Weights

The reason why many get into weight-lifting can be identified on the basis of what they are trying to achieve. The �portly Philips’ who are trying to lose fat, the �scrawny Seths’ who are trying to pack on a few pounds, and then there are the �buff Bills’ who are preparing for competition.

The 'buff Bills', the most experienced out of the three groups, have already achieved the desired look and are pushing their bodies to the extreme and beyond, trying to become the world's next Strongman or Mr. Olympus. The Buff Bills go overboard with diet in many different ways. For many, their day becomes a cycle during which they have to consume a specific number of calories, and they become addicted to making sure they get their required in-take. Whether it be waking up at 3 a.m to consume an extra protein shake, being on FitDay.com (a web site which is supposed to help you follow how many calories you take in one day) following your progress, or even in extreme cases, refusing a piece of cake on a date because it has more fat then their daily intake allows them to have. As the Buff Bills begin to get bigger and stronger then the regular joe, they start realizing that they must keep shocking their body so their muscles can keep growing, so the work-outs become more intense every time. They begin lifting more weight, pushing their body to the limit, sometimes going overboard and hurting themselves in the process. I have even heard stories of weightlifters lifting until they puke, believing that is they only way to push through strength plateaus. Obviously all of this has many negative effects, short and long term, including injuries, heart problems and potentially even death. Furthermore, these hardcore workouts are often compounded with supplements and steroids, some legal while others not. At first it may be just a protein shake or an energy drink, but when it does not have the same effect as it did when it was first used, thats when it becomes a problem, as the weightlifter goes for something stronger to get his fix and to maintain his body image. Many end up hospitalized after the usage of illegal steroids which can cause hair loss, heart problems, hormonal changes, and infertility. The risks outweigh the benefits, but for some the addiction to perfect their body clouds their judgment and it is too late.

Meanwhile the 'scrawny Seths' can probably be found in the free weights room, huffing and puffing, pushing out reps on the bench press or curling humongous dumb bells and meticulously recording the amount of calories they took in for the day, desperate to put on a few pounds, for the lack of which they've been made fun of since junior high school. For many of them, their body image is a real problem that affects them in a variety of ways. For many 'scrawny Seths', their appearance affects them so much, that it dictates the type of clothing they wear. Even in the scorching heat of the summer, some will choose to wear layers of clothing just to make themselves look bigger to the public. This is one reason, why a number of teenagers will go through high school wearing baggy clothing, just to conceal their body. As well, some may be affected to the point where they would be afraid to take off their shirt to go swimming or to play soccer or basketball. For many skinny guys, stepping into the weight room is a huge step, as they are forced to battle their fears and be surrounded by people who are bigger and stronger then them, and probably reminds them a lot of that high school bully they used to have to deal with. After beating this fear, it doesn't get much better, as they have to face being one of the smallest guys in the gym, and believe me, making a modern-day Hercules who is flexing his bulging muscles, wait for you while you are finishing up squatting 90 lbs is no easy