Write a how to guide

You only clicked on one video. You weren’t even that interested in it; you were just looking for a way to pass the time. Then Boom! Your entire feed is flooded with that topic. 

This month, the YouTube algorithm decided that my passion was powerlifting. I must have clicked on some top 10 heaviest lifts video and given it a like –  honestly I don’t remember. But now, when I open the app, I see an ocean of shirtless screaming men. Not wanting to put in the effort of actually searching for a video, I click on the one with the most red arrows in the thumbnail, shut down my brain, and push off my homework for just a few minutes longer.

Just like an anti-vaxxer on Facebook, I think that this minimal internet research pretty much makes me an expert. So, without further ado, here is a how-to guide on powerlifting from someone who has watched a combined 30 minutes of film and lifted zero weights in the past week. Also it’s not really a how-to guide, more of an overview of the sport, but if you’re really set on learning how to powerlift just go talk to Ms. Brewer or Mr. Bronowski. Also I lied about that without further ado part.

Powerlifting competitions are divided by weight class. I don’t know exactly how many classes there are, but its between two and twenty. The goal is to lift the most total weight across bench press, deadlift, and squat. You get three tries at each lift and only your heaviest lift counts. Typically, people can lift the most weight on the deadlift, followed by the squat and then the bench is the weakest. This is the opposite for me because I only bench because I think the other lifts are scary.

For each lift, there is usually some guy standing in the background (sometimes it’s a woman, but powerlifting seems more popular among men). He waves around his arms and it has some meaning but I haven’t figured that out yet. I think he is the one who determines whether the lift counts, like on the squat he gets angry if the lifter doesn’t go low enough or on the bench he gets angry if the lifter bounces the bar rather than pausing at the bottom. On the topic of the bench, most of the guys arch their backs so high and grip the bar so wide that they only end up moving the weight like 6 inches.

A lot of powerlifters like to accessorize. Some of them wear belts to keep their backs or cores tight or something. I also see a lot of elbow, wrist, and knee wraps. Some guys even wear full body elastic suits. The suits must serve some practical purpose because they look really lame. Most lifters also use chalk. I’m not really sure whether to call them lifters, athletes, or participants. ⅓ of the sport is done laying down so the term athlete feels uncomfortable.

One serious piece of advice is to never watch fail or injury videos. I clicked on one once because the title said “don’t click on this video” and it turns out that the title was totally right. Some dude ripped his pec and bicep, another popped a bunch of blood vessels and there was blood coming out all over his face (he finished his lift and then passed out) and worst of all was a guy who was doing a heavy squat and collapsed onto his knees with his heels touching his butt. I stopped watching after that last one. Not to pour salt on the wound, but it was kinda his fault for not just dropping the bar. 

Anyways, that’s about all there is to know about powerlifting. I bet you’re pretty impressed by how much I know. I’m a very quick learner. I can’t wait to see what I become an expert in next. 

Is “doing nothing” a good use of your time?

I hate the answer “It depends.” On my list of least favorite answers, it falls just below “maybe, maybe not” and a smidge above “I don’t know.” But certain vague questions necessitate equally vague answers, and the question “is doing nothing a good use of time” receives a solid "perhaps." 

This question hinges on two definitions. First, what is “doing nothing”? Second, what is a “good” use of time? Of course, truly doing nothing is not often a good use of time. Really, it’s impossible to do absolutely nothing unless you are dead. But, under certain circumstances, and with certain definitions of the aforementioned terms, there are arguments that doing “nothing” can be beneficial.

For doing nothing to be a good use of time, it cannot get in the way of important tasks. Taking breaks to increase productivity is useful, but complete procrastination is the opposite of a good use of time. There are many activities that could be considered doing nothing, but I think that as long as an activity makes you happy and doesn’t negatively impact your life (e.g. work/school, relationships, health), it is a good use of time. Watching TV, napping in a hammock, or just daydreaming can all be considered “doing nothing,” but they can still be good uses of time.

There are a lot of times I can think of where doing nothing would have been better than doing something. I could have avoided making mistakes, getting hurt, or saying stupid things. But I guess, in these situations, doing nothing would have been neutral rather than good.

Subbie year, we had to write a “This I Believe” essay. From what I remember, the point was to express some element of our worldviews. I recently revisited that essay (I like to reread old writing because it brings back forgotten memories and it’s fun to see how I have changed). The writing was okay, but what is important to this essay is the argument that I made.

My thesis was that “some days are best spent in pajamas.” In the essay, I made an argument for doing nothing. I wrote it after reading some interesting research on the brain. I didn’t cite my sources, but in the essay, I claim that doing nothing can “boost memory, improve decision making and concentration, reduce anger and frustration, and boost confidence.” I also recall watching a video around that time called “Why Boredom is Good For You.” It explained that boredom, essentially doing nothing, puts you in an unfocused, drifting mental state that leads to increased creativity and allows for self-reflection.

All this to say, there is some evidence in support of doing nothing, so long as doing nothing gives you time to think and/or relax. Since subby year, I have occasionally tried to apply these principles to my own life, but I’ve been pretty unsuccessful. I have a hard time doing any activity without my phone. Getting ready for school, exercising, and eating are all prime opportunities for me to watch YouTube videos, listen to podcasts, or browse Reddit. But, possibly just due to placebo or a sense of self righteousness, the few times I have managed to pull myself away from my phone, I feel more relaxed and I am able to complete my activities more efficiently. 

There is one more annoying answer that I'd like to add to my list from before. And that is “In moderation.” As much as I dislike that answer, it applies here. Doing nothing, just like doing almost any kind of something, is good in moderation. I think it was good that I spent an hour watching TV with my family tonight. I don’t think it was good that I then watched an hour of YouTube and didn’t start this essay until midnight (I know I'm posting on Tuesday but I promise I wrote this on Saturday night).