Lifting Weights = Warrior?

Off Topic
141

[quote]MaloVerde wrote:
hedo wrote:
I’ll disagree.

One can feel like a warrior and certainly train like a warrior, he may even carry himself like one but until he is tested, in battle, it’s all speculation. Nobody knows how they will react. Not the individual himself and certainly not those who would judge him.

The warrior is tested and judged in battle, mortal combat, with no second place and no second chances. Some men yearn to challenge themselves this way, others run from it. It’s not always the ones you think either.

Again, I’m seperating the man from the mindset and the actions from the intent.

Fascinating discussion.

We’ll definately have to agree to disagree.

I think your outlook limits “warrior” status to fit your ideals of physical combat, and does not consider the “non-combative” tribulations that require immense courage also.
[/quote]

This whole masturbation exercise is starting to look frighteningly similar to the 90 minute argument I witnessed in a Philosophy 101 class many years ago about whether or not the TA’s backpack was red or green.

I wrestled in HS for a hard-ass coach who put us through workouts that were harder than some D1 programs’ practices. We “worked like warriors”.

I was once a soldier and I “trained like a warrior” so that I would be ready if I was called on to BE a warrior.

I have been through a prolonged illness that drained me physically and, more importantly, emotionally. To emerge from it took the “mindset of a warrior”.

I have not seen combat and because of this, I have not, for one second of my life, considered myself a warrior.

These things I’ve been through I call “life”. In order to be successful at anything in life requires an ability to adopt certain “warrior characteristics” and persevere.

Just like we aren’t all elite powerlifters even though we Deadlift, Squat and Bench Press, we’re not all All-stars even though we use that imagery to get us ready, nor are we all warriors just because we utilize some of the principles of successful warriors.

If we can’t reserve certain labels for a select few, then for fuck sake, at this point, let’s call everyone warriors and hand out trophies for participation and not for winning.

DB

142


Now that everything that can be said about the subject has been said, I’m going to have to say that there’s really only one true warrior…and thats The Road Warrior. :wink:

143

[quote]CaliforniaLaw wrote:
FightinIrish26 wrote:
Professor X wrote:

The real question is why are there so many average mutherfuckers out there worried about what the above average call themselves?

Only the average ones whine about such things…and the above average ones don’t call themselves anything. Irony at its best I guess.

On your blog, you call yourself: “A brash, invincible toughguy from Jersey who wants everything.” I take it you are average. LMAO.

[/quote]

That’s meant in jest. “Invincible” because I’m young, and everyone knows young guys are invincible, and a “toughguy” because it creates a character to a degree.

There’s a difference between a fighter and a warrior to me…I don’t know how to explain it.

Mike Tyson was a fighter. Mickey Ward was a warrior.

Tyson would start a fight at a bar…Ward would likely leave beforehand, because he knows he has nothing to prove to anybody.

Its a matter of demeanor I guess. A wolverine just wants to be left alone, but if you cross it, it will rip your fucking throat out. It doesn’t start trouble.

144


Wait! I forgot! There are also those other guys that ‘come out to play’. haha

145

[quote]Plisskin wrote:
Now that everything that can be said about the subject has been said, I’m going to have to say that there’s really only one true warrior…and thats The Road Warrior. ;)[/quote]

Agreed, however your namesake Snake would give him a run for his money.

D

146

[quote]dollarbill44 wrote:
MaloVerde wrote:
hedo wrote:
I’ll disagree.

One can feel like a warrior and certainly train like a warrior, he may even carry himself like one but until he is tested, in battle, it’s all speculation. Nobody knows how they will react. Not the individual himself and certainly not those who would judge him.

The warrior is tested and judged in battle, mortal combat, with no second place and no second chances. Some men yearn to challenge themselves this way, others run from it. It’s not always the ones you think either.

Again, I’m seperating the man from the mindset and the actions from the intent.

Fascinating discussion.

We’ll definately have to agree to disagree.

I think your outlook limits “warrior” status to fit your ideals of physical combat, and does not consider the “non-combative” tribulations that require immense courage also.

This whole masturbation exercise is starting to look frighteningly similar to the 90 minute argument I witnessed in a Philosophy 101 class many years ago about whether or not the TA’s backpack was red or green.

I wrestled in HS for a hard-ass coach who put us through workouts that were harder than some D1 programs’ practices. We “worked like warriors”.

I was once a soldier and I “trained like a warrior” so that I would be ready if I was called on to BE a warrior.

