Father/Son moment - Never would have happened 2 1/2 years ago

[David Kirkham]

...It's become so popular that I've gone ahead and donated the bar and weights to the pack so when I cross over to Boy Scouts next year with my youngest they can continue using it.

I was a Scout counsellor for 8 years. My boys are now counsellors at the same camp--over 30 years ago. Same Camp Director!

Congrats--keep up the great work.

[paterfamilias]

My 2 1/2 year old daughter likes looking at videos and pictures of me lifting, "exercising," as she calls it. We use the fact that she needs naps and food to get big and strong as leverage to get her to sleep and eat. She also likes pictures of Klokov, but he's always screaming with those big horse teeth in the pictures, which scares the hell out of her. I cued up a video of him C&Jing, and she ran screaming out of the room. She calls him by name, though, which is cute.

[z3nrunn3r]

If I have done anything remarkable at all, it would be limited to giving your family a focus on something they can all do together. You guys with actual families are the glue. Thanks for being there.

Rip, I told you that you are doing something important which goes beyond strength training

Brian you are my hero!

Wal, dirt is the nucleus which keeps the glue ball rolling in the right direction.

[gadders]

My daughter expressed disappointment to me yesterday that she can't do any chin ups. She is 8.

I try to make sure she knows that I train four times a week and the aches and pains you get after training (and she gets after sport) just show that you're getting stronger.

[Matt Garman]

If I have done anything remarkable at all, it would be limited to giving your family a focus on something they can all do together. You guys with actual families are the glue. Thanks for being there.

That's certainly all well and good, but I think there's another long-term benefit. A life of strength training should equate to better health and quality of life in old age. For those of us who are parents now, many of us will likely be grandparents some day, and being strong means we actually get to play with our grandkids in a meaningful way. I think it really lowers our chances of being the scary old decrepit grandparent that kids are afraid of.

The picture of 72 year old Darrell Gallenberger deadlifting 402 pounds in Practical Programming continues to be my inspiration to commit to a strong life. I know very little about Mr Gallenberger, but anyone who can pull 400 lbs shouldn't have any problem playing with kids (regardless of age), and certainly doesn't have problems getting around in daily life.