Overheard in the gym - Share!

[andygates]

"Barfies" are the official new name.  

[I-Jo]

barfies- awesome.

 

definitly.stealing.that.

[Raev]

So, I know I am a bit late to this party but I thought I'd share a personal favorite of mine.

 

While doing my best to pretend I was a warrior and push a set where talking isn't possible, one of the gym pacers tells me...

 

"You know, I figured it out. I'll be much smaller soon.  I'm going to start eating just a cup of plain white rice a day and start working out like that.  I figure after 6 months of just a cup of rice a day, I'll be ripped!"

 

After my set I told him "After 6 months of pushing yourself as hard as you can on a cup of rice a day, you'll be dead.  Eating isn't your enemy, fast food is".

 

His reply "Oh, I'll take a multivitamin as well.  That will give me all the nutrients I need".

 

 

Also....barfies...I love it!

[Guest Dirty Deads]

So, I know I am a bit late to this party but I thought I'd share a personal favorite of mine.

 

While doing my best to pretend I was a warrior and push a set where talking isn't possible, one of the gym pacers tells me...

 

"You know, I figured it out. I'll be much smaller soon.  I'm going to start eating just a cup of plain white rice a day and start working out like that.  I figure after 6 months of just a cup of rice a day, I'll be ripped!"

 

After my set I told him "After 6 months of pushing yourself as hard as you can on a cup of rice a day, you'll be dead.  Eating isn't your enemy, fast food is".

 

His reply "Oh, I'll take a multivitamin as well.  That will give me all the nutrients I need".

 

 

Also....barfies...I love it!

 

Don't lie to the poor guy, you got him thinking he could last 6 months. I'm thinking 2 is more likely, although after a couple weeks he probably won't be able to even get out of bed to hit the gym.

[Guest Snake McClain]

Short version. I'm a personal trainer and at my gym one of the members asks me to spot him bench.he tells me he can only get it for four reps usually and wants to go for five. he's old. and not benching right. hes at best doing 105lbs (i dont remember) and he is just...his form is all over the place bad. so i make some suggestions about foot placement and...

 

him: "well that would put an arch in my back and that isn't good."

 

me: It can actually cause you to lift that weight easier if you're having a hard time with it.

 

him: well i've been doing this for 53 years and I don't want to change it now.

 

me: (to myself only) I guess you've been doing it wrong this long, so why change now.

 

I just don't understand.

[Guest Dirty Deads]

Short version. I'm a personal trainer and at my gym one of the members asks me to spot him bench.he tells me he can only get it for four reps usually and wants to go for five. he's old. and not benching right. hes at best doing 105lbs (i dont remember) and he is just...his form is all over the place bad. so i make some suggestions about foot placement and...

 

him: "well that would put an arch in my back and that isn't good."

 

me: It can actually cause you to lift that weight easier if you're having a hard time with it.

 

him: well i've been doing this for 53 years and I don't want to change it now.

 

me: (to myself only) I guess you've been doing it wrong this long, so why change now.

 

I just don't understand.

Wow, what's his secret? A 105 lbs. 4 rep bench in only 53 years? Teach me master!

[Cr33g]

This wasn't heard in the gym, but it was heard of in the work place, maybe about two years ago.

 

I was in the kitchen talking to this lady from work and she was asking me how I lost all my weight (32kg, or 70Ibs in 9 months). I told her it was from starting Judo, which lead to exercise and a healthy diet.

 

Out of nowhere, this other lady - short, overweight and round interrupts our conversation, basically ranting how "science has proven" that apparently, "diet and exercise don't work".

 

I was completely stunned. I kind of just stared at her, as if I was watching the universe crumble before me and that there was nothing I could do to prevent the apocalypse.

[Vixen68]

Short version. I'm a personal trainer and at my gym one of the members asks me to spot him bench.he tells me he can only get it for four reps usually and wants to go for five. he's old. and not benching right. hes at best doing 105lbs (i dont remember) and he is just...his form is all over the place bad. so i make some suggestions about foot placement and...

