Bodybuilding.net - Bodybuilding Forum

Came across this article:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6391079/

I found it interesting that many people don't go to the gym because it's intimidating. What is interesting, is partly that people think you have to go to the gym to get in shape and partly because they actually think you need to "look good" BEFORE you go to a gym so as not to be looked down on.

I can understand it. The very issues that keep people to their bad habits play into that.

But you know what, many times, I've read discussions here where people talk about how they don't want to be bothered, etc. at the gym and sometimes I get a sort of "elitest" vibe from that. I don't want all the out of shape 'newbies' to think they can be bothering his highness...

So I propose...

If you are passionate about training and you have a bit of time..prove it.

I doubt very much, despite the implication, that most people are plagued by long lines of newbies waiting to ask questions. That is ego talking.

If someone comes up to you during a set or something then they are obviously rude. But if they have the sense to approach you at a more oppurtune moment you could offer to answer their question after your workout IF you have the time to stick around.

You know many of use spend LOTS of our time posting on forums. It ain't going to hurt, when possible, to take away a bit of that time and spend it proving that people do not need to be intimidated by those of us who "look" the part and that we are not all arrogant assholes..despite the concerted efforts from some segments of the community to prove otherwise

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If you act sanctimonious I will just list out your logical fallacies until you get pissed off and spew blasphemous remarks.

Another problem is some of the guys that "look" the part don't alwyas actually know what they're talking about. There are guys out there that are bigger genetically not because of their program.

I may not look huge but I'm overall stronger than 90% of the guys at the gym I go to. I don't think I look too intimidating but I don't know if someone who just walked into the gym would realize that i know (at least somewhat) what I'm talking about. I definately take time to answer questions if someone asks me but its a rare occurence.

IW

Yeah, I agree. When I got finished with the post I started thinking about that aspect of it. The people they are intimidated by are likely the wrong people anyway. And also many of them, despite their steroid induced freakiness are just as insecure about their bodies as the person who feels too out of shape to go to the gym and probably spend a lot more time in the mirror counting their imaginary flaws.

Definitely, IW, there are people who should NOT be answering questions. But I think it is sad that people should not do something because of the environment.

Those of us who "know better" can't be held responsible for the dumbasses at the gym who likely go around giving unsolicited crap advice to everyone they can, anyway. I'm not saying we should change the world..just try to do our parts if and when called upon to do so.

I try and do my part, just like on the forum.

I'm a 'smaller' guy and I usually wear clothing that does not show my true form lol (XL T-shirts don't reveal much).

I don't get bothered a whole lot because size seems to be the only credential when evaluating a trainer. The only time anyone takes note of me is when I'm hacksquatting or deadlifting.

Its usually the bigger guys that are asked advice and will freely give out shit advice. Of course, I'm only 180lbs, what could I know about weightlifting right?

No matter how hard I try, it still pisses me off when I see people giving bs pointers or form critiques when they clearly don't know shit themselves. Worse yