Thoughts on weightlifting

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Digity
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Thoughts on weightlifting

Post by Digity »

What are your thoughts on weightlifting? Do you think it's bad since it can promote vanity and increase one's ego? It also involves consuming lots of food to add mass. In the past, I took up weightlifting in an attempt to improve my physique and confidence. Although, after six months of doing it I got tired of it. I wasn't overly impressed with my early results and hated focusing so much on my outer appearance.

I signed up for a gym today and plan to do cardio and weightlifting just so I can maintain my general health. Although, I wonder if after a while I'll want to start lifting seriously again and whether that's a good thing.
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LonesomeYogurt
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Re: Thoughts on weightlifting

Post by LonesomeYogurt »

Attachment to the body is a recipe for suffering, but if you add moderate weightlifting to a well-rounded regime of exercise then you can improve your fitness and overall health, which is never a bad thing. But lifting solely for confidence or an ego boost is not wholesome.
Gain and loss, status and disgrace,
censure and praise, pleasure and pain:
these conditions among human beings are inconstant,
impermanent, subject to change.

Knowing this, the wise person, mindful,
ponders these changing conditions.
Desirable things don’t charm the mind,
undesirable ones bring no resistance.

His welcoming and rebelling are scattered,
gone to their end,
do not exist.
- Lokavipatti Sutta

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Digity
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Re: Thoughts on weightlifting

Post by Digity »

I guess the question is where do you draw the line? If I took up a program like P90X is that wrong? The end result might be an overall more fit, better looking person. I'd be lying if I didn't admit that there's something enticing to that, but there's also the fact that I'm an early 30 year old and want to have a decent body that can handle old age. The way my life is going, I could see myself being on my own in old age and I want to be able to take care of myself. That's why, being fit is important, because I know what having health issues can be like. My mom has osteoperosis and struggles with walking, etc. If I do lifting and get fit maybe I can help avoid some of these health issues.
santa100
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Re: Thoughts on weightlifting

Post by santa100 »

If you want a cheap and yet excellent exercise that bring wonderful benefits to your body, try jogging. Make sure to start out light and you don't have any pre-existing heart condition. Do it 3 times a week, 1 hour per session and you'll have a healthy body that'll last for a long time, chronic diseases can't touch you, and you'll have more time for Dhamma cultivation..
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Ben
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Re: Thoughts on weightlifting

Post by Ben »

There's no problem with weightlifting.
Its just an exercise and it can be very beneficial.
But if it becomes the focus of obsession - then it becomes a problem.
Or more correctly, the problem lies in the propensity of one to focus one's obsession in a particular interest or activity.

Go to the gym and do your cardio and resistence training.
kind regards,

Ben
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marc108
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Re: Thoughts on weightlifting

Post by marc108 »

Digity wrote:What are your thoughts on weightlifting? Do you think it's bad since it can promote vanity and increase one's ego? It also involves consuming lots of food to add mass. In the past, I took up weightlifting in an attempt to improve my physique and confidence. Although, after six months of doing it I got tired of it. I wasn't overly impressed with my early results and hated focusing so much on my outer appearance.

I signed up for a gym today and plan to do cardio and weightlifting just so I can maintain my general health. Although, I wonder if after a while I'll want to start lifting seriously again and whether that's a good thing.

lifting weights moderately, general strength training, etc, is excellent... essential for good health imo. 'bodybuilding' style weight lifting creates chronic inflammation and damages the body. if you beat yourself up everyday in the gym for vanity's sake, for sure it will create/reenforce unskillful conditioning in your mind. it doesn't have to be an ego trip though, you can make it fun & enjoyable and not be obsessed about your body.
"It's easy for us to connect with what's wrong with us... and not so easy to feel into, or to allow us, to connect with what's right and what's good in us."
Yana
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Re: Thoughts on weightlifting

Post by Yana »

Hi Digity,

I exercise and weight lift because i need my body to practice the dhamma

A wholesome mind is sustained by a wholesome body.

I realize how important it is to take care of one's body because it is like a vessel. You have to keep it running smoothly to reach your final destination.