 

him: "well that would put an arch in my back and that isn't good."

 

me: It can actually cause you to lift that weight easier if you're having a hard time with it.

 

him: well i've been doing this for 53 years and I don't want to change it now.

 

me: (to myself only) I guess you've been doing it wrong this long, so why change now.

 

I just don't understand.

 

This is pretty much the complete opposite to what happened to me at the gym last night! Was benching powerlifter style, with a big arch and legs out & planted.

The gym manager walks past and

 

Manager: "you should keep your legs together when you do that"

Me: "Why?"

Manager: "Because you wont get the right muscles doing it the way you are"

Me: "Well this is they way i have been taught to do it by powerlifters"

Manager: "haha yeah powerlifters barely target their chests, they just arch their backs and it becomes a full body exercise. Its better to keep your back flat"  (i guess he couldnt see the huge arch id had in my back because of my baggy T)

Me: "alright well im just going to stick to the way ive been taught ... "

 

Who wouldnt want a full body exercise AND be able to lift more!!?? I mean, i get that isolating muscles is great if that's what you are trying to do, but this guy is the manager and is trying to tell me that powerlifting is just wrong...

 

I might add that i went on to get a PR for bench after that - My way

[Guest Snake McClain]

Wow, what's his secret? A 105 lbs. 4 rep bench in only 53 years? Teach me master!

 exactly what i thought.

[Guest Snake McClain]

This wasn't heard in the gym, but it was heard of in the work place, maybe about two years ago.

 

I was in the kitchen talking to this lady from work and she was asking me how I lost all my weight (32kg, or 70Ibs in 9 months). I told her it was from starting Judo, which lead to exercise and a healthy diet.

 

Out of nowhere, this other lady - short, overweight and round interrupts our conversation, basically ranting how "science has proven" that apparently, "diet and exercise don't work".

 

I was completely stunned. I kind of just stared at her, as if I was watching the universe crumble before me and that there was nothing I could do to prevent the apocalypse.

 

I'm pretty sure this is the only reaction that is allowed. LOL i think that would have been mine. and then later i would have asked for her sources.

 

This is pretty much the complete opposite to what happened to me at the gym last night! Was benching powerlifter style, with a big arch and legs out & planted.

The gym manager walks past and

 

Manager: "you should keep your legs together when you do that"

Me: "Why?"

Manager: "Because you wont get the right muscles doing it the way you are"

Me: "Well this is they way i have been taught to do it by powerlifters"

Manager: "haha yeah powerlifters barely target their chests, they just arch their backs and it becomes a full body exercise. Its better to keep your back flat"  (i guess he couldnt see the huge arch id had in my back because of my baggy T)

Me: "alright well im just going to stick to the way ive been taught ... "

 

Who wouldnt want a full body exercise AND be able to lift more!!?? I mean, i get that isolating muscles is great if that's what you are trying to do, but this guy is the manager and is trying to tell me that powerlifting is just wrong...

 

I might add that i went on to get a PR for bench after that - My way

 

Heaven forbid someone get stronger and work the whole body! You better quit benching properly RIGHT AWAY! LOL. seriously i see some of the stuff other trainers do and all I can do is just shake my head and chuckle to myself. I do it on the regular. It just makes no sense what I see sometimes.

[RescuedRuckus]

So this was told to me while I was trying to get my running burpee tabada in the other day

*Me running around the track twice then dropping and doing 10 burpees. did about 6 rounds of this!

*Random Curl bro* Dude those look weird what are they

*Me breathless and tired* Burpees. Wanna try?

*RCB* Yeah Bro!

*RCB does two laps with me and is panting very hard at the end then we jump down to do burpees.

*RCB after 3 Burpees* Wow these are really tough I can really feel them in my *BARF*

*RCB hurls right next to me then heads off to the bathroom to get cleaned up.*

*Gym attendent walks over and looks at the barf* Son-ova-bitch! Dumbasses need to stick to their lifts. This is the 3rd time this week that I have had to clean up after them. *glares at me* I blame you.