I have been through a prolonged illness that drained me physically and, more importantly, emotionally. To emerge from it took the “mindset of a warrior”.

I have not seen combat and because of this, I have not, for one second of my life, considered myself a warrior.

These things I’ve been through I call “life”. In order to be successful at anything in life requires an ability to adopt certain “warrior characteristics” and persevere.

Just like we aren’t all elite powerlifters even though we Deadlift, Squat and Bench Press, we’re not all All-stars even though we use that imagery to get us ready, nor are we all warriors just because we utilize some of the principles of successful warriors.

If we can’t reserve certain labels for a select few, then for fuck sake, at this point, let’s call everyone warriors and hand out trophies for participation and not for winning.

DB[/quote]

Gosh damn DB, I always thought of you more as a comedian. Now, after reading your struggles and accomplishments, I am going to look at you as a Warrior. On a serious note it seems like this really struck a negative cord with you. In fact it’s one of the only times I have seen you perturbed and not joking.

D

147

[quote]Professor X wrote:
Who has even written that “someone who serves in the army” equals “warrior”? Why make up an argument that no one has even made? My point was quit degrading the service of men and women in the military with that lame ass “they just served to pay for college” bullshit.
[/quote]

Here, I’ll quote the first poster: “Enlighten me: Why are you guys who never risked your life fighting or served in combat warriors?”

The whole “served in combat” part seems to suggest a requirement for joining up. (As for the part about “risking your life fighting” and the references to street fighting in the first post, I’m going to ignore those because of how stupid they are.)

I’d say its pretty clear that “someone who serves in the army” is equal to “served in combat.”

148

[quote]dollarbill44 wrote:

If we can’t reserve certain labels for a select few, then for fuck sake, at this point, let’s call everyone warriors and hand out trophies for participation and not for winning.

DB[/quote]

I think all of your scenarios could be considered Warrior like. Why not?

Maybe some people are confusing their “Warrior” definitions with their “Hero” definitions.

A Hero is something altogether different.

149

In a different vein, maybe if we are going to restrict who can be a warrior, then perhaps we can restrict what constitutes a war?

War on Poverty.
War on Obesity.
War on Journalism.
War on Drugs.
War on Illiteracy.
War on Crime.
War on Science.
War on Christmas.
War on Trans Fats.
War on Mediocrity.

No wonder everybody thinks they are an actual warrior, because no matter what you are doing there is some type of supposed war on it or about it.

Oh, and my workout, otherwise known as the war on weights, went well.

150

[quote]3rdman wrote:
Professor X wrote:
Who has even written that “someone who serves in the army” equals “warrior”? Why make up an argument that no one has even made? My point was quit degrading the service of men and women in the military with that lame ass “they just served to pay for college” bullshit.

Here, I’ll quote the first poster: “Enlighten me: Why are you guys who never risked your life fighting or served in combat warriors?”

The whole “served in combat” part seems to suggest a requirement for joining up. (As for the part about “risking your life fighting” and the references to street fighting in the first post, I’m going to ignore those because of how stupid they are.)

I’d say its pretty clear that “someone who serves in the army” is equal to “served in combat.”

[/quote]

That was weak. So you skip the first part of that sentence which opens it up to “anyone who has risked their life” and only focused in on combat? Combat doesn’t equal “military” so what is your point?

Have you served in the military?

151

[quote]Dedicated wrote:
dollarbill44 wrote:

Gosh damn DB, I always thought of you more as a comedian. Now, after reading your struggles and accomplishments, I am going to look at you as a Warrior. On a serious note it seems like this really struck a negative cord with you. In fact it’s one of the only times I have seen you perturbed and not joking.

D [/quote]
I guess that just means I’m getting old. And watch your mouth for crying out fuck.

DB

152

[quote]dollarbill44 wrote:
MaloVerde wrote:
hedo wrote:
I’ll disagree.

One can feel like a warrior and certainly train like a warrior, he may even carry himself like one but until he is tested, in battle, it’s all speculation. Nobody knows how they will react. Not the individual himself and certainly not those who would judge him.

The warrior is tested and judged in battle, mortal combat, with no second place and no second chances. Some men yearn to challenge themselves this way, others run from it. It’s not always the ones you think either.

Again, I’m seperating the man from the mindset and the actions from the intent.

Fascinating discussion.

We’ll definately have to agree to disagree.

I think your outlook limits “warrior” status to fit your ideals of physical combat, and does not consider the “non-combative” tribulations that require immense courage also.

