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I am curious as to everyone's motivation and goal, why everyone works out...

I started out with general fitness and aesthetics as my primary motivation (along with some peer pressure (the good kind)), but I feel I have acheived that goal, so now I aim for 'just to see what my body can do'. Maybe in the future I might get into 'powerlifting competition', but that is only currently a remote possibility.

I think most people have more than one fitness related goal. Also, you may want to be a little more specific. For example, health and general fitness is an important goal for me (does anyone really want to be unhealthy), but it's not what drives my workouts. If heath and general fitness were my only goals I wouldn't ever need to join a gym or pick up a heavy barbell or dumbbell.

be healthy and fit for my kids and to show them a healhy life style

i picked gen fit

My goals have shifted over the years. Now, at age 56, I'm going mostly for general fitness. Yep, I've read the earlier posts. Here is my explanation.
I have some physical deformities. I'm club footed, which really didn't matter until I was 45, and then it really did starting mattering. You know the drill, a body part starts slowing down, and the others have to compensate, and mostly, they overcompensate.
Well, about 4 years ago, I landed in that category. I have major arthritus, can hardly get out of bed in the morning. Now, my joints are in real jeopardy/
My training hese days are focused on a simple goal. I couldn't care less about total weight, although I once did, but it is more focuses on being able to move my joints, being able to move, being able to do these things on a daily sasis, without hurting.
Does it hurt to do this? Oh hell yeah. But it would hurt more if I didn't push through itI/

Damn, that is motivation.

Agreed.

Mine has shifted too. It was for health. I had some problems with blood levels and I had bodyfat just a hair over 50%. Now my blood levels are great and I am around 15% bodyfat. So it is all about looks now. Shave off another 6 or 7 points to get that hard look. I have a lot of mass already, but more would be good. It's vanity, but at the same time I won't compromise my health to get there. It's maybe about being happy with my body too.

I was always 'skinny'. One day a little over a year ago I decided that I don't want to be skinny anymore. That was my original goal.

Today that is still my primary motivation so aesthetics is what I chose.

But my training today is much more holistic. I used to only do weights and no 'cardio' because cardio slows down muscle building (I no longer think it's that simple and think a little interval work and a little low intensity work can help build muscle).

Now I do weights, intervals, low intensity work, mobility and stability work. I am trying to somwhow incorporate all aspects of overall athletic development into my training, but primary focus is still aesthetics.

Do you attribute your athritis to club footedness?

Hi George. Yes, I do attribute the arthritus to my club foot. The reason is, the force downward onto my foot is off center. My gait (the way the foot is held) shifts the center onto the right side, as clearly evidenced onto the soles of my shoe. When I walk, my right foot swings wide to the right. Over the years my right side has had to compensate, resulting into a gradual curvature upward in myright pelvic area. My right leg is now an inch and a qurter shorter than on my left. The body has ben compensating, and has resulted in arthritus and other stuff. It's liveable, no doubt. I go to a podortist (sp?) and he measures me and builds special shoes for me. When I work out, Ihave to put plates under my right foot, but it's all good. Thanks for asking George.
Tim.

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