Overheard in the gym - Share!

[Tankweazel]

In addition to what Machete said, it's also just to make the top portion of the lift harder, since as the bar goes up, the chain links come off the ground, and are instead supported by the bar, making it heavier the higher it goes. It's used in Westside and other "geared" (bench shirts and squat suits) lifting programs because the gear adds more support in the bottom of the lift, where it is stretched out more. So, since their competition lifts themselves are harder at the top, they train in such a way as to mimic that without having to climb into their gear (quite a process I hear) and it has more carry over to their competition lifts compared to benching or squatting straight weight. This is the reason you don't see it used nearly as much in RAW lifting, what most of us do here, because the hardest parts of the lift are the bottom or near the bottom in those cases, so we don't want a lighter weight there.

Getting in isn't so bad.  It's getting out once you've bloated with water weight and made the suit/ shirt tighter round your limbs.  Or getting the feeling back into your feet after knee wraps before you have to put them back on for the next attempt.

[insanity]

NFL Footballs are made of COWHIDE, not actual pig-skin

 

http://www.wilson.com/en-us/football/nfl/wilson-and-the-nfl/factory/

It did start out as an inflated pigs bladder though... :-)

[Barfly]

It did start out as an inflated pigs bladder though... :-)

 I'll stick with buzkashi.

 

[insanity]

 

 I'll stick with buzkashi.

 

 

Whatever floats your boat... I think it would be kinda hard to get a tight spiral with a goat though...

[Nubbins McGee]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L__jTK0BjN4

Out-fucking-standing.

The old Sergeant in me watched these and thought "zero, zero, zero, zero..."

[jfreaksho]

The old Sergeant in me watched these and thought "zero, zero, zero, zero..."

They both should have been sent to the back of the line for a retry.

[Nubbins McGee]

They both should have been sent to the back of the line for a retry.

Yup, quickly.

[Hulk In Nerds Clothing]

what is this madness? dynamic plank maybe?

[Dleffe]

It gives me nightmares, during bootcamp one person doing shit like that fucked over 39 other people. Which of course resulted in one guy getting fucked up later in the day...

[Machete]

Went to a Gold's Gym in Florida and there's a separate Women Only area. Though that's considered segregation and a bit sexist, I thought it was a good idea.

[matty_mcfly]

Went to a Gold's Gym in Florida and there's a separate Women Only area. Though that's considered segregation and a bit sexist, I thought it was a good idea.

Why was it a good idea?

[Georges]

That way, the gym can pretend to be considerate of women, while reinforcing the idea that they don't really belong in a real gym.

Also allows men to feel that it's okay to not treat women like people, because if they don't like it, they can just go over there.

 

So, under the angry sarcasm, no, I don't agree that it's a good idea for any purpose other than marketing.

[wildross]

That way, the gym can pretend to be considerate of women, while reinforcing the idea that they don't really belong in a real gym.

Also allows men to feel that it's okay to not treat women like people, because if they don't like it, they can just go over there.

So, under the angry sarcasm, no, I don't agree that it's a good idea for any purpose other than marketing.

Which is of course the main point. Most of the gold's I've been in have had that area. Some of the other globo gyms as well

[wildross]

The marketing part that is

[Artinum]

Went to a Gold's Gym in Florida and there's a separate Women Only area. Though that's considered segregation and a bit sexist, I thought it was a good idea.

 

Why was it a good idea?

 

It stops them making the men look bad...?

[Nubbins McGee]

I believe the in intent behind it is to give the women who would otherwise feel too self conscious to come to the gym a place where they can exercise without male eyes checking out their stretch pants.

As far as I know, the women's room in my Gold's may be the most lightly used space in there. I never see anyone going in or out.

My wife, who is a strong confident woman, was seriously concerned when the last female trainer besides herself moved away and she had to switch over to one of the dudes. A good trainer has to have a degree of contact and is constantly obseverving their trainee. That's kind of an intimate thing. You have to be comfortable with it. Some people just aren't.

Should women feel like they need to hide in the gym? Of course not. Failing to acknowledge that some do even though they shouldn't, is potentially cutting out the base of your paying customers.

[TMedina]

Good idea or bad, I think Nubbins nailed the explanation.

 

There are a fair number of stories on NF where women report a dread of going to the gym, or going to the "men's area" or the free weight section.  

 

A "women only" section is an attempt to assuage some of those fears.  Would it be better if the female customers felt no reluctance whatsoever using any part of the gym?  Yes, absolutely.  But until then, or at least until they get comfortable with the idea, a segregated area is one possible solution.

[Silo]

My gym has two weight rooms. The one downstairs has the barbells, squat racks, etc. Both have dumbbells but the ones downstairs go up to heavier weights and increase in 5 lb. increments. Upstairs they increase in 2.5 lb. increments and top out at 27.5 lbs. There are also kettlebells and a monkey bar/jungle gym thing upstairs (not sure what this is called.) Upstairs is not labeled as the women's area but most women who lift stsy up there. There are a lot of guys who go up there too though. I do all of my barbell stuff at home because, I admit, I am intimidated. If I didn't have that option I suppose I'd be forced to get over ut but it is pretty common, whether or not there is reason for intimidation.

I was thinking about this a lot today though. I just got home from the gym. When I was there, I heard a lot of whispered and not so whispered critique about various women who were there exercising. All of the whisperers I heard were other women. I don't know if it's the age group (I work at a university and go to the gym there) or something entirely different but yowza that was a bit surprising. I normally go at 6a so when it's pretty much me and a bunch of senior citizens so it was a totally different crowd. Anyway, I didn't hear any similar comments from the guys (or the majority of the women) so it made me rethink my avoidance of the downstairs room.

[Rookiebeotch]

My gym has two weight rooms. The one downstairs has the barbells, squat racks, etc. Both have dumbbells but the ones downstairs go up to heavier weights and increase in 5 lb. increments. Upstairs they increase in 2.5 lb. increments and top out at 27.5 lbs. There are also kettlebells and a monkey bar/jungle gym thing upstairs (not sure what this is called.) Upstairs is not labeled as the women's area but most women who lift stsy up there. There are a lot of guys who go up there too though. I do all of my barbell stuff at home because, I admit, I am intimidated. If I didn't have that option I suppose I'd be forced to get over ut but it is pretty common, whether or not there is reason for intimidation.

I was thinking about this a lot today though. I just got home from the gym. When I was there, I heard a lot of whispered and not so whispered critique about various women who were there exercising. All of the whisperers I heard were other women. I don't know if it's the age group (I work at a university and go to the gym there) or something entirely different but yowza that was a bit surprising. I normally go at 6a so when it's pretty much me and a bunch of senior citizens so it was a totally different crowd. Anyway, I didn't hear any similar comments from the guys (or the majority of the women) so it made me rethink my avoidance of the downstairs room.

 

Just walk in like you own the place and get your shit done. After that, walk out, and you win. If those people want to spend their time making themselves feel better by saying bad things about others, let them. You will have spent your time improving yourself while they spent time being ugly to others. Who is the winner at the end of the day? Or the year?

[IslandGirl_Becks]

Two girls walk into the weights area. One girl had obviously never been over there before. I asked if they'd like the squat rack because I was almost finished. They said "no, it's easier to balance with the Smith machine" and proceeded to do half squats with their feet misaligned (leaning back into the bar). 

At what point should I have said something about form or knees or below parallel?

[wildross]

Two girls walk into the weights area. One girl had obviously never been over there before. I asked if they'd like the squat rack because I was almost finished. They said "no, it's easier to balance with the Smith machine" and proceeded to do half squats with their feet misaligned (leaning back into the bar).

At what point should I have said something about form or knees or below parallel?

Never. Ir hardly ever ends well

[SpecialSundae]

I overhear nothing in the gym.

[Dradis]

I overhear nothing in the gym.

 

Why the sadface? The equipment is all free!

[SpecialSundae]

Ronery so ronery

So ronery and sadry arone!

[Tankweazel]

Ronery so ronery

So ronery and sadry arone!

I might be over on Friday.  I can come whisper bro science in your ear while you bench.