To the T-Cell Members...

Bigger Stronger Leaner Competitive Bodybuilding
1

For those of you who are still actively posting in this forum, thank you. (CrewPierce’s post about the V diet forum in the T-Cell prompted me to post this.)

http://www.T-Nation.com/tmagnum/readTopic.do?id=2146210

Since it appears that forum is going to hell in a handbasket without experienced posters to correct them, I appreciate the continued activity by T-Cell members on the Bodybuilding forum. The last thing we need is for this forum to fall farther down the tube.

For those of us in between the two extremes, (the newbies, “bigaphobics”, and then T-Cell members) It’s nice to be able to have some level of intellegence/experience to interact with if we so choose.

cueball

2

I agree with Cueball here about the people posting in this thread preventing it from going to hell in a handbasket.

I think that we (the bodybuilding crowd here) need to give this forum a so called “make over” as it deserves. We should elect some people, or just start a crowd to go through and clean it up. The steroid forum does a great job with this and I don’t see why we can’t do it here too.

No more rate my routines.
No more “I’m not interested in building a bunch of muscle”
No more “I’m into fitness stuff not bodybuilding”

If we give the forum a general attitude or demeanor then we will stop with the stupid posts, etc. I’d be a fan to try and make this forum like the bodybuilding bunker thread we all enjoy. I feel that is what it is designed for and should be.

If we all act as a team and start to just straight up tell people that their question or thread does not belong here, pretty soon people will get the point. This can be done in a polite manner, not a “bash” fest of noobs, etc.

Maybe I’m dreaming or ranting but hey I’m bored and am anxiously waiting my meal to digest so I can go bustagut on squats.

As much as I don’t want a “fitness” forum on this site, maybe it would be better to have one so that the Bodybuilding forum can be true to it’s purpose. IMHO…

Gerdy

3

How about this for an idea, new members are required to accumulate say 50 posts before they are allowed to post in the other forums. Also, the tech staff could put a one post per half hour limit on new members until they hit say 25 posts. This could be expanded into 2 beginner forums: beginner bodybuilding, and beginner nutrition.

This would require new posters to at least spend a couple of days on T-Nation before being able to run rampant with posts. It would also prevent the new lifter with 2 posts from asking if his hybrid hypertrophy/strength program that utilizes drops sets in a wave loaded fashion, but only contains alternating two days, biceps day and chest day, is going to do the trick for him.

Also, this time requirement would cut down on trolls, but wouldn’t hamper serious individuals too much, since a person that is serious about bodybuilding would be willing to pay their dues for a couple of days.

I think this would greatly improve the forums as a whole while not detracting from those that can contribute useful information.

The only problem is the beginners helping beginners dilemma which could pose a problem, but there are always those on T-Nation willing to set the new lifters straight.

I may not be a T-Cell member, but figured this would be as good a place as any to put my opinion down since it is similar to the T-Cell idea.

4

To be honest, i do not hold out much hope for any forum other than the steroid forum, even though i can’t use i feel better AND more safe in their knowledge than in any other part of the forum. There is a few vets, who are beyond helpfull, post unreal stuff and generally exude a really good influence over that forum.

Now compare that to here. Even the bunker is dying a death, fulman has fallen off a cliff or something and the vets have gone to the T-Cell. So being brutally honest, what exactly are you planning to save ?

Crew Pierces idea of “lets save the V-Dieters” is terrible. Look to someone DESPERATE to lose weight, common sense WILL NOT make a dent, they see “easy diet” PLUS “good results” PLUS “own log section” and BABOOM there you go.Shugart created that particular monster, let him deal with it.

Why should any of us waste time instead of eating and training on a bunch of people who dont give 2 hoots who you are or what you say. And are too busy looking for “abz” at 100 lbs when there is nothing but gas behind that bump.

Thats my 2 cents.

5

Actually I wouldn’t mind seeing a more harsh restriction for new members. Only allowed to post in the beginners section for 6 months. They still have viewing priveleges on the other forums (like we can read T-Cell threads) to gain more knowledge from the more veteran posters.

Any training, supps, diet questions can be answered and discussed in the beginners section.

Corkonian-I agree fully with your sentiments on the V-Diet forum. I won’t touch it with a ten-foot pole. But this forum, I believe, can be salvaged.

cueball

6

Yes please don’t abandon the bunker. Gerdy and Squaash are about the only ones I see still posting in it.

Maybe I’m just jealous that I’m not in it lol.

7

I think the problem with a fitness forum is nobody who is exerpienced would both responding to anybody leaving people no choice but to continue posting in the bodybuilding forum.

8

Not all new members are bodybuilding noobs. Some of the new members have more experience and results than, say, somebody who has been a member for the last two years.

T-Nation isn’t the be-all and end-all of bodybuilding, believe it or not.

9

[quote]DanErickson wrote:
I think the problem with a fitness forum is nobody who is exerpienced would both responding to anybody leaving people no choice but to continue posting in the bodybuilding forum.[/quote]

EXACTLY!

And with time, it will settle in that the “fitness” people aren’t welcome here. Kidding…sort of…

Though I don’t at all mind having streamline around. Good guy.

