It’s not just a kickass Jackie Chan movie. Who am I? There are 5 types of trainees (credit to Andy Baker here, who brought this idea to my attention). Lifters, closet bodybuilders, pros/athletes, “Don’t weaken,” and special pops. However, there’s a little more than meets the eye here: it’s not about simply putting everyone neatly into a box. In that spirit, I wanted to add more detail to these five lifting personality types. It’s important that you understand and embrace yours. The sooner you know, the better. 

1. Lifters: Individuals who seldom miss workouts and display dedication akin to serious competitive lifters, whether or not they actually compete in events like Powerlifting or Olympic lifting. 

2. Closet bodybuilders: People who lift primarily for aesthetic reasons – a motivation many of us share, although some are more honest about it than others. 

3. Pros/Athletes: Those already involved in competitive sports, using strength training to enhance their performance in their respective fields. 

4. “Don’t weaken”: Accounting for the majority of gym-goers (in the general population) over 40, these individuals are seeking improved resilience and quality of life through strength training. 

5. Special pops: Individuals with specific conditions like type 1 diabetes or cerebral palsy, who benefit from training that directly enhances their well-being. 

In his discussion of these types, Baker mentions that most people fall into categories #2 and #4. The closet bodybuilder and the “Don’t weaken.” I agree. But now we come to the tricky part.

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In my head there’s a scoring system. It goes from 1 (poor) to 5 (good), and we also need to factor that into these personality types, because it contributes to overall success. I score three traits that separate the groupies from the rock stars, meaning that a top score would be 15/15 (i.e. a 5 for each trait).

Attitude: How seriously (or otherwise) you take your training, regardless of personality type. 

Actions: Your habits and the consistency of your approach to training, even behind closed doors. 

Ability: Your natural aptitude or mastery of the lifts. This can be acquired through training, or sometimes from genetics or a sports background. 

For example: I've had a special pops lifter with attitude 4, actions 4 but ability 2, which equals a total of 10/15. This person attacks his training with unwavering consistency. That is why he gets good results. Conversely I’ve had a strong, talented, competitive lifter with attitude 2, actions 2 and ability 4, giving 8/15. This person had disappointing results and eventually quit training altogether. I’ve had closet bodybuilders with attitude 3, actions 3 and ability 3: 9/15. They slowly chip away but don’t get anywhere fast, and often complain about progress. I would class myself as attitude 4, actions 4 and ability 4: 12/15. You need at least a 10/15 to be taken seriously as a lifter in my book.

This expanded version of the original concept takes into account that your training personality doesn’t simply consist of your initial reasons for getting into training; rather, it's a direct reflection of your daily habits and devotion to the process, around the clock, even when you’re not actually at the gym. 

Sometimes, your "lifting personality" varies from lift to lift. One option while training is to specialize and focus on two lifts, keeping the others on the back burner. So you may be a "lifter" for the squat and press, while taking more of a "don’t weaken" approach to your bench and deadlift. It’s not that you skip or avoid these lifts, you simply prioritize your squat and press. This is also a great way to master the long game of strength, by setting periods in which you focus on just two lifts instead of all 4-5, all the time, indefinitely. 

At the end of the day, the goal needs to match the lifter, just as the dog breed needs to match the owner. Don’t buy a game dog if all you do is sit around and watch Netflix all day (hence why I would choose a lazy dog that farts and is happy doing bugger all, like myself). 

Another consideration is that life events can temporarily change your personality. If you get injured or severely ill and experience a big setback, you may naturally fall into the "don't weaken" crowd. If you've signed up for a meet, perhaps it's time to focus on strength gains rather than abs, like a dedicated lifter would.

If you’re into BJJ, you probably already spend enough time rolling, so don't turn the weight room into a dojo – the barbell isn't an opponent to be wrapped into a triangle or arm-bar; instead, focus on getting stronger, as that will provide the best return on investment in the weight room. If you have a beautiful tropical holiday approaching, you might want to focus on pumping up the guns and cleaning up your diet for beach season. 

My story is not dissimilar. I also took a path that could be described as "confused about who I am." When you’re a trainer, you learn quickly that your physique is your billboard. So the mindset was: being slim and lean is ideal. Now, decades later, people pay me for the knowledge and experience I can offer them, which is a huge paradigm shift.

At first, my path originated from the fear of losing work. Cast by default as a closet bodybuilder, after a while my habits and choices naturally transformed me into a different personality type. I wanted more physical clout. As I became a strength coach, I wanted to be what I was preaching. Strong. So a 300/400/500/600 seemed like the logical step, and because I wanted to pursue that goal, I became a "lifter." 

Rip is another great example of someone whose personality has evolved over time. The new goal is to “stave off death.” His days of being a competitive powerlifter and squatting 600x3 are over. And that's okay. Rip has paid his dues – you ain’t. Time is undefeated. Rip now trains for the most basic human of all rights: independence. Do you want to end up in a nursing home? No thanks. Neither does Rip. 

Your choice needs to be consonant with your general personality, lifestyle and aspirations. That is the key to consistency, which in turn is the key to progress in the weight room. So much of getting strong is showing up: that’s half the battle won. And despite all these divisions and sub-divisions, I have found that regardless of personality type, we all have the heart of a lifter. We all want progress, we all want mastery of the barbell. Finding your lifting personality type will simply help you to better harness that drive. So ask yourself: Who am I?

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