A Simple Way To Tell Lifting Experience

[Davis]

Is it just it just my observations, or is it that the people who have lifted a very small amount of time(a year or less) seem to try to make what they're doing seem the most "hardcore"? Example: I went to a Crossfit thing with my mom back in May(she does it, not me) and there was this woman there screaming harder than any woman faking an orgasm in a porno ever has. What was she doing? Box jumps. She wasn't very large, had obviously been lifting for maybe close to a year, and hadn't even been doing her workout very long, yet she was screaming every time she jumped. She wasn't the only one, but she was definitely the loudest about it.

Example 2: When I first started lifting a couple summers ago, when I discovered cleans I liked to grunt extra loud when I would get tired. These weren't normal "agh" grunts, but you know, the extra-loud obnoxious kinds. Of course I was getting tired and weaker, but looking back, I was doing it for show.

Example 3more attitude based) A kid I used to lift with, who was much weaker than I, did quarter squats and was afraid to deadlift, and had only been lifting a couple of months...I went to him to comment on my squat performance during the time(July 2012)(and man, I have not worded this sentence very well). I told him I seemed to be getting weaker on my squat(Didn't know that mono was about to take over my body soon) and he said, "Work harder and fix it." Now, this is good advice of course, but it came from a kid who was AFRAID to deadlift, and did quarter squats with a pad on the bar. Sure, his bench had gone up a LITTLE bit over the summer and his arms and shoulders were a little bit bigger, but I mean really? He would also give advice to others in the gym who had been lifting around the same time or shorter- often the kind of man up advice you get a lot in lifting circles. (Which the macho bullshit is another topic of its own. You're lifting weights, not saving cities from destruction)

So from just these three observations, I came to the conclusion a few months back that it seems like those who have lifted the shortest amount of time want to seem "hardcore" because their performance and looks do not match their definition of "hardcore" so they have to do something to be noticed or try to take a certain mindset about it. Does anyone agree with this?

(And speaking of the macho BS, I'm going to "man up" and go to the gym, because screw mono...We'll see how it goes...)

[BendtheBar]

I have a personal rule against using the word hardcore in concert with anything I do.

I am generally a lazy sot who lifts for pleasure. I am far from hardcore and would never paint myself as such, or pretend I am.

[Jen]

Originally Posted by BendtheBar

I have a personal rule against using the word hardcore in concert with anything I do.

I am generally a lazy sot who lifts for pleasure. I am far from hardcore and would never paint myself as such, or pretend I am.

I respectfully disagree....... I watched you one arm deadlift 405 for reps. Thats f*cking hardcore.

[Fazc]

Related, this made me laugh:

[Chillen]

It isn't the amount of weight that is being lifted that makes one (using the term): hardcore. Like Steve, I do not like the term hardcore either. However, if I were to put it in proper context and change the general definition of the word, to me, its in the preparation consistency and hard work to---be able to lift that heavy weight, or obtain and earn ones personal goal (s).


Best wishes,

Don

[Davis]

Ha, that video is awesome.

I am with Steve on being a lazy guy who likes lifting. While I'm not necessarily lazy,(I work hard on music and maintain over a 3.3 GPA in college) I still consider myself lazy and claim that's why I lift the way I do. Although, powerlifting isn't a lazy man's sport either. I just like to lay around and do nothing when I find the opportunities...and having a tough set of deadlifts gives me a reason to do that for at least an hour during the day.

[5kgLifter]

Originally Posted by Jen

I respectfully disagree....... I watched you one arm deadlift 405 for reps. Thats f*cking hardcore.

Pffft, he's just building up to his finger deadlift




Lifting experience isn't always easy to discern; you may have loud people whether they are newbies or oldies and equally you may have very quiet lifters whether they are beginners or very experienced lifters...as in all pursuits, the two different persona's exist.

The one old adage I like to adhere to is "a little knowledge is a dangerous thing" but it generally refers to and is seen in people that have read one line about something and are suddenly experts; we've all come across them and pretty sure we all try our best to avoid them as well.