Why do it?

[Scabtree]

I picked up a small fortune of supplements the other day; then I headed over to the gym to work quads an hams until the nausea started to set in... and of course that's when it starts to get good so I kept going. After the workout when home and gagged down a protein shake, and for the rest of the night ate foods that I don't really care for all in the hope to get a little bit stronger, and a little bit bigger. This has become the norm for my life.

However, in recent days I've been wondering what my motivation is for doing this? I'm not a competitive athlete, so I'm really not sure why I do this, but it seems to be somewhat addictive. And maybe you have wondered the same. What is your motivation to get bigger, stronger, faster?

[lmmalone]

It's a constant challenge. I love seeing how far I can push my self.

I also run marathons. And those sure as hell aren't fun. I have goals in strength training as well as running. I'd be very upset with myself if I didn't meet them.

[Tigershark]

I know why I do it. I am motivated by looking good for sexy4mysweetheart as well as myself. Plus I am always challenging myself to see how far I can take this.

[TRT2010]

i just took off a few months and lost almost everything i gained when i trained for my show last July. One day I picked up a bear and a shot and it just took over from there for the last few months. I sat down and started thinking why the hell do i do this. Why do i not see any of my friends anymore and why and i the butt of jokes because i was addicted to myself and the gym. Then after a few months till recently i had the exact same epiphany about what i had been doing. All my years of hard work and expecially the last 10 months was almost for nothing. Went form the best shape of my life to the sloppiest i had been in years. Imma never do that again. I am detoxing my liver as we speak, got a boat of supplements, gonna do a small cycle and never give it up again. To hell with everyone

[JohnnyVegas]

I just took a month off after pushing hard for the entire year of 2010. It was a tough year coming back from a long-term injury. I was disappointed that I quit a few weeks short of the end of the year, but I had hit a wall. I just got back to the gym (and halfway back on diet) this week.

But, I didn't lose a lot during my break and I felt great in the gym. I don't take any gross supplements. I only spend a few hours a week in the gym (maybe five or six?). I only feel good when I am in decent shape so that is the reward.

Scabtree, it sounds like you push hard and burn out. I did that in my 20s, but now that I am in my 40s I keep it a lot more low key. You are right that most of us are not competitive athletes and that is why it is a marathon, not a sprint. Incorporate it into your life and keep it slow and steady. I don't mean don't push hard, but maybe don't push as hard as you have been. If you are lucky, you will stay happy doing this for decades.

[V-ROID]

However, in recent days I've been wondering what my motivation is for doing this? I'm not a competitive athlete, so I'm really not sure why I do this, but it seems to be somewhat addictive. And maybe you have wondered the same. What is your motivation to get bigger, stronger, faster?

Maybe you are thinking with the wrong head? I mean ask the little fella down there if he is happy...

[gixxerboy1]

I just took a month off after pushing hard for the entire year of 2010. It was a tough year coming back from a long-term injury. I was disappointed that I quit a few weeks short of the end of the year, but I had hit a wall. I just got back to the gym (and halfway back on diet) this week.

But, I didn't lose a lot during my break and I felt great in the gym. I don't take any gross supplements. I only spend a few hours a week in the gym (maybe five or six?). I only feel good when I am in decent shape so that is the reward.

Scabtree, it sounds like you push hard and burn out. I did that in my 20s, but now that I am in my 40s I keep it a lot more low key. You are right that most of us are not competitive athletes and that is why it is a marathon, not a sprint. Incorporate it into your life and keep it slow and steady. I don't mean don't push hard, but maybe don't push as hard as you have been. If you are lucky, you will stay happy doing this for decades.

i agree some people do to much and get burned out. I dont take alot of supps. I eat good but still go out to dinner nad will have dessert sometimes. I'm not competing so why not do what makes me happy.

as for the original question. I do it to look good. I want to look for my wife. I like going to the beach and taking of my shirt and being cocky

[JohnnyVegas]

I like going to the beach and taking of my shirt and being cocky

I hope to do that this summer for the first time in a decade.

[gixxerboy1]

I hope to do that this summer for the first time in a decade.

I'm confident you will

[Userat204]

I just came back after almost 3 weeks off. Been back at it for a couple of months now. Honestly the time off was good for me, no real losses, but I was burning myself out. The gym I have used pretty much my whole life shut down, and we were forced into a corporate gym, most members went to the same place in hopes of making the transition easier.

During my couple weeks off, I realized this is who I am, what I like to do, and I needed to drag myself back. I felt refreshed, and ready to go again. Well until an ongoing back and shoulder injury started to get worse. But it's all part of life for me. I take a good number of supplements, nothing gross, and I've never had to choke down a pwo shake, make it how you like it, add to it and make it more useful.

Being out of the gym was good for resting mentally and physically but I think most of us here really aren't happy if we aren't staying in a certain shale/physical condition, and pushing ourselves. At this point, I had to realize this is for me, and I could care less what anyone thinks about it, could care less about what gym I have to use to accomplish my goals and at the same time I'm not going to let it control my life, getting out with your girl, and friends is important, so just find a balance. It's supposed to be something we love to do, not to drag us down.

[Gym_]

Maybe you are thinking with the wrong head? I mean ask the little fella down there if he is happy...

lol so hes a man then ? Ive been told that the criteria to be male.

[yeahbuddy289]

I ask myself that same question all the time. Its a lonely lifestyle but I dont have any friends to go out with really so that makes it easier to do. I also train in my basement so I dont get to be around or make any friends who share the same interest. Ironically I do have a beautiful girlfriend and I guess seeing her when she come back from school keeps me from going insane.