Bauber's Training Log

Training Training Logs
261

[quote]ActivitiesGuy wrote:

[quote]Bauber wrote:

[quote]barbedwired wrote:
Nice work ! [/quote]

Thank you sir!

I really wish a gym closer to me would get some heavier dumbbells. I am thinking of just buying my own and leaving them at the damn gym closest to me.[/quote]

My apartment building has a little “fitness room” that I occasionally work out in when my University gym is closed. Not much, but it has one of those 4-way universal machines that includes a chest press, pec deck, lat pulldown (which can also be used for tri/rope work). I went ahead and put a cheapo EZ-curl bar with a couple of plates and a few dumbbells in there as well, all stuff I picked up used on Craigslist. It’s typically left unmolested and the landlords were okay with me putting my own “equipment” in there as well. I just didn’t feel like shuttling back and forth between the fitness room and my own apartment in the middle of a workout.

A commercial gym is obviously quite different than my dinky apartment fitness room, but if you speak to the gym’s owner/manager and explain your purpose, I hope they’d play along and let you leave your own DB’s there if you explained your reasoning. Obviously you run the slight risk of someone else effing them up, but come on, they’re pieces of heavy iron…can someone really “break” a 125-lb dumbbell?

Don’t answer that. I’m quite sure they could if they tried.

The only other reason I can think of for them saying “no” is a fear of safety issues or not wanting to set a precedent of letting gym-goers bring in their own equipment.[/quote]

The gym closest to my house is run by a childhood friend who competes nationally and my current workout partner. I found out today he has ordered 10 100lbs plates! So fucking happy about that.

He also gave me free reign to bring whatever poundage dumbbells I want in. I am going to take your advice and search craigslist for some used dumbbells and see what I can locate near me. Preferably I want some 140’s, 150’s, 160’s, 180’s,. The gym already has 200’s and 210’s.

Yeah I got that reason tossed in my face by a fat lying fuck asshole who owns one of the largest gyms closest to me in the area. He was worried people would get hurt by 100lbs plates or that his employees couldn’t pick them up…

262

[quote]ryanbCXG wrote:
Jeezes your strong I hate you [/quote]

Lol, I am average I would say for my size. But thank you.

263

[quote]Bauber wrote:
The gym closest to my house is run by a childhood friend who competes nationally and my current workout partner. I found out today he has ordered 10 100lbs plates! So fucking happy about that.

He also gave me free reign to bring whatever poundage dumbbells I want in. I am going to take your advice and search craigslist for some used dumbbells and see what I can locate near me. Preferably I want some 140’s, 150’s, 160’s, 180’s,. The gym already has 200’s and 210’s.

Yeah I got that reason tossed in my face by a fat lying fuck asshole who owns one of the largest gyms closest to me in the area. He was worried people would get hurt by 100lbs plates or that his employees couldn’t pick them up…[/quote]

Nice! Glad that you’ll be able to profit from the relationship with a childhood friend/gym owner that can help you out.

Re: finding stuff on craigslist, it’s a good idea, but don’t be surprised if you struggle to find what YOU are looking for (140’s-180’s). Craigslist is full of guys getting rid of that rusty old set of 25’s in the basement, but it’s probably a little short on 160-pound dumbbells, big guy :slight_smile:

You might find what you’re looking for, but it could take awhile.

Re: the other guy who said “no” to you, it is upsetting and silly, but I’ve learned not to get too torqued up about things like that. Sadly, we live in a wacky world of lawsuits & whatnot, and I can see the guy’s fear of someone dropping a 100-pound plate and suing him, or the idea of not wanting to set the precedent (i.e. if you’re allowed to bring your 140-pound DB’s, does he then start have to letting all other members bring in their own equipment if they ask?).

Basically, you learn to work out in a gym/environment that suits you and your goals. That’s one reason I don’t really like it when folks make a big show of getting thrown out of Planet Fitness for doing heavy deadlifts or other plate-dropping activities. Sure, I think it’s dumb that PF rules all but prohibit heavy lifting, but they’re allowed to set their own rules, even if I think their whole “judgement free” thing is quite the opposite (it’s “reverse judgement” - where the people who don’t want to work hard can complain about the fit people who are working hard). If you wanna deadlift heavy (or do basically anything hard), you should know not to work out at a Planet Fitness.

I think the same thing applies here. A big, strong, hard-training guy like yourself - respectful and quiet though you may be in the gym - is sadly just viewed with suspicion and fear by big-box commercial gym owners. He’s (understandably) afraid of the 1% chance that you bringing those big weights in will mean that some jackass HS kid tries to lift one to impress his buddies and drops it on somebody’s foot or something equally stupid.

264

[quote]ActivitiesGuy wrote:

[quote]Bauber wrote:
The gym closest to my house is run by a childhood friend who competes nationally and my current workout partner. I found out today he has ordered 10 100lbs plates! So fucking happy about that.

