# Why don’t you lift weights? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Tags:** diet-weight-loss\ **Created:** [August 15, 2020, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-don-t-you-lift-weights/918144 "2020-08-15T01:48:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 35
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2024, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-don-t-you-lift-weights/918144/681 "2024-11-24T15:05:03Z")
Let’s assume so. My point is that if that area of relative giftedness exists for me, I think that I am better off for _not_ having discovered it. But who knows? Maybe I find my gift, my special talent, in my 70s! Or later! ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2024, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-don-t-you-lift-weights/918144/682 "2024-11-25T17:32:21Z")
An interesting article (limited gift link) saying organs age at vastly different rates in the sane person, with very significant effects. [https://wapo.st/3V5DTut](https://wapo.st/3V5DTut) Traditional link (sane article): [https://www.washingtonpost.com/wellness/2024/11/25/longevity-organ-aging-disease/](https://www.washingtonpost.com/wellness/2024/11/25/longevity-organ-aging-disease/) ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Mouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mighty_mouse/32/7776_2.png) [@Mighty\_Mouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Mouse)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2024, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-don-t-you-lift-weights/918144/683 "2024-11-25T17:45:55Z")
> [@Dr\_Paprika](#): > > An interesting article (limited gift link) saying organs age at vastly different rates in the _sane_ person, with very significant effects. This sounds crazy, but what do I know. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2024, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-don-t-you-lift-weights/918144/684 "2024-11-25T20:31:46Z")
For those like me who do not pay for WaPo I think this may cover the same stuff. [https://www.science.org/content/article/not-all-organs-age-same-older-ones-may-predict-your-risk-disease](https://www.science.org/content/article/not-all-organs-age-same-older-ones-may-predict-your-risk-disease) It will be interesting to see if lifestyle interventions, like exercise, impact the age of some organs different than others. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2024, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-don-t-you-lift-weights/918144/685 "2024-11-26T04:53:08Z")
The WaPo was actually viewable through my Apple News feed and the article they are talking about is the bigger follow up one in preprint below. > **[Plasma proteomics in the UK Biobank reveals youthful brains and immune...](https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.06.07.597771v1.full)** > > Organ-derived plasma protein signatures derived from aptamer protein arrays track organ-specific aging, disease, and mortality in humans, but the robustness and clinical utility of these models and their biological underpinnings remain unknown. Here,... > We next explored whether biological age estimates grounded in physiological states of organ function are sensitive to changes in lifestyle. We tested the associations between all 13 z-scored age gaps and 15 lifestyle factors (diet, alcohol, smoking, exercise), adjusted for age and sex using linear regression ( **Supplementary Table 7** ). We found 66 positive and 79 negative significant associations after correcting for multiple hypothesis testing. In line with their known health impacts, smoking, alcohol, and processed meat intake were associated with age acceleration across several organs, while “vigorous exercise” and oily fish consumption were associated with youthful organs (**[Fig. 4a](https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.06.07.597771v1.full#F4)** ). In the figure “vigorous exercise” had strongest organ youth correlation with lung, kidney, and brain. Was the only studied factor with youth “organismal” correlation. And surprisingly not especially youthful hearts. And muscles a wee tad older?? Interesting! ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2024, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-don-t-you-lift-weights/918144/686 "2024-12-28T16:06:23Z")
Never too late to start moving more. 12 Ways To Get Fitter in 2025: [https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/27/well/move/best-workouts-fitness-2025.html](https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/27/well/move/best-workouts-fitness-2025.html) ---
