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Oooh, Casey Johnston is coming out with a “memoir and manifesto” about weight lifting: A Physical Education: How I Escaped Diet Culture and Gained the Power of Lifting. (I am inching ever closer to taking up lifting myself…)

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Lacey V

Do it! The amazing thing about lifting is it makes any other physical activity better. Like I always thought I couldn’t run, but after I started strength training, I noticed a huge difference! I still don’t run but weights seem to pay dividends in a way that cardio doesn’t.

(the other) Moira

I am beyond excited for this. Casey is literally the reason I just got home from the gym.

As I’ve gotten deeper into perimenopause and my body has changed in ways I find confusing if not downright alienating (not just changing shape but becoming prone to injuries I’d never encountered, and entirely unresponsive/hostile to exercise I’d enjoyed for years), Casey’s Ask A Swole Woman and Couch to Barbell have given me a path to forge a new relationship with my body. I’m not exaggerating.

I feel good in my body. I can’t yet honestly say I think I look good, but maybe just fuck that as a goal anyway. I’m strong and getting stronger.

Nick L.

Just to echo others, do it.

I've taken up lifting, nothing too big, just doing a bunch of work with dumbbells in the past four months, in combination with better eating, I have transformed my body as I near 50.

I'm not a super athletic person. I hate running and have forced myself to do it for 15 years and I've never seen the gains like I have lifting. I bought my first pair of leather pants and a fishnet shirt to celebrate! Never thought this would be possible as a lifelong fat kid.

Carolyn BG

Do it! I found Casey because of you, and I just recommended you to the Beasties on the Discord.
I thought I hated weightlifting until I went through Couch to Barbell. It turns out my problem was that I didn't know what I was doing. In this era when threats feel like they're all around, it's empowering to look at something that's 200 pounds and think, "Yeah, I could deadlift that."

Jason Kottke reposted

I hit 315lb squat PR and 300lb deadlift PR two weeks ago, the foundation all started with couch to barbell a couple years ago

https://bsky.app/profile/caseyjohnston.bsky.social/post/3lehlvjrjf226

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