Overheard in the gym - Share!

[Timmy M]

I've read through a bit of this thread and have seen squats mentioned here and there, how people think deep squats will injure your knees etc. I'm confused by this. I've always heard that when doing things like lunges and squats that your knee shouldn't go out past your toes to avoid injury, but there's no mention of how deep you should go or not. I frequently squat so that I'm sitting on my heels and balanced on my toes if, say, I need to look at something down low or whatever. And that's even with a bad knee. For about six months I couldn't do that because I'd get excruciating pain through my left knee, but it's healed enough that I can now.

but squatting like that still puts a hella lotta stress on your knees (hence why it hurt so much maybe?), you should 'third world'/'asian' squat when getting down low

[The Tin Man]

Heard today:

Trainer..ehh.. "Trainer" showing girl around the gym. They stop at some machines on the cusp of the weights section and he says, "these are for isolation exercises. you'll want to use them if you don't want to get a lot of muscle." They walk into the free weights section and he says, "These are the free weights. You probably won't want to use them because you'll get more muscle. You get me?" She did not. She looked very confused. That gives me hope.

Meanwhile, my decidedly not MOAR muscley self was in the power cage.. using free weights.. ah well.

He's new to our location. apparently, he doesn't know our gym specializes in awesome.

Perhaps to even things out:

I was mashing some hip bits on the foam roller when one of the definitely awesome trainers came up to me and offered me his lacrosse ball. *sniff* Yes! I declined as I have my own.. but.. I mean, come on. That's great.

That last bit is excellent. Hopefully that trainer learns how things go down. I popped into my local YMCA for a workout last night and there were a couple people doing deadlifts, 10 bars for 4 benches/racks, and a chalk pedestal. Some not-so-great things (very crowded, only one squat rack, bros who used 4 benches and didn't put a single weight away) but all in all it'll be a good "drop in occasionally" spot.

[rtalencar]

I'm usually too busy lifting to care what other folks are doing. I saw a guy snatching ~BW (205) with good form for reps though once, that was worth the pause in my workout.

[Hermione Gainser]

That last bit is excellent. Hopefully that trainer learns how things go down. I popped into my local YMCA for a workout last night and there were a couple people doing deadlifts, 10 bars for 4 benches/racks, and a chalk pedestal. Some not-so-great things (very crowded, only one squat rack, bros who used 4 benches and didn't put a single weight away) but all in all it'll be a good "drop in occasionally" spot.

He is the man (lacrosse ball guy). Probably my favorite trainer there. Sounds like a decent drop in place. Bros..they are everywhere..

I'm usually too busy lifting to care what other folks are doing. I saw a guy snatching ~BW (205) with good form for reps though once, that was worth the pause in my workout.

no headphones+multiple minute rest periods= oh hai, other people.

[Rurounii]

I saw an objectively attractive lady at the gym today wearing layers of make up. I didn't know if she was just that sure in the staying power of her makeup, or if she just wasn't planning on breaking a sweat. She also didn't seem to be focused on her workout and talked a lot with people while pedaling super slow. I'm also disappointed in the guys who would swarm her one after the other when the last guy finished talking to her.

[The Tin Man]

Bros..they are everywhere..

At least they gave me something to do during rest periods (clean up after them)? There I was, in a gym that is not my own, grumbling to myself and racking other peoples' weights. Fun times? I came very close to reordering all the dumbells and distributing plates evenly/accordingly.

[Hermione Gainser]

At least they gave me something to do during rest periods (clean up after them)? There I was, in a gym that is not my own, grumbling to myself and racking other peoples' weights. Fun times? I came very close to reordering all the dumbells and distributing plates evenly/accordingly.

hahahahaha I do that, too! Squat rack and cage are usually okay. The benches, though? Holy unorganized plates, Batman!

[andygates]

I swear, that's me, the plate-tidying fairy.

Gotta do something between sets. Plate-tidying is cardio.

[Hermione Gainser]

I swear, that's me, the plate-tidying fairy.

Gotta do something between sets. Plate-tidying is cardio.

And who says lifters don't do cardio?

[concretecavewoman]

I saw an objectively attractive lady.

I really like your word choice.

[ETFnerd]

darn... i only see figuratively attractive ladies...

...heh heh... as opposed to facially attractive ladies... *chuckle*

sh*t... i'm cracking myself up... burp... sorry...

[BeckyBuckeye]

I work out at my apartment's fitness center. Pretty small, but it works for me for now. A girl and her friend walk in and straight to the ellipticals, where friend starts working really hard and she is pedaling literally the slowest I have ever seen an elliptical go besides stationary. Later I look over and see the two of them sitting/leaning on one of the machines just talking. She never broke a sweat. Really, why even bother to come to the gym? But whatever.

Also saw a lady once that was running on the treadmill in a dress. One that was kind of stretchy so it bounced every step she took and you could almost see her underwear. Purse hanging on the handle of the treadmill.

[rtalencar]

no headphones+multiple minute rest periods= oh hai, other people.

Respeck. If I didn't have music playing (or had to listen to the godawful crap they play at my gym) my lifts would easily be a good 20-50% lower than they are now.

[Church]

I can't listen to music. I get too distracted by it and it totally f@*#s with my mojo. That's why I was able to notice 2 guys dancing to a slow Spanish song. They were doing spins and dips and everything. It's was weird.

[flourless]

For the last week I've been training at home, using Mark Lauren's "You Are Your Own Gym." You'd think that this would reduce my chances to look at people and shake my head in amazement. You'd be wrong!

Earlier in the week, I tried 1-leg RDLs. I didn't feel like my form was right (falling over a lot was a good indicator), so I went and googled and read page after page of tips. Today I did the first one, and nearly fell over again. This led to a bizzare little ritual. Get ready for the rep - waggle my hips. As I start doing the drinking bird impression, I'd chant "push your hips back", and then when I was ready to come up, it was "thrust your hips!" By the end I'd added "Stick your butt out!"

I live in an apartment, and I'm sure that my neighbors were amused by the commentary. This is why I don't go the gym. I'd be the dingbat girl with no weights, falling over sideways as she says "Thrust your hips!"

[realbrickwall]

For the last week I've been training at home, using Mark Lauren's "You Are Your Own Gym." You'd think that this would reduce my chances to look at people and shake my head in amazement. You'd be wrong!

Earlier in the week, I tried 1-leg RDLs. I didn't feel like my form was right (falling over a lot was a good indicator), so I went and googled and read page after page of tips. Today I did the first one, and nearly fell over again. This led to a bizzare little ritual. Get ready for the rep - waggle my hips. As I start doing the drinking bird impression, I'd chant "push your hips back", and then when I was ready to come up, it was "thrust your hips!" By the end I'd added "Stick your butt out!"

I live in an apartment, and I'm sure that my neighbors were amused by the commentary. This is why I don't go the gym. I'd be the dingbat girl with no weights, falling over sideways as she says "Thrust your hips!"

Put out your hands, stick out your tush, hands on your hips, give them a push!

Cookies to the first person who recognizes that.

[Saoirse]

Put out your hands, stick out your tush, hands on your hips, give them a push!

Cookies to the first person who recognizes that.

the French Mistake at the end of Blazing Saddles. you can keep the cookie, i'd rather eat a steak.

how about:

"put your hands on your hips!

and bring your knees in ti-i-ght!"

[---]

Oh, are we doing the time warp again?

[realbrickwall]

the French Mistake at the end of Blazing Saddles. you can keep the cookie, i'd rather eat a steak.

Meat cookies are available upon request.

[128bits]

Random Guy spotting my bench press, after doing my 5 reps:

"Is that all!? I didn't have to touch the bar once!"

[shoobie]

I don't go to the gym either (i find it boring). I have been walking along the beach.. I live in Rio, two blocks away from the beach, so it is not that bad really. There is a public exercise center kind of thing about 2 km away from here, and it is mainly used by elderly people. I usually stop there for some water and some stretching. This morning there was a couple arguing. They looked like they were 80 years old and they were using those leg press devices (have no idea of how to call that thing in english -- sorry -- not even sure i know the name of it in portuguese) and they spent at least 15 min arguing on how the other was doing stuff wrong. By the end of it there were at least 30 ppl around them, most were just watching with a deep interest (i was one of them). One guy... all fit and strong and... yeah.. lets leave it at that... decided to poke his nose in and try to give advice... all he heard was: "Are you saying my husband is wrong? are you criticizing him? Did we ask for your opinion? Go on... get on with your own stuff!". Less than a minute later the couple was arguing again....

[EmCee]

1) someone mentioned ladies wearing makeup to the gym. i always wonder, when i go straight to the gym after work, if people are making fun of me for wearing it while working out (though, I don't trust that it won't come off and I always break a sweat).

2) There was a woman on the treadmill today and it was moving at about 4MPH and she was literally salsa'ing - she would yell out in Spanish very often and then hop on the rails and shake her butt up and down. It was so strange.

[wildross]

I only chuckle when it is 5am in the morning. Guys with cologne too

wildross - warriors count tons, not reps

[Eurydice]

1) someone mentioned ladies wearing makeup to the gym. i always wonder, when i go straight to the gym after work, if people are making fun of me for wearing it while working out (though, I don't trust that it won't come off and I always break a sweat).

I go straight to the gym after work and I wonder that sometimes too. Especially since every time I get done with a heavy set of squats the way my face flushes makes me look like I'm wearing a big bronze streak of truck-stop blush. I could bring makeup removal pads but I always wind up deciding that I just don't care that much what other people think of me at the gym.

[EmCee]

I could bring makeup removal pads but I always wind up deciding that I just don't care that much what other people think of me at the gym.

I've thought about packing them in my gym bag too and then decide basically the same thing! Too much effort worrying about people.