Lifting Excuses

[AaronM]

I've heard the following at work and school:
- Dude doesn't "do arms" more than twice a month b/c he doesn't want to get unsymmetrical (guess his legs aren't big?)
- Can only do 1/8 - 3/4 squats because parallel is "bad for your knees"
- Used to bench a ton "back in the day" but now he has bad shoulders
- Doesn't have time to lift (but has time for video games, partying, drinking, etc)
- Only does things that are "functional", like crossfit (b/c nothing's more functional than stupid WOD injuries)

Early on my list of excuses (which I prefer to call "reasons") included, not knowing anything about lifting (which was true), not knowing anyone who lifted who wasn't just a curl monkey, couldn't gain weight b/c hardgainer, etc. Now I just blame everything on bad genetics and not having $$$ for $$OC.

[ch]

PT at my old gym: Don’t deadlift heavy because you’ll tear a bicep. (Uhhh, ever heard of straps?)

[chrisd]

You wait till you get to my age.

You gotta be careful. Sure I could squat four plates, but it's a risk, I got injuries you know. Since way back, can't recall all of them, or how I got them, but you know, you gotta be careful.

Deadlift, yeah I love the deadlift, could probably pull five or six plates, if I wanted to face the risk. Sure it's great if you're young, but at my age I might never heal up in time to do it again, so I take it slow. Easy does it.

Bench ? Yeah I bench. None of that arched stuff though, gotta watch the old back. My AC joints are about as worn as my rotator cuffs are torn. Seriously, me benching one plate is about equivalent to a young guy like you benching four, considering the lifetime of injuries I'm carrying.

Overhead Press ? I love it, can't do it so well since my balance went. I'll be back though. after I've rehabbed my lower back. Could take a few months. Gotta be careful at my age.

Watcha say ? Who ? Yeah I guess he's older than me. Lifts heavier you say ? Ah, he's probably shooting up all kinds of 'medication'. I guess I could, but I don't want to do that. Gotta be careful you know.

[Skid]

All that arch and only 150 kilos on the bar...

[mgil]

All that arch and only 150 kilos on the bar...

I think it’s a lady.

[Mkgillman]

All that arch and only 150 kilos on the bar...

I'm pretty certain that's a woman.

[iamsmu]

I'm pretty certain that's a woman.

The ROM is about 2". This is absurd. Sure, it's a cool trick to win by the rules. But it's ridiculous, more so than press 3.0.

[Mkgillman]

The ROM is about 2". This is absurd. Sure, it's a cool trick to win by the rules. But it's ridiculous, more so than press 3.0.

It looks like she is lifting in gear too. I agree it is ridiculous, but it’s powerlifting, it’s all pretty ridiculous.

[Shane]

The ROM is about 2". This is absurd. Sure, it's a cool trick to win by the rules. But it's ridiculous, more so than press 3.0.

It looks like she is lifting in gear too. I agree it is ridiculous, but it’s powerlifting, it’s all pretty ridiculous.

She could probably get some really stiff bolt-ons and just do away with bar movement altogether.

[michael]

I could squat as much as @Les, but I don't have a monolift.

[Les]

I could squat as much as @Les, but I don't have a monolift.

I gotta cheat where I can! Now I am going to attempt sumo as well.

[Skid]

All that arch and only 150 kilos on the bar...

I'm pretty certain that's a woman.

Thought it was a guy from the look of the legs and arms. Don't see any feminine features, but then again I don't see a bulge in the pants either

[Hiphopapotamus]

All that arch and only 150 kilos on the bar...

I'm pretty certain that's a woman.

Thought it was a guy from the look of the legs and arms. Don't see any feminine features, but then again I don't see a bulge in the pants either

Made you look.

[DirtyRed]

The ROM is about 2". This is absurd. Sure, it's a cool trick to win by the rules. But it's ridiculous, more so than press 3.0.

It looks like she is lifting in gear too. I agree it is ridiculous, but it’s powerlifting, it’s all pretty ridiculous.

Except for, you know a competently judged raw squat.

Also, this thread is putting the cart before the horse. More important than excuses for why you don't lift as much as DR (and if you do, it's because I'm a long armed natty that might have a heart condition, and is either too old for this shit or will be stronger than you once I've had those extra years to train, whichever is applicable) are excuses not to lift at all. For instance:
-I don't want to get too big
-I do MMA and you could almost certainly beat him in a and lifting would slow me down (side note: anyone who says they "do MMA" is certainly an utter creampuff who thinks because they've had three hours of BJJ practice and can tell a guard from a backfist they're hardcore and you could almost certainly beat them in a fight)
-I'm more into yoga, it's more spiritual
-Lifting is Toxic Masculinity
-I'm focusing on my education/family/permavirgin model train hobby

Et cetera.