**Author:** ![Moriarty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moriarty/32/49_2.png) [@Moriarty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moriarty)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2025, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-don-t-you-lift-weights/918144/687 "2025-01-05T18:35:45Z")
I had an epiphany yesterday. People only have as much muscle as they need, right? That’s why people who stop exercising lose muscle size and strength. It’s a consequence of your body responding to the demands of your environment. Lifting weights is done to trigger your body into “thinking” that your environment requires you to be stronger and more resilient by artificially creating that environment. In theory, your body could decide to reinforce your muscles _without_ the stimulus of lifting weights, but in order to activate this part of your body, you have to trick it with exercise. You may consciously know that the exercise isn’t actual environmental stress, but just something you are simulating, but your muscles don’t know. I think it’s interesting how we have a part of our body that operates on a predictable, primal level which we can consciously manipulate, but can’t directly access. The same sort of trickery applies to dieting. People will manipulate their macro nutrients to try to _trick_ the body into burning off stored fat. Invariably, they run into a part of their body that doesn’t “know” that food is plentiful, and will react to certain diets with an apparent “worry” about famine. I presume this more primitive side exists somewhere in our brain that doesn’t connect to the consciousness part. But we must tie into it when we lift weights. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2025, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-don-t-you-lift-weights/918144/688 "2025-01-05T19:24:58Z")
An interesting view. People don’t necessarily have as much muscle as they need. This is particularly true of the elderly who may struggle with mobility and balance as a result of this shortage. The logic may be that your body does not care if you live a long time, as long as you have kids early enough that genes disadvantageous in old age are not much eliminated from the pool. Muscle may help with mating, daily tasks, longevity, health and much else at a metabolic level. In practice, chimpanzees might be much stronger than humans, and they do not go to the gym very often except after New Years. But while running burns roughly twice as many calories as moderate walking, and swimming perhaps six times as much, climbing can burn roughly 36 times as many calories as walking. I haven’t seen the research on swinging, jumping over barrels, or rescuing Princess Peach. Many systems in the body are outside (or have a lesser degree of) conscious awareness, including the parts you think don’t (faithfully assuming reasoning or logic always underlie your opinions and actions). ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2025, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-don-t-you-lift-weights/918144/689 "2025-01-05T19:40:34Z")
From the WaPo. _Once a resolution is made, specific tactics make it more likely to stick. Here is what habit and fitness experts, and my own experience, suggest:_ - Have a longer-term obtainable goal - Time block and preprogram your workout - Leave yourself visual prompts - Build accountability slowly - Make exercise part of your identity [https://www.washingtonpost.com/wellness/2025/01/06/resolutions-exercise-habit/](https://www.washingtonpost.com/wellness/2025/01/06/resolutions-exercise-habit/) ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2025, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-don-t-you-lift-weights/918144/690 "2025-01-09T14:34:11Z")
Seven minute workouts improve fitness. [https://www.washingtonpost.com/wellness/interactive/2025/7-minute-workout-science-original/?itid=hp-mv-top-stories\_top-table-main\_p001\_f010](https://www.washingtonpost.com/wellness/interactive/2025/7-minute-workout-science-original/?itid=hp-mv-top-stories_top-table-main_p001_f010) ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2025, 8:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-don-t-you-lift-weights/918144/691 "2025-01-19T08:05:30Z")
Find your next favourite routine (gift link). > **[Workout Routines To Keep You Moving](https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2025/well/move/workout-plan-ideas.html?unlocked_article_code=1.qU4.vSaP.9FwrCX02v8PI&smid=url-share)** > > Whether you’re starting from scratch or just looking to try something new, we can help you build an exercise routine that sticks. ---
**Author:** ![Mijin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mijin/32/9369_2.png) [@Mijin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mijin)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2025, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-don-t-you-lift-weights/918144/692 "2025-01-19T16:50:53Z")
> [@Moriarty](#): > > People will manipulate their macro nutrients to try to _trick_ the body into burning off stored fat. Invariably, they run into a part of their body that doesn’t “know” that food is plentiful, and will react to certain diets with an apparent “worry” about famine. I’m skeptical that that could work. I mean, a person could be malnutritioned, or poisoned, but I doubt the body is going to be fooled into burning off stored fat even as adquate calories are being consumed. Anyway, probably a big topic in itself. > [@Dr\_Paprika](#): > > In practice, chimpanzees might be much stronger than humans, and they do not go to the gym very often except after New Years. But while running burns roughly twice as many calories as moderate walking, and swimming perhaps six times as much, climbing can burn roughly 36 times as many calories as walking. It’s not just the burning of calories, chimps are significantly stronger than humans mostly due to having more fast twitch muscle fibres but also because their muscle fibres are arranged in a way that favors explosive power over precision. There are a couple of mechanical factors too, like human tendons’ attachments sacrificing leverage for range of motion, and chimps’ hands being at rest in a closed state. Basically you don’t want to arm wrestle an adult chimp. Not unless you want to suddenly have a lot of range of motion in your forearm 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Moriarty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moriarty/32/49_2.png) [@Moriarty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moriarty)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2025, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-don-t-you-lift-weights/918144/693 "2025-01-19T17:00:31Z")
