One of my favorite pop culture terms is the word "meathead." At first it was a highly pejorative term that yuppy intellectual types gave their more physically fit brethren. "Oh, Michael is such a meat-head, if he's putting up 275 on the bench he must be putting up a 75 IQ."
However, those same "meatheads" did what all great practitioners of psychological warfare do...they embraced the term.
Now, the people using the term meathead, are the meatheads. Embedded in the term's new meaning is a self-deprecating acknowledgment that lifting weights doesn't take much brains. However, also inherent in the new-use of the term is a lack of seriousness about the accuracy behind weight-lifters being just dumb jocks. Meatheads will no longer be offended if you're calling them just that.
So just to clear the air, here's my two cents about lifting weights.
The reason I love lifting (aside from the proven endorphine effect) is because it's one of the few honest pursuits in life.
In a world where the truth isn't always easy to come by, lifting is as honest as Abraham Lincoln. Everything that you ask of your body to put up a certain amount of weight is very clear cut. You either can or you can't. The weight you are lifting is exactly the weight you think you're lifting. The results you get from an honest workout never lie. This stuff is hard-earned, the way all good things in life should be.
So, that's my stance on lifting. To me, it's as much philosophical as any other activity in life. Because we don't always get what we see, it's nice to finally have something in your life that's 100% honest. Plus, you feel good. Thanks endorphines.