 

I continue with my tabada only doing burpees in a different space and the RCB comes back in looking a little green* You're hard core Bro. I don't think those Barfies are good for you though. My protien shake definatly tasted better going down.

LOL  ^This is awesome.  and I agree.  Barfies are the new official name

[Brad]

I was expecting something more along the lines of:

 

Manager: "you should keep your legs together when you do that"

Vixen: "Why?"

Manager "You just should; trust me" and he kinda points y'know ... there

Vixen: "Oh! <blush> Thanks for the heads up ... so to speak"

 

Now, I'm not gonna go on about what the Manager was referring to, but I'm sure you can all fill in the gaps yourselves

 

 

 

 

HAAAaa!...fill in the gap...

[I-Jo]

I'll fill yer...

 

 

waiiiiiit a minute....... 

[RescuedRuckus]

Okay so this is less of an overheard and more of a seen at the gym...

 

This pair of dudes (not quite curl bros) had a barbell set up for what I assumed was DL and squats.  I go over to the squat rack to do my sets and proceed to witness the most horrible barbell curl I've ever watched.  

 

One of these dudes loads up the bar with 2 pairs of 45# plates and lifts it up to a starting position for a curl.  I'm thinking no freaking way he's gonna curl this...  Well he shifts his feet around so that he's mostly standing on his left foot and his right foot is slightly back but balanced on the balls of that foot.  Almost like he's gonna push off and leap forward a little.  Well he sits back and uses his hips and legs to throw the bar up to the point where his arms can somewhat take over.  When his arms engage he arches his back big time (see image below) to explode the bar up as much as possible.  Usually to about his pecs, once or twice up all the way through a curl.  And then lets the weight drop back to *his* starting position.

 

The whole move took 1.5 seconds, maybe 2 seconds at absolute most.  I was very much disappointed to see him coaching his friend on the same move.  Thankfully the friend didn't have the bar nearly as loaded up.  Oh and lots of grunting and high-fiving occurred...

 

Here's about the closest image I can find to how the guy's back was arched.  Take the poor form image and make the global curve worse.  

http://www.builtlean.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/athletic-stance-overhead-dumbbell-press.jpg

[Pnkrckpixikat]

 

Okay so this is less of an overheard and more of a seen at the gym...

 

This pair of dudes (not quite curl bros) had a barbell set up for what I assumed was DL and squats.  I go over to the squat rack to do my sets and proceed to witness the most horrible barbell curl I've ever watched.  

 

One of these dudes loads up the bar with 2 pairs of 45# plates and lifts it up to a starting position for a curl.  I'm thinking no freaking way he's gonna curl this...  Well he shifts his feet around so that he's mostly standing on his left foot and his right foot is slightly back but balanced on the balls of that foot.  Almost like he's gonna push off and leap forward a little.  Well he sits back and uses his hips and legs to throw the bar up to the point where his arms can somewhat take over.  When his arms engage he arches his back big time (see image below) to explode the bar up as much as possible.  Usually to about his pecs, once or twice up all the way through a curl.  And then lets the weight drop back to *his* starting position.

 

The whole move took 1.5 seconds, maybe 2 seconds at absolute most.  I was very much disappointed to see him coaching his friend on the same move.  Thankfully the friend didn't have the bar nearly as loaded up.  Oh and lots of grunting and high-fiving occurred...

 

Here's about the closest image I can find to how the guy's back was arched.  Take the poor form image and make the global curve worse.  

http://www.builtlean.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/athletic-stance-overhead-dumbbell-press.jpg

 

 

I consider myself a complete idiot newb with most strength training knowledge... and even I can just read this and know they are destined for injury.   how are some people so stupid *shakes head*

[I-Jo]

" I can't do legs in the middle of the week"

 

 

<wait> what.

 

I don't understand how you can't do a workout on a certain day- like I understand you may have a personal preference for a rotation- like Monday's is wildly popular for chest- but I do legs 2-3 times a week... if that is on Monday then it's on Monday  if its Wednesday or Saturday- whatever- it is what it is.

