Boneheads in the gym - what do YOU do?

[EMW14]

One of the 2 gyms I go to (it's a chain with access to multiple locations) has a lot of high school kids in it. Many - most, really - have no idea what they're doing. I have nothing against young guys trying to get in shape; hell, I started training as a teen. So I support and applaud them for doing it. However: this kid was deadlifting next to me yesterday and doing it all wrong. Holding his breath, letting the weight bow his back over, pulling his shoulders down, leaning way out over his toes. Clearly too heavy for him to do it with proper form. I tried to ignore him but thought he was going to hurt himself.

So I asked him if I could help him out a little. "No, I'm good" he says. Says I, "No, you're not. You're going to hurt yourself doing that the way you're doing it." I then demonstrated and explained how to do it correctly. Result: He completely ignored me. I later saw him walking bent at the waist, leaning to one side, obviously with his lower back hurting. But damn, he sure pulled twice his body weight - so about 225 - off the floor! Today I see a kid doing leg press all wrong but I let him be. Fuck it. I don't want to be the old guy in the gym telling everyone what to do... If that deadlifter busts his gut next to me I'll finish my workout and walk away.... I guess that's cold hearted, but...

What do you do? Just let em go? I guess you sort of have to.

 

[Presser]

One of the 2 gyms I go to (it's a chain with access to multiple locations) has a lot of high school kids in it. Many - most, really - have no idea what they're doing. I have nothing against young guys trying to get in shape; hell, I started training as a teen. So I support and applaud them for doing it. However: this kid was deadlifting next to me yesterday and doing it all wrong. Holding his breath, letting the weight bow his back over, pulling his shoulders down, leaning way out over his toes. Clearly too heavy for him to do it with proper form. I tried to ignore him but thought he was going to hurt himself.

So I asked him if I could help him out a little. "No, I'm good" he says. Says I, "No, you're not. You're going to hurt yourself doing that the way you're doing it." I then demonstrated and explained how to do it correctly. Result: He completely ignored me. I later saw him walking bent at the waist, leaning to one side, obviously with his lower back hurting. But damn, he sure pulled twice his body weight - so about 225 - off the floor! Today I see a kid doing leg press all wrong but I let him be. Fuck it. I don't want to be the old guy in the gym telling everyone what to do... If that deadlifter busts his gut next to me I'll finish my workout and walk away.... I guess that's cold hearted, but...

What do you do? Just let em go? I guess you sort of have to.

I never say shit to anyone! I keep to myself no matter how bad their form is, even if they're doing the absolute wrong body part on a muscle specific machine lmao, i let them go and never ever step in

 

[johntrain88]

I keep to myself unless they ask for help. Some people get offended even if your just trying to help them, for their best interest.

 

[Presser]

I keep to myself unless they ask for help. Some people get offended even if your just trying to help them, for their best interest.

Agreed! And welcome to MC Brutha

 

[South4478]

I never ever say anything to anyone. I'm in my own little world and pay attention to no one.

 

[The Survivor]

Since I'm the owner of a gym, of course I have to help folks, wanting to or not. I like helping people but only if they listen. I usually advise them 2-3-4 times and if they dont listen, let em do what they want. Babysittining not in my job title

 

[Alex San]

People are 2 ignorant and if u try to say something they say this work for me, like people load the bar with plates and just bend 2 inches of arms and consider it a heavy bench day , huh

 

[Minima]

I'm in the gym to improve me. Some guys don't want to look like me (crazy right! Lol) why would I try to help someone when the reason I got into the lifestyle was to help me? And no one helped me when I started. Fuck I used to do like 20 sets of different types of squats cuz that's all I knew about legs. The people who deserved to be helped are those who want to Learn for the better and aren't afraid to fail and try a few times before they get another's opinion.

 

[IronJulius]

i try to help sometimes but the approach is very important. i start out with have you tried to do it this way? or i get better results when i do this. to me it feels good especially when they come up to me after their workout and thank me. i had a high school coach so i had to do shit right

 

[Presser]

I never ever say anything to anyone. I'm in my own little world and pay attention to no one.

Me to, which is why I wear headphones and blast my music so i can't hear anything from anyone! I honest to GOD haven't spoken more then 1 sentence at a time to any one in my gym! I like to get in and get out!

 

[studmuffin]

I coach my wife only! I see a lot of guys in the gym lifting wrong but I do not dare to venture into helping them. I would really like to help them but I know the trainers there would not agree with it.

 

[drtbear67]

I was told while I was at one of the big box gyms, that they would rather people get hurt than anyone to help them. They are more concerned about not making a training sale than some one possible getting hurt.

On another note, I am one of the most laid back persons that you would ever meet. I don't get upset about much of anything, life is just to short. Well, at an old gym that I use to work out at, I was between sets and had to adjust my ear buds. As I took them out, I overheard a couple of young guys talking shit about some lady. I didn't know them or her, but as I listened to them, they were making rude comments about her stretch marks. Now being a father of 5, and knowing what a woman's body can go through, this pissed me off. I walked over to the two and in a very direct manner, let the two little shits know that those are what I call tiger strips, that woman fought a battle for those and that they needed to have more respect for her. She was in there killing it and doing more than they were. They apologized and I told them that they didn't need to apologize to me, but to her.

