Whats even dumber…is wallking around the gym going from machine to machine or free weight to free weight carrying their duffel bag…what the hell do all these gym goers carry in their duffel bags that they need to carry them around all thru out the gym, 
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Hmmm…
Log book and pen, straps for dead lifting, a belt if I wanted to use it for squats or deadlifting, extra set of good clamp collars (because my gym only had those spring clips that I didn’t like), sometimes a set of fractional plates if I wanted to experiment with microloading, a little bit of liquid chalk.
Also a convenient place to stuff a sweatshirt if I came in with one, and didn’t want to mess with a locker. (I lived 5 minutes from the gym, went home to shower). I’d also stick my membership card in the side pocket, along with wallet, drivers license, phone, etc. And a padlock, if I did decided to store a coat or shoes in a locker.
I first started out with dips, chins, shoulder presses and deadlifts or squats. The guy who was helping me said “if you need a belt or straps, you’re lifting too much. Worry about your form, not how much you’re squatting or picking up.” 30 minutes 2 - 3x per week, 3 sets each. Wish I would have stuck with that advice – pretty close to it right now. Gets the job done, saves time and $$$ and no worries about my back or elbow or knees or whatever.
Been going to gym for 40 years…never once needed all of that stuff
never needed straps, used to wear a belt but no longer do
used to carry a pen and notebook in…now i use an app on the phone
keys and wallet are in a locked locker…disclaimer, i go in at 5am when very few are there
Live in florida so i dont need a sweatshirt and i change at work
i primarily just use machines nowadays…in and out in 15 to 20 minutes
I don’t use a belt any more, but I did for awhile when I was following the Starting Strength program, and chasing PR’s. I was never convinced it helped me much with either squats or deadlifts, but it was part of their prescription. And when I was using the belt, the duffel bag seemed like a good place for it.
As for straps: I’ve always had poor grip strength, I think in part because of the proportions of my hand: short fingers relative to the length of my palm.
That low grip strength is now exacerbated by arthritis, the scourge of old age. (Due to basal thumb arthritis, I can barely open twist off caps with my left hand. Maybe will need a thumb joint reconstruction at some point.).
I don’t do max effort deadlifts much anymore, but on a higher rep set of RDL’s, I will start to feel the bar slip off my fingers, and that will adversely affect my form. I find I can focus better on proper form if the bar isn’t rolling off my fingers. I could switch to mixed grip, I suppose. But I’ve injured myself in the past with mixed grip. Using straps with double overhand grip actually feels safer to me.
Well…. you asked what other gym goers might have in those mysterious duffel bags. So I gave you an example.
Just because what I was carrying around isn’t relevant to your situation doesn’t mean I was doing anything silly (which seemed to be your inference).
Guess what: I now train at home with my free weights and a squat rack. So I don’t need a duffel bag. Nor do I need to pay money to someone else to gain access to 1/2 acre or so of expensive or exotic machines. It is great to have choices in these matters.
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I still think its silly to carry around a huge duffel bag in the gym,
whats even funnier as i am a very observant person, i never see anyone taking anything out of the bag or putting anything in the bag…they carry it, put it down, do some sets, pick it up and move on to another area of the gym and repeat,
I was the opposite when it came to straps, it was more of an inconvenience and i never had a problem with my grip when doing heavy deadlifts, rows or pulldowns
I did use the belt back in the day, only when when i went very heavy
never used chalk
Maybe they have their own portable defibrillator in the duffel bag? Or - even worse - maybe a huge stash of PEDs?
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Fairly obvious that even Mike Mentzer improved little after 1977. Ditto Casey Viator after 1971. Arthur Jones , Nautilus, and even Dr. Darden knew this and never recommended an effort to minimize workout volume to match the reality of training without steroids.
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That drives me nuts too … but not as much as seeing people carrying phones. Some of these bags are big enough to fit a small person in.
I’m the odd ball , I carry only a towel.
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The only reason i carry my phone is to document the workout (weight used and reps) and the time it takes to perform the workout
me too with a towel
Why does what others do bother you as long as it doesn’t interfere with your workout? Personally, I’m so focussed on my work I don’t have time to critique anybody.
