some's refusal to research often annoys me

[AggieDave 6]

Quote

I've found that (being on both sides, as a patron of gym, and a trainer to clients) that giving/taking advice to someone who works in with you (stranger/non-aquaintence) is tough.

I agree. I guess in my favor, folks in the gym see me moving serious weight with proper form, so if I approach someone who's not quite doing it right, then they usually listen. I also approach it differently then "you're doing that wrong." I come up to them and make a "suggestion" so they'll get "more results out of that excersize." Basically un-fucking their form so they don't hurt themselves. However, its true, since if they do it right, with the right amount of weight, they'll get better results.

That approach has worked well for me.

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[Spatula 0]

Outstanding points made (and Bill's). If people in general would just let go of ego's and know it all attitudes, and just accept that they will not know it all, and cannot know it all, but to always want to learn more, and be humble about it they would in turn learn more.

I too at one point thought I was well versed in physical fitness but after my 1st certification and some classes, I soon found out I was an idiot who just got lucky and didn't get hurt. Now I've learned (and continue to do so) how to train and my achievments have not stopped.

[cocheese 0]

Bill Von for President !
never met him, but i think he's a wise man.
( glad i waited to post my real thoughts ,I feel like getting banned today.)

[lawrocket 3]

Quote

this guy (thats right not girl) is working out benching with 55 lbs. Now what the hell is he planning on accomplishing with that.

Dude, maybe that's all the weight he can handle. He, too, could throw another 50 pounds on the bar and not be able to bring it down correctly. I'm a weakling, and I used to have a problem with not having the strength to work out. Attitudes like that kept me out of the gym for a long time.

Quote

see a fat guy on the ab machine really getting into it

How do you know he was trying to spot reduce? Actually, he gets substantial benefits for his back by strengthening the abdominals. Maybe he was simply following doctor's orders to strengthen the abs in the gym, and not trying to spot reduce.

Again, attitutdes like that kept my obese ass out of the gym for a long time, till I researched what I was doing.

It's no excuse to break the cardinal rules, but maybe someone never explained them to him. It's the first I've heard of them, but I'll now know how to use them.

Cut the poor fatties a little slack - they shouldn't be discouraged from working out because they look weird. Also, why not educate them on proper weight lifting techniques and training?

My wife is hotter than your wife.

[TheAnvil 0]

hehehehe...bill is cool...

Good post dude.



Vinny the Anvil
JACKASS

Vinny the Anvil
Post Traumatic Didn't Make The Lakers Syndrome is REAL
JACKASS POWER!!!!!!

[AggieDave 6]

Quote

Again, attitutdes like that kept my obese ass out of the gym for a long time,

Its those sorts of attitudes is why I work out at a small local gym instead of the HUGE Golds Gym in town. I'm not "good enough" since I'm wearing a cut off t-shirt and BDU trousers to work out in, I didn't buy the high-end Gold's workout apparel. Well that and I don't take steriods like a lot of the folks at my local Golds. My local Golds is actually a hotspot of drug activity with folks selling out of their lockers in the lockeroom.

Fuck that shit.

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[jtval 0]

I gotta agree with jsut about EVERYONE else here.

55 LBS? you know when I get back into the gym I have to start off light for two reasons.

1- My shoulder is screwed up. I can't over stress it or it will hurt etc.

2- there's such a thing as starting off slow and light to train your muscles to move for a full benefit of your workout.

stop being so friggin cool andlighten up.

you know. maybe the guy (NOT GIRL) was gay. maybe he just wanted to chat with you because he thought you were cute.

My photos

My Videos

[Remster 24]

Quote

you know. maybe the guy (NOT GIRL) was gay. maybe he just wanted to chat with you because he thought you were cute.

3/4, if not more then that of the men at my gym are gay. When they'll start to chat me up, I'll know I'll have acheived a greek-god-like body!

