It seems like lately every time I go to the gym I get a pretty good laugh. Today I was full-squatting 225, while these two ugly bastards in the rack next to me were taking turns doing 1/8th squats with 315 and staring at me like i’m some kind of pussy. I just chuckled to myself and went on with my sets. Then I hear one of the guys tell the other one that it’s time for some “reverse drop sets”. Whatever the hell those are. The two geniuses take turns doing 1/8th squats with 225, adding a 25 to each side then doing 1/16th squats, adding another 25 and doing something that looked like pelvic thrusts. By the end, I didn’t see any bend to the knees at all. But who needs a full range of motion anyway. The topper though was what happened after they finished the “reverse drop sets”. The head trainer at the gym comes over and asks the guys if they had ever considered personal training because it looked like they really knew what they were doing. Meanwhile I get warned about the evils of the full squats and their effects on my knees. I have also been talked to on multiple occasions about my olympic lifting which isn’t allowed even if the gym is empty. It would really piss me off if it wasn’t so damn ridiculous.
Man, you need to find a gym with an owner who understands what lifting is all about. The owner of my gym is a Power Lifter and we make fun of those types of people. But he needs them there, so we don’t make fun of them too loudly.
-dave
Ace, I just chuckle and turn my head, glad I’m not like them.
I don’t say anything, since I’m a firm believer that when people are willing to change, they’ll seek out the right info.
THere’s a kid in one of my classes who i get along with, we chitchat in the gym when we see each other. THis kid hopes to be a pro baseball player, but with the crap he does in the gym, he’ll need knee replacement surgery by the time he’s 30.
I don’t say anything, because he’s your typical arrogant 19 yr old jock who thinks he’s invincible and he wouldn’t take what I say seriously.He’s also dense as a 2x4 BTW 
Another year or 2 following routines like 3 supersets of 30 ballistic ass-to-grass squats (done in soft cross-trainers) and 30 leg presses and he’ll be ready to come to t-mag!
The head trainer at the gym comes over and asks the guys if they had ever considered personal training because it looked like they really knew what they were doing.
Wait a minute, maybe there is light at the end of the tunnel here? I mean, the guy is trying to sell them personal training right? Think about it…
Profoundly true. Doesn’t make it any less comic though.
[quote]THere’s a kid in one of my classes who i get along with, we chitchat in the gym when we see each other. THis kid hopes to be a pro baseball player, but with the crap he does in the gym, he’ll need knee replacement surgery by the time he’s 30.
I don’t say anything, because he’s your typical arrogant 19 yr old jock who thinks he’s invincible and he wouldn’t take what I say seriously.He’s also dense as a 2x4 BTW [/quote]
Unfortunately that was me at 19! I blew out both my shoulders by 21, and at 36 I am paying for it in spades. If only someone had pulled me aside and straightened me out. Would have saved me a lot of grief.
Yeah, I wish he would listen to me.
But the fact is, I know the type. I’ve done some high school teaching and am studying for my Master’s in Sec Ed
So I’ve been around teenage boys quite a bit. THis kid’s 18 or 19, and like I said he’s arrogant and on the slow side.
That aside, he would have to respect me to listen to me. Know what I mean? He would have to believe me, and for that to occur, he would have to have an open mind or believe that I know what I’m talking about.
But as far as he can tell, I’m just another guy giving advice-who happens to be about 80 lbs overweight, older, and out of shape.
I think CT said it right in his beast evolves article- most of the time, you just NEED to look the part for someone to believe what you say re: bbing, lifting, etc. In shape, well-built, not fat, etc. Strong would help as well, but I’m sure the “LOOKS” aspect counts more than all the other factors put together.
I’ll look that way soon enough! Maybe next semester, if I’m still at that school, I’ll give him some advice.