Gym in Hollywood, CA

I am looking to switch up gyms. My current gym is nothing more than a meat market really and very little if any serious lifting gets done in that place. I am tired of the looks, the suggestions ; a guy today interrupted me to tell me he was a personal trainer and nutritionist and my “squatting like that” (I was front squatting), was going to destroy my shoulders.

I was holding it at the time “bodybuilding” style. Since I had just finished doing some cleans, I grabbed my weight “Olympic style” and asked him if this was the way he thought I should hold it, to which he replied no that will destroy your wrists.

Now I am always willing to learn, I know I have a long way to go, so I asked him how to hold it. he then started moving his arms around, like he was trying to figure out a way to hold the bar in front of him, so I asked him if he had ever done a front squat.

Of course he had not, he then told me “I am fully certified to use modern day techniques, not the old stuff. My stuff works and is safe.” I am a polite guy, so I just said not to tell me how to do a lift he himself does not know how to do and left it at that.

The point of my ramble is that I am tired of this, I get it often enough to be irritating. I am a small guy 5’8" 165 so I know that adds to it as I don’t come across as someone who knows much (I am not physically intimidating) and therefore I am a target for these people to try and make cash off me by becoming my “trainer”.

So, does anyone have any gym suggestions, preferably in the direct Hollywood vicinity as I prefer to walk to my gym if able. One that would allow me to focus on what I want to focus on; the clean and jerk, the push press, the front squat and the dead lift.

I would appreciate it if anyone has any suggestions and thanks in advance.

I was only there once, but the YMCA in Hollywood kind of by Sunset and Vine was alright, there was at least enough there to get a good workout in. It’s not a hardcore powerlifting gym though, if that’s what you want.

[quote]JohnnyNinja wrote:
The point of my ramble is that I am tired of this, I get it often enough to be irritating. I am a small guy 5’8" 165 so I know that adds to it as I don’t come across as someone who knows much (I am not physically intimidating) and therefore I am a target for these people to try and make cash off me by becoming my “trainer”.
[/quote]

Instead of changing gyms, get bigger. Then people will be asking you for advice.

Why aren’t you bigger when your training consists of squats and deads and other similar movements?

Are you not eating enough? Have you only been training for a few months?

next time, just hawk a lugie in his face.

is that assault in california?

[quote]texasguy wrote:
next time, just hawk a lugie in his face.

is that assault in california?[/quote]

Yes it is. You can kick someones ass if they spit on you first.

A Golds just opened up here in hollywood Also LA fitness isn’t bad, affordable, plenty of benches, weight, and equipment although still the same vibe. You might actually workout there.

I’m not into the Holly Gym on Labrea. They don’t have as much stuff plus. I hate when I can’t do an exercise dew to too many people and not enough equipment. I understand you but I get comments from personal trainers from time to time no matter what gym I go to.

[quote]CaliforniaLaw wrote:
JohnnyNinja wrote:
The point of my ramble is that I am tired of this, I get it often enough to be irritating. I am a small guy 5’8" 165 so I know that adds to it as I don’t come across as someone who knows much (I am not physically intimidating) and therefore I am a target for these people to try and make cash off me by becoming my “trainer”.

Instead of changing gyms, get bigger. Then people will be asking you for advice.

Why aren’t you bigger when your training consists of squats and deads and other similar movements?

Are you not eating enough? Have you only been training for a few months?
[/quote]

I gotta agree with Law here on everything. With that aside why let this bother you.

[quote]Hagar wrote:
With that aside why let this bother you. [/quote]

I think the OP has a chip on his shoulder. I have done squats, cleans, deads, etc. from dumps to globo gyms. I don’t get these “looks” the OP speaks of. Or, if I do, I don’t notice it. (I do have idiots walk within 6" of me when doing snatches, so I don’t do those any more out of fear of hitting someone with a bar and getting sued.)

I’ve never been solicited by a trainer, either. That would annoy me. I was doing speed chins once using a jump stretch band and had a trainer ask me what I was doing; but he was more curious than anything. I am big enough that I look like I work out, but I am not so huge that a trainer would assume I’d know everything. So I think it’s the way I carry myself in the gym.

