weightlifting (as in: snatch and clean & jerk). i started about 3 years ago when i was already past 30, so i'm one of the new crop of "old newbies" that emerge

weightlifting (as in: snatch and clean & jerk). i started about 3 years ago when i was already past 30, so i'm one of the new crop of "old newbies" that emerged with the recent crossfit craze (never tried that though). i'm not especially strong and i probably won't ever get near where my 20 year old colleagues are, but i don't care much about that. i train 3 to 4 times a week for about 2 to 3 hours. why do i do it: the physical exertion really helps me relax after a day of sitting and intense, concentrated work in front of the screen. it also prevents my posture from getting worse by strengthening my back muscles and really, really hammering correct posture into my daily routine. the increased strength and muscle mass helps preventing every day injuries and - well, this is an investment in the far future - age related maladies like osteoporosis or mobility problems. of course i also like the body that comes with it (not all weightlifters are overweight - to the contrary). furthermore an intense training session really improves my mood. no matter how grumpy, tired and powerless i feel, the more i actually want to work out, even if i'm not in the mood for it - because i know i'll feel a lot better afterwards. why weightlifting is cool: lets be honest - being able to push more than your bodyweight in iron over your head is kind of cool. looking good naked doesn't hurt either. the risk of injury is comparably low - it's actually one of the sports with the lowest risk of injury for several reasons: * it's single player. you don't get tackled or rushed or injured by others (whether on purpose or by accident). you're in control. if you get hurt, it's almost always your own fault due to not being being careful. * you don't twist around, so the risk of tearing your ligaments is low. * it's an extremely technical sport; it takes years to perfect your technique. better technique leads to more weight lifted, even if your bodily strength didn't improve that much. with good technique, the risk of injury is low. without good technique, you aren't able to lift a lot of weight. it's practically self regulating. and usually you train with a trainer who corrects your form. even fitness training in a gym is more dangerous. of course, injuries do happen occasionally and you're rarely completely without pain - something always hurts, even if it's only sore muscles. downsides of weightlifting: you do need specialised equipment; a platform and standard gym bars don't cut it either. without a weightlifting club nearby you're probably out of luck. due to the lack of lifters i do have to compete for my club (where i train), whether i want it or not (except for reasons, of course - injury, exams, family, vacation, ...). that means every couple of weeks a whole saturday is practically lost for prep and the competition (doesn't bother me much, i kind of like competing even though i'm always overly nervous). also athletes at our club are paid an allowance for competing (for the time invested), so the club membership fee for the year is actually negative.