# 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:** 48
**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:** [August 30, 2025, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-don-t-you-lift-weights/918144/941 "2025-08-30T22:17:17Z")
A gift link article appropriate here: [https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/26/well/move/greysteel-powerlifting-senior-gym.html?unlocked\_article\_code=1.iE8.4qW-.Q\_bZfY8lJH-F&smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/26/well/move/greysteel-powerlifting-senior-gym.html?unlocked_article_code=1.iE8.4qW-.Q_bZfY8lJH-F&smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare) Not sure why not showing. ---
**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:** [August 31, 2025, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-don-t-you-lift-weights/918144/942 "2025-08-31T01:31:45Z")
From its intro - > Ann Buszard, 84, strapped on a thick leather belt before stepping up to the barbell she had loaded to 170 pounds. She exhaled and hinged, lifting roughly the weight of a medium-size refrigerator fluidly off the ground, then reversed the move to gently set it down, safely completing a deadlift. > > Ms. Buszard, a retired nurse, had never so much as touched a weight until she was 74, when she found herself struggling to stand up after kneeling down. She wanted to get stronger, and her son had heard of a local doctor who was moonlighting as a weight lifting coach. > > She wound up at Greysteel, a no-nonsense gym in Farmington Hills, Michigan, outside Detroit. While many gyms around the country offer programs for older people, Greysteel distinguishes itself by focusing on old-school barbell lifting. ---
**Author:** ![JaneA](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b5a626/32.png) [@JaneA](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JaneA)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2025, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-don-t-you-lift-weights/918144/943 "2025-08-31T19:44:16Z")
Well, that’s inspiring! ---
**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:** [September 1, 2025, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-don-t-you-lift-weights/918144/944 "2025-09-01T18:03:07Z")
Ain’t it though?! Other anecdotes in the article … > Val Rosengren, 75, was diagnosed with a bad case of sarcopenia, an aging-related loss of muscle. But thanks to 10 years of lifting, she said between reps, she has gained 12 pounds of muscle. > At 98, John Claassen is the oldest lifter at Greysteel; he uses a walker to approach the barbell. > > When he was diagnosed with a potentially fatal gallbladder condition two years ago, he said his strength helped convince his surgeon he could survive an operation to remove it. He said lifting also helped him recover after the procedure. > > “I consider everything since then bonus years,” Mr. Claassen said. > > Training at Greysteel has given him a sense of direction and community. The members exchange birthday cards and keep tabs on one another’s illnesses, surgeries, vacations and personal records. > > “We’re like brothers and sisters,” he said. “You feel regenerated by the unity of purpose we have.” Returning to excessive nerding out - @Dr_Paprika , if I get the point in regards to legs, push/pull is ultimately unimportant compared to quad vs hamstring emphasis. But this stuff is fun to think about! High box step up holding a dumbbell or kettlebell at your chest? Hits hamstrings pretty hard. Clearly push. If doing push/pull days (rather than push/pull/legs) would you do it on the same day as deadlift as hamstrings, or the same day as front squat as push? I think together with deadlift as hamstrings focus, yes? Can you place the carries and the various rotational and anti-rotational exercises into the framework? ---
**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:** [September 1, 2025, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-don-t-you-lift-weights/918144/945 "2025-09-01T21:31:30Z")
Mostly. If you hold a weight and step onto a box, the tougher part is moving up against gravity. This is not to say moving back down is trivial or not hard on the joints, but it is a little easier. Since the legs are originally straight and bend to step up, I would thus consider this primarily a quadriceps exercise, and push, even though the glutes and hams are involved when descending. The legs day is added to push/pull because otherwise there are too many upper body exercises one might want to do, and one only has the time and energy to do so much. But if sticking to push/pull and the lower body, I would in theory do quads/push one day (squats since the tough part is rising and pushing after hitting bottom, any jumps, leg press, quad leg extensions, pelvic thrusts) and hamstring/pull another day (deadlifts, leg curls, glute ham raises, loaded carriers, lunges), though I am unsure lunges fit into the scheme very well. I don’t do a lot of lower body rotational stuff. Things like pulling shoulder cables would be done on pull day, if one was very strict about this. The main reason for doing it is to maximize recovery times by alternating - but this is more important for major compound lifts than single joint machine ones. There are exceptions: the angled leg press works different muscles depending on foot placement. Lower and closer placement prefers quads, placing feet high on the plate hamstrings, feet further apart more medial muscles. But in general: Push: overhead work, triceps, chest, quads, core Pull: biceps, back, hamstrings, rows/curls and some cable exercises ---
**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:** [September 1, 2025, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-don-t-you-lift-weights/918144/946 "2025-09-01T22:05:38Z")
Easier to visualize? > **[How to Box Jump: Muscles Worked & Proper Form – StrengthLog](https://www.strengthlog.com/box-jump/)** > > Muscles Worked in Box Jump Primary muscles worked: Secondary muscles worked: How to Box Jump with Proper Form Text and graphics from the StrengthLog app. Commentary Box Jumps are a plyometric exercise that develops explosiveness, power, and... ---
