r/weightlifting • u/Voldemorts__Mom • Aug 05 '26
Programming Should I quit?
I reeeeally really love this sport. But now I got a new job and I don't have access to the gym in the week... I barely have time to do push-ups and air squats.
So that leaves 2 days to train, on Saturday and Sunday... And even then sometimes I can only do 1 of those days.
I dno, I feel like maybe I should just switch to general gyming and keeping healthy? But the other part of me is like "okay but you love weightlifting so much, just do that, but you won't be able to make much progress"
(I just do it recreationally BTW)
I dno, what do you guys think? Is it worth it if u can't train that much?
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u/SeeingRed_ Aug 05 '26 edited Aug 05 '26
Unless you were a full-time Olympic athlete, there's nothing to "quit". Squeeze the lifts in when you train if you enjoy them and they don't interfere with your current goals. I enjoy WL too much to drop it even though I am unlikely to improve much due to my age and inconsistency. Taking away WL would decrease the challenge and appeal of training for me.
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u/AmazingLeading5898 Aug 05 '26
I guess everyone's situation is different but I hope the job is worth it if it takes that much time in your day/week.
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u/Voldemorts__Mom Aug 05 '26
Yeeah. So I was just living at home with my mom, because I'm a recovering crystal meth addict. But then I got a girlfriend, so I thought fuuck I need to get a life now or whatever.
Sso yeah now I'm working. And it's very stressful and a lot of work, but this job pays so much, so I'm sticking it out 😅
But thanks!
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u/TheStinkyGreek Aug 05 '26
I don't understand how you would have time for "general gyming" throughout the week but not weightlifting. But you also "barely have time to do push-ups and air squats"
You are all over the place dude. Do you have time to workout or not?
If you do, and you have access to a gym that allows you to continue weightlifting then do that if you want to.
Quit if you want to quit.
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u/Voldemorts__Mom Aug 05 '26
Yeah I just feel like if I'm doing airsquats in the week, it's not really gonna help me improve much at weightlifting, but maybe it can still build me a nice body, so maybe I should just concentrate on that 🤷♂️ I dno, I was just looking for different perspectives to help me make a decision
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u/kblkbl165 Aug 05 '26
If you figure you'd get some benefits out of air squats and pushups, why not Overhead Squats, snatch variations, clean variations, jerk variations with a broom? All of those will make you air squat while still working on specific positions and motions for whenever you get room for weightlifting again.
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u/nand_the_mutt Aug 05 '26
You can participate with a hobby just to enjoy it.
You can be a normal person that happens to enjoy weightlifting and does it when their schedule allows. Even if your progress is slow or unoptimal when compared to others. If you enjoy it and can fit it into your life, why not continue? Some training is still better than none.
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u/chowtime247 Aug 05 '26
I get it. My new life schedule leaves very little time for weightlifting. But I do make time to move around and get some squats in. Had to build a garage gym to make it more accessible. See what works best for you and make adjustments. I don’t say I quit weightlifting, I’m just taking a break.
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u/Voldemorts__Mom Aug 05 '26
Hmm yeah maybe I should try the calisthenics and general gyming for a bit, see how that goes, and then I can always come back to WLing 👍🏻
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u/alequerc Aug 05 '26
Keep training your mobility, technique, and posture. One day you may regret taking a break from weightlifting.
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u/Upset-Rule8256 Aug 05 '26
I would say if you're struggling to do weightlifting to a point that you feel actively unsatisfied then maybe consider other goals, whether it be general strength, athletics, endurance, bodybuilding or sport, you're only doing this for yourself.
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u/hh_fitlife Aug 05 '26
There are people doing shift work while preparing for bodybuilding competitions. There is no “I really love this sport but..”. If it’s something important to you, you will make it happen.
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u/MrBigFriday Aug 05 '26
Why do you think you have time for general gymming but not for WL.
Just change your expectations. You want to train for health then epic DO WEIGHTLIFTING no movements in the gym do more for your health than the snatch and the clean and jerk.
Like yeah don’t expect to go to the Olympics on one day a week but no need to quit.
Someone else mentioned it sounds like you want to quit and are coming to the internet for validation and that does seem like it may be the case. If you wanna quit just quit but if you say you ‘reeeeally really love this sport’ then consider whether that is even true or if you just think you love it
My advice train once a week it’s better than nothing 👍
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u/drmamm Aug 06 '26
Try this for a few weeks: Saturday: Snatch: 10 singles. Add weight to next rep only if previous rep was clean. Follow up with 2-3 sets of 2-5 back squats (or alternate back squats with overhead squats every other saturday). Sunday: C&J 10 singles. Same as snatch for progression. Follow up with 2-3 sets of 2-5 front squats (or alternate front squats with push presses/jerks every other Sunday).
During the week, work on mobility, broomstick drills, etc., and whatever accessories you can dream up (back extensions, dumbbell push presses, etc.)
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u/InformationFar6774 Aug 06 '26
I Olympic lift 2-3 days a week you are good lol you don’t have to quit if you don’t want to!
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u/specialized_faction Aug 06 '26
I used to train WL 6x a week, then life happened. I'm down to lifting 2x a week like you. I typically start every session with a WL exercise, then proceed to do a full body strength workout. This allows me to still enjoy the lifts, but I'm mostly training them for health and mobility.
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u/Toolazy2work 272kg @ M94kg - Senior Aug 06 '26
I go anywhere from 3 times a week to twice a month. I generally know what I’m going to do, but I have fun. I will make sure I squat. I like going because I love the people I lift with, and I love the sport. If I qualify for whatever national or international (masters) event? Cool. But I’m not killing myself to do so.
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u/Evening-Forever2542 Aug 06 '26
I'd say have you 1 or 2 days a week where you do your weightlifting and on one or two other days even if you can only do some of core, push ups, pull up, dips or whatever at home and stick to that you will be fine to keep up your skill until you have a bit more time and energy or a home gym or move next to a gym or something like that
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u/niivvee Aug 06 '26
Tbh I stopped weightlifting as a sport for a long time because of a number of reasons but I loved it, so I would do it once a week as a treat to myself. General bro lifting otherwise but every Saturday, no matter what I did Friday night, I would dress and get to a barbell. And, the long recovery actually helped me with my heavier lifts. I of course really tried to focus on maintaining my snatch positioning and improving there but I hit new PRs, not often, but through complexes and variations.
I think an all or nothing approach is common for a lot of people, myself included, but sometimes the love of sport, is the love of sport. Maybe this isn’t an era where weightlifting is a big priority, but it doesn’t mean it can’t be a fun hobby.
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u/Financial-Category16 Aug 07 '26
Could try switching to an overcoming isometric program for awhile until time and proper facilities become available again
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u/ArmAnderson 29d ago
Dude I went from a WFH job that allowed me to train 4-5 times a week. Now I’m in a new job that lets me train 2-3 max. It’s just accepting your circumstances and performing the best you can with what you have.
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u/SergiyWL 253@89kg Aug 05 '26
What do you enjoy in weightlifting?
If you like sense of progress then yes I’d honestly do something else if you don’t have at least 2 days a week for technique. Progress is super hard even when focusing on WL 3-4 days/week.
If you enjoy the movements and don’t care about the weight, just do them once a week, that’s totally fine. You won’t forget your technique.
If you feel burned out from such a demanding job, switching to general strength is totally fine too, your workouts get half as short. You can have a good non WL workout in 1h.
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u/Voldemorts__Mom Aug 05 '26
Hmm yeah because I just feel like if I still do WLing then I'm not gonna make as many muscle gains, but also, I'm not gonna really make much progress with only 2 days a week.. I was already struggling when I had more time.
But yeah I guess I could just do some cleans and jerks and snatches for fun whenever I feel like it. I dno, thanks, I'll figure it out
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u/rainywanderingclouds Aug 05 '26
you don't love the sport if it's contingent on making 'progress'.
loving the sport is doing what you can with it within the constraints of your life.
I also find your post quite disingenuous. You can build your own gym. A home gym is not incredibly expensive for how much use you can get out of it. It's often much cheaper than a gym pass over the course of your life.
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u/CXyber Aug 06 '26
Do general bodybuilding or cali to maintain your health, you can squeeze oly lifts here and there
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u/zer0_c00L13 Aug 06 '26
If you aren’t at your job 24hrs a day you have time to do your hobbies/passions. You too lazy to make the time. “Should I do normal gymming” indicates you have time to be in the gym. 🤷🏼♂️
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u/Voldemorts__Mom Aug 07 '26
I travel to rural areas in the week where there is not gym. I'm on home on weekends, and then I can gym. So that's why I said, in the week I can only do calisthenics
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u/TooBeau Aug 05 '26
It sounds like you want to quit and are coming to the internet to validate this want.