10

[quote]Brendan Ryan wrote:
Yes please don’t abandon the bunker. Gerdy and Squaash are about the only ones I see still posting in it.

Maybe I’m just jealous that I’m not in it lol.[/quote]

Squaash?:wink:

11

[quote]BF Bullpup wrote:
Not all new members are bodybuilding noobs. Some of the new members have more experience and results than, say, somebody who has been a member for the last two years.

T-Nation isn’t the be-all and end-all of bodybuilding, believe it or not.[/quote]

I understand that, but it would work at eliminating many issues that plague the forums. There are people that have a wealth of experience and knowledge, but if they were a completely new member then they are a new member; let them wait a week or so. It isn’t a perfect system, but it would be a system that would address the problems. Do you have any other suggestions?

T-Nation isn’t perfect, but it could be made to be better.

12

[quote]BF Bullpup wrote:
Not all new members are bodybuilding noobs. Some of the new members have more experience and results than, say, somebody who has been a member for the last two years.

T-Nation isn’t the be-all and end-all of bodybuilding, believe it or not.[/quote]

I’ve only been here a month and have more bodybuilding experience than a lot of people on here (I did lurk for several years). Being a noob doesn’t have anything to do with it. It’s the “fitness” mind people, the ones who do squats on bosu balls and get a soy latte post workout that I have a problem with.

I think that if somebody posts something about wanting to cut up and get “ripped” at like 130lbs that people should flame them and tell them to go someplace else. If somebody posts a diet and workout routine AGAIN we can send that some place else.

I think the topic should be bodybuilding. If you post a workout it better be something new like Doggcrapp, etc. Not just “I’m trying to lose weight will this make me look like dennis wolf?” If you have questions regarding a specific exercise, etc.

Make it more hardcore bodybuilding and less I want to look good in my abercrombie and fitch outfit.

The only problem is they have no other place to go on tnation. I know tnation isn’t “be-all” etc bodybuilding but I like this place and I want it to be the best its capable of.

Maybe give us a forum title “hardcore bodybuilding” IDK some place thats not full of “fitness” minded individuals.

The t-cell is about the closest thing we have so far…

sorry about the rant…

Gerdy

13

Yeah, it’s still beyond me why some (read: bigophobes) people even WANT to post here…

It’s like going to a Cadillac dealer and demanding they sell you a Nissan.

14

I think the bodybuilding forum is getting a bit better. Why? Because the questions are more direct and the responses tend to be more focused. I do not want it to become another beginners forum.

If we think of T-Nation as a gym, the T-cell is where the ‘big’ guys are lifting and the beginners section is the circuit-machine crowd. The body building forum is the place where ‘average’ lifters can ask for advice so they can become ‘above average’ lifters and maybe join the ‘big’ guys in time. The BB forum is a place were members can prove themselves by asking smart questions and giving advice (if they can).

I think everyone on this site is interested in learning and improving (except trolls, of course). I hope T-cell members continue to post in the bodybuilding forum as well as elsewhere.

15

To me this is all ridiculous. Yes, some of the threads that get started are in the “wrong” place. The free market, as it were, can take care of that by simply posting a standard (perhaps agreed upon) response. For example:

“Thanks for your post. Unfortunately, this is a bodybuilding discussion forum and since your post does not relate to that sport, we respectfully ask you to either (a) change your question so it relates to bodybuilding or (b) leave the forum. Please do not take this personally, but following the foregoing instructions will prevent the waste of your time as well as ours.”

And then no one posts.

I for one found some of the chest thumping “we are hardcore” bullshit to be as annoying as the clueless kids who posted. I understand their frustration, but how hard is it to just ignore what you don’t like and discuss what you do. It’s the fucking internet.

I also find the whole T-Cell thing to be off-putting. Not to be offensive to anyone in particular, but the whole things definitely smacks of douchbaggery- all of the self-appointed cool kids started their own sandbox–it’s like high school or something. I have been a member here quite a while, but because I prefer to read/listen and rarely post, I’m excluded from picking the peoples’ brains whose opinions I respect because I haven’t been invited to sit at their lunch table. Again, I don’t mean that to be offensive to anyone but that’s how it comes across.

16

[quote]trextacy wrote:
To me this is all ridiculous. Yes, some of the threads that get started are in the “wrong” place. The free market, as it were, can take care of that by simply posting a standard (perhaps agreed upon) response. For example:

“Thanks for your post. Unfortunately, this is a bodybuilding discussion forum and since your post does not relate to that sport, we respectfully ask you to either (a) change your question so it relates to bodybuilding or (b) leave the forum. Please do not take this personally, but following the foregoing instructions will prevent the waste of your time as well as ours.”

And then no one posts.

I for one found some of the chest thumping “we are hardcore” bullshit to be as annoying as the clueless kids who posted. I understand their frustration, but how hard is it to just ignore what you don’t like and discuss what you do. It’s the fucking internet.

