Is anyone ever actually jealous of another lifter?
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| tokar |  | Is anyone ever actually jealous of another lifter? | 01-01-2008 @ 19:55 |
 Невыносимо Высокомерный (RIP) Member 11, 965 posts SQ 190, BP 140, DL 255585.0 kgs @ 95kgs UnEq | Post Edited: 01.01.2008 @ 20:26 PM When someone criticises a lift or a lifter on an internet forum ("call that a pause?" / "that's 3 inches above parallel" kind of stuff) you always get these lunatics immediately denouncing that person as just jealous because they can't lift (600lb/700lbs/1000lbs/whatever). To the denouncer it's just obvious that the individual is bitter and twisted because of their own inadequacies as a lifter.But in reality, is any of us ever actually jealous of someone who's done well in powerlifting? There are some national and international class lifters on this forum - for them no doubt the competition is in the spirit of camaraderie, and they will cheer their competitors, just as those of us who aspire to lesser aims cheer ours in lesser competitions. But what about the rest of us? Is the 200kg squatter ever really jealous of the 350kg squatter? Surely most of us aim high in terms of what we feel we can achieve (I think a 3xBW unequipped deadlift @ less than 110kg would be my ultimate achievement) but view the superior achievements of more talented individuals with a fairly detached admiration. Look at that Scot Mendelson clip, for example. No doubt plenty of people would line up to pillory us for criticising, but does it even make sense for (most of) us, with our 120 or 140 or 160 raw bench presses, to be jealous of someone pressing almost TWICE as much? You'd have to be deranged for the emotion even to make any sense in that context. It seems to me that most people's attitude to other competitors are going to be either healthy rivalry or (given a larger gap in talent) simply awe. Jealousy doesn't even come into it. OK, rant over. | ||
| WILLSAN | | ... | 01-01-2008 @ 19:57 |
 Trump will get another four years Member 126, 16707 posts SQ 160, BP 110, DL 225495.0 kgs @ 75kgs UnEq | Andy Bolton?  | ||
| Joni | | ... | 01-01-2008 @ 20:00 |
 left the country satisfied Member 10, 19241 posts SQ 240, BP 150, DL 270660.0 kgs @ 107kgs UnEq | jealous is a wrong word, but i do feel bitter murderous poisonous all consuming hatred towards the log press progress WILLSAN has made recently if that qualifies? | ||
| Boar | | ... | 01-01-2008 @ 20:03 |
 Walk your talk Member 5, 25558 posts Administrator | I am not jelous of others lifts - i like to compete , but powerlifting is far from a level playingfield, so i dont compare anymore. if they can lift loads , good on em !!! if they cant , good on em !! | ||
| marc | | ... | 01-01-2008 @ 20:03 |
 Dancing queenfeel the beat from the tambourine Member 84, 2415 posts SQ 225, BP 170, DL 275670.0 kgs @ 103kgs UnEq | The golden one, very detemined and i love his leotard. seriously its only lifting and on the scale of things in my life way down and i ain't ever going to be ed coan | ||
| Carl | | ... | 01-01-2008 @ 20:08 |
 Loves rugby league ... Member 13, 14460 posts SQ 230, BP 180.5, DL 262.5673.0 kgs @ 128kgs UnEq Administrator | jealous is the wrong word, but i can feel a long post coming, so i will report back after srongman | ||
| tokar | | ... | 01-01-2008 @ 20:58 |
Невыносимо Высокомерный (RIP) Member 11, 965 posts SQ 190, BP 140, DL 255585.0 kgs @ 95kgs UnEq | Drugs complicate things of course. No doubt the majority of us who compete clean in IPF affiliates are resentful of those who cheat - but I wouldn't call that jealousy. | ||
| tokar | | ... | 01-01-2008 @ 20:59 |
Невыносимо Высокомерный (RIP) Member 11, 965 posts SQ 190, BP 140, DL 255585.0 kgs @ 95kgs UnEq | marc said: The golden one, very detemined and i love his leotard. seriously its only lifting and on the scale of things in my life way down and i ain't ever going to be ed coan Obviously we are all jealous of Martin's dress sense. That goes without saying. | ||
| Fatpete | | ... | 01-01-2008 @ 21:50 |
 Hyper obese Pete Member 70, 17883 posts SQ 322.5, BP 205, DL 300827.5 kgs @ 133kgs Eq | I thought one could only be jealous (a negative emotion) of things that belonged to you. You are envious (a positive emotion) of things that belong to others. So I cannot be jealous of Big Jim's 390 squat, for example, as it is his and not mine, but I can be envious of it insomuch as I want one too. But me wanting it in no way deprives him of it. As long as I achieve what I want to achieve it is no concern of mine what others do. Except maybe for inspirational purposes. There are too few of us for any negativity to be allowed. So I guess "NO" would be my answer | ||
