Perception is a Powerful Thing

don’t worry hoss just remember your goals. theres always some people bigger/stronger than you. the difference with you is that you regularly see them.

[quote]cct wrote:

[quote]Nards wrote:
It’s sad that I’m the strongest in my gym as that just shouldn’t be,…I must tell you that I’m in Taiwan, but not all the guys are as small as you’d think.
I see many guys here that are about 5’10" or so, if not taller, and about 180lbs or a bit more. I’ve also seen guys that are 6 foot or a bit more and 220 plus and it’s so rare to even see a 135 bench. Yes, I’m not kidding. Imagine a whole gym of frat boys working out. Just tonight there was a guy that must’ve been about 175lbs and average height doing 20lb DB bench press. I’ve seen guys with wraps and straps and a belt on doing 7.5 lb DB incline bench press.
My gym is one of those 24Hour Fitness affiliates and it’s rather expensive…so my theory is that most all of the guys that go would be white collar types completely unfamiliar with manual labor and thus have a poor work ethic in the gym.
I got videos of lots of dumb shit I’ve seen in the gym here.[/quote]

Really? Not even a 135 bench?! I know that the first time I tried benching as a small, skinny-fat, cross country runner, I was probably 150lbs and easily able to do a 135 bench. How did they even get to 180lbs? Are they obese or something?
Maybe it’s just the college I’ll attend next fall, but I’ve seen many frat boys there benching, squatting, and doing olympic lifts using heavy weights.

So is this the 2nd strongest guy in the gym? - YouTube
I saw your videos and I have to say that your gym is fucked up. I would have be able to stand that place; the people and the music are just horrible to have if you want a real work out. I would have bought my own squat rack and weights.[/quote]

That moron in my video actually had 245 on the bar, but he doesn’t warm up at all…I mean nothing…I see him walk in,change(well I don’t see that) and puts 245 on and does shitty ass up reps like that. That was his first set I believe. His other sets get worse, with one arm leading and he racks one side with great difficulty about 3 whole seconds before he racked the other side. I’ve seen him almost get pinned and buddy rushed to help.
Some might say he’s working hard…no, he’s working stupid. He only does bench. He’s not even the kind of goof that does curls after. The curl guys are another whole group. ugh.

[quote]Mettahl wrote:

[quote]mombasa333 wrote:
MetroFlex, Arlington. Great place. I am currently at a Lifetime in North Texas. Not too bad. We have a 115 pound girl there who won a bodybuilding contest a couple of weeks ago and get this, she Hack Squats 720. I spot her from time to time. Got to tell you its a privilege. [/quote]

Do you happen to be at the Garland location?[/quote]

I take it you’re from Garland?

I relate to it, i suck while comparing to some huge guys at the gym, but out of it, everyone calls me big, it’s simply surreal

[quote]Nards wrote:
It’s sad that I’m the strongest in my gym as that just shouldn’t be,…I must tell you that I’m in Taiwan, but not all the guys are as small as you’d think.
I see many guys here that are about 5’10" or so, if not taller, and about 180lbs or a bit more. I’ve also seen guys that are 6 foot or a bit more and 220 plus and it’s so rare to even see a 135 bench. Yes, I’m not kidding. Imagine a whole gym of frat boys working out. Just tonight there was a guy that must’ve been about 175lbs and average height doing 20lb DB bench press. I’ve seen guys with wraps and straps and a belt on doing 7.5 lb DB incline bench press.
My gym is one of those 24Hour Fitness affiliates and it’s rather expensive…so my theory is that most all of the guys that go would be white collar types completely unfamiliar with manual labor and thus have a poor work ethic in the gym.
I got videos of lots of dumb shit I’ve seen in the gym here.[/quote]

I feel the same way Nards does, I’m from Singapore (6ft, 248lbs). There are occasional good lifters at our gym (those 3 to 4 who are training for local bodybuilding comps). But the rest is the “frat boy” mentality that Nards put so well. I get uneasy in one of the locations where it seems like the guys are helping each other in “more” than just weights. I shut myself away and bought an ishuffle and feel much better doing the weights in my own zone.

I have (just last week) found a better gym (albeit quite expensive - about 365 USD/month) - with good quality equipment (atleast 10 bench presses, 7 squat racks, 7 pairs of every dumbell, 3 to 4 personal trainers assisting in the workouts). Also comes with nutrition programs, workouts for the week as well as measurements (biosig - one of a kind in Singapore). The cost is high but i’m working towards joining this place. I guess after training for 3 years I really want to get serious, and getting serious involves putting money where your mouth is and just DOING it. The chief trainer there is very motivated, talks the talk, lifts very very well (with videos on web page). Just overall impressed.

[quote]XanderBuilt wrote:
about 365 USD/month) .
[/quote]

Holy crap!!!

…For a gym membership? I remeber it being about $20 for a one-off training session when I was in Singapore about 10 years ago, but didn’t realise they rob you blind for a committed monthly membership too.

BBB

Could you give us a link to that? I’d like to see it…out of envy.

I’ve got one thing I CAN’T complain about…my deal at my gym was I’d pay about $150US every month for 18 months then I wouldn’t have to pay for the rest of my life. So I took the risk that the place may close down and went for it. That 18 months was up about 3 years ago! So I simply go to the gym for free now.
Well, there is a yearly processing fee…of literally 2 bucks US!

WELCOME TO TEXAS!!!

I’m scrawny @6’1" 210# on good days. Massive corn-fed, hay-haulin SOB’s are in abundance here in Texas. Its OK for an Okie to feel a bit out of place here. Recently at Gold’s, my old gym, I saw a couple of PL’ers that had the leg press filled with 45# plates and a 200#+ d00d on top for 3+ reps a piece, no Half-rep McGee’s or Polly Partials either. They were moving the sled at least a foot or more. It was really inspiring to see.

If I can just get the banks to play ball, there will be another metro-flex/EFS type, hardcore gym in central Texas.

[quote]admbaum wrote:

If I can just get the banks to play ball, there will be another metro-flex/EFS type, hardcore gym in Killeen, Texas. [/quote]

Fixed that for ya. :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

Metro-Flex should open a branch at Killeen/Fort Hood. Even with all the gyms on post for the soldiers,I think there is a market for them here.

I would love to have one here similar to the Metro-Flex in Fort Worth…were they also accommodate Muay Thai/MMA/BJJ training.

[quote]Big_Boss wrote:

[quote]admbaum wrote:

If I can just get the banks to play ball, there will be another metro-flex/EFS type, hardcore gym in Killeen, Texas. [/quote]

Fixed that for ya. :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

I would love to have one here similar to the Metro-Flex in Fort Worth…were they also accommodate Muay Thai/MMA/BJJ training.
[/quote]

thats exactly what I have in mind, but its some serious $$$$$$$ My dad keeps telling me to look at Killeen instead of Waco, cause Waco sucks. Only 7k people to market to and of those 7k, less than 1% are into combat sports. I can name them all. Even trying to market to the high school and gaylor…I mean Baylor athletes, I’d still be near-committing financial suicide. Boss, you think people from Killeen would drive to Temple to work out?

[quote]admbaum wrote:

[quote]Big_Boss wrote:

[quote]admbaum wrote:

If I can just get the banks to play ball, there will be another metro-flex/EFS type, hardcore gym in Killeen, Texas. [/quote]

Fixed that for ya. :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

I would love to have one here similar to the Metro-Flex in Fort Worth…were they also accommodate Muay Thai/MMA/BJJ training.
[/quote]

thats exactly what I have in mind, but its some serious $$$$$$$ My dad keeps telling me to look at Killeen instead of Waco, cause Waco sucks. Only 7k people to market to and of those 7k, less than 1% are into combat sports. I can name them all. Even trying to market to the high school and gaylor…I mean Baylor athletes, I’d still be near-committing financial suicide. Boss, you think people from Killeen would drive to Temple to work out?

[/quote]

Hmm…I believe they would…especially those who live outskirts in Nolanville,Belton,etc. When there was no Gold’s Gym or Gym X,people drove to Gym X in Temple…but that was out of necessity.

If there was a Metro-Flex type gym in Temple,I sure as hell would. If you are seriously looking into a market…look into Harker Heights,TX(right before Killeen). THat area is where all the development is going on at. Th only thing missing is a decent gym. I hardly go into Killeen for anything. The MMA school where I train/teach is in Harker Heights as well.

hmmmm…something to think about

Dominated by women huh

[quote]tommytoughnuts wrote:

[quote]Mettahl wrote:

[quote]mombasa333 wrote:
MetroFlex, Arlington. Great place. I am currently at a Lifetime in North Texas. Not too bad. We have a 115 pound girl there who won a bodybuilding contest a couple of weeks ago and get this, she Hack Squats 720. I spot her from time to time. Got to tell you its a privilege. [/quote]

Do you happen to be at the Garland location?[/quote]

I take it you’re from Garland?[/quote]

Yes. Are you also in that area?

[quote]Mettahl wrote:

[quote]tommytoughnuts wrote:

[quote]Mettahl wrote:

[quote]mombasa333 wrote:
MetroFlex, Arlington. Great place. I am currently at a Lifetime in North Texas. Not too bad. We have a 115 pound girl there who won a bodybuilding contest a couple of weeks ago and get this, she Hack Squats 720. I spot her from time to time. Got to tell you its a privilege. [/quote]

Do you happen to be at the Garland location?[/quote]

I take it you’re from Garland?[/quote]

Yes. Are you also in that area?[/quote]

Yes sir. I’m gonna be back in Allen once dang school gets done

[quote]tommytoughnuts wrote:

[quote]Mettahl wrote:

[quote]tommytoughnuts wrote:

I take it you’re from Garland?[/quote]

Yes. Are you also in that area?[/quote]

Yes sir. I’m gonna be back in Allen once dang school gets done[/quote]

Where do you go to school? I’m in the same situation. I technically live in the Garland area but I’m away at school 3/4 of the year.

[quote]bushidobadboy2 wrote:

[quote]XanderBuilt wrote:
about 365 USD/month) .
[/quote]

Holy crap!!!

…For a gym membership? I remeber it being about $20 for a one-off training session when I was in Singapore about 10 years ago, but didn’t realise they rob you blind for a committed monthly membership too.

BBB[/quote]

The gym I go to now is about SGD50/month for a 3 year contract (not too bad). I guess the other gym really had to speak volumes for me to consider it. I thought the best thing I can do is give it a go for 3 months and measure the results. If it’s worth it the $ can be found :slight_smile:

[quote]Nards wrote:
Could you give us a link to that? I’d like to see it…out of envy.

I’ve got one thing I CAN’T complain about…my deal at my gym was I’d pay about $150US every month for 18 months then I wouldn’t have to pay for the rest of my life. So I took the risk that the place may close down and went for it. That 18 months was up about 3 years ago! So I simply go to the gym for free now.
Well, there is a yearly processing fee…of literally 2 bucks US![/quote]

Will send you a PM Nards.

This was just this morning. This guy comes in and does 2 plates on the stack on the lat pulldown, so i get the camera to catch the next set… I think he has 4 or 5 plates on it.
The real reason I taped him was he’s about 250lbs, built like a powerlifter…and he’s wearing a BodyBuilding.com matching T shirt and shorts.

- YouTube
I have the video here of him doing T-bar rows with 15lbs, then moving up to 25 lbs. He’s just too damned big to be this useless.

And that wasn’t it for this morning, another guy hanging upside-down on the Smith machine coming up later, after the video loads.

Here’s the guy hanging upside down on the Smith machine. Not the weirdest thing I’ve seen, but since I had the camera, why not film another idiot.

Last one, unrelated…my dog Sophia with a few words of wisdom