He also gave me free reign to bring whatever poundage dumbbells I want in. I am going to take your advice and search craigslist for some used dumbbells and see what I can locate near me. Preferably I want some 140’s, 150’s, 160’s, 180’s,. The gym already has 200’s and 210’s.

Yeah I got that reason tossed in my face by a fat lying fuck asshole who owns one of the largest gyms closest to me in the area. He was worried people would get hurt by 100lbs plates or that his employees couldn’t pick them up…[/quote]

Nice! Glad that you’ll be able to profit from the relationship with a childhood friend/gym owner that can help you out.

Re: finding stuff on craigslist, it’s a good idea, but don’t be surprised if you struggle to find what YOU are looking for (140’s-180’s). Craigslist is full of guys getting rid of that rusty old set of 25’s in the basement, but it’s probably a little short on 160-pound dumbbells, big guy :slight_smile:

You might find what you’re looking for, but it could take awhile.

Re: the other guy who said “no” to you, it is upsetting and silly, but I’ve learned not to get too torqued up about things like that. Sadly, we live in a wacky world of lawsuits & whatnot, and I can see the guy’s fear of someone dropping a 100-pound plate and suing him, or the idea of not wanting to set the precedent (i.e. if you’re allowed to bring your 140-pound DB’s, does he then start have to letting all other members bring in their own equipment if they ask?).

Basically, you learn to work out in a gym/environment that suits you and your goals. That’s one reason I don’t really like it when folks make a big show of getting thrown out of Planet Fitness for doing heavy deadlifts or other plate-dropping activities. Sure, I think it’s dumb that PF rules all but prohibit heavy lifting, but they’re allowed to set their own rules, even if I think their whole “judgement free” thing is quite the opposite (it’s “reverse judgement” - where the people who don’t want to work hard can complain about the fit people who are working hard). If you wanna deadlift heavy (or do basically anything hard), you should know not to work out at a Planet Fitness.

I think the same thing applies here. A big, strong, hard-training guy like yourself - respectful and quiet though you may be in the gym - is sadly just viewed with suspicion and fear by big-box commercial gym owners. He’s (understandably) afraid of the 1% chance that you bringing those big weights in will mean that some jackass HS kid tries to lift one to impress his buddies and drops it on somebody’s foot or something equally stupid.
[/quote]

Thank you for the tips and advice good sir!

Oh I completely agree that every place reserves the right to do as they please with regards to what they offer. My issue with this particular gym owner is that he repeatedly lied boldly to my face and then when called on it wants to turn around and make me out to be the problem. If he had just simply told me the truth there would have been no hard feelings and I would have gone about my way.

In most of the gyms where I frequent and have a reputation, I am known as easily approachable and in general a very friendly/ will help you in any way possible kind of person. I am not in any gym to pick up girls, show off, or be a pain in the ass. Just there to train and help anyone who seems to be lost or approaches me with questions. Otherwise I stick to myself. BUT, I know exactly what you speak of with regards to being judged by your cover. That particular gym owner told me and I quote, “I am not trying to cater to guys like you.” Which I honestly have no issue with, you are a business owner and need to do what is best for your business, but just tell me the truth up front.

I also find it funny when people ask me what I do for a living. They expect an answer of policeman, ex-military, manual laborer, etc. All fine jobs and respectable, but they genuinely seem surprised when I relay my educational background. As if having intellectual capacity and muscles are mutually exclusive.

265

[quote]Bauber wrote:
In most of the gyms where I frequent and have a reputation, I am known as easily approachable and in general a very friendly/will help you in any way possible kind of person. I am not in any gym to pick up girls, show off, or be a pain in the ass. Just there to train and help anyone who seems to be lost or approaches me with questions. Otherwise I stick to myself. [/quote]

I suspected as much, judging by the tone of your posts on this forum (and I mean this in a purely complimentary fashion). You strike me as the guy who everyone is afraid to walk up to…until they realize that you’re actually the nicest guy in the gym, not just the biggest.

[quote]Bauber wrote:
BUT, I know exactly what you speak of with regards to being judged by your cover. That particular gym owner told me and I quote, “I am not trying to cater to guys like you.” Which I honestly have no issue with, you are a business owner and need to do what is best for your business, but just tell me the truth up front.[/quote]

Agreed. Sounds like you’ve found greener pastures elsewhere anyway, though, so hopefully this will be a non-issue :slight_smile:

[quote]Bauber wrote:
I also find it funny when people ask me what I do for a living. They expect an answer of policeman, ex-military, manual laborer, etc. All fine jobs and respectable, but they genuinely seem surprised when I relay my educational background. As if having intellectual capacity and muscles are mutually exclusive.[/quote]

I’ve never been nearly as big as you are, but as an offensive-lineman-turned-PhD who’s now a faculty member in the School of Medicine, I quite understand :slight_smile:

I do enjoy the mildly-surprised look people give when that comes up, though. I’m just big/lean enough (and I have a buzzcut, which seems to add something for whatever reason) that strangers at the yoga studio or gym ask if I’m in the military, or ex-military, or…pretty much anything but what I actually do.