I went back to working out and later noticed them talking to the lady. As I finished up my workout and was leaving, the lady came up to me and thanked me. She had overheard what I had said. We all start somewhere, and we should never talk shit about those that we don't know. Everyone is in a battle, some are just easier to see.

Nuff said.

 

[Mountain_Man]

I keep quiet unless they are being a danger to others

 

[The Survivor]

[/B]]I was told while I was at one of the big box gyms, that they would rather people get hurt than anyone to help them. They are more concerned about not making a training sale than some one possible getting hurt.

On another note, I am one of the most laid back persons that you would ever meet. I don't get upset about much of anything, life is just to short. Well, at an old gym that I use to work out at, I was between sets and had to adjust my ear buds. As I took them out, I overheard a couple of young guys talking shit about some lady. I didn't know them or her, but as I listened to them, they were making rude comments about her stretch marks. Now being a father of 5, and knowing what a woman's body can go through, this pissed me off. I walked over to the two and in a very direct manner, let the two little shits know that those are what I call tiger strips, that woman fought a battle for those and that they needed to have more respect for her. She was in there killing it and doing more than they were. They apologized and I told them that they didn't need to apologize to me, but to her.

I went back to working out and later noticed them talking to the lady. As I finished up my workout and was leaving, the lady came up to me and thanked me. She had overheard what I had said. We all start somewhere, and we should never talk shit about those that we don't know. Everyone is in a battle, some are just easier to see.

Nuff said.

I cant beleive how these big box sissy gyms charge, I heard that the Anytime near me charges $1 minute for a treadmill trainer, $29 for half hour. Imagine telling mrs jones, "Ok speed it up, now slow down for a minute..." and getting that kinda money for that!!

 

[Doctor9]

I generally don't comment unless I see someone who is about to get badly hurt - and then the Boy Scout in me can't just stand back and watch. Conversely, if someone *asks* for my help/opinion/advise, a) I'll take that as a compliment in that I guess I look like I know something , b) I will help them to the best of my ability - on occasion partly contradicting what a paid trainer has told them. They had one guy nearly my age (he was nearly 40) doing really fast reps on squats, with a lot of bounce in the move. *shudder* I pointed out to him he wasn't 25 years old any more, and that it's much easier to get hurt, and more severely, as you get older. Had him slow down the cadence a bit, and not only did his form improve (obviously, since he could focus on it ) but he found he was working harder (Duh! Less momentum assistance)

Most people these days don't like being told what to do, but if you do it a certain way, sometimes you can get away with it.

Doctor9

 

[BigZ]

Same for me. I did have to tell a couple of kids a while back that they were facing the wrong way in a squat rack (not a cage, but the sloped rack type). I, too, will help someone if they ask me.

 

[d12hazz]

That's one of the hardest things for me to do "not to help". By nature I am the type that wants to help everyone but knows he can't. I am not some exercise guru but I know what I am doing. I never say anything and that's super hard to do, but I also don't want to be that guy. I work out at the newly built gym at the University I work and attend school at. I am on average about 15 to 18 yrs older than everyone in there, so I don't want tho be the old man that thinks he knows everything. Shoot I am still learning new things, discovered so new glute exercises this week.

 

[tj124]

One of the 2 gyms I go to (it's a chain with access to multiple locations) has a lot of high school kids in it. Many - most, really - have no idea what they're doing. I have nothing against young guys trying to get in shape; hell, I started training as a teen. So I support and applaud them for doing it. However: this kid was deadlifting next to me yesterday and doing it all wrong. Holding his breath, letting the weight bow his back over, pulling his shoulders down, leaning way out over his toes. Clearly too heavy for him to do it with proper form. I tried to ignore him but thought he was going to hurt himself.

So I asked him if I could help him out a little. "No, I'm good" he says. Says I, "No, you're not. You're going to hurt yourself doing that the way you're doing it." I then demonstrated and explained how to do it correctly. Result: He completely ignored me. I later saw him walking bent at the waist, leaning to one side, obviously with his lower back hurting. But damn, he sure pulled twice his body weight - so about 225 - off the floor! Today I see a kid doing leg press all wrong but I let him be. Fuck it. I don't want to be the old guy in the gym telling everyone what to do... If that deadlifter busts his gut next to me I'll finish my workout and walk away.... I guess that's cold hearted, but...

What do you do? Just let em go? I guess you sort of have to.

I have tried to advise the young folk but they know every thing right. I saw the same thing with 3 young guys deadlifting all with bad form but good strength. They would not take my old man advice so I challenged them to deadlift against me. They lost and now they won't train near me. LMFAO

 

[EMW14]

That is some funny shit, right there!

 

[Masher59]

I keep to myself as well unless I see a dangerous situation to others. If hot broads ask for help I will usually deviate for a moment especially if they need a spot for squats and have a nice rack.