And if newbie gains slow down, why the emphasis on routines?
Since the genesis of muscle improvement resides around intensity of effort, after the initial plateau of newbie gains only a bare minimum of exercise is needed to achieve any possible further muscular gains.
There is absolutely no discussion of this concept. Only John Little discussed this in an Iron Man November 2007 article.
No one is gaining much past newbie gains.
Marc
I don’t think this is necessarily true. I was jacked at 16, but now I absolutely dwarf the me of back then at the age of 26. I think we all have a bit more potential then we give ourselves credit for. I find the talk of genetics usually one that can be a limiting mindset. I think it’s important to believe that you can be great. It seems to me, especially in the HIT community, the talk of genetics and limitations gets brought up too often.
I think the reason we don’t see a ton of impressive physiques is more so due to people not doing everything it takes to get there in terms of training, nutrition, and recovery as well as discipline than it is a genetic factor. Most people don’t have the knowledge, drive, passion, or love of the process to see those results. You see this in sports too, a lot of kids slack off and get left in the dust.
This is the Ironman magazine article on page 165.
John Little showed how little exercise is required during weight loss, which is the vast majority of people need. Even Dr. Darden writes mostly about weight loss recently.
The only HiT bodybuilders of note were heavily into drugs.
Who cares what they did!
Marc,
I’m not wanting to pick an argument here…for reasons of full disclosure I agree with your views on cardio AND your recent observations on the short amount of time before the majority of development is reached and the minimal training needed after that point…
…BUT in using evidence like the article from John Little ( another who’s common sense ideas on training I largely agree with) aren’t you at risk of being accused of cherry picking your evidence to support your viewpoint? After all, reading Mr Little’s argument, it is clear that he is not a fan of cardio at all, never mind just for weight loss benefits.
Don’t leave yourself open to those kind of comebacks…just my piece of advice…take it or leave it.
I agree with you that some “people don’t have the knowledge, drive, passion, or love of the process to see those results. You see this in sports too, a lot of kids slack off and get left in the dust.” But then you have people who attempt to achieve various physical goals and find that they simply do not have the genetics to get to those goals. I never ever could get even close to some genetic freaks that I worked out with over the decades, some famous powerlifters for example, or one of my training partners you could bench press 550+ pounds. They were born with the genetics. Then again, in my youth, I grew up around some of the strongest humans on the planet and they did not work out at all. How many are born with the muscle and bone density and unreal horsepower to tear a US quarter, or 3 US quarters at one time, into two to six pieces? Or, without any training whatsoever, pick up and carry a cane hauler wheel into the sugar mill’s repair shop instead of using a forklift? Or, in front of several doctors, tear apart a US quarter into three pieces like we can a piece of bubble gum - Tommy Kono knew this guy by the way.
bohicabob,
Totally in agreement with you. The highlighting of the genetic elite who are held up as role models for what “can” be achieved is what fuels the fitness industry.
The industry relies on us believing that we “can” all achieve and that all it takes is hard work…oh and what they are selling at that time.
Truth is most of us can improve to some degree, but that improvement will vary widely and so will the points that we all start from. The elite start from great starting points and also have the ability to improve rapidly from there.
Whereas some of us have lousy starting points and don’t improve much from there.
A good reference point for this is the book “The Sports Gene” by David Epstein. A good read, highly recommended.
The ironic thing is, while you were looking up at those guys, there was probably someone looking at you and wishing that they had your development/ strength / ability.
sgg,
Thanks for your insightful post. I will consider your logical advice. I was not well received at Dr. Darden’s either. But, people read my posts! Little is right on ,many things, however cardio happens to not be one of these. I don’t reject him fully due to his error of non-acceptance of cardio. He and his customers will suffer due to his anti-cardio beliefs. The SuperSlow/BBS community has cherry picked their data since their creation, and The results speak for themselves. Most of these aficionados are into HRT, go figure!
But I will accept your advice, and try to put it into action. I should write a book on cardio for everyday health. It would take less than a week for the HiT aficionados to write many nasty reviews.
Thanks, I’m done!
Marc