Being athletic or just having the outer shell for looks?

[KidFreeze]

This observation I guess continues from a young age to an older guy. That one guy who looks amazing, but has not one athletic ability in his bone. I grew up playing sports, doing stuff, surfing, skimboarding, skateboarding, etc. Tossing the pig iron was always there but not a priority or an obsession.

I play in an adult basketball league, and there is one guy there who looks like he could step on stage and do well as a bodybuilder, but the dude has zero athletic ability, plus what makes it worse is he talks garbage. He is bit taller than me, maybe 6' and over 200lbs but if we are in the paint going for rebound i can toss him around like a rag doll, the reason is, I'm assuming, he has no instincts for basketball or just doesn't have the ability, footwork, etc.

Anyone can toss the pig iron around, but can you do pushups, pullups, climb robes, how about a turkish getup? I'd be surprised if anyone does these.

My point is would you just want a good looking outer shell and not being athletic, or being an all around functional human?

[x-trainer ben]

I have been working out for over 2 decades now and asked myself that exact question in my 20's. I decided that as i got stiffer, tighter, and less flexible i needed a change. I grew up playing sports so i just changed my routine and added/substituted sports to some of the scheduled lifting days. It worked out for me and i am glad that i did it.

[MilkforBrains]

I was one of fhe better athletes in my school. And I guess I look like it - in a twinky sort of way.

[KidFreeze]

I have been working out for over 2 decades now and asked myself that exact question in my 20's. I decided that as i got stiffer, tighter, and less flexible i needed a change. I grew up playing sports so i just changed my routine and added/substituted sports to some of the scheduled lifting days. It worked out for me and i am glad that i did it.

Nice. I thinks it’s the way to go when getting older. If you only lift it’s a disservice to the body.

[spradish]

It looks like you're saying that being athletic is the only road to "being an all around functional human" and I disagree that that's the case.

I don't know that being able to do a pushup or a Turkish getup makes a person more functional than does being able to do heavy yard work or work around the house, neither of which require athletic ability, but both of which get easier when a person gets stronger.

Or maybe it comes down to how you define athletic. I see it as being above and beyond simply being "active". I'm active and functional but don't believe I'd ever consider myself to be athletic.

[risingstarl96a1]

I prefer to be athletic and healthy. Especially in stable condition.

Edit: Stable Condition as in not have Joint Pain when working out or feeling any Sharp Pains. It’s very uncomfortable and is a problem if you get it.

[DCSpartan]

My point is would you just want a good looking outer shell and not being athletic, or being an all around functional human?

Yawn. All the turkish get ups in the world wont help your basketball game either. And as you get older maintaining muscle mass I would argue is far more important than playing basketball or doing TGUs.

[TolerantLactose]

Yes, everyone is stuck in a rut. They're just different ruts.

[OldFartTom]

I'm loving that word "functional

Recently I wanted to buy a can of sugar-free redbull (post workout) but they'd run out so I bought a competitor product (Nutramino Heat) on the front of the can it says "functional energy".

Isn't everyone just sick of all that non functional energy in the usual products and all those non functional athletes.

I think the unathletic basketball player needs to bounce a heavy ball into a tiny trampoline while standing on a bosu. That'd make him functional.

Sure we have different natural abilities, but if he wants to be good at lifting heavy stuff then he should lift heavy stuff. If he wants to be good at jumping turning stopping shooting layup passing, then that's he needs to do more. Am I being overly simplistic?

[LWW]

One of the greatest "all round" athletes of all time was Ken Patera, not only could be sling the "pig iron" better than anyone with poor form too boot, but he was a fantastic track and field athlete, he could also play basketball and when he got into wrestling he looked close to a bodybuilder (close).

Not only did Ken slam Andre the giant, I saw Ken hit a turn buckle and do a gymnastics style leap over Andre's shoulder and land on his ass, thats wayyy higher than the top turn buckle.......higher than "the Superfly Snuka". Ken is still "kicking" too.

[LWW]

Here is Ken winning the tire throw, this was after his prime too, look at the foot work!

Watch at 34:04

[DCSpartan]

Not only did Ken slam Andre the giant, I saw Ken hit a turn buckle and do a gymnastics style leap over Andre's shoulder and land on his ass, thats wayyy higher than the top turn buckle.......higher than "the Superfly Snuka". Ken is still "kicking" too.

Fake News! No slam was higher than the Superfly Snuka!

[Silencespeaks]

Athletic Chads are GOAT. Can spot them a mile away. They have some sort of natural confidence or ease with their body that gymcels don’t have.

[LWW]

Fake News! No slam was higher than the Superfly Snuka!

Not a slam, Ken Leaped in the air, Andre helped him, but he got more air than Snuka and landed on his ass perfect execution . Leaping over Andre's head is far higher than a top turn buckle and Ken didn't land on another wrestler, he hit the stiff mat.

[Millz12323]

Never been good at most sports.

Was always above average at strength stuff though.

High jump, long jump, 100-400 meter runs, push or pull ups and then eventually into the iron game.

[xsquid99]

I'm 6'5" and have not a shred of athletic ability when it comes to most team sports, especially basketball. But when people look at me they say I look fit and just assume that I ball... I dont, not in the slightest.

Strap a snowboard on my feet though, or put me in a swimming pool and its on.

Everyone has different strengths and weaknesses.

[KidFreeze]

I'm 6'5" and have not a shred of athletic ability when it comes to most team sports, especially basketball. But when people look at me they say I look fit and just assume that I ball... I dont, not in the slightest.