[oldguy]

I can't do conventional Deadlifts because my coach is an incompetent jagoff that can't teach basic human movement even though I'm paying him $50 an hour. Also, I am an impotent jagoff that can't teach himself basic human movement because of what an impotent jagoff I am. But sumo halfrep bullshit floor pulls totally count, bro! IPF says so, bro! Powerlifting isn't a niche circlejerk for losers run by bigger (read: fatter, weaker, and dumber) losers. It's a legit sport, bro! The national champion gets as much in-kind prizes as the 35th place finisher in the Kentucky Open of a mutated drinking game devised by syphilitic Scots gets in cash moneyz! And it totes trains the same strength a conventional Deadlift does, bro! Never mind that the whole point is to start the lift with a shorter lever arm between your shoulders and hips, and therefore it does significantly less for the strength in your posterior chain, it works the abductorz, bro! The abductorz! How else are you going to work hip abductorz, a proper low bar squat?

I'd do that, but, you know, I once mildly sprained my knee during a non-contact drill at rugby practice (side note: I seriously did that).

Also, my bench press is bad because it's really just a stupid accessory lift with acceptance criteria both dubious AND nebulous. I'm more interested in how much weight I can standing The Press 3.15.012. Layback is fine, as long as my knees stay locked. You say my knees unlocked? Well that's because I once mildly sprained my knee changing directions in a pickup basketball game (side note: I also did that).

I'm not that lean though because I have to play front row even though I haven't played a rugby match in a good 15 months. I'd do cardio to stay in game shape, but I'm focusing on my strength training right now. Who else is going to secure a ruck, the fullback? Yeah, right. What do you mean I won't be able to actually secure a ruck if I'm lying on the ground gasping for air like a dying trout? I wouldn't have to run to your tackle in order to ruck if you'd stop fucking running sideways. Besides, I'll be able to train endurance to playing shape with a few weeks' heads up. I mean, I won't, but that's only because I might have a congenital heart condition that would kill me if I exert myself for more than 15 seconds at a time. You can't be too careful with your health!

I could just play in the NFL, where I'd only have to exert myself for 6 seconds at a time, but I'm natty. Even with my impeccable tackling form (which is to inelegantly throw myself face-first at the ball carrier's LEGS and then WRAPPING UP WRAPPING UP WRAPPING UP), I can't compete with all the roidaroos. If they ever made a serious drug tested league, I'd be all over that. Playing offense and defense, like a real man. Provided there are still 40 seconds for me to recover all of my bulging muscles (which you don't see because I'm bulking, see above) before the next six seconds of action.

I wouldn't be able to play QB though, you know. I'm too physical for a position like that. I'd be a center, because I'm strong like bull, AND have remarkable football IQ, but I'm too light because I'm cutting (don't see above). My genetics don't have the ability to cut like a WR either. And I'm too versatile to be a RB. I'd be a punter, but my short legs don't give me good leverage for it. I'll be a kicker, but only on kickoffs. I once got something in my eye, so now my depth perception is off, so I can't do field goals. I got middle linebacker on lock though. As long as you don't expect me to cover (reminder: genetics) or blitz (reminder: cutting).

I'm really too tough to be playing with all that padding anyway. That's why I'm hideously ugly, you know. Years of playing tackle football without any head protection, like a real man. I know you're thinking. That if I had, in fact, played rugby for years, I obviously wouldn't have a congenital heart condition that would kill me if I ever exerted myself for more than 15 seconds. But you can ask any of my former teammates, I never exerted myself for more than 15 seconds. So I MIGHT have such a heart condition. Which I why I don't do cardio.

^ gold

[cwd]

I have actually seen (on r/fitness) advice to avoid deadlifts and squats because they build up your waist musculature too much, and make your "V-taper" worse. For men.

Instead, you should work legs and upper-body in isolation, and stay super-lean.

[broseph]

Weirdest thing ever. About 10-15 years ago, I had an employee who looks EXACTLY like Martin... except not jacked.... EXACT

I swear a non-lifting Layne Norton came to my door yesterday selling new windows. I didn’t think I was going to be able to share this experience with anyone until I saw your comment. Thank you.

[ch]

I have actually seen (on r/fitness) advice to avoid deadlifts and squats because they build up your waist musculature too much, and make your "V-taper" worse. For men.

Instead, you should work legs and upper-body in isolation, and stay super-lean.

Never forget that Reddit’s prime demographic is men under 25. Pretend you are getting advice from a teenager in the gym every time you read a Reddit post from someone you don’t know.

[DirtyRed]

I have actually seen (on r/fitness) advice to avoid deadlifts and squats because they build up your waist musculature too much, and make your "V-taper" worse. For men.

But that's exactly what will happen. Though it's only a problem if you're mentally ill or a "physique" "competitor."

But I repeat myself.

[platypus]

I have actually seen (on r/fitness) advice to avoid deadlifts and squats because they build up your waist musculature too much, and make your "V-taper" worse. For men.

Instead, you should work legs and upper-body in isolation, and stay super-lean.

During Jamie Lewis' AMA on reddit, somebody actually asked him "Is it possible to get strong and big as fawk without a bulky midsection? Are there any lifts to avoid with this goal at heart?"

His reply: "No. Avoid, squats, deadlifts, heavy shrugs, heavy overhead presses, and anything else that might rule."

You can find good lifting information on reddit, but it's mostly in the AMAs from people who don't normally reddit. Cody Lefever posts on reddit, but as far as I know he's the only smart one on any of the fitness subs.