Remster

[happythoughts 0]

Monday nights at our gym, all the girls who run on the treadmills wear those silky shorts and tops. I love lingerie night.
Anyway, my back was bothering me and my doc told me to do two things. Lose some weight and strengthen my abs. I didn't lose that much weight because I was had other things going on at the time. I just didn't have that "mental energy" to get into it.

It can be hard to make that time. I respect people who do, even if it is a little. There will always be people whose participation in something is less than other participants. That's the way it is.

[jtval 0]

Quote

Quote

you know. maybe the guy (NOT GIRL) was gay. maybe he just wanted to chat with you because he thought you were cute.

3/4, if not more then that of the men at my gym are gay. When they'll start to chat me up, I'll know I'll have acheived a greek-god-like body!

SERIOUSLY!! Its like going to the gym should be measured in straightness. etc..

I.E. I wanna get built. I wanna be so cut up people will think Im gay! LOL

My photos

My Videos

[Steel 0]

ok I just got back from my workout and need to go to a meeting which will be a while. Some responses were funny but slightly missed the point. In any case. I will quickly say as for the guy with the 55lbs. If he was nursing and injury then fine and I will admit that I can't know for sure since I didn't ask him but it just seemed most likely that he thought he was going to get gains from that. For the fatty guy again Lawrocket explanation is possible but my strong gut feeling is that he was trying to spot reduce. As for the idiot, all he was doing was harming himself. He could not gain endurance, strength of definition with his improper form.

If I could make a wish, I think I'd pass.
Can't think of anything I need
No cigarettes, no sleep, no light, no sound.
Nothing to eat, no books to read.

[jtval 0]

well Ill give you the benefit of the doubt that the point was misread. the original post sounded a little to "skygod"ish to be ignored.

I'll shut up for now!

My photos

My Videos

[dgskydive 0]

Also don't talk to Canadians. They should know better then to live above us.

4 WAY KICKS BUTT!!!!!!!!!!!

Dom

[Remster 24]

Just woke up from your nap Dom?

Remster

[hookitt 0]

Would anyone like some chocolate chip cookies and peaches?


Edit: and berry pie?

[Icon134 0]

I think you have still missed the point...

Quote

I will quickly say as for the guy with the 55lbs. If he was nursing and injury then fine and I will admit that I can't know for sure since I didn't ask him but it just seemed most likely that he thought he was going to get gains from that.

There are many reasons to lower weights and higher repitetions... A marathoner for example doesn't want to gain a great deal of muscle mass and might do 16-20 reps using lower weights.

also, some people use lower weight to warm-up/practice form, etc.

Quote

For the fatty guy again Lawrocket explanation is possible but my strong gut feeling is that he was trying to spot reduce.

Haha you said "gut"... but seriously... strong abs mean less back trouble... (w/a bit of a belly or not.)

Scott

I'm not cocky... I'm just always right!





Except for when I'm wrong.

[PhillyKev 0]

That's because you scare people, Dave. You look like a gun toting, biker, red neck from Texas. That scares people into being polite to you. They don't know that you're a gun toting, biker, red neck pussy cat.

[Spatula 0]

Ok, I read your original post again, and you didn't mention anything about this individual level of conditioning, physical stature (3'2", 5'8"....approximate weight, etc...). Those factors could play an important factor/reasoning in why he was using 55 lbs on the bench press. But if he was of average height/weight then I can see why you question him. And in that case, I agree with you. He's not necessarily gaining strength, muscle endurance, etc...but one the fact is...he's doing something. That alone to me, is great! He's doing more than that average joe that sits at home and does nothing that is physically active, and I applaud him for that.

...as a side note, I'm not trying to argue, but this has stemmed into a good discussion about the topic......

[TheAnvil 0]

I want some powdered donut pancake surprise...

Vinny the Anvil
Post Traumatic Didn't Make The Lakers Syndrome is REAL
JACKASS POWER!!!!!!