Strap a snowboard on my feet though, or put me in a swimming pool and its on.

Everyone has different strengths and weaknesses.

Exactly.

[LWW]

I don't know that being able to do a pushup or a Turkish getup makes a person more functional than does being able to do heavy yard work or work around the house, neither of which require athletic ability, but both of which get easier when a person gets stronger.

You are right that push-ups and TGU's don't require athletic ability, but they are considered "functional" training methods and TGU's are superior in that department, they will make yard work much easier on one's body. They will also aid in looking better too.

None of that will make someone who is bad at a sport much better, however they will enhance whatever sport someone is already good at.

Team sports is a different animal too, I don't even consider "strongman" a sport even though it's so much more functional than say posing, sure you gotta be quick, but it's not like something where you think on your feet every second and don't know what dynamic encounter one will have, it's a machine instinct, lift things up, and put them down. If it is a true sport, than it's individual and IMO the team thing requires different personality as well.

[ElrondHubbard]

Never been an athlete, and never will be. I used to love playing basketball, even though I sucked at it, it was still fun. I got into lifting again after a 25-ish year hiatus at age 59, not because I had delusions of being pretty, but because I was tired of feeling tired, old, dumpy, and sore. My wife was in poor health and I wanted to be fit enough to care for her if it came down to it.

It did not improve my basketball game, but so what. The first thing I noticed that when I was hiking cross country in the desert, over rough terrain, I was far more resistant to fatigue, my balance was better, and I could scramble across boulders far more easily than I'd been able to for many years.

I think the OP is off-base in his criticisms of his iron-tossing teammate. After all, the guy is out there playing, isn't he? No instincts, maybe. No athletic ability, maybe. But he's the man in the arena, pushing himself despite his flaws. That he lifts is not a cause for criticism. If it's something he's good at, and gets results from, more power to him. If he's also out there, struggling but striving in something he's not good at, more power to him there too.

He gets my respect.

[Cantplankwell]

I still play ice hockey. In the 35 and older league I play in some of the best "A" players are the least "athletic" looking. Another guy I know, the same age as me plays soccer all summer in the heat, he looks like he enjoys his fair share of after game beers and BBQs...he probably has about 40lbs on me...mostly around his mid section...but I understand that he is an outstanding soccer player. I am sure that none of these guys lift, if they do its not for aesthetics...although they would probably excel at that if they tried. Me on the other hand...I have to work really freaking hard to be barely mediocre..in the weight room and on the ice. Often I find myself wondering why I bother with both. I have given up on aesthetics...just trying not to be a miserable flab rack. Interesting observation though...most of the athletic people I know do in fact exude a sort of cocky confidence about them for sure.

[NorwichGrad]

The other week, I was checking out a chick who appeared to be hot. She was doing planks and other abs workout.

All I could see was the shape of her fizeek. She had an athletic build and she was moving well.

Then she got up and I saw her face.

She was in her 60s. Not that theres' anything wrong with her age.

I thought all along she was only in her 20s based on her build and movements.

So what's the point?

The point is that she fooled me. Good for her.

I want to fool others as I age.

[waknickm]

I lift 75% to look good, 20% it feels good and 5% to be healthy

[jademonkey]

Different strokes.

I personally like abilities over looks. I'm naturally obsessive and competitive and I want to learn everything and best everyone, looks be damned. So naturally I've always been athletic (though I never got into ball sports) with a nice side effect of always being quite muscular despite never trying to be. I recently burned out on my latest sport hobby (bike racing), and lately just into pushing bigger and bigger hunks of metal and rubber in the gym. I like the progressive nature, getting stronger and stronger. While I'm there, I figure I may as well play the "bodybuilding" game as well - i.e. try and add muscle mass and keep fat in check.

It's fun and relatively simple/easy compared to sports. But, like, what do I get out of it really? Get good at moving a large object from point A to point B? Add more pounds of mass, which the majority of people don't think looks any better than the decent amount I already have?

[jademonkey]

Oh and wtf is a turkish get up? Is that those things I see the trainers making their clients do that's basically playing choreographed twister while standing up with a kettle bell?

[Tor575]

I train to stay strong. Looking good is a bonus.

[smokinal]

http://i.imgur.com/ua7W4GN.gifv

[GrouchyUSMC]

I spent a good portion of my life in the military, so that definitely helped shape my focus towards fitness and health overall. Aesthetics is secondary admittedly.

[KidFreeze]

http://i.imgur.com/ua7W4GN.gifv

Nice!

[x-trainer ben]

Nice. I thinks it’s the way to go when getting older. If you only lift it’s a disservice to the body.

Exactly, why not be able to run a 5k, bike 30 miles with the family, play football on thanksgiving, and jump in to the occasional basketball game at the park.
It is all being part of a well rounded athletic person. Oops i forgot about Tennis and golf for social stuff.

[Garage Rat]

Different types of training with different goals.
Being athletic and able to move around is great but it's not the reason everyone trains.
Some are after muscle size others want to lift big weights and still others want to be in the best athletic condition they can be.
It would all depend on the goal.
Now i will say there are some things that you should be able to do just for a better quality of living but a lot of times people forget about those things until they get older and can't do them.
To some just having a good looking "outer shell"is the goal which has something to do with todays society in that a nice physique is admired by many.
Others might say your weak as f@*k with your exercises because you can't BP 500 pounds.
It's all relative to the goal i guess.