Why did you start lifting?

[Pio]

Everyone has different reasons, but mine was when I became type 2 diabetic.
Most of the reasons I hear are to lose weights, and/or to look good for the babes! lol
What's your reason?

[ManUnit]

I lost a lot of weight last year doing just cardio six days a week, but noticed I was starting to looking like a skinny guy. I didn't want to look skinny and frail like a lot of runners do, so I started weight training in November and found I love it. I still do cardio 3 days a week.

[Grimbeard]

it's like part of my religion dude, if i don't train i go insane.

[sluge]

honestly It was a christmas gift. The misses and I got memberships for each other as a gift. I fell in love with it, still hitting hard. She has since cancelled. I still love it even through all the BS I go through.

[piperman]

Initially in my 50's I did it to motivate my son-in-law, who was preparing to enter the Air Force and get into shape. Later, at 66, I started to recover from cancer and chemo, to rebuild my body. It gave me such good results that I have continued and I try to motivate other older guys to do the same.

[Bo_Flecks]

When I was in the Army, I got moved into an empty barracks room where a weight set with a bar, some dumbbell handles, a light weight bench, and about 150 pounds of standard weights had been left. After looking at them sitting in the corner of the room for a couple of weeks, I decided to mess around with them.

I lifted for a couple of months not really knowing what I was doing, when a friend invited me to his gym to train with him. He was into power lifting and knew his stuff. He taught me the importance of nutrition, proper form, and lifting heavy. Sound training techniques made a huge difference in my progress.

I didn't have a great body type for power lifting, but I was definitely hooked on weight training.

[chodan9]

Originally Posted by Pio

Why did you start lifting?

To crush my enemies, to see them driven before me, and to hear the lamentation of their women

[GnomusMaximus]

I had a soccer scholarship in the mid 80's. I was fortunate enough to start as a freshman. At my training camp weigh ins I was 128lbs. It was rough being 18years old, 5'6"/128 lbs and playing against guys in their 20's mostly from places that didn't speak English, unless they were in fact English...My coach pulled me aside and said (Imagine rough Polish accent) "You are good player, smart, but too tiny, you get knocked around too much. I want you to go lift weights with them bodybuilder guys." Asked the campus BB types if I could join in and have been lifting since.

Chodan beat me too it....

[BergMuscle]

I wanted big muscles - period.

[blopid]

Originally Posted by chodan9

To crush my enemies, to see them driven before me, and to hear the lamentation of their women

LOL Good one!!! One of my favorite Conan quotes!!!



Peace...

[blopid]

I started because I didn't recognize the guy in the mirror, and I wanted to be healthy...


Peace...

[freebirdmac]

I lost close to 20 pounds in about 3 months when my sulfite intolerance/corn allergy hit. I wasn't overweight to begin with but I was lacking in muscle. Losing that weight made the muscle deficit even worse. What else do you do when you're stick thin but around 25% or higher body fat?

Wish I had picked this up long, long ago. Ah well, better late than never!

[JolietKev]

I started lifting around the age of 14. I cannot really remember the driving force behind it, however I know that my father always had a dumbell by his chair that he would curl. I was also influenced by the Rambo and Rocky movies, and others like them.

[Lock1133]

When I was in my teens, it was because of a chorus of people saying, "My God, man, lift weights or something!" I was 6' tall and like 130 pounds. Now, at 45, I'm digging deeper than I ever have. Reasons? I like seeing the results, I like pushing my body, and lots of other things. It must be some deep-seated man thing. I do know that one of the biggest motivators is to see, as I get older and older, how there are fewer and fewer of guys my age in shape.

I'm *not* built for power, but today, on my third set of deadlifts, I did 2 plates for 6 reps. (225 pounds), after doing 215x12 and 215x11. Not bad for a guy that weighs 160. When I finished, I felt great. It's some sort of intrinsic thing, I'm not sure what. It makes me feel good, feel strong, feel young, ARRRGGGGHH.

[groink]

My dad took me to a Holiday Spa (remember those?) when i was 13 and i was hooked for life

it's like someone else said at this point, It's in my blood...I'll never stop. The best is when you see all of those people who said "when you get older all that muscle will turn to fat."....Really

[Zingaritano]

Joined a gym for the first time in my life at age 44, having never been very athletic, and seriously overweight. I started lifting and doing cardio and never thought I would keep with it, but here I am more three years later still at it. I love what it has done for my health and dispostion...now I can't see ever stopping.

[MT_Pawkits]

Originally Posted by Pio

Everyone has different reasons, but mine was when I became type 2 diabetic.
Most of the reasons I hear are to lose weights, and/or to look good for the babes! lol
What's your reason?

I lost over 100 lbs, in great cardio shape could probably outrun a pheasant, but was thin and didn't like the look, had the lat spread of a toothpic.

25 pounds of muscle later I am happy with my look.

