I’m stealing and rephrasing from an entry on the Crossfit message board (must give credit where it’s due, no matter what the source):
Strength training is doing something really hard for 20-40 minutes a week so the rest of your life is easy.
Of course not everyone strength trains using the protocol I do, and that’s perfectly fine. As individuals, one’s preferences determine “what is best.” To each his own, so to speak. But I think that the root sentiment is exactly the same: Exercise (in general) and strength training (specifically) can improve the quality of anyone’s life.
Maybe you started exercising to lose weight. Or perhaps you missed that set of six-pack abs you had before you got married. Maybe you got tired of the guys at the jiu-jitsu academy tossing you around, or wanted to wow everyone on the ski slopes. Who knows why you started? I do know, however, why you continue to exercise – because it makes your life better somehow: As stress relief, meditation, body enhancement, self-discipline and control, improvement in performance, making daily activities possible, living pain-free, etc.
Exercise helped you make yourself a better person.
Just something to remember whilst in the throes of lactic acid death.
Above: Ouch.
