Beginner's Rant

This is just to vent a little fustration.
I havn’t been training all that long (4 months) but thanks to T-Nation at least i know that im on my way. Today was my leg day and as such i just minding my own business doing my squats, stifflegged deads etc, when some dumb ass biginner “expert” decides that he must set me right with my training.

Firstly he tells me that i should be doing at least 8-12 reps, and that i should half the weight that im doing and do it a lot slower etc etc etc… at which point i politly asked him how long he had been training for… his reply: “oh about a month now, but im studying this stuff”.

My blood started to boil. i know nothing. I know i know nothing. But come on this guy was a dead set idiot. Took me 15 min just to get rid of this moron, i had bugger all time before work to get the training done, i did not have time for the fool.

So i guess my question is this: What makes people like this think that as soon as they step into a gym, pull on some gloves and hop on a machine think that they are qualified to give anyone advice - no scratch that INTRUCTION?!

Im having a good laugh about it now… Thanks guys just needed to vent!
-Mitch-

hi mate - congrats for starting off and to have T-Nation as guidance so early on you will be toned in no time

(joking there when i say toned !!)

anyways - i remember having experts try and tell me what to do ie i have abs and a guy with a belly who could hardly see his nob was telling me how to diet !

you will meet lots of numpties - some will give you snippets of good info but generally most will be from the dark ages

best piece of advice - mp3 player and avoid eye contact :slight_smile:

good luck with it mate - for your own records take some pics and get some measurements down on paper - keep a good training diary / food log

You find them everywhere, which is partly why I’ve gone back to lifting at home.

Yeah thanks guys,
I got the fool to join be doing squats and deads the other day…
Seeing him today still walking funny was strangly up lifting :slight_smile:

-Mitch-

LOL I had the same problem with a guy that would come in and try to correct my technique at every possible moment…
IE : stiff leg deads are bad
squats are bad
you should use the pec deck more often to increase your bench
ect, ect, ect
I got him to jump in and do a session with me . The fool couldn’t lift 150kg (330pnd) for a single rep If his life depended on it and didn’t even know what a zercher squat was.
Just ignore the idiots with all the know how. You sound like u have half an idea about what your doing and if your body responds to it then keep it up!

best piece of advice - mp3 player and avoid eye contact :slight_smile:

It’s true, even if you don’t have music playing, just pretend you do.

You could also try telling them “thanks for the advice, but my goals may be different than yours, and that’s why I lift like I do.”

after over a year at the same gym no one has bothered me once. I have to listen to some guy say some stupid crap about the way women are training (he believes in lots of cardio and high reps to “tone”) but he is a good spotter so I deal with it

[quote]mitche11 wrote:
So i guess my question is this: What makes people like this think that as soon as they step into a gym, pull on some gloves and hop on a machine think that they are qualified to give anyone advice - no scratch that INTRUCTION?!

-Mitch-[/quote]

Get rid of him next time by asking him why he is wearing gloves, then any reason he gives taunt him for being a wuss and tell him to leave you alone and go home and moisturize.

[quote]jbodzin wrote:
mitche11 wrote:
So i guess my question is this: What makes people like this think that as soon as they step into a gym, pull on some gloves and hop on a machine think that they are qualified to give anyone advice - no scratch that INTRUCTION?!

-Mitch-

Get rid of him next time by asking him why he is wearing gloves, then any reason he gives taunt him for being a wuss and tell him to leave you alone and go home and moisturize.[/quote]

Nice one.

How about changing the direction of this thread to:

The best/most funny way to get rid of “experts” at the gym…

[quote]mitche11 wrote:
How about changing the direction of this thread to:

The best/most funny way to get rid of “experts” at the gym…[/quote]

Be bigger.

[quote]Professor X wrote:
mitche11 wrote:
How about changing the direction of this thread to:

The best/most funny way to get rid of “experts” at the gym…

Be bigger.[/quote]

nahh … takes too long for most

just give them a great, big, girly WINK :wink:

that will keep them away.

OR, hang a piece of dental floss from one side of your mouth, dribbling spit. Also helps to get your own seat on a bus/train.

Talk to yourself. Loudly. Argue. And lose.

[quote]Magarhe wrote:

nahh … takes too long for most

just give them a great, big, girly WINK :wink:

that will keep them away.

OR, hang a piece of dental floss from one side of your mouth, dribbling spit. Also helps to get your own seat on a bus/train.

Talk to yourself. Loudly. Argue. And lose.

[/quote]

HA HA HA, man, I’m at work. I cant read stuff like that and have outbursts of laughter. I just pictured some well built guy sitting there with dental floss hanging out of his mough, drooling, and arguing with himself. Its hard to contain the laughter.

[quote]Professor X wrote:
mitche11 wrote:
How about changing the direction of this thread to:

The best/most funny way to get rid of “experts” at the gym…

Be bigger.[/quote]

2nd. Or at least look like you’ve been working out a while. I rant on all these pussy little posts, but it’s the truth. This shit never, NEVER, happens to me and I’ve lifted nowhere but commercial gyms my whole life.

Well maybe you really sucked?

You don’t get bothered if you look like you know what you’re doing. It takes practise mate. I bet you, in 4 years time only the complete noobies will be bothering you,. because they don’t know how to train.

It takes time dude. WIth practise, anyone will be able to tell that you know what you’re doing.

[quote]sasquatch wrote:
Professor X wrote:
mitche11 wrote:
How about changing the direction of this thread to:

The best/most funny way to get rid of “experts” at the gym…

Be bigger.

2nd. Or at least look like you’ve been working out a while. I rant on all these pussy little posts, but it’s the truth. This shit never, NEVER, happens to me and I’ve lifted nowhere but commercial gyms my whole life.[/quote]

Well, people may be a little intimidated by big foot.

Ask him to spot you on leg press by having him sit on your lap and press when you give out. (I saw that on a muscleheads comic strip 10 years ago and still laugh when I think of it).

Started on the whole getting bigger thing… (sticks thumb in mouth and blows HARD!) and the talking to the water cooler seems to be helping. :slight_smile:

[quote]Sxio wrote:

You don’t get bothered if you look like you know what you’re doing. It takes practise mate. I bet you, in 4 years time only the complete noobies will be bothering you,. because they don’t know how to train.

It takes time dude. WIth practise, anyone will be able to tell that you know what you’re doing. [/quote]

so true…except that every once in a while you’ll get an ACE certified dimwit walk over to ask you why you’re doing 10 x 3’s.

If you want to keep the “experts” away…

Assuming the guy bothering you is straight, the next time he gives you unwanted advice, just give him a little pat on the ass and say, “Thanks cutie.”