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2025, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-don-t-you-lift-weights/918144/947 "2025-09-01T22:05:46Z")
I was trying to invent a counterweight for people who want to do chin-ups and pull-ups but are not quite able, so they need a little boost. It occurred to me today that a garage door torsion spring would work perfectly for that. Just mount it to a board that you would stand on and put the spring over your head. You could set it anywhere from 25# to 300# but most likely would buy something closer to your range. You could also use it as a step up if needed. ---
**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:** [September 1, 2025, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-don-t-you-lift-weights/918144/948 "2025-09-01T22:15:02Z")
I would specify core exercises are really a mixed bag. Pushing a pad with your belly or pelvic works different muscles from pulling and raising your legs on leg raises, V-ups, vacuums or L-sits. Assisted chin-ups and dips are available in many gyms on Gravitron machines. They use variable weights as a counterbalance, but would be much pricier than a spring mechanism. ---
**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:** [September 2, 2025, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-don-t-you-lift-weights/918144/949 "2025-09-02T00:24:42Z")
No? Box jumps are a different exercise. Even short box height step ups are different than high box step up holding a weight in front. What I feel working doing it is different? But you’ve laid it out well enough for me get how it would play out in programming when used. > [@Dr\_Paprika](#): > > core exercises are really a mixed bag. Very much so and is where the rotational and anti rotation movements are important but not as often done as much as those sagittal plane ones. I’ve seen resistance bands used to assist in chin and pull ups, but to me the most straightforward progression is to jump up and try do controlled descents (eccentric phase) as step one. ---
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2025, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-don-t-you-lift-weights/918144/950 "2025-09-02T01:44:57Z")
Yes, the negative chin up does make more sense. ---
**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:** [September 2, 2025, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-don-t-you-lift-weights/918144/951 "2025-09-02T01:46:02Z")
Fair enough. Doing steps while holding a weight is not really something I’ve ever done, so I couldn’t say what hurts 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:** [September 2, 2025, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-don-t-you-lift-weights/918144/952 "2025-09-02T01:53:12Z")
Chin-ups use a supinated grip (palm away from face) that emphasizes the biceps, pull-ups a pronated grip (palm toward) that is harder and emphasizes the triceps. But below I use “pull-up” interchangeably. A neutral grip (palm sideways) is easier on the shoulder if handle grips allow it. The full progression for pull-ups starts with inverted rows (Australian pull-ups), and goes through assisted pull-ups, proper pull-ups, wide pull-ups, archer pull-ups (see below), typewriter pull-ups, then one-arm pull-ups. Muscle-ups are different. Just holding a hanging position for 30+ seconds, or doing controlled descents is also of considerable value, but is not quite the same. In CrossFit they do inverted rows or a jump and controlled descent for people not yet able to do pull-ups. > **[Archer Pull-Up: How-To Do Archer Pull-Ups and Progress](https://calisthenicsworldwide.com/exercises/archer-pull-up/)** > > Archer Pull-Ups are a dynamic, effective Calisthenics Exercise. Learn how to do Archer Pull-Ups, its benefits and how to progress to doing Archer Pull-Ups. Excerpt: ## Archer Pull-Up Progression Depending on where you are right now (you need both strength and shoulder mobility), the proper progression goes from left to right: | [Australian Pull-Up](https://calisthenicsworldwide.com/exercises/australian-pull-up/) | Assisted Pull-Up | [Proper Pull-Up](https://calisthenicsworldwide.com/calisthenics/perfect-pull-up-form/) | Wide Pull-Up | Archer Pull-Up | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | | | | | | ---
**Author:** ![The\_Librarian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_librarian/32/402_2.png) [@The\_Librarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Librarian)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2025, 7:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-don-t-you-lift-weights/918144/953 "2025-09-02T07:03:24Z")
An article about a YouTube video? I’d call it clickbait but that would be insulting to some perfectly fine tricks all doctors hate. ---
**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:** [September 14, 2025, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-don-t-you-lift-weights/918144/954 "2025-09-14T14:46:16Z")
Jump Around? ## [What happens to your body when you jump](https://www.washingtonpost.com/wellness/2025/09/14/jumping-bone-density-exercise/) [To maintain or even strengthen your bones as you age, it helps to load the skeleton with enough force, researchers say. Jumping around appears to provide this force.] [https://www.washingtonpost.com/wellness/2025/09/14/jumping-bone-density-exercise/](https://www.washingtonpost.com/wellness/2025/09/14/jumping-bone-density-exercise/) Gift link: [https://wapo.st/3K38g1V](https://wapo.st/3K38g1V) ---