This whole masturbation exercise is starting to look frighteningly similar to the 90 minute argument I witnessed in a Philosophy 101 class many years ago about whether or not the TA’s backpack was red or green.

I wrestled in HS for a hard-ass coach who put us through workouts that were harder than some D1 programs’ practices. We “worked like warriors”.

I was once a soldier and I “trained like a warrior” so that I would be ready if I was called on to BE a warrior.

I have been through a prolonged illness that drained me physically and, more importantly, emotionally. To emerge from it took the “mindset of a warrior”.

I have not seen combat and because of this, I have not, for one second of my life, considered myself a warrior.

These things I’ve been through I call “life”. In order to be successful at anything in life requires an ability to adopt certain “warrior characteristics” and persevere.

Just like we aren’t all elite powerlifters even though we Deadlift, Squat and Bench Press, we’re not all All-stars even though we use that imagery to get us ready, nor are we all warriors just because we utilize some of the principles of successful warriors.

If we can’t reserve certain labels for a select few, then for fuck sake, at this point, let’s call everyone warriors and hand out trophies for participation and not for winning.

DB[/quote]

I have yet to hear a better way of putting it into perspective.

Hear hear DB.

153

How come the “Favorite Drinks” thread gets 5 stars and this one only gets 1?

154

[quote]FightinIrish26 wrote:

There’s a difference between a fighter and a warrior to me…I don’t know how to explain it.

Mike Tyson was a fighter. Mickey Ward was a warrior.

Tyson would start a fight at a bar…Ward would likely leave beforehand, because he knows he has nothing to prove to anybody.

Its a matter of demeanor I guess. A wolverine just wants to be left alone, but if you cross it, it will rip your fucking throat out. It doesn’t start trouble.[/quote]

I agree.

155

[quote]Professor X wrote:
That was weak. So you skip the first part of that sentence which opens it up to “anyone who has risked their life” and only focused in on combat? Combat doesn’t equal “military” so what is your point?

Have you served in the military? [/quote]

Nope.

And I’ll grant that you are right in me improperly equating military and combat, so I’ll quote a more relevant section of the first post: “Why do so many people who lift weights but never served in the military or fought (professionally or on the streets) talk about being warrior?”

There, he pretty much equated military service with being a warrior. And street fighting also makes you a warrior apparently…so I still don’t see how I was making an argument against something “no one” was saying.

156

[quote]MaloVerde wrote:
You two post troll!

Are you implying that a man prepared for war but never tastes it is not a warrior?

A warrior is not only defined by what he has done, but what he is willing to do.

A true warrior can feel fear but follows through, regardless of the consequences.

Being a warrior has nothing to do with the actual fight. It has everything to do with being willing to fight.

[/quote]

This was my point with mentioning that being a warrior was more of an ideal than something functional and easily defined. The original poster commented that you can’t be a warrior if you don’t risk your life fighting and said you could never be a warrior with physical conditioning and relevant education (such as Sun Tzu’s art of war) and I was disagreeing with that standard.

157

[quote]dollarbill44 wrote:
MaloVerde wrote:
hedo wrote:
I’ll disagree.

One can feel like a warrior and certainly train like a warrior, he may even carry himself like one but until he is tested, in battle, it’s all speculation. Nobody knows how they will react. Not the individual himself and certainly not those who would judge him.

The warrior is tested and judged in battle, mortal combat, with no second place and no second chances. Some men yearn to challenge themselves this way, others run from it. It’s not always the ones you think either.

Again, I’m seperating the man from the mindset and the actions from the intent.

Fascinating discussion.

We’ll definately have to agree to disagree.

I think your outlook limits “warrior” status to fit your ideals of physical combat, and does not consider the “non-combative” tribulations that require immense courage also.

This whole masturbation exercise is starting to look frighteningly similar to the 90 minute argument I witnessed in a Philosophy 101 class many years ago about whether or not the TA’s backpack was red or green.

I wrestled in HS for a hard-ass coach who put us through workouts that were harder than some D1 programs’ practices. We “worked like warriors”.

I was once a soldier and I “trained like a warrior” so that I would be ready if I was called on to BE a warrior.

I have been through a prolonged illness that drained me physically and, more importantly, emotionally. To emerge from it took the “mindset of a warrior”.

I have not seen combat and because of this, I have not, for one second of my life, considered myself a warrior.

These things I’ve been through I call “life”. In order to be successful at anything in life requires an ability to adopt certain “warrior characteristics” and persevere.

