Is Lifting Weights For Vanity Good Or Bad?
Table of Contents
Introduction
In this article I will be answering the question “is lifting weights for vanity good or bad?”. This is a very interesting topic to discuss and one that is also very important.
Vanity is a big reason why many people get started with lifting weights. Many people do it to improve their aesthetics so they can look and feel better. Is lifting for solely vanity and nothing else good or bad?
This article will explore this topic in detail and will be highly informative.
Is Lifting Weights For Vanity Good Or Bad?
Lifting weights for vanity for your own pride is better than doing it to seek approval from others. If you lift weights for only vanity and nothing else then this can be problematic.
Excessive vanity can cause body image issues such as body dysmorphia and general unhappiness as you are never satisfied with your physique. If you are too vain, you will likely have a habit of constantly comparing yourself with others which can steal your happiness.
Ideally, it is best to lift weights for enjoyment and passion and to improve yourself physically and mentally. The by-product of this will be a better physique and more confidence.
Lifting For Vanity Can Improve Self Esteem
Most people who start working out do so for vanity. They want to build up their physique and make themselves more aesthetic. This then translates into better confidence and self esteem.
So vanity is not so bad. In order to be successful you have to be a little selfish and put yourself first. To achieve goals it requires a commitment to the long term and consistent effort.
However, excessive vanity can cause narcissistic tendencies and can steal your happiness to a degree. If you are never satisfied with how your physique looks, or become very narcissistic and feel that you are better than everyone because you have a better physique, this is not the most healthy outlook.
Ultimately, you should have other reasons to workout besides vanity. You should enjoy working out and it should be a passion in your life. This will help you maintain the habit long term and improve your general wellbeing.
Too Much Vanity Can Lead To Body Dysmorphia
This is likely driven by excessive vanity and unhealthy competition. It is important to lift weights for you and to do so to improve your physical and mental health.
Excessive vanity can cause you to compare yourself constantly to others and never feel like you measure up. Regardless of how impressive your physique becomes, you will still feel that you are lacking.
Ultimately, lifting weights should be an activity that adds something to your life. It should improve your health and fitness and give you a more positive outlook. If you are encountering negative effects such as this then you need to take stock of things and reassess.
Functional Strength
At the same time as lifting weights for vanity it is important to incorporate a strength training component for building real world strength and also functional strength.
Athletes for instance should use weights to improve their physical performance in their chosen sport. The exercises should be sport specific and functional. For example, footballers should train their hips and legs and also do agility drills.
They need to incorporate a conditioning component and should avoid very heavy squatting. Heavy squatting carries too much of an injury risk and will pose recovery issues.
It is possible to lift weights and not be strong. This occurs if you focus on bodybuilding training and lots of isolation exercises. Even if your main focus is bodybuilding, you should include some big compound movements.
These should include a heavy press of some sort, a variation of the deadlift or squat and other heavy compound exercises such as rows. This will ensure that you build some good strength to go with the aesthetics.
Do It For You
If your motives for training are to seek external validation, you will never be satisfied. You will also lack the drive and desire to maintain the fitness lifestyle over the long haul.
It is important to not be too vain in your training. Enjoying the fruits of your labour is important. Building up your body and appreciating it is a healthy thing. But if you take your vanity too far you can end up with a very narcissistic attitude which can be unhealthy and also repel others.
Realise as well that not everyone shares the same passions as you. Becoming very muscular doesn’t make you better than anyone else. It is just something that you should choose to do because you enjoy the process and want to improve yourself physically and mentally.
Final Thoughts
You should workout to improve yourself physically and mentally. It should also be something that you are passionate about.
You shouldn’t become so vain that you develop very narcissistic attitudes which can end up hurting not only yourself but also others.
If you have any comments on this article, please leave them below. As always, stay safe and enjoy your training!
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