**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:** [September 14, 2025, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-don-t-you-lift-weights/918144/955 "2025-09-14T17:55:58Z")
More fodder. > **[We lose muscle power as we age. Here’s how to stay strong and fast](https://www.theglobeandmail.com/gift/2c74378c75ce69f3bd05148883e9aa787edbcaa15de44e8517335ccc76bfb73e/BHKDWPSBLVD2JCDA2RHCWEPCJQ/)** > > Incorporating power into your exercise routine can help you keep more of your strength as you get older ---
**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:** [September 15, 2025, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-don-t-you-lift-weights/918144/956 "2025-09-15T14:16:43Z")
The WaPo article promotes jumping for its value in preventing osteoporosis but spends much of the article with cautions for those at greatest risk of it. 😀 It’s something I’ve never gotten a great bead on, the advantages and disadvantages of, the balance between, impact and low impact exercise? Of course there is the common theme: some stress to the system (with recovery) is good and too much stress (and/or inadequate recovery) is bad. FWIW for kicks I tried to find something more than a small study on what actually is best for osteoporosis. Found [this](https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-94510-3.pdf) meta analysis looking specifically at post menopausal women. The answer is slightly muddy depending on site measured, lumbar vertebrae or femoral neck. I’d have expected resistance easily on top. At vertebrae it’s aerobic plus resistance followed by aerobic alone then resistance. Whole body vibration didn’t place. At femoral neck it’s again the combo then whole body vibration (!) followed by resistance alone with aerobic alone not placing. Seems a bit odd to not have even attempted to compared the different sorts of aerobic exercise. Sprinting intervals or even including hard running seems very likely more positive for bone strength than swimming, cycling, or elliptical, for example… but surprising to see whole body vibration with some positive and resistance not at the top unless paired with aerobic. The second link makes tons of sense. And bottom line may be that if it safe to do _some_ plyometrics it likely makes sense to do so for healthspan? Both your links together argue for the mix it up approach anyway! ---
**Author:** ![JaneA](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b5a626/32.png) [@JaneA](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JaneA)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2025, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-don-t-you-lift-weights/918144/957 "2025-09-15T16:21:59Z")
I will not be jumping, having given birth to two children. Nuff said. I ended up joining the gym and did their free introductory training session this morning which was a lot of fun. A lot of the exercises he taught me used the cable machine and I’m unlikely to remember all the set ups but it was interesting to see how different they felt from the machines. I did this body scan machine that was a bit demoralizing. According to the scan, I have a bit more muscle than average for women my age and height but I’m heavier and have quite a bit more body fat than average. My BMI is at the high end of normal and while I could certainly lose 15 pound of fat, I look around me and I’d be really surprised if I’m a whole lot fatter than average. I asked the trainer if the numbers were based on the general population or on people who have been scanned using this system and he didn’t know. Anyway, I know I should compare me to me and look at change over time. But it wasn’t uplifting. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2025, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-don-t-you-lift-weights/918144/958 "2025-09-15T16:30:03Z")
I have been doing a little jumping, in the hope of strengthening my hip bones. It just seemed easy and plausible. Interesting that there’s so little data. ---
**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:** [September 15, 2025, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-don-t-you-lift-weights/918144/959 "2025-09-15T17:00:45Z")
> [@JaneA](#): > > My BMI is at the high end of normal BMI is a great population metric but not a very tool at high normal through “overweight” for the individual. That said statistically “high normal” is the sweet spot. I’d take the scan with a few grains of salt (as long as your BP can take it! 🙂 ). … your fitness being as excellent as it is matters much more. ---
**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:** [September 15, 2025, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-don-t-you-lift-weights/918144/960 "2025-09-15T22:50:11Z")
I doubt jumping is a great way to strengthen bones (though it works well for calf hypertrophy). When the article quotes a difference of perhaps 1%, which is little compared to weight training. Bone strength is proportional to applied stresses in accordance with Wolff’s Law. (See below.) The caution of the article is because of a wide variety of starting points. In addition to likely being less effective, repeated jumping is very hard on joints and can have a substantial fall risk, especially in deconditioned people. Swimming is much gentler. Weight training is adaptable because you should generally start low, and can slowly improve rather than quickly improve if need be. > **[Wolff's law](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolff%27s_law)** > > Wolff's law, developed by the German anatomist and surgeon Julius Wolff (1836–1902) in the 19th century, states that bone in a healthy animal will adapt to the loads under which it is placed. If loading on a particular bone increases, the bone will remodel itself over time to become stronger to resist that sort of loading. The internal architecture of the trabeculae undergoes adaptive changes, followed by secondary changes to the external cortical portion of the bone, perhaps becomin The remodel... [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-don-t-you-lift-weights/918144.md?page=47) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-don-t-you-lift-weights/918144.md?page=49)