# Do You (Or Used To) Lift Weights For Muscle Building/Training?



## ArtMusic (Jan 5, 2013)

One of my new year resolution is to do more weights, "to get into shape" so to speak. 

So I was just wondering if any TC members here actively lift weights at home and or in a gym, or used to do so. Any thoughts about it? Do you listen to classical music in the background when doing so?


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## Ingélou (Feb 10, 2013)

I've never liked the 'look' of women who body-build, so I don't do weights.

The nearest I got was a few years ago, when I felt disgusted by my older woman's upper arms. I found an exercise where you lie on the bed (*my* kind of exercise!  ) and moved your arms scissor like back and forth, with weights. I didn't want to buy weights - my exercise regimes never last long, historically - so I filled two empty plastic bottles with water. Sand would have been a better option, I believe, but not readily available.

Oh, and once I tried 'the baked bean workout' with tins of baked beans. Again, it didn't last long!


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## PetrB (Feb 28, 2012)

At our age, if you do it at all, it is about a certain number of repetitions and small weight increments -- the days of ripping and shredding to build muscle tissue well over once past age 21.

I've done it, _should_ be doing some now. When it was done, it worked, and I found once it had had the effect the weights could pretty much be dispensed with and things about the house, isometrics, chairs, door frames, etc. were all that were needed.

If you don't have sand you certainly have some earth just outside your door with which to fill a plastic bottle


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## jani (Jun 15, 2012)

Yes, i workout five times in a week, also i go running three times in a week.
The training is the easy part, the hardest part is the diet for me because of the money part.

My goal is to be in as good shape as Brad is on Fight Club.


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## PetrB (Feb 28, 2012)

The key word for anyone over the age of 21 is TONING, not "building" or "Training."


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## Crudblud (Dec 29, 2011)

I do a bare minimum of exercise each morning, consisting of 20 press-ups and 20 sit-ups, after which I do very little. Somehow with this regimen I have been losing weight even over the Christmas/overeating period.


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## EricABQ (Jul 10, 2012)

I answered "yes", but techinically I don't lift weights, I do body weight exercises like pushup, pullups, chinups, and dips. But, I'm pretty dedicated to it, so I think I fit with a yes.

I need to make more of a commitment to cardio, however.


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## jani (Jun 15, 2012)

PetrB said:


> The key word for anyone over the age of 21 is TONING, not "building" or "Training."


Brad weighs around 70kg/154lbs, has around 6-8 Body fat %, and has 14-14.5 inch / 36.5-36.8 cm arms.
I am at 71kg/, 13.8 body fat % and u have 13.8 inch arms.

Personally i am not aiming for a Mr.olympia look, todays Mr.olympia bodybuilders don't even look human they look gross.

I am an ectomorph as is Brad so its an achievable physique for me also i like it how it looks.

Ectomorph:
An ectomorph is a typical skinny guy. Ecto's have a light build with small joints and lean muscle. Usually ectomorph's have long thin limbs with stringy muscles. Shoulders tend to be thin with little width.

Ectomorphs find it very hard to gain weight. They have a fast metabolism which burns up calories very quickly. Ecto's need a huge amount of calories in order to gain weight.

Ectomorphs can lose fat very easily which makes cutting back to lean muscle easier for them.


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## Cheyenne (Aug 6, 2012)

Well Jani, you've done your homework at least :lol:


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## ahammel (Oct 10, 2012)

I do strength training to complement my running (one causes you to lose muscle and gain stamina, the other the reverse).

I stand about as much chance as getting to look like Brad Pitt in Fight Club as I do of getting to play the fiddle like Hillary Hahn (or, for that matter, getting to _look_ like Hillary Hahn), but this does not concern me especially.


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## Jos (Oct 14, 2013)

In winter I go speedskating 4 to 5 times per week, fast laps, the sprinter in me (well, an old one....) wants peaks, the rush of milkacids in the upper legs, love it. Keeps me at a stable 78 kg (I'm 1.82 mtrs height) despite me drinking beers.