:anjali:
Life is preparing for Death
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Alobha
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Re: Thoughts on weightlifting

Post by Alobha »

Digity wrote: I signed up for a gym today and plan to do cardio and weightlifting just so I can maintain my general health. Although, I wonder if after a while I'll want to start lifting seriously again and whether that's a good thing.
Take care of your body, it's a wise thing to do! I used to listen to dhammatalks via mp3player while in the gym, that may be something worth trying when you get bored of training again. Also, if you find cardio in the gym boring, try jogging to and back from the gym to your home if the distance is fine for you.

If you're worried about getting obsessed with looks, how about recollecting the purpose of training (for health, for well-being, not for boosting the ego) just before starting with training every time? That would be similar to how the monks and nuns recollect the purpose of eating just before taking their meal.

Apart from that, you can also see your exercise as a chance to be a good example for others. Many people don't take care of their body and engage in self-dislike but if you exercise, you may be able to encourage others to change their habits, too.

Best wishes,
Alobha
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Bhikkhu Pesala
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Re: Thoughts on weightlifting

Post by Bhikkhu Pesala »

I never could understand why people pay good money to join a gym unless they are seriously into body building. If exercise is just for the purpose of keeping fit, it costs next to nothing to jog or cycle, or better still, join an allotment to grow your own organic vegetables. There is a dual benefit of healthy exercise in the fresh air, and healthy food.
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retrofuturist
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Re: Thoughts on weightlifting

Post by retrofuturist »

:goodpost:

You can get good exercise stair climbing!

http://www.ehow.com/way_5348597_stair-c ... rcise.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Or fanging it up the escalators at your local train station each morning. :thumbsup:

As for weightlifting, I think the underlying psychological motive behind the activity (as with any activity for that matter) is key.

Metta,
Retro. :)
"Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."
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Bonsai Doug
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Re: Thoughts on weightlifting

Post by Bonsai Doug »

LonesomeYogurt wrote:Attachment to the body is a recipe for suffering, but if you add moderate weightlifting to a well-rounded regime of exercise then you can improve your fitness and overall health, which is never a bad thing. But lifting solely for confidence or an ego boost is not wholesome.
Excellent distinction - weightlifting vs. bodybuilding. IMHO, once you move beyond lifting weights for fitness into the
area of lifting weights for the sole purpose of sculpting the body (for appearance), then there certainly is that attachment
danger.
Now having obtained a precious human body,
I do not have the luxury of remaining on a distracted path.

~ Tibetan Book of the Dead
befriend
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Re: Thoughts on weightlifting

Post by befriend »

is weight lifting good for your health? it makes you burn off fat faster.
Take care of mindfulness and mindfulness will take care of you.
Digity
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Re: Thoughts on weightlifting

Post by Digity »

befriend wrote:is weight lifting good for your health? it makes you burn off fat faster.
Yes, it is. It increases bone density, which is important as you age. My mom has brittle bones with her osteoperosis. The more muscle you have the more energy goes there and the less gets stored on your body. Although, you need to continue maintaining the muscle otherwise it'll shrink back to it's original size. Overall, I think it's considered healthy and certainly better than sitting on the sofa eating chips.

Anyway, I'm planning to start P90X. Although, I need to improve my overall fitness before I can take it on. I want to get half decent at doing pullups before I start the program. Maybe in a month or so.
Pacific
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Re: Thoughts on weightlifting

Post by Pacific »

I do weight lifting. I do it in the gym and I go to one of those pump classes once or twice a week that has a "feel the burn" instructor and Eurovison type music. I find it fun. Weight training is good for you. You won't "bulk up" unless want to & I think that's quite hard to do. You mostly increase your strength. it can help with weight loss especially if you do cardio first and then weights as apparently the body burns more fat that way and speeds up the metabolism. and why not use it as another condition for developing insight? You can observe the body movement and the feelings, watch craving or aversion arise. it's all good for practice.
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BubbaBuddhist
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Re: Thoughts on weightlifting

Post by BubbaBuddhist »

Lean muscle is a fat-burning machine, and the more you have the more you burn. Large muscle groups are the easiest and fastest to develop. Plus, it is cool to be sixty-something and look alike this guy:

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