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Why does anyone care how much they lift?

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we probs all do
Original post by cole-slaw
and 1 male gym-goer in 10 have body dismorphia, of course. Probably someone in this thread does, statistically.


This is true, but I'd rather think I have a **** body but I look decent in reality, as opposed to that initial thought actually being correct :biggrin:
How your body looks is more important that some numerical abstractions.


How much you lift depends on your range of motion, if you pause at any point during the lift (such as when the bar touches your nipple during bench press) etc. You can't really compare like for like unless you're there.

If you think you can barbell curl 60kg but you're swinging and leaning back, you can't barbell curl 60kg.
(edited 8 years ago)
Original post by SmashConcept
we probs all do


The day you start lifting, you are forever small

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Original post by RulesforRadicals
How your body looks is more important that some numerical abstractions.


How much you lift depends on your range of motion, if you pause at any point during the lift (such as when the bar touches your nipple during bench press) etc. You can't really compare like for like unless you're there.

If you think you can barbell curl 60kg but you're swinging and leaning back, you can't barbell curl 60kg.


Tbf I curl 60kg and once you get to a certain point, you have to lean back a little to account for the gravity at the mid-point of the lift or you'll lose your balance and be pulled forwards. Swinging, though, or practically doing hyper-extensions and using leverage and risking tweaking your lower back, doesn't count.
Original post by WoodyMKC
Tbf I curl 60kg and once you get to a certain point, you have to lean back a little to account for the gravity at the mid-point of the lift or you'll lose your balance and be pulled forwards. Swinging, though, or practically doing hyper-extensions and using leverage and risking tweaking your lower back, doesn't count.


I thought the loading on your arms mid lift was at its maximum at that point because of the perpendicular distance from your elbows.
Original post by RulesforRadicals
I thought the loading on your arms mid lift was at its maximum at that point because of the perpendicular distance from your elbows.


It certainly is, the mid-lift is generally considered the sticking point in curls. Regardless though, if you take a weight well in excess of 50kg then the fact that it arcs outwards and upwards tends to pull you forward if you didn't momentum it up the first half, so you have to lean back a bit just to counteract that. Not massively, just a bit, and you should still be keeping your elbows at your sides and not using the shoulder joint to raise the bar. If you're worried about being uber-strict then cable curls are a better way to go, but I feel that doing them with free weights are the better mass builder as long as you do the vast majority of the lifting with the biceps. If you find yourself leaning forward at the bottom of the lift before you raise the bar again, chances are you're swinging it.
Original post by RulesforRadicals
How your body looks is more important that some numerical abstractions.


How much you lift depends on your range of motion, if you pause at any point during the lift (such as when the bar touches your nipple during bench press) etc. You can't really compare like for like unless you're there.

If you think you can barbell curl 60kg but you're swinging and leaning back, you can't barbell curl 60kg.


To some people it isn't no, to some people explosiveness and strength are the most important things, largely for power lifters and sport athletes. And why are you using the bench press and curls as an example or poor form when deadlifts and squats are the primary movers that most people use to determine their strength? Good luck doing one of those with poor form.

If you're past the intermediate stage your form should generally be very good and you should be able to split you PR's into different areas, i.e my pause squat PR is this, ass to grass is this, Olympic squat is this.

Most powerlifters serious about their weight class don't really do curls so can't comment on that lol. It's a pretty pointless exercise other than trying to look big and impress others. (which if you'r a bodybuilder is fine for the record, but don't refer to heavy curls with good form as if it's something serious strength athletes give a second thought to, doesn't help us with any of the big lifts)
(edited 8 years ago)
Original post by Aristotle's' Disciple
To some people it isn't no, to some people explosiveness and strength are the most important things, largely for power lifters and sport athletes. And why are you using the bench press and curls as an example or poor form when deadlifts and squats are the primary movers that most people use to determine their strength? Good luck doing one of those with poor form.

If you're past the intermediate stage your form should generally be very good and you should be able to split you PR's into different areas, i.e my pause squat PR is this, ass to grass is this, Olympic squat is this.

Most powerlifters serious about their weight class don't really do curls so can't comment on that lol. It's a pretty pointless exercise other than trying to look big and impress others. (which if you'r a bodybuilder is fine for the record, but don't refer to heavy curls with good form as if it's something serious strength athletes give a second thought to, doesn't help us with any of the big lifts)


I disagree with your comment about curls being a pointless exercise. Unless you do 'dive-bomb' benches, you wont get too far with weak bi's. The more controlled your strict bench is, the stronger your biceps will have to be to stabilise. In addition training your biceps prevents bicep tear injuries when doing heavy pulling movements such as deadlifting and they're also pretty important in terms of elbow health by balancing out a powerlifter's tricep power.
Original post by ibrahim541
I disagree with your comment about curls being a pointless exercise. Unless you do 'dive-bomb' benches, you wont get too far with weak bi's. The more controlled your strict bench is, the stronger your biceps will have to be to stabilise. In addition training your biceps prevents bicep tear injuries when doing heavy pulling movements such as deadlifting and they're also pretty important in terms of elbow health by balancing out a powerlifter's tricep power.


1. That's why we use straps, biceps develop along with your other muscles, it's such a small muscle you don't need to isolate it for any reason related to performance. Really unless you're competing nobody should be using an alternating grip.

2. Yeah that's a fair point, but I still think isolation isn't necessary at all if your program is well balanced. I don't do any isolation work personally. But perhaps there are others who do.
Increasing the size of your lifts is a tangible representation of increased strength. It feels good to lift something , you previously couldn't.
I care a lot about what I can lift because I play american football.

If I struggled to squat 100+kg I'd be worried because there's no way I'm running through an opponent. If I can't bench heavy there's no way I'll be able to block a guy.

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Original post by Sabster
I don't understand why anyone gives a **** how much they lift (unless they are competitively powerlifting).

It just seems to be a wave for insecure guys to show off...

I would not care if i lifted 1kg weights I I looked good.


You wouldn't look good then would you?
Original post by MathsAstronomy12
You wouldn't look good then would you?


....

The point is that I don't care how much i lift and I rgularly see massive guys who lift nothing and small guys that lift loads.
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Sae.HH
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Original post by Sabster
....

The point is that I don't care how much i lift and I rgularly see massive guys who lift nothing and small guys that lift loads.


That's because you don't understand how strength works. But who cares anyway, you do you.
Original post by Sabster
....

The point is that I don't care how much i lift and I rgularly see massive guys who lift nothing and small guys that lift loads.


Hahahahaa I can't tell if you're being serious or trolling but I sincerely hope it's the latter. Granted some smaller people can be stronger than larger people but 9/10 it's the opposite.

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