I have been told by people that I look angry when in the gym, so maybe that has something to do with it. I also don’t make eye contact with people or otherwise give the world any indication that I want to engage with it. That, and I always wear an ipod. Seems to work.

My friend did get solicited at an Equinox. He was pretty strong and educated dude but got lazy so is now a fat fuck. The trainer said: “Do you mind if I watch your form on a few exercises?” The trainer left after watching my friend and then realizing my friend was a fat fuck because he was lazy, not uninformed.

Now that I think of it… I think I gave a bunch of tips in an old thread about how to keep people from talking to you in the gym. I train hard enough that I am drenched in sweat, I don’t have a pleasant expression on my face, I wear an ipod, and I look at the ground whenever possible to avoid making eye contact with anyone.

In the old days when I didn’t wear an ipod, people were always making conversation with me. So I think the ipod must be the ultimate trainer repellent.

I’m going to be moving to the area in about a month. Any recommendations for a hardcore place to lift? I’ll be living in Santa Monica.

[quote]CaliforniaLaw wrote:

I’ve never been solicited by a trainer, either. That would annoy me. I was doing speed chins once using a jump stretch band and had a trainer ask me what I was doing; but he was more curious than anything. I am big enough that I look like I work out, but I am not so huge that a trainer would assume I’d know everything. So I think it’s the way I carry myself in the gym.

[/quote]

I’ve been advised by a few trainers, but last few were high level guys; Derek Farnsworth and another guy Greg who’s in incredible shape. I was just happy these guys toke the time out to give me a tip here and there. They’ve build some impressive physiques without steroids (not like I have anything against that but I don’t juice).

Twice I was solicited by fat chicks. One 4 months ago. I don’t know why someone hired them as trainers. Maybe she did good on the shot put team?

No chip on the shoulder, just tired of it. The gym in question is Crunch Fitness. As to why people come up to me, who knows. I am a friendly guy perhaps that is part of it. I’ve never seen another person front squat there, hardly anyone ever back squats there, let alone more than one plate.

I wear my ipod, I sweat it up, I keep to myself etc etc. I did not intend to make this about me, I am just looking for gym suggestions. I don’t normally address personal questions but I will clear things up a bit.

I started out at 135lbs 2 years ago when I was given the okay by my Dr. to begin exercising. I have been in 2 car accidents one which ran over my leg and has caused me nothing but trouble and another where I was rear ended and now have a left vertebral artery dissection (it no longer pumps any blood) and am left with an AVM at the base of my brain in the cervical spinal area. Suffice to say I have my excuses for my size.

Finally concerning my weight / size. My intentions are purely strength based and although I do understand size and strength have a direct correlation, I am not particularly concerned about gaining mass. I just want to be able to walk when I am older and handle normal day to day activities as a man. Working out with the aforementioned exercises as my focus is due to finding what I enjoy doing in the gym and going for it.

What I am interested in is being able to do a clean and press without drawing ire from the people around me. So if there is a gym in Hollywood that allows cleans because they know what one is and support training at it in their gym that would be great news. This single facet would address my concerns from my first post as well I imagine so perhaps I should have posted as such from the beginning. I was a little annoyed last night after the gym so maybe my rant was out of place, but it made me feel better.

I hope this clears any and every concern up and I look forward to additional suggestions.

Hagar- the LA Fitness, I know where it is, I have heard nothing but negative reviews concerning the gym from neighbors and such so I had not given it much thought. I suppose I will take a walk over there and check it out for myself.

Thanks everyone as always.

I don’t why people would dislike LA fitness so much. The name sucks and there’s not much over a hardcore vibe over there but it’s getting better. I’m starting to see bigger guys. It’s a far cry from my old gym in Minnesota but they have nice equipment. Great for bodybuilding, not so much for powerlifting.

Hey all,

I live in Koreatown, and currently lift at the North Hollywood Gold’s(used to live in Burbank).

Nobody bothers me, it has a powerrack and a lot of dumbbells. I think Dave Barr lifts there sometimes too, but maybe I’m just delusional.

I would prefer a gym closer to my home though, but providing there’s no traffic on the 101 its an easy as hell drive and a little ‘dirtier’ than you’d expect a gold’s to be.

the boom