> [@Mijin](#): > > I’m skeptical that that could work. I mean, a person could be malnutritioned, or poisoned, but I doubt the body is going to be fooled into burning off stored fat even as adquate calories are being consumed. I was referring to those diets that intentionally put a person into ketosis to try to get the body to use fat for energy. ---
**Author:** ![Cee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cee/32/18345_2.png) [@Cee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cee)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2025, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-don-t-you-lift-weights/918144/694 "2025-01-20T04:17:41Z")
Used to but stopped cuz I didn’t see the point. I’ll probably pick it up again sometime soon. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2025, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-don-t-you-lift-weights/918144/695 "2025-01-21T17:35:14Z")
Improving mobility (limited gift link). > **[A Simple 10-Minute Workout to Improve Mobility](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/17/well/move/short-mobility-workout.html?unlocked_article_code=1.q04.HClo.Tffo0GFynomp&smid=url-share)** > > Daily movement breaks are important. This no-equipment routine can help you move more freely. ---
**Author:** ![sunstone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunstone/32/3372_2.png) [@sunstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sunstone)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2025, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-don-t-you-lift-weights/918144/696 "2025-01-22T15:53:59Z")
I don’t lift weights because it is boring. However, I do get lots of opportunities to move large objects around at home. Have you ever tried to lift a small tree planted in a 20 gallon pot…especially after it has been watered? I do stuff like that, which is not boring and has a benefit not related to exercise. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2025, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-don-t-you-lift-weights/918144/697 "2025-01-23T05:20:16Z")
It counts. Hell even carrying groceries can count as strength training. If done with some regularity. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2025, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-don-t-you-lift-weights/918144/698 "2025-01-24T19:30:42Z")
The other side to look at. The consequences of physical INactivity are more than life expectancy and physical function. > **[Inactive today, forgetful tomorrow: Mizzou researchers discover a link...](https://showme.missouri.edu/2025/inactive-today-forgetful-tomorrow-mizzou-researchers-discover-a-link-between-lack-of-physical-activity-and-a-decline-in-brain-health/)** > > A new study shows specific changes in the brain after muscle disuse that are linked with cognitive decline. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2025, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-don-t-you-lift-weights/918144/699 "2025-03-12T16:33:24Z")
Fascinating article on how decrepit 90 year olds increased their strength by an average of 174%, and walking speed by 50%. > **[The ninetysomethings who revolutionized how we think about strength training](https://www.theguardian.com/wellness/2025/mar/11/older-adults-strength-training)** > > One simple exercise proved older adults can build and retain muscle – and caused a paradigm shift in science ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2025, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-don-t-you-lift-weights/918144/700 "2025-06-02T19:56:46Z")
Opinions? Which is “better” for healthspan purposes, and even for _generalizable_ strength, training putatively for “hypertrophy” or “strength”? The quotes because of course neither is pure. Strength focused lifters get bigger and hypertrophy focused get stronger. But I am suspecting that hypertrophy focused training wins out. Training to lift heavier on a specific group of lifts trains for those specific lifts. Not necessarily in a very generalizable fashion. Hypertrophy focused training often has more variety of lifts which almost certainly is more likely to translate to a wider variety of real world tasks that it generalizes to. For the newbie the gain in mass is more impactful for metabolic impacts than the neuromuscular adaptations and skill building. Alternative arguments? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-don-t-you-lift-weights/918144.md?page=34) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-don-t-you-lift-weights/918144.md?page=36)