Just like we aren’t all elite powerlifters even though we Deadlift, Squat and Bench Press, we’re not all All-stars even though we use that imagery to get us ready, nor are we all warriors just because we utilize some of the principles of successful warriors.

If we can’t reserve certain labels for a select few, then for fuck sake, at this point, let’s call everyone warriors and hand out trophies for participation and not for winning.

DB[/quote]

DB

Well said man.

158

I will add to the fray by suggesting that a warrior is a person who fights and prepares to give his life in defense of an ideal or an institution that is greater than himself. If that cuts out the cancer victim who wins a personal triumph by beating cancer than so be it. If it cuts out the wrestler, the boxer, the UFC fighter, the football player, the soccer player, the champion cup stacker or the NASCAR driver, than so be it. It doesn’t have to be a Military guy (or gal) it doesn’t have to be person in public service. 14 years in the Marine Corps and that is the best I can do, so hell, I don’t know either.

159

[quote]dollarbill44 wrote:

This whole masturbation exercise is starting to look frighteningly similar to the 90 minute argument I witnessed in a Philosophy 101 class many years ago about whether or not the TA’s backpack was red or green.

I wrestled in HS for a hard-ass coach who put us through workouts that were harder than some D1 programs’ practices. We “worked like warriors”.

I was once a soldier and I “trained like a warrior” so that I would be ready if I was called on to BE a warrior.

I have been through a prolonged illness that drained me physically and, more importantly, emotionally. To emerge from it took the “mindset of a warrior”.

I have not seen combat and because of this, I have not, for one second of my life, considered myself a warrior.

These things I’ve been through I call “life”. In order to be successful at anything in life requires an ability to adopt certain “warrior characteristics” and persevere.

Just like we aren’t all elite powerlifters even though we Deadlift, Squat and Bench Press, we’re not all All-stars even though we use that imagery to get us ready, nor are we all warriors just because we utilize some of the principles of successful warriors.

If we can’t reserve certain labels for a select few, then for fuck sake, at this point, let’s call everyone warriors and hand out trophies for participation and not for winning.

DB[/quote]

Two thumbs up. My hat is off to you, sir.

-B

160

[quote]Hack Wilson wrote:
panther2k wrote:
Professor X wrote:
Hack Wilson wrote:
Professor X wrote:
CaliforniaLaw wrote:
Professor X wrote:
That’s how I feel about it. If you are military, cool, you may have a reason to be upset with it. If not, you are just bitching because someone else used a term to describe their effort. How is that possibly harming someone because they consider themselves a “warrior” in the weight room? Sometimes it may take that mentality for someone to competely change their habits and the way they look. The real question is, who are you to define someone else’s battles in life and how important they are to them?

Words have meaning. Using your logic, someone who is 6’, 145 pounds is “big.”

The cancer patient issue is actually a pretty easy call: Is the person literally fighting against a force that is trying to kill him or her? Yep.

In today’s society, everyone is a winner. Now EVERYONE is a warrior.

You seem to have missed the point. For me, getting my degree was no easy task. I could very easily say I “fought” to get it. It isn’t up toi you to decide how important my personal battles are. It isn’t your place to make that distinction for anyone but yourself.

Orion, your post was deep and right on topic.

i’ve been in fights. literally. does that mean that i’m a WARRIOR?

you ‘fought’ for your degree. i can see why you would have to. but…jesus. is EVERYTHING about you?

No, everything is clearly about YOU…and your 150k a year salary…with the gardener…and the almost-pro-ball career. I wouldn’t dare take your place. You are worth too much to all of us.

He does seem to be a bit cocky for someone who was a failure as a professional athlete.

we all fail at some point. i went to college for free and got payed to play football. i wasn’t good enough to get an active spot on an NFL roster.

some guys make the spot and never play. some guys get as far as special teams. some guys are backups. some guys start. some are stars. i walked away after one year and focused on other things, athletic and otherwise. i don’t display any of the trophies i won playing football, baseball or wrestling, weightlifting or powerlifting, golf or rec league basketball or softball. who gives a fuck.

i bring shit up HERE because there are lot of people i recognize and full-of-shit jokes who think they’ve done something because they’ve picked up a barbell and posed for a picture in their bathroom.

in my life i am respected and liked and i get along with everyone. i try for excellence in all areas of my life. like most, i don’t always get there. yeah. i AM a failed athlete. aren’t we all. i’m a failed lot’s of things. but i like where i am and where i’m going. do you?[/quote]

Getting along with everyone means you must not stand for anything. The second you stand for something, you create many enemies.