Most important is to find a sport that you really like in order to keep doing it. I really enjoy the technical difficulty of proper speedskating but dislike pumping iron in a gym, although I used to do that when I was much younger, as an enhancement for my athleticstraining, mostly field, some track. Had a Concept2 rowingmachine for a while, very effective but gets boring.
A great one for cardio is ropejumping alternated with some running. Not too fast, running is very bad for the knees.

Ghee, this sounds as if I'm sportsfanatic. Not to worry, most of the time I sit quietly on the couch listening to classical music

Good luck with the trainingprogramme.

Cheers,
Jos


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## Couac Addict (Oct 16, 2013)

jani said:


> Ectomorph:
> An ectomorph is a typical skinny guy. Ecto's have a light build with small joints and lean muscle. Usually ectomorph's have long thin limbs with stringy muscles. Shoulders tend to be thin with little width.


So what were the things, the Ghostbusters were trapping?


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## EricABQ (Jul 10, 2012)

jani said:


> Ectomorphs find it very hard to gain weight. They have a fast metabolism which burns up calories very quickly. Ecto's need a huge amount of calories in order to gain weight.


I should warn you that that part of being an ectomorph has an expiration date sometime in your late thirties.


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## scratchgolf (Nov 15, 2013)

Getting weight lifting advice on a Classical Music forum is like getting dating advice at Woody Allen's family reunion. I kid, I kid.

I'm unable to do much weight lifting now and my main goals are to stay healthy and fit in my clothes. Before I was injured I'd lift weights occasionally but never to bulk up. Most of my routine was job oriented and a healthy mix of cardio and strengthening was in order. My advice is to place the highest priority on health and take it slow (and avoid supplements). The body is an amazing and resilient machine but once it's truly broken, it stays broken. If I were a thoroughbred I'd have been put down a few years ago. 

As for music, I absolutely listen to classical at the gym. I never changed my listening habits situationally. Classical, Jim Croce, Led Zeppelin, Corinne Bailey Rae.......whatever I'm in the mood for goes to the gym with me.


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## EricABQ (Jul 10, 2012)

scratchgolf said:


> Getting weight lifting advice on a Classical Music forum is like getting dating advice at Woody Allen's family reunion. I kid, I kid.


I don't know about that. Have you seen Presto's pictures?


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## jani (Jun 15, 2012)

EricABQ said:


> I should warn you that that part of being an ectomorph has an expiration date sometime in your late thirties.


My dad is on his 50s and he is still skinny even tough he eats a lot and doesn't eat healthy, also he smokes.


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## GreenMamba (Oct 14, 2012)

I don't do weights. I run often and do this, or at least some of it:

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/05/09/the-scientific-7-minute-workout/?_r=0

As far a Brad Pitt is concerned, remember, they paint "definition" on actors to make them look more buffed.


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## ArtMusic (Jan 5, 2013)

Nice to see several of us do some sort of routine body lifting of weights, regardless of age, stamina and personal goals. I think the goal for me is to make this a routine that I can live with and not just give it up after a while.


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## Katie (Dec 13, 2013)

Like ahammel, I lift - as I swim - to complement running; however, in this capacity, I find lifting best restricted to light weight at higher reps...I don't lose muscle mass running - which might be a sign that training needs adjustment to keep the body in a fat burning zone - but rather, increased upper body and core strength helps my posture, which greatly assists during ultras or long runs when fatigue sets in and discipline wanes./K


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## Huilunsoittaja (Apr 6, 2010)

Does lifting a flute to my face for several hours each day count?


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## scratchgolf (Nov 15, 2013)

Huilunsoittaja said:


> Does lifting a flute to my face for several hours each day count?


They say chewing a stick of celery burns the calories you've taken in. Lifting a flute is more strenuous than that.


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## Sonata (Aug 7, 2010)

I am not currently, holding dumbbells seems to put to much strain on the right wrist, the one I'd had the tendonitis in for so many months. Instead I do yoga, swimming, and aerobic kickboxing.


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## Sonata (Aug 7, 2010)

EricABQ said:


> I should warn you that that part of being an ectomorph has an expiration date sometime in your late thirties.