| WILLSAN | | ... | 01-01-2008 @ 21:56 |
Trump will get another four years Member 126, 16707 posts SQ 160, BP 110, DL 225495.0 kgs @ 75kgs UnEq | Joni said: jealous is a wrong word, but i do feel bitter murderous poisonous all consuming hatred towards the log press progress WILLSAN has made recently if that qualifies? lol Im jealous of the 4.5 points joni beat me by at the Unit 20 comp.  | ||
| Fatpete | | ... | 01-01-2008 @ 21:57 |
Hyper obese Pete Member 70, 17883 posts SQ 322.5, BP 205, DL 300827.5 kgs @ 133kgs Eq | tokar said: Drugs complicate things of course. No doubt the majority of us who compete clean in IPF affiliates are resentful of those who cheat - but I wouldn't call that jealousy. I don't mind what they take. They choose to take - I choose not to. Really don't mind | ||
| tokar | | ... | 01-01-2008 @ 22:13 |
Невыносимо Высокомерный (RIP) Member 11, 965 posts SQ 190, BP 140, DL 255585.0 kgs @ 95kgs UnEq | Fatpete said: I thought one could only be jealous (a negative emotion) of things that belonged to you. You are envious (a positive emotion) of things that belong to others. So I cannot be jealous of Big Jim's 390 squat, for example, as it is his and not mine, but I can be envious of it insomuch as I want one too. But me wanting it in no way deprives him of it. As long as I achieve what I want to achieve it is no concern of mine what others do. Except maybe for inspirational purposes. There are too few of us for any negativity to be allowed. So I guess "NO" would be my answer I understand jealousy as wanting something and being resentful of others having (or appearing to have) it, whether you have it or not. So you can jealously guard your own girlfriend, but you can also be jealous of others' achievements. The point is the resentment. I understand envy as simply wanting something others have. Some people see this as negative. I see it as fairly neutral in itself. You might see it as positive if it's a motivational aid. Whatever the words used, the point is resentment - do any lifters resent others for having achieved what they haven't? Personally I don't see it. | ||
| tokar | | ... | 01-01-2008 @ 23:25 |
Невыносимо Высокомерный (RIP) Member 11, 965 posts SQ 190, BP 140, DL 255585.0 kgs @ 95kgs UnEq | Fatpete said: tokar said: Drugs complicate things of course. No doubt the majority of us who compete clean in IPF affiliates are resentful of those who cheat - but I wouldn't call that jealousy. I don't mind what they take. They choose to take - I choose not to. Really don't mind It's an interesting attitude this. How would you feel if your competitors chose to pay off the judges to pass their lifts? | ||
| Alex | | ... | 02-01-2008 @ 00:49 |
 Picca Boo Member 16, 1204 posts SQ 140, BP 130, DL 200470.0 kgs @ 77kgs UnEq | I think overreacting to criticism of a lift is silly whatever way it's done, but it does seem the worst offenders for this are people with big equipped numbers as opposed to amateur/hobbyist trainers. Probably because it means more to them I suppose. | ||
| jimblanchflower | | ... | 02-01-2008 @ 01:37 |
Teabagger for hire Member 54, 237 posts | I think that the mind of a powerlifter has to be a strange one. It is necessary to hold a variety of opposing emotions. You need to have a huge amount of confidence about your ability to shift the big weights, coupled with a massive sense of dissatisfaction; which will motivate you to push as hard as you can to improve. Being resentful can be a part of both the positive and negative emotions that are experienced by a lifter. I will freely admit that I am sometimes resentful of the massive lifts produced in other organisations. When people point out to you that someone else has just squatted 200kg more than my best, but to a different set of criteria, it is obvious that most people will not appreciate the reasons for this. Those of you who only lift unequipped must suffer the same problem when compared with equipped lifters, especially on the bench. This syndrome is a little like a conversation that most of you must have experienced at one time or another; this is the one where someone tells you how much stronger than you one of their mates is,- "and he doesn't even train!" These individuals will ask you how much you can lift, and by odd coincidence their friend can always lift just a little bit more. I now feel a little dismayed by what a bitter old man I am, but what can you do? | ||