I’m a 23-yr old grad student, and I’ve been in the training scene for about a year and a half now. It has been successful, and I’ve achieved results that I’m quite happy with in that time. Unfortunately, I’ve been becoming increasingly demoralized along the way. I have lifted at the campus rec cen for a year now and in that time I have
NEVER seen another lifter keeping a training log
on less than a handful of occasions seen anyone executing a proper warm up (or ANY warm up for that matter)
NEVER seen anyone in the gym with a stop watch
NEVER seen anyone (besides myself) do a single-leg RDL
These are just a few examples…but you catch my drift. And I know not all of these are mandatory by any means…but you should be able to find SOMEBODY doing each or all of them! All these facts seem to eat at me more and more, especially since I’m progress-driven with my training (as all beginners should be.) I keep reading in T-Nation articles to surround yourself by like-minded trainees…i.e. if you wanna be x, y, and z train around people who are x, y, and z times 2.
No matter who I approach about being my training partner, they tell me my training is “too fancy” for them…because God forbid I do split squats or db snatches. Unfortunately, I am finding no inspiration where I’m lifting and I cannot afford to go elsewhere. IS ANYONE OUT THERE IN A SIMILAR PREDICAMENT WITH WORDS OF WISDOM OR SOUND ADVICE ON COPING?
It’s very sad, because I am nothing special. I’m not a college athlete. I just learned how to use a foam roller, learned a few mobility and activation drills, learned how to squat with a broom stick and picked up a good program from Nate Green. And bam…results. That just makes it all that much harder to watch everyone abusing their time in the gym around me.
Is this a phase that every new lifter goes through at some point? Can there be a light at the end of this tunnel?? Please help!!
Find a small, hardcore gym in your area, preferably one that caters to either athletes or powerlifters and bodybuilders. You’ll never have that problem again.
[quote]jskrabac wrote:
I’m a 23-yr old grad student, and I’ve been in the training scene for about a year and a half now. It has been successful, and I’ve achieved results that I’m quite happy with in that time. Unfortunately, I’ve been becoming increasingly demoralized along the way. I have lifted at the campus rec cen for a year now and in that time I have
NEVER seen another lifter keeping a training log
on less than a handful of occasions seen anyone executing a proper warm up (or ANY warm up for that matter)
NEVER seen anyone in the gym with a stop watch
NEVER seen anyone (besides myself) do a single-leg RDL
[quote]Nikki9591 wrote:
I don’t understand how things that the other gym-goers are doing, or not doing, is stressing you so much.
Why doesn’t anyone just focus on their own workouts anymore?
[/quote]
It’s not so much about watching other people. It’s stressful, because I’m looking for a training partner, which will really come in handy for strength training. Also, I’m starting to learn some olympic lifts, and watching videos and reading about it can only get you so far. I would love to get help from an experienced lifter in person. Hope that clarifies.
[quote]BONEZ217 wrote:
Man up. Mind your own business and stop watching other people. Creepo
And stop watches are ghey. [/quote]
Noted. But this business with seeing how others train is not a creepy thing. I’m still new to lifting so I’m watching to learn from other people. Like if I see something new I want to know why they’re doing it. I think I’m slowly learning that where I’m training now…the best approach is probably exactly what you said.
What’s wrong with stop watches? I primarily use it as a check to make sure I don’t rest too long.
[quote]BONEZ217 wrote:
Man up. Mind your own business and stop watching other people. Creepo
And stop watches are ghey. [/quote]
Kind of my reaction… then I realised I use one to time bar holds. I’m gay.
OP, much of what you list is a bit out of the norm to expect most people to be doing. I’ve never seen or heard of a single leg RDL. I’m sure it’s legit but let other people do their own stuff. When I got really serious about progressing, I found a PL club to join and train with.
Don’t look to other people for moral support. Find it in yourself.