Interestingly enough, I'm at my lowest weight now since I was 16.... In spite of having gone through two pregnancies. Of course nervous energy will bump up ones metabolism. Actually though have a more dedicated workout regimen than I have in years so that's a big difference.


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## Ukko (Jun 4, 2010)

I used to lift weights using the Hoffman system - until 1955.


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## sabrina (Apr 26, 2011)

I always lift pots around in the kitchen. Sometimes they are quite heavy as cast iron is heavy by itself. Does it count?:lol:


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## Praeludium (Oct 9, 2011)

I don't do weigth lifting of any kind but I do practise at least a little bit of basic Systema exercises every day. 
But a Systema push-up is more about breathing, relaxation, body-consciousness than brute strength.
The kind of exercises I do can include things like doing a bout push up taking 20 seconds to go down (breathing out continuously) and 20 seconds to go up (breathing in). You msut be right at the middle at 10. On the fists (or rather on the phalanx).

For now it's more about building the basis of a healthier and stronger body on the long term but I think it'll soon get, well... more "Russian" (which Systema is), but still maintaining the breathing, relaxtion, body-structure, etc.  very interesting work for a instrumentalist.


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## Tristan (Jan 5, 2013)

I used to a little bit when I played lacrosse. I've let myself go a little since then.


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## julianoq (Jan 29, 2013)

EricABQ said:


> I answered "yes", but techinically I don't lift weights, I do body weight exercises like pushup, pullups, chinups, and dips. But, I'm pretty dedicated to it, so I think I fit with a yes.
> 
> I need to make more of a commitment to cardio, however.


Same here. I love body weight exercises, specially chinups that I do a lot every day. Also I don't do much cardio, I hate to run but I like to have long walks.


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## jani (Jun 15, 2012)

julianoq said:


> Same here. I love body weight exercises, specially chinups that I do a lot every day. Also I don't do much cardio, I hate to run but I like to have long walks.


I find it kinda funny when you see those Uber big,muscular and buff guys ask them to run 5km/3.1 miles, most of them can't do it without breaks.


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## julianoq (Jan 29, 2013)

jani said:


> I find it kinda funny when you see those Uber big,muscular and buff guys ask them to run 5km/3.1 miles, most of them can't do it without breaks.


Not that humans are made to run 5km, mammals usually walk a lot and do ocasional sprints for hunting  have you seen a lion running 5km in circles?


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## jani (Jun 15, 2012)

Found this today, i did it for the first time today and its insane.
It really drains you dry.


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## Ingélou (Feb 10, 2013)

jani said:


> Found this today, i did it for the first time today and its insane.
> It really drains you dry.
> View attachment 32451


 Makes me tired just looking at it!


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## Piwikiwi (Apr 1, 2011)

julianoq said:


> Not that humans are made to run 5km, mammals usually walk a lot and do ocasional sprints for hunting  have you seen a lion running 5km in circles?


Actually humans are made to run long distances. A marathon runner can actually outrun a horse on long distances.


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## jani (Jun 15, 2012)

Ingélou said:


> Makes me tired just looking at it!


I am not Bruce lee yet so i had to did it with level 1 on only with 20 reps per exercise.


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## Fortinbras Armstrong (Dec 29, 2013)

jani said:


> Yes, i workout five times in a week, also i go running three times in a week.
> The training is the easy part, the hardest part is the diet for me because of the money part.
> 
> My goal is to be in as good shape as Brad is on Fight Club.


The first rule of Weights Club is: You do not talk about Weights Club. The second rule of Weights Club is: You DO NOT talk about Weights Club.


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## ahammel (Oct 10, 2012)

Piwikiwi said:


> Actually humans are made to run long distances. A marathon runner can actually outrun a horse on long distances.


Or, more to the point, run down a gazelle.


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## jani (Jun 15, 2012)

Fortinbras Armstrong said:


> The first rule of Weights Club is: You do not talk about Weights Club. The second rule of Weights Club is: You DO NOT talk about Weights Club.


https://www.facebook.com/FightClub?fref=ts

128025 people have been breaking the first rule of Fight club.


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