight. With their two sons standing there and about 50 other high school age kids, the two dads got out of their cars and met face to face.

They stood there for all of about 30 seconds yelling at each other, before one punch could be thrown, the average sized restaurant owner pulled out a snubbed nose .38 and shot the other dad in the chest twice...dead on the spot.

Just a crazy story. I still agree functional strength is great, i enjoy what I've got...but a bullet is a bullet, no matter who you are.

I don't think anyone's going to argue that a bullet will trump muscle every time.

Most of us don't walk around with guns, though....

In Phoenix, it's legal to carry a concealed weapon with a permit, and I've considered it, but never been in a situation where I regret not having one.

It might be because I live in the suburbs and my only dangerous enounters are with suburban milfs who don't know how to drive SUV's but I'm not the type to get in to confrontations.

People generally get out of my way for things......in the gym, in the grocery store, wherever......

People these days are non-confrontational and soft, IMO.

If you have have a decent amount of muscle, people are very wary of bothering you......


DIV

[Arnold jr]

I don't think anyone's going to argue that a bullet will trump muscle every time.

Most of us don't walk around with guns, though....

In Phoenix, it's legal to carry a concealed weapon with a permit, and I've considered it, but never been in a situation where I regret not having one.

It might be because I live in the suburbs and my only dangerous enounters are with suburban milfs who don't know how to drive SUV's but I'm not the type to get in to confrontations.

People generally get out of my way for things......in the gym, in the grocery store, wherever......

People these days are non-confrontational and soft, IMO.

If you have have a decent amount of muscle, people are very wary of bothering you......


DIV

Maybe it's a side affect of living in the dirty south. For the most part people are very nice here, but we also have an abundant amount of rednecks. All cities have rednecks but in the south it's just more amplified.

Me, I've had a gun put directly on my forehead, I was 19. The guy was the stereotypical redneck to a tee. About 280lbs, muscle covered in a thick layer of fat. Fishnet hat, beard, overalls with no shirt on underneath, and drunk beyond belief.

When that gun made it's way to my forehead, I kept my cool and didn't show my fear, but inside I'm not going to lie...I was very concerned and that's putting it lightly.

I had a gun too, but it was in my hand down to my side when he pulled his. To this day I really do believe that idiot was about to shoot me. My friends are what saved me. There were 8 of us in all, we all had guns. He was so drunk though that it took him a few minutes for this to register and to realize all 7 of the other guns were pointed at him. Once he realized he ran off like a little girl pissing his pants...but I'm shocked to this day that he didn't shoot me, but hey, at least he would've been mowed down too...not that, that really helps me lol!

I've had a gun pointed at me one other time in my life, that was at a party when I was in college. Big fight broke out and one thing led to another. Anyway, the other story is my favorite...not favorite as in I actually liked it, just saying.

[DIVISION]

Maybe it's a side affect of living in the dirty south. For the most part people are very nice here, but we also have an abundant amount of rednecks. All cities have rednecks but in the south it's just more amplified.

Me, I've had a gun put directly on my forehead, I was 19. The guy was the stereotypical redneck to a tee. About 280lbs, muscle covered in a thick layer of fat. Fishnet hat, beard, overalls with no shirt on underneath, and drunk beyond belief.

When that gun made it's way to my forehead, I kept my cool and didn't show my fear, but inside I'm not going to lie...I was very concerned and that's putting it lightly.

I had a gun too, but it was in my hand down to my side when he pulled his. To this day I really do believe that idiot was about to shoot me. My friends are what saved me. There were 8 of us in all, we all had guns. He was so drunk though that it took him a few minutes for this to register and to realize all 7 of the other guns were pointed at him. Once he realized he ran off like a little girl pissing his pants...but I'm shocked to this day that he didn't shoot me, but hey, at least he would've been mowed down too...not that, that really helps me lol!

I've had a gun pointed at me one other time in my life, that was at a party when I was in college. Big fight broke out and one thing led to another. Anyway, the other story is my favorite...not favorite as in I actually liked it, just saying.

I've never had a gun pulled on me.....

After serving in the Army, guns don't scare me.........used too many of them to worry about death.

I don't think you can live your life fearing anything, I don't.

All I know is that I will go down fighting and I'm taking them with me.

That's my nature....



DIV

[Rimbaud]

I've never had a gun pulled on me.....

After serving in the Army, guns don't scare me.........used too many of them to worry about death.

I don't think you can live your life fearing anything, I don't.

All I know is that I will go down fighting and I'm taking them with me.

That's my nature....



DIV

There's nothing wrong with fear - it's natural response. The real key is not letting our fears control us. It's ok to be afraid - it just depends on the time & place. We all have fears no one is immune to it. We're people not robots.

[Luv2Hurt]

There's nothing wrong with fear - it's natural response. The real key is not letting our fears control us. It's ok to be afraid - it just depends on the time & place. We all have fears no one is immune to it. We're people not robots.

Yes a healthy fear is what keeps us alive and hopefully to live long lives

[Rimbaud]

Yes a healthy fear is what keeps us alive and hopefully to live long lives

Amen.

[Alter Idem]

Good post Rim.  Fear is very healthy.  Keeps you from doing things you shouldn't.. or evaluating something you have to do so you get the best possible outcome.  Pointing a gun at someone is easy but pulling the trigger, getting caught....  that's what scares most people.  Everyone has fears  admitted or not.  LN

[DIVISION]

There's nothing wrong with fear - it's natural response. The real key is not letting our fears control us. It's ok to be afraid - it just depends on the time & place. We all have fears no one is immune to it. We're people not robots.

You do have a point.

I am very close to a robot, however.....

Emotionless and cold.

People have called me Darth Vader in the past.   



DIV

[4thAD]

There's nothing wrong with fear - it's natural response. The real key is not letting our fears control us. It's ok to be afraid - it just depends on the time & place. We all have fears no one is immune to it. We're people not robots.

As a Marine I know that fear will definitely keep you alive.

[DIVISION]

As a Marine I know that fear will definitely keep you alive.

When I was active duty we fought Marines constantly.....

They were scrawny kids, and they didn't know how to fight one on one.

Those guys fight in packs like dogs.

I was always stronger than the Marines I saw..........all the running killed their LBM.



DIV

[4thAD]

When I was active duty we fought Marines constantly.....

They were scrawny kids, and they didn't know how to fight one on one.

Those guys fight in packs like dogs.

I was always stronger than the Marines I saw..........all the running killed their LBM.



DIV

LMFAO we Marines eat army dogs for lunch!

[Rimbaud]

You do have a point.

I am very close to a robot, however.....

Emotionless and cold.

People have called me Darth Vader in the past.   



DIV

Even Vader saw the light. 

[4thAD]

I have known many very large Marines, so all the running does not destroy LBM. You are right about one thing though we do fight like rabbid dogs. Thats why the Germans started calling us "Devil Dogs". Most of the running is done in Boot camp and MOS school. When you get into the fleet its not as intense, unless you have a CO who is a running psycho.