[jtval 0]

I saw this REALLY FAT DUDE. I mean he was like 400 lbs I.E morbidly obese. he was huge.

the thing that made me want to talk to him is that he was up at the top of mt. charleston. the place i am talking about is about 10,000ft MSL and the trail starts at around 8000ft msl. the hike up the mt kicks my ass. I was really impressed that he was up there.

one of the ppl I was with said something about him being fat. and I quickly reminded him that the"FAT GUY" was out doing what many of us were huffing and puffing about.
turns out that Don(the fat guy) was sick of being fat but he said he just couldnt get into the gym due to boredom/lack of interest. so he's been climbing mounitains for 4 weeks or so.

you know in the long run he may not loose the weight if he doesn't change his life style but HOLY SHIT THATS A START, isnt it. I didnt feel the urge to tell him he shouldn't be up here. I wasn't mad that he was wasting his time or that there were better ways. his lack of research didnt seem to effect the fact that he was STILL AT TWE TOP OF A MOUNTIAN

My photos

My Videos

[chaoskitty 0]

I worked in a gym for 4 years. I am not surprised to hear that you looked around your gym and noticed people working out incorrectly. Dont worry so much about the fat guy on the ab machine. If he has done his cardio, theres nothing wrong with working his abs, even if he has 50lbs of beer gut on top of his muscles. They still need conditioning, just like every other muscle. Chances are, he was doing his upper body and ab routine, not spot training.

Next time you see someone doing squats/dead lifts/etc. incorrectly, find someone who works in the gym and point it out. I bet a trainer would be happy to introduce themselves and acquire a new client.
If I spent my entire workout giving pointers to people who were "doing it wrong".. I'd never get my workout in.
Same goes for skydiving.. I'm not an instructor, so if I see something that concerns me, I point it out to an instructor.

I do agree that its rude to talk to people while lifting. Its also rude to talk to me while I'm doing my cardio with my headphones on. Headphones are universal for "this is my personal time and I dont want to chit-chat". Chit chat with me while I'm stretching or resting in between sets.

You are correct that nobody is born knowing how to excercise correctly. It does involve research and training. Same goes for skydiving.

[ChasingBlueSky 0]

Quote

Ok so I am at the gym yesterday and I notice this guy (thats right not girl) is working out benching with 55 lbs.

Resistance training? Recovering from an injury? Warm up? Just starting a training program and can't jump to triple digits yet? I tend to think you don't have the whole story just by looking at them. And maybe that big guy knows you can't do spot reduction but he was just doing his ab routine? Bigger guts equal sore lower backs and increasing the strength of your abs will help balance out the load.

I have had two personal trainers tell me to work with weights between 75-100 lbs for all my workouts. That weight is very easy for me, until I do a ton of reps (once again, what I was told to do). I'm sure you would judge me, but then again you won't know that I am recovering from injuries that prevent me from lifting more without harming anything. Trust me, I can lift a lot more than 100lbs, I just don't want to be in any more pain just so I can make guys in the gym happy that I am power lifting.

It is this attitude that will keep newbies out of the gym. Be glad they are there and trying to improve! If you see something they are doing wrong and may hurt themself, maybe you should offer some advice. Maybe they don't know your three simple rules.

_________________________________________
you can burn the land and boil the sea, but you can't take the sky from me....
I WILL fly again.....

[Spatula 0]

Quote

Next time you see someone doing squats/dead lifts/etc. incorrectly, find someone who works in the gym and point it out. I bet a trainer would be happy to introduce themselves and acquire a new client.

Now that's a great approach to the situation....golf clap everyone...... Very impressive, very!!!

[AggieDave 6]

Quote

That's because you scare people, Dave. You look like a gun toting, biker, red neck from Texas. That scares people into being polite to you. They don't know that you're a gun toting, biker, red neck pussy cat

Bwaahahahahahahahahaaaaahahaha!

Thanks man, I needed that, I've been down in the dumps today and that really gave me a smile.

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[SkyDekker 1,121]

ohhh Steel, you are so cool. You work out and are really strong. Ohhh I wish I could be like you.....