[Gabor129]

I started lifting to work out my frustration with the world! My 13 month old son ( at the time ) got diagnosed with a very rare kidney disease, and we did not know if he is going to make it or not! My wife and him was living at the hospital for three months, 200 miles away, and I was stuck at home with my 6 year old! He is doing great now, and we learned to live with his disease. At the time my buddy said that it might be helpful to work out with him. I figured it will be more helpful than the drinking I was doing to try to cope! The best decision I ever made!!!

[OutOfStep]

I started in my teens. At that age, the only reason you do anything is because of chicks.

[JC480]

I wanted to be 20 again.

I'm not...but I feel like it.

[JinNC]

I started because my gut was so big that I had to stand on a mirror to see my *thingy*.

Just Kiddin'! But if I hadn't started when I did (which was this Jan. 09) I wouldn't be far from it by next year. I was just out of shape in a bad way and hadn't done much by way of exercise over the last couple of decades. I've dropped over 60 lbs and am close to my goal. Love going to the gym and lifting and doing cardio. I ain't never going back to my 'fat britches'.

[SeaSiren]

health .... had high BP and cholesterol and long family history of severe health issues and obesity ... was looking to tip the scales a bit in my favor since my genetics were against me.

[runswithscissor]

Originally Posted by piperman

Initially in my 50's I did it to motivate my son-in-law, who was preparing to enter the Air Force and get into shape. Later, at 66, I started to recover from cancer and chemo, to rebuild my body. It gave me such good results that I have continued and I try to motivate other older guys to do the same.

If you don't mind me asking, did you or would you post your thoughts on the cancer and chemo thing and what you did to overcome it, what obstacles were thrown in your way etc.

Reason I ask, cancer took my Dad out in 1.5 years. At 70 years old, nobody in the family would "call the old man out" (he used to tell us, let me know if you need to be taken out to the smokehouse...his way of saying, we can go out in the backyard and settle it like men). It was mostly respect, he worked his arse off and saw things in his life I am only now piecing together.

Eventually, we either get lucky or unlucky (everyone has their own opinion) and die in our sleep, or, have to go through a fight like you did.

I'd like to hear about it so that I can file it away, and in about 20-30 years, pull it out (I have a mind like a steel trap) and reference it. Thanks either way. Keep up the good work and continue to be an inspiration to those around you.

We have a 94 year old man that works out daily at our YMCA. Talk about dedication. Smart as ever, great attitude, and still a "ladies man".

[runswithscissor]

I started lifting because my first sponsor in AA told me that it was the 13th step and long term would keep me from relapsing (based on my personality which he watched for a long time before sponsoring me).

It didn't work until I also worked with someone on nutrition, got things dialed in and was able to get off of depression meds. Damn things made me retarded.

Now, it isn't a choice, like not breathing or eating. I have to. I wish I would have had positive influences in my life 20 years ago. You can't drink gallons of beer for over 15 years and expect great results in no time.

For me? It kept me from having a date with a loaded .357 and a bottle of Jack, when everyone who I thought "cared" about me didn't. Now I have positive people in my life that I see on a regular basis outside of the gym.

We have plenty of "normal" friends who don't workout, eat bad, etc. however, like religion, we don't get on them and they don't try to figure us out.

[buff_dad_dy]

I wanted to feel good again,both physically and mentally. I gave up hockey and other sports when i was feeling the daily strain of my job and sports,etc...I was always physically active but with a knee injury (i just found out i have a torn miniscus for years now) i could not do both brisk walking/jogging 20km for work daily and then play B-ball and hockey 4 nights a week.Something had to give.I quit for about 3 years. It did not help that my wife was at the time zero physically active and i was succumbing to a lifestyle i was unfamiliar with and did not enjoy.Mrs. Buffdaddy got active and lost a TON of weight.This inspired me to get off my ass and try something. Although i was not overweight and out of shape thankfully due to my line of work, i did need something that i could apply goals and bodybuilding was it. It is also nice to be in better shape than most other guys my age.

[rtoews]

I started because I had never liked my body, and I decided it was time to do something about it, if I could. That was a couple of years ago. I've made noticeable progress, having gotten a lot of help from trainers and learned about the importance of nutrition. Dare I admit, though, that I look with envy at what some folks here have accomplished? I'm assuming it just takes persistence and a lot of time--as in years--to add those inches to the chest and arms and remove them from the waist.

[Diesel313]

I wanted to look like Hulk when I was a kid.

[filipino_muscle]

1. get chicks
2. high school football
3. homecomings dates
4. lose fat
5. prom date
6. get stronger
7. girls
8. get faster
9. women

[sytennison]

I've always done something active:

bike riding
skateboarding
running
swimming
racquetball
tae kwon do
karate
rock climbing

Unfortunately, rock climbing blew out my right shoulder. 6 months later, I was wondering what I was going to do to stay active. I was 40 years old and decided to join a gym. I've been at it now for 4 years, which is the longest I've stuck to any one activity, and I don't see any end in sight.

[StressMonkey]

Originally Posted by BergMuscle

I wanted big muscles - period.

What he said.

I always suspected that I would like it. I took forever to find out that I was right.