I also find the whole T-Cell thing to be off-putting. Not to be offensive to anyone in particular, but the whole things definitely smacks of douchbaggery- all of the self-appointed cool kids started their own sandbox–it’s like high school or something. I have been a member here quite a while, but because I prefer to read/listen and rarely post, I’m excluded from picking the peoples’ brains whose opinions I respect because I haven’t been invited to sit at their lunch table. Again, I don’t mean that to be offensive to anyone but that’s how it comes across.

[/quote]

That’s why I started this thread. Since many of the posters still come here to interact with those not in the Cell, it allows us to pick the brains we want to pick.

I’m similar to you in regards to not being a prolific poster. I’ve been a member for about a year and a half (not long by some members standards) and only have a little over 400 posts. I do a lot of reading threads, but many don’t really need my input for input’s sake.

It’s easy to look at the T-Cell as the cool kid’s sandbox, but I really don’t think it’s the case. I actually think it’s gonna help THIS forum in the long run. I have already seen people stating they don’t know much, or they won’t try to give advice. This is definitely a new phenomenon here as it seems posters are being more conscious of what the write or prescribe to others here knowing it might be watched by someone who could invite them.

So the accountability at the T-Cell is starting to carry over tho this forum for a few reasons. I think it’s a good thing.

cueball

17

[quote]trextacy wrote:
To me this is all ridiculous. Yes, some of the threads that get started are in the “wrong” place. The free market, as it were, can take care of that by simply posting a standard (perhaps agreed upon) response. For example:

“Thanks for your post. Unfortunately, this is a bodybuilding discussion forum and since your post does not relate to that sport, we respectfully ask you to either (a) change your question so it relates to bodybuilding or (b) leave the forum. Please do not take this personally, but following the foregoing instructions will prevent the waste of your time as well as ours.”

And then no one posts.

I for one found some of the chest thumping “we are hardcore” bullshit to be as annoying as the clueless kids who posted. I understand their frustration, but how hard is it to just ignore what you don’t like and discuss what you do. It’s the fucking internet.

I also find the whole T-Cell thing to be off-putting. Not to be offensive to anyone in particular, but the whole things definitely smacks of douchbaggery- all of the self-appointed cool kids started their own sandbox–it’s like high school or something. I have been a member here quite a while, but because I prefer to read/listen and rarely post, I’m excluded from picking the peoples’ brains whose opinions I respect because I haven’t been invited to sit at their lunch table. Again, I don’t mean that to be offensive to anyone but that’s how it comes across.

[/quote]

I tend to agree with a certain portion of this. A few of the T-cell members are the “real deal” and very knowledgeable. A significant percentage probably haven’t trained for more than a year or two and just had the buddy hookup to get there.
I suppose I’d like to be a T-cell member, but for now I’m content with just reading some of the content there. It’s a good thing it exists, otherwise I’d basically given up on anything useful out of the BB forums lately.

18

[quote]trextacy wrote:
To me this is all ridiculous. Yes, some of the threads that get started are in the “wrong” place. The free market, as it were, can take care of that by simply posting a standard (perhaps agreed upon) response. For example:

“Thanks for your post. Unfortunately, this is a bodybuilding discussion forum and since your post does not relate to that sport, we respectfully ask you to either (a) change your question so it relates to bodybuilding or (b) leave the forum. Please do not take this personally, but following the foregoing instructions will prevent the waste of your time as well as ours.”

And then no one posts.

I for one found some of the chest thumping “we are hardcore” bullshit to be as annoying as the clueless kids who posted. I understand their frustration, but how hard is it to just ignore what you don’t like and discuss what you do. It’s the fucking internet.

I also find the whole T-Cell thing to be off-putting. Not to be offensive to anyone in particular, but the whole things definitely smacks of douchbaggery- all of the self-appointed cool kids started their own sandbox–it’s like high school or something. I have been a member here quite a while, but because I prefer to read/listen and rarely post, I’m excluded from picking the peoples’ brains whose opinions I respect because I haven’t been invited to sit at their lunch table. Again, I don’t mean that to be offensive to anyone but that’s how it comes across.

[/quote]

You are clearly unaware of just how bad this forum had gotten before we made a large issue of it. To “[quote]ignore what you don’t like [/quote]” would have meant avoiding all topics related to bodybuilding since we couldn’t discuss them without 50 newbies who all claim they hate big muscles jumping in to give their opinions.

Are some of you honestly claiming you didn’t notice this getting out of hand?

This entire site had started going in that direction because some of the authors themselves seem to despise bodybuilding…leading to their groupies and fan boys thinking that degrading it made perfect sense.

19

[quote]Professor X wrote:
You are clearly unaware of just how bad this forum had gotten before we made a large issue of it. To "ignore what you don’t like " would have meant avoiding all topics related to bodybuilding since we couldn’t discuss them without 50 newbies who all claim they hate big muscles jumping in to give their opinions.

Are some of you honestly claiming you didn’t notice this getting out of hand?

This entire site had started going in that direction because some of the authors themselves seem to despise bodybuilding…leading to their groupies and fan boys thinking that degrading it made perfect sense.[/quote]

Agreed, but I think it has since started getting better - maybe not much, but some nonetheless.

T-Cell is great.