Any riders/commuters lift weights regularly?

[Jason]

I was just wondering, how many of us lift weights regularly, why, how often, for how many years and how intensely. Ill go first:

I have been lifting off and on since highschool (skinny kid). Now, not so skinny, but still lifting because I enjoy it. I lift rather intensely, using an abreviated routine, concentrating on 2-3 sets of 8-10 reps. I lift twice a week, for about an hour each time. First two sets about 85-90% of max, last set is a mass building set just using bodyweight or reduced weight on the bar. I go for full body routines using major joints when I can. I am limted by the gym on my second lifting day of the week. Routine is like this:

Wed: Squat (trap bar Deadlift actually)
Weighted Pullup
Weighted Dip
Curl
Rotator Cuff
Shrug

Sun (no good squat/DL or leg equipment available):
Hammer Iso Row
Hammer Bench
Hammer High Row
Weighted crunch
Weighted Back Extension
Calf Raise
Neck work
Leg Curl

I lift for myself and to keep from looking like a pear as I grow older. I know it isnt going to get any easier. Not trying to impress anybody, I enjoy the act of lifting and the ability to transform my body, even if its slowly.

Topic

[Jason]

@mstone 28221 wrote:

Sorry, will leave the thread immediately to make room for the bodybuilders! (Where do these stereotypes originate?)

Not trying to be dogmatic, but aren’t there are lots of threads for “I bike and bike and bike.” Trying to create a haven here for people who bike AND lift weights. The main reason to lift weights, in my opinion, is to transform your body through muscle building. Not “tone and keep what I have but lose bodyfat” or “tone while biking a whole bunch but so much that I can’t lift weights.” I like to think there is room for that kind of thing just about everywhere else.

Instead, I would like to have a thread that inspires those who bike to also build muscle so they can look and feel better. Not sure there is anything wrong with that. I think it is defeatist to say “I bike so much so I can’t lift and should therefore just have to be satisfied with how I look now, I guess I will just tone…”

[ShawnoftheDread]

@Jason 28234 wrote:

Instead, I would like to have a thread that inspires those who bike to also build muscle so they can look and feel better. Not sure there is anything wrong with that. I think it is defeatist to say “I bike so much so I can’t lift and should therefore just have to be satisfied with how I look now, I guess I will just tone…”

That’s great, but a look at all the other threads on the site will tell you that the OP doesn’t get to dictate the direction of the post or the interjections that will occur, either snide or serious. So telling us “what this thread is for” is just crap.

[Jason]

@ShawnoftheDread 28238 wrote:

That’s great, but a look at all the other threads on the site will tell you that the OP doesn’t get to dictate the direction of the post or the interjections that will occur, either snide or serious. So telling us “what this thread is for” is just crap.

My bad, the title was “Any riders/commuters lift weights regularly?” I guess I should have made it “riders who dont really want to lift weights regularly.” because what I wanted to talk about was toning. Cool.

[DaveK]

@pfunkallstar 28209 wrote:

I REALLY like body weight-only exercises, I’m looking to tone not build muscle.

I’m not picking on you personally but I hate this idea that lifting heavy will make you big. It’s just false, and it scares off women in particular because “I don’t want to look like Arnold”. Lifting heavy + eating heavy will make you big. You can’t gain size without the calories – it’s just not possible. In order to get “toned” you need to drop your body fat and build muscle. If you keep your calories in check, lifting weights will give you that look of muscle tone you’re after quicker than body weight alone. Here’s the trick – if you are lifting heavy and controlling calories, muscle tissue is denser than fat. If you add muscle and decrease fat, you will look leaner, and yes, more “toned” than decreasing fat alone.

[Jason]

@DaveK 28245 wrote:

I’m not picking on you personally but I hate this idea that lifting heavy will make you big. It’s just false, and it scares off women in particular because “I don’t want to look like Arnold”. Lifting heavy + eating heavy will make you big. You can’t gain size without the calories – it’s just not possible. In order to get “toned” you need to drop your body fat and build muscle. If you keep your calories in check, lifting weights will give you that look of muscle tone you’re after quicker than body weight alone. Here’s the trick – if you are lifting heavy and controlling calories, muscle tissue is denser than fat. If you add muscle and decrease fat, you will look leaner, and yes, more “toned” than decreasing fat alone.

I totally agree with you on all counts, but for me in your usage, “toned” means “lean” and that is only a good thing. I like your definition of “toned” very much: “drop bodyfat and build muscle.” One thing I suggest to people (who ask) who say “I dont want to get big like arnold” is this: Many MANY people have tried to get big like arnold, and don’t. The only people who try and get big like arnold who do, are those who take steroids AND are genetically inclined to get that big. I guess what I am saying is that fears of getting too big are just that, fears, but not ones to worry about in any real sense. I also agree that you cant gain size without the calories, in particular, you should be careful not to gain bodyweight while growing muscle. I think most “mass builder” types gain mostly bodyfat, and that is a mistake.

[ShawnoftheDread]

@Jason 28239 wrote:

My bad, the title was “Any riders/commuters lift weights regularly?” I guess I should have made it “riders who dont really want to lift weights regularly.” because what I wanted to talk about was toning. Cool.

Or, you could recognize that not everyone is going to agree with you and may want to express their own opinions. So instead of whining repeatedly what your thread is “supposed to be about,” you could either politely disagree or ignore said remarks.

[JeffC]

@DaveK 28245 wrote:

I’m not picking on you personally but I hate this idea that lifting heavy will make you big. It’s just false, and it scares off women in particular because “I don’t want to look like Arnold”. Lifting heavy + eating heavy will make you big. You can’t gain size without the calories – it’s just not possible. In order to get “toned” you need to drop your body fat and build muscle. If you keep your calories in check, lifting weights will give you that look of muscle tone you’re after quicker than body weight alone. Here’s the trick – if you are lifting heavy and controlling calories, muscle tissue is denser than fat. If you add muscle and decrease fat, you will look leaner, and yes, more “toned” than decreasing fat alone.

It’s also a matter of certain hormones like testosterone which women generally don’t produce as much as men.

[Jason]

@ShawnoftheDread 28249 wrote:

Or, you could recognize that not everyone is going to agree with you and may want to express their own opinions. So instead of whining repeatedly what your thread is “supposed to be about,” you could either politely disagree or ignore said remarks.

Pot, Kettle.

[Tim Kelley]

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And I think this thread has run it’s course. Thank you everyone for coming out, we’ll see you next time!

[Author]

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