Now Ive been training seriously for about two and a bit years now, i have also been a dedicated T-Nation reader.
During my session today i was in-between sets when i look over my left shoulder and what did i see?? Some ill-informed or be it stupid gym go-er, on a bench press loaded up with 100kg, now your thinkin yer dude who cares, but it wasnt untill i saw that this guy was using a “false” grip on the bar. I had to turn away, i couldnt watch, i’m over tellin people about there technique and ways to improve, becuase lets face it, everyone is an expert.
My question is whats the most stupid thing you have played witness to in your gym??
The reason i ask is because i wonder if it’s the gym im in or the time im going, whether all the idiots come out at once or whether every gym has there obnoxious, pig headed members??
There are about 10,000 million threads about stupidity in the gym I reckon… most notably “Squat Rack Curls.” Try that search button at the top, you’ll find all sorts of good stuff.
(By the way, for me it’s hard to pin-point the most stuipid thing I’ve seen someone do in a gym.)
[quote]danfinn wrote:
Now Ive been training seriously for about two and a bit years now, i have also been a dedicated T-Nation reader.
During my session today i was in-between sets when i look over my left shoulder and what did i see?? Some ill-informed or be it stupid gym go-er, on a bench press loaded up with 100kg, now your thinkin yer dude who cares, but it wasnt untill i saw that this guy was using a “false” grip on the bar. [/quote]
That guy could have been me, I use a false grip when doing bench with a grip narrower than about 28inch between index fingers. Have done for years.
What kills me are all the college chicks doing set after set of weighted side bends. I want to ask them if they’re intentionally widening their waist!
It was the same trap I fell into 20 years ago… thinking I was “burning fat” on my waist when in reality it was making my obliques blocky and ruining what little V-taper I had. Dumbass.
[quote]Vicar Philip wrote:
What kills me are all the college chicks doing set after set of weighted side bends. I want to ask them if they’re intentionally widening their waist!
[/quote]
The same chicks usually proceed to do some with a rounded back too, like if they’re trying to fuck up their spine intentionally.
i’m sure he was also using one of those cheating arches and ill advised tucking of the elbows. don’t get me started on those morons that use leg drive.
2 days ago I saw a guy pick up an EZ bar to what were supposed to be bicep curls. He loaded the bar with maybe 30kg. I saw that he was wearing a lifting belt and I said to myself “he is being a little cautious isn’t he?”
Then I discovered why - he lifted the bar to his thighs and then proceeded to use all his stength to explode the bar upwards in what can only be described as hybrid between a serious cheat-curl, a clean and a front raise.
It was insane. My gym partner who knew one of the gym instructors asked him something along the lines of whether he felt compelled to say something to this injury waiting to happen, and the instructor informed him that everybody thinks of themselves as an expert and will generally laugh off the advice of the instructors when they are clearly doing something retarded.
Also on the topic of squat-rack curls, I once saw a guy doing DB curls in the squat rack.
I shit you not!
[quote]maraudermeat wrote:
don’t get me started on those morons that use leg drive.
[/quote]
I know man leg drive on bench press is an injury waiting to happen!
Holding your legs up in the air so that you simultaneously get a pump in your abz is clearly the most superior way to bench.
[quote]danfinn wrote:
Now Ive been training seriously for about two and a bit years now, i have also been a dedicated T-Nation reader.
During my session today i was in-between sets when i look over my left shoulder and what did i see?? Some ill-informed or be it stupid gym go-er, on a bench press loaded up with 100kg, now your thinkin yer dude who cares, but it wasnt untill i saw that this guy was using a “false” grip on the bar. I had to turn away, i couldnt watch, i’m over tellin people about there technique and ways to improve, becuase lets face it, everyone is an expert.
My question is whats the most stupid thing you have played witness to in your gym??
The reason i ask is because i wonder if it’s the gym im in or the time im going, whether all the idiots come out at once or whether every gym has there obnoxious, pig headed members??[/quote]
There is some members here with alot more years on you who use that “false grip”. First one that comes to mine is Caveman. He is very far from an “idiot” also.
Trying to hit a heavy pr using a false grip (or any grip for that matter) without a good spotter(s) would probably be a real stupid thing to do though.
I cringe when I see people doing bench press with feet up on the bench. To me that looks kind of stupid.
Yet, I’m doing my best nowadays to worry about what I have to do in the gym. Then worry about what joe schmoe is doing over there.
[quote]Vicar Philip wrote:
What kills me are all the college chicks doing set after set of weighted side bends. I want to ask them if they’re intentionally widening their waist! [/quote]
Along those lines: at my gym, the thing for the stupid is side bends holding a dumbbell in each hand.
Thus counterbalancing the body so no net work is done.
I say let it go - to each their own - just stay out of the way when the paramedics have to storm in with the stretcher.
False/suicide grip works for some people; I play around with it but definitely not on ME lifts. I’ve spotted guys doing over 225+ lbs on the bar so for them it’s no big deal (unless it slips, of course)
For a combined anecdotes on gym stupidity & sheer Darwin award submission, go to the “squat rack curls thread”, over 200 pgs & counting
[quote]rock27 wrote:
maraudermeat wrote:
don’t get me started on those morons that use leg drive.
I know man leg drive on bench press is an injury waiting to happen!
Holding your legs up in the air so that you simultaneously get a pump in your abz is clearly the most superior way to bench.
[quote]BlueCollarTr8n wrote:
rock27 wrote:
maraudermeat wrote:
don’t get me started on those morons that use leg drive.
I know man leg drive on bench press is an injury waiting to happen!
Holding your legs up in the air so that you simultaneously get a pump in your abz is clearly the most superior way to bench.
Gotta have the knees bent at the proper angle!!
[/quote]
i find that i’m able to stabilize much easier with my legs up in the air if i force my elbows WAYYYY out to the sides. the super flare really helps to keep me from falling off the bench.