I don't understand how you "can't do this" in the middle of the week.

[Pnkrckpixikat]

There was a group of guys in the squat rack next to me that were trying to help a girl do squats, but she kept falling backwards, so they put plates under her heels. So that she was leaning forward. On her toes.

Ironically enough, at the same time they were making fun of the guys using the smith machines.

 

A trainer did this to me once when I didn't know better... I pulled something in my foot. It didn't heal for like a year, every time I thought maybe it was healed (hadn't hurt in a month or so) I would try to go for a jog and nope 5 minutes in the pain was back.

[Timmy M]

i've felt shamed the last few weeks as my press day has fallen on monday and it makes me feel like a bro... the extra curls i'm doing aren't helping things :/

 

what is helping is seeing some horrendous deadlifting (what is it with eastern europeans and deadlifting with straps, belt and overextending the lockout?) one of these fools was also the guy who used bumpers for the smith machine, and he used nothing but bumpers (working up to 170kg) with deadlifts and yet every rep stopped at least 2 inches of the ground, about 4/5 inches for the 170kg... eh say whaaaa?

[Pnkrckpixikat]

NVM 

[chairohkey]

[Timmy M]

lol, that's even better for me cause i know two guys (twins in fact) who regularly bench 180kg like its nothing without any preamble (no heavier though... can't go too heavy)

 

saw some heeeeeerendous squats today... with an excuse, this guy, who's built like a rugby player (not a huge one but that sort of shape, turns out he is one) goes into the rack to squat, does a bit of tomfoolery with bouncing on one leg and a short set of half squats with the bar, same again for 60kg (i'm thinking must be fairly noobish... then i notice his legs are pretty damn big especially for his size), so he puts another 20kg plate a side on... same again, then another! i'm starting think he's bit ill-informed at this point as he goes in to do 140kg 3rd squats (definitely not 3rd world), he rests a bit... then puts on 10kg a side i'm thinking christ this guys a teensy bit retarded, we're into quarter squat territory now folks so i think, this guys surely had enough, NOPE whacks on another 5kg a side and does 6 x 6 with 170kg (for those that can't do maths) with some very shaky walkouts and pretty much no use of his hips through all the other sets too (which confused the hell out of me... his arse wasn't moving at all).

 

When he finishes i go over to do my ring dips in the rack whilst he's clean and pressing... kinda, he starts off with 10kg plates each side (not the nice shiny green bumpers we've just got) and does a stiff legged pseudo CnP, i inform this troubled soul that surely he'd like to use the bumpers over there... nope, his back hurts so he's stretching it out?????????? he eventually moves onto use the 20kg bumpers for some half decent form clean and presses (most of the presses were strict too) and during that i ask him what he's training for 'Strength and Power' he replies, he's a rugby player (told ya), played for Germany under 21's (i reckon didn't hear him properly but definitely heard Germany). i tell him about starting strength saying it's good for learning technique and he goes on to tell me that he knows he squat forms no that good, needs to go a bit deeper, but his coaches told him he shouldn't go past parallel because a rugby player never goes that deep, i'd lost hope of winning any argument and was finishing up anyway so left it there and hoped he'd manage to keep playing despite the distinct lack of knees he's headed for

 

EDIT: long post = potato 

[Schmopey]

Caught it on film. The guy in the background is curling in the squat rack.

 

[LadyFenix]

subbing

[UltanBoyd]

"Intimidating isn't it" Said the trainer giving two girls an induction to the weights room "But I like to bring women down here as weights can be good for reducing fat" So far so good I imagine you're thinking "We had a woman who did no cardio and managed to get down to 4% body fat"

 

Oh wow!  

 

Add to that the gym's only been open a couple of months!

[direrael]

This might be my new favorite video:

 

What if men and women switched roles in the gym?

 

http://screen.yahoo.com/flip-side-workout-000000175.html