So along these lines, I saw an older guy 50+yrs trying to deadlift and he was rounding his back horribly with around 185lbs. I didn’t say anything because I didn’t want to look like a prick. However, I was DL’ing at the same time and I kind of got the feeling he was watching me to see if he could figure out how to do better but I wasn’t sure so i left it alone. I kind of felt like I should try to help but he managed to get out without hurting himself although I’ve never seen him try them again. should i have said something?[/quote]
ahh, a slippery slope indeed. IDK man, is the juice worth the squeeze? if so maybe it’s all about the approach. Being passive may serve you well. Maybe throw it out there like this in that scenario. Maybe ask that guy to watch you lift, and see if your back is rounding out when you pull. Do some solid reps and when you get a few reps in round your back a tad so he sees it. Get him to watch your form. This way you Jedi mind trick him into reflecting on his form, while not being a pushy prick. Maybe mention that you tweak your back once while pulling, I mean who here hasn’t? It wouldn’t be a lie I guess but you’d be doing him a solid. OR just be honest about it maybe say something like “hey man, I’ve noticed you putting in some hard work lately, I’ve noticed your back rounds a bit when you pull. That’s putting your back in a compromising position and I’d hate to see an injury set you back”.
This would prolly go over decent if you knew the guy even in some small way, but some random new years resolutionist who’ll be gone at the end of the month prolly isn’t worth helping. PLUS, if you even remotely look like you lift, they often times will get the butthurt because you’ve inadvertently insulted their “manhood” and shit.
[quote]StrengthDawg wrote:
Advice = The WISE don’t need it, the FOOLS won’t heed it.
I didn’t read any of the replies so apologies if this has been said. I’d keep to myself. Just YOU make sure your shit is together and the “mooks” will eventually realize they are doing stuff wrong. Then maybe they will learn to do it correctly.
Think in these terms, You are at the gym to make yourself better right? Only worry about what you are doing UNLESS someone is doing some seriously unsafe shit and could get you or other hurt by their dumbassery; such as trying a snatch and tossing the bar at someone. even then, be as polite as possible. You may end up with a decent training partner someday or at the very least someone who may live learn and pass on themselves. [/quote]
This ^
I think all of us have been lost in some aspect of our lives in a some sort of situation. I know during those times I would hate to be ridiculed, so I generally offer help or ignore.
I will say that what does get me a bit aggravated are the ones who do not know what they are doing but insist on telling people that they do know.
[/quote]
So along these lines, I saw an older guy 50+yrs trying to deadlift and he was rounding his back horribly with around 185lbs. I didn’t say anything because I didn’t want to look like a prick. However, I was DL’ing at the same time and I kind of got the feeling he was watching me to see if he could figure out how to do better but I wasn’t sure so i left it alone. I kind of felt like I should try to help but he managed to get out without hurting himself although I’ve never seen him try them again. should i have said something?[/quote]
I probably would have, when something is so obviously awful I will say something. Most times if you approach it the right way most people are appreciative.
[quote]Gettnitdone wrote:
So partial ROM is working for you, huh?[/quote]
Yup. The majority of my training is ROM progression, and my assistance work is all partial ROM stuff for the most part. I don’t see a whole lot of benefit in full ROM work as I’m rarely weak on all parts of a movement, and instead have strong and weak parts. I hit the weak parts and ignore the strong.[/quote]
[quote]XLR8MyLife wrote:
I had one pet peeve at the gym: People who use the lat pulldown, pin one or two plates, and bring the fucking thing down to their lap.
[/quote]
LOLHAHAHHA so many people do this!! 87% of people at the gym don’t use their back properly for back exercises.
Lat pulldown especially…
[quote]StrengthDawg wrote:
Advice = The WISE don’t need it, the FOOLS won’t heed it.
I didn’t read any of the replies so apologies if this has been said. I’d keep to myself. Just YOU make sure your shit is together and the “mooks” will eventually realize they are doing stuff wrong. Then maybe they will learn to do it correctly.
Think in these terms, You are at the gym to make yourself better right? Only worry about what you are doing UNLESS someone is doing some seriously unsafe shit and could get you or other hurt by their dumbassery; such as trying a snatch and tossing the bar at someone. even then, be as polite as possible. You may end up with a decent training partner someday or at the very least someone who may live learn and pass on themselves. [/quote]
This ^
I think all of us have been lost in some aspect of our lives in a some sort of situation. I know during those times I would hate to be ridiculed, so I generally offer help or ignore.
I will say that what does get me a bit aggravated are the ones who do not know what they are doing but insist on telling people that they do know.
[/quote]
So along these lines, I saw an older guy 50+yrs trying to deadlift and he was rounding his back horribly with around 185lbs. I didn’t say anything because I didn’t want to look like a prick. However, I was DL’ing at the same time and I kind of got the feeling he was watching me to see if he could figure out how to do better but I wasn’t sure so i left it alone. I kind of felt like I should try to help but he managed to get out without hurting himself although I’ve never seen him try them again. should i have said something?[/quote]
I probably would have, when something is so obviously awful I will say something. Most times if you approach it the right way most people are appreciative. [/quote]
I think the key is to approach it the right way. Someone did that for me when I was starting out and phrased it nicely, I didn’t take offense and appreciated the help. I did it myself to a couple of guys who were doing exactly what the OP described on the lat pulldown. I think I phrased it something like “You know, if you are working your back, you are a lot stronger than you think. If you are doing something else, sorry” They guy on the machine asked what I meant, I showed him a little and he was thrilled at how much stronger he was and it went over well. On totally different note, this is also how you can approach someone…Jump to 21s to see what I mean, or just laugh from the start
I wouldn’t bother giving advice if I wasn’t asked for it.
Going by your description of these dudes they don’t sound like highly motivated young athletes where advice could be beneficial, chances are they’ll give up training after a month or two anyway and the advice would be wasted.
It really doesn’t bother me at all to see moronic stuff at the gym as long as they do it far away from where I’m training and it doesn’t impact my workout.
Even if the exercise they are performing is dangerous, it does not affect you and they probably do not care what you have to say. Just mind your own business instead of approaching them.
The alternative approach is to give advice purely to hurt them and get rid of them. I adopt this practice if the behaviour is truly annoying.
For example just yesterday we had 5 young lads turn up to the Gym and proceed to piss off everyone with their music (too loud and crap rap), their antics (Shouting out ‘CMON MAN ITS ALL FUCKING YOU’) and their general weakness (Its hard to be impressed by a 15k bar bell bicep curl…even if it was all him). After a few sets when they then tried to take their shirts off to strut around some more…we’d sorta grown tired of this display.
So the suggestion was ventured that “Boyz you need to focus on your legs, they’re scrawny…do lots of squats and deadlifts.”