The Prehistoric Mind of People in My Gym

[quote]DBCooper wrote:

Anyone else got any stories like this to share? Anyone else actually doing something to help the less-knowledgeable out there?[/quote]

Yup. A while back I helped a kid I worked with to bench better. He wanted to hit 240 for his max, but after a little coaching and taking better approach hit 260.

We did the same later with deads. Ran him through some activation and mobility drills, warmed up, and I hit 350 just to show him that it was possible. He returned the favor by nailing 300 with authority.

He’s on the right track, and minus the doubt and fear of failing is crushing some good weights.

[quote]SkyzykS wrote:

[quote]DBCooper wrote:

Anyone else got any stories like this to share? Anyone else actually doing something to help the less-knowledgeable out there?[/quote]

Yup. A while back I helped a kid I worked with to bench better. He wanted to hit 240 for his max, but after a little coaching and taking better approach hit 260.

We did the same later with deads. Ran him through some activation and mobility drills, warmed up, and I hit 350 just to show him that it was possible. He returned the favor by nailing 300 with authority.

He’s on the right track, and minus the doubt and fear of failing is crushing some good weights.
[/quote]

Solid

I generally keep my mouth shut, and let people do whatever the hell they want, and if for some reason they want my advice theyll ask for it. I was feeling espescially cheery one day and decided to dole out unfettered advice to this young kid he was squatting, and his left knee was caving in.

Being as I have had the same issues I offered a pointer to help alleviate the issue, he stared at me like I had three heads, did not acknowledge the advice but just walked away, really pissed me off. So because of instances like this I will never offer advice or assistance (ie spot) unless asked. It was embarrasing to genuinely want to help someone and have that same person shit on basically trying to help…

[quote]NGAGE wrote:
I swear to god the owner of my gym here in Atlanta Ga is such a douche bag. I mean literally the guy is “GOD OF ALL BODYBUILDING”. Every time im in the gym he always makes a conscience effort to strike up a conversation with me. No problem its cool I have no beef with said owner. But the ridiculous shit this guy spews out of his mouth is ridiculous from how compound movements arnt healthy to power lifting will destroy your body. He literally means stay away from dead lifts and squats and he says you will destroy your spine. Correct if performing them wrong, I will give him that.

[/quote]

In fairness, there is a kernel of truth to some things he says. Or maybe you haven’t met too many middle aged guys that spent the better part of their lives lifting heavy? Given that compound movements are generally complex and best performed with some initial coaching and, that your average gym trainee will never have such coaching, there is a kernel of truth to what he says. Given all the hobbled older powerlifters with disc problems and repetitive use chronic injuries, there is a kernel of truth to what he says.

[quote]MattyXL wrote:
I generally keep my mouth shut, and let people do whatever the hell they want, and if for some reason they want my advice theyll ask for it. I was feeling espescially cheery one day and decided to dole out unfettered advice to this young kid he was squatting, and his left knee was caving in.

Being as I have had the same issues I offered a pointer to help alleviate the issue, he stared at me like I had three heads, did not acknowledge the advice but just walked away, really pissed me off. So because of instances like this I will never offer advice or assistance (ie spot) unless asked. It was embarrasing to genuinely want to help someone and have that same person shit on basically trying to help…[/quote]

I have never given advice, but there are times where I see people deadlifting or squatting incorrectly. I cant help but watch them and I feel pity for them. A couple of times I thought about asking if they want some advice, but I refuse to give it out unless someone asks. 1/4 squatts, rounded back deadlifts, knees caving in on squats. Its brutal to watch.

Worst part of it all at my gym is that the people who are doing these compound exercises incorrectly are the trainers. I have literally seen a guy teaching a guy to dead lift with a rounded back. That same trainer is notorious for not really giving a crap whether his clients are doing the exercises correctly or even trying in their workouts. He could literally run a seminar on the best ways injure yourself while lifting.

[quote]bwilliamsr89 wrote:

[quote]MattyXL wrote:
I generally keep my mouth shut, and let people do whatever the hell they want, and if for some reason they want my advice theyll ask for it. I was feeling espescially cheery one day and decided to dole out unfettered advice to this young kid he was squatting, and his left knee was caving in.

Being as I have had the same issues I offered a pointer to help alleviate the issue, he stared at me like I had three heads, did not acknowledge the advice but just walked away, really pissed me off. So because of instances like this I will never offer advice or assistance (ie spot) unless asked. It was embarrasing to genuinely want to help someone and have that same person shit on basically trying to help…[/quote]

I have never given advice, but there are times where I see people deadlifting or squatting incorrectly. I cant help but watch them and I feel pity for them. A couple of times I thought about asking if they want some advice, but I refuse to give it out unless someone asks. 1/4 squatts, rounded back deadlifts, knees caving in on squats. Its brutal to watch.[/quote]

Well this just cemented my original stance of keeping my mouth shut at all times except when spoken to

[quote]TheBodyGuard wrote:

[quote]NGAGE wrote:
I swear to god the owner of my gym here in Atlanta Ga is such a douche bag. I mean literally the guy is “GOD OF ALL BODYBUILDING”. Every time im in the gym he always makes a conscience effort to strike up a conversation with me. No problem its cool I have no beef with said owner. But the ridiculous shit this guy spews out of his mouth is ridiculous from how compound movements arnt healthy to power lifting will destroy your body. He literally means stay away from dead lifts and squats and he says you will destroy your spine. Correct if performing them wrong, I will give him that.

[/quote]

In fairness, there is a kernel of truth to some things he says. Or maybe you haven’t met too many middle aged guys that spent the better part of their lives lifting heavy? Given that compound movements are generally complex and best performed with some initial coaching and, that your average gym trainee will never have such coaching, there is a kernel of truth to what he says. Given all the hobbled older powerlifters with disc problems and repetitive use chronic injuries, there is a kernel of truth to what he says. [/quote]

Just incase anyone missed that, there was a kernel of truth to what he said.

[quote]TheBodyGuard wrote:

[quote]NGAGE wrote:
I swear to god the owner of my gym here in Atlanta Ga is such a douche bag. I mean literally the guy is “GOD OF ALL BODYBUILDING”. Every time im in the gym he always makes a conscience effort to strike up a conversation with me. No problem its cool I have no beef with said owner. But the ridiculous shit this guy spews out of his mouth is ridiculous from how compound movements arnt healthy to power lifting will destroy your body. He literally means stay away from dead lifts and squats and he says you will destroy your spine. Correct if performing them wrong, I will give him that.

[/quote]

In fairness, there is a kernel of truth to some things he says. Or maybe you haven’t met too many middle aged guys that spent the better part of their lives lifting heavy? Given that compound movements are generally complex and best performed with some initial coaching and, that your average gym trainee will never have such coaching, there is a kernel of truth to what he says. Given all the hobbled older powerlifters with disc problems and repetitive use chronic injuries, there is a kernel of truth to what he says. [/quote]
This. There are more dangerous sports but no so many. Even T-Nation articles share some guilt; like the kind that illustrate weightlifters of the olympics as contorting into highly compromised positions to lift a weight they might hit a couple times in their life as proof that you can train like that without hurting yourself. People who get to that level are more or less beat up.