impact of strength training

[msingh]

Just curious to know how becoming stronger has affected your life. Has it made you better at your chosen sport? Is that difference a relative one or an absolute one. Are you simply just better than you used to be -- or are you now much better than your competitors?

1) Better at chose sport?

2) Has it made you more useful around the house?

3) General athletic ability: Can you jump higher? Run faster? Hit harder?

4) Any other impact on your life?

[pbjorge12]

1) I now have a backhandspring and backtuck at 180lbs after struggling for over a year at 140lbs.
2) I can now toss a girl into my hands and press her straight up into the air.
3) I'm immensely more confident in myself, body, and decisions.

Those are a few I can think of. The first 2 made me better at my chosen sport/activity - Male cheerleading (a bit like olympic lifting with girls).

The third one is what I'm most grateful for and what will have by far the most useful carryover for my life. Barbell training turned me into a man (well I'm 20 lbs short still...). Before I was a pussy, and now I'm not. For that I'm forever grateful.

Plus barbell training just makes shit easier.

[Paul Stagg]

1) Better at chose sport?

My chosen sport it powerlifting, so, yeah.

2) Has it made you more useful around the house?

Probably, but it had no effect on my laziness.

3) General athletic ability: Can you jump higher? Run faster? Hit harder?

dunno.

4) Any other impact on your life?

Being bigger and stronger than most people can change the way people react to you, both positively and negatively, but mostly positively. I think I'm healthier than I would otherwise be.

[stronger]

I've had to endure half a year of not lifting before, I felt awful, was restless and could feel my body wasting away. I never want to feel that way again.

I don't play a sport, but intend to do some Weightlifting, so obviously it has helped.

If I ever need to move something heavy or grip something, I'm better off. Most of all I enjoy looking at a piece of paper and knowing my squat will be 5lbs heavier each week if I do it right. The continual progress is very fun.

[Euclid]

1) Better at chose sport?

I only play slow pitch softball, but this past season I hit 13 home runs in 8 games. Before this year I had never hit a single one.



2) Has it made you more useful around the house?

Well, my ex-girlfriend moved out a while back, so if weightlifting caused that then I'd say it's been worth my time.



3) General athletic ability: Can you jump higher? Run faster? Hit harder?


As mentioned above, definitely has impacted my power in slow pitch softball. People no longer say I am slow on the base path either. I went from being laughed at while running to being told I look like a football player on the basepath.



4) Any other impact on your life?


Confidence. I'm a traveling salesman and when I am in airports I see my peers looking like weenies. Gives me a boost.

[DeepBlue]

Confidence. I'm a traveling salesman and when I am in airports I see my peers looking like weenies. Gives me a boost.

I'm in Indonesia at the moment. I see all these matchstick men around. I totally hear what you are saying, and reading it put a big grin on my face :D

Can't wait for 200lbs now (as long as it's muscle not fat!).

Personally I'm too early into SS to answer the questions. That said 1 month into cross fit I certainly noticed an improvement in my night time activities. Something to do with kettlebell swings maybe ;-)

[hbriem]

1) I'm better at powerlifting yes. I haven't done karate for 15 years, but I would definitely be better at that now.
2) I'm very good at moving things. Downside is, I get asked to move things for people a lot. I have to carry everything that needs carrying at work too.
3) Probably but I haven't tested it much. I ran a sprint against a fit 15 year old a couple of years ago and left him standing.
4) I get a lot of comments on how big I look, how young I look etc. I get asked for advice on how to train but no one ever follows it (except for one young kid who just deadlifted 270kg (595 lbs) at 16 in a meet. I like being strong.

[TomF]

Big help in daily life - makes the heavy jobs in renovating a house or landscaping a yard no big deal.

Excavated 12" of soil under a new flagstone patio, filled it with gravel, and laid natural stone on top (many weighed over #100). No big deal.

Double-dug (i.e. down 2 spades' depth in the ground) a new flower garden that is 20' X 65'. No big deal.

Last year, broke up part of an old concrete driveway, and used the chunks to build a retaining wall. No big deal.

My chosen sport ... haven't got one. But my kids' rowing, karate, and gymnastics have each improved markedly in direct proportion to their squats, DLs, and presses.

[August West]

1) Better at chose sport?

2) Has it made you more useful around the house?

3) General athletic ability: Can you jump higher? Run faster? Hit harder?

4) Any other impact on your life?

1) Yes, I'm better prepared to survive a zombie attack when it comes.

2) Yes, I can carry my wife and daughter to safety as we battle the zombies.

3) I can lift much heavier weights. I don't run anymore, but just a month ago I did a mile in 6:20 with plenty left in the tank, which is plenty fast enough to escape zombie ambushes.

4) I just walk around confidently humble like always, but now with knowledge that when a zombie attack comes I am equipped to respond like a ferocious badass. Goals include a 200 lb+ press so I can pick zombies up over my head and hurl them with great force.

[coldfire]

3) I can lift much heavier weights. I don't run anymore, but just a month ago I did a mile in 6:20 with plenty left in the tank, which is plenty fast enough to escape zombie ambushes.


What's wrong with you? Running away is not 70sbig thinking!

[August West]

What's wrong with you? Running away is not 70sbig thinking!

You're so right, that was a rookie mindset talking. No more amateur hour now, I'll get my mind right.

[Nauticus]

2 words: Squat ass.

[misspelledgeoff]

2 words: Squat ass.
+1. my wife uses my ass for a drink tray.

[murrie]

"impact of barbell training" hmm. well-I'd have to admit I'm more obsessive now. There is something about being able to free weight squat ATG with proper form (no butt winking!!!) and I'll be @#$$ until I can do that. Whatever doesn't kill you will make you stronger.....

[Tom Chase]

I originally started strength training to improve my martial arts. I've been training in Kenpo for 14 years and being 5'6", 155lbs. wasn't doing me any favors. I significantly increased my strength and got my bodyweight up to 180lbs. and that made a huge difference in my ability. I've since taken an interest in Powerlifting and hope to compete soon. I also am interested in becoming a strength coach.

[DaveR]

1) Better at chose sport?
- I powerlifted from 1993-2005, so yeah it did.

2) Has it made you more useful around the house?
- If anything it detracts from the time I might otherwise spend on DIY house stuff, but in all honestly, if I wasn't training I would probably replace that time with something nonproductive. Obviously, lifting stuff/moving stuff is a lot easier.

3) General athletic ability: Can you jump higher? Run faster? Hit harder?
- I have no proof, but I am sure I can. I do know that I am in much better shape and look a lot better than most of my peers I know (I am going on 40).

4) Any other impact on your life?
- Tons of positive impact. Courage, confidence, self-reliance. Try getting nervous about something after you've squatted 600+ in from of 200 people. Also, helops me "stay young." I feel like I am a better role model for my kids.

Best,
Dave

[DeepBlue]

I feel like I am a better role model for my kids.

Can't underestimate the value of that one.

I'm not at the kids stage in my life, but I do think "how would I like my kids to be?". Strong is very high up the list. If I value that, and not going after it in my own life, something is f***** up. (All these parents that live through their children... music/sport/etc... it's all there for adult taking too).

[DaveR]

Can't underestimate the value of that one.

I'm not at the kids stage in my life, but I do think "how would I like my kids to be?". Strong is very high up the list. If I value that, and not going after it in my own life, something is f***** up. (All these parents that live through their children... music/sport/etc... it's all there for adult taking too).

I laugh when parents my age say things like "my kids wore me out." I am like really, your 5 year old wore you out? How pathetic is that? Energy is a huge part of being a good parent, and what better source of energy is strength?

Also it's kinda' cool that my kids literally think I am the strongest guy in the world!

[Paul Sousa]

The kids thing is huge. When my niece and nephew are over I give them shoulder rides at the same time. To echo DaveR, they both think I am the strongest guy ever and that is something you can't put a price tag on.