People who look like body-builders in period pieces have a body type that did not exist back then.

If you want someone strong, find pictures of what old-style strongmen looked like (also, they were stronger than weightlifters.)

Body building strength is also non-functional.

— Ian Welsh (@iwelsh) October 10, 2021

This is utter bullshit. Just 100% wrong and assclowinshly laughable. So wrong it’s comedic.

It’s not as functional as strength developed doing some activity, but it’s certainly functional. In my personal life I loaded an entire (small) moving truck by myself, lifting every single item alone except some that were too awkward and I wasn’t even tired at the end. Before I started weightlifting again, it’s doubtful I could’ve even made it halfway through and if I did I would’ve been non-functional for days afterward. As it was, I felt invigorated at the end.

This claim of Ian’s is just BS spouted by people who resent others upgrading themselves. And it’s a common liberal thing, too! There’s no quicker way to attract lib criticism than by improving yourself in some way or other, and they particularly despise people who get stronger and better looking (they tend to see it as cheating somehow; feminist libs are particularly hateful about this for some reason).

This is the cry of the weak and those who wish others would stay weak so they look better by comparison. But I choose not to wallow in my loserdom, and if that makes others say laughably wrong things, so be it. I can have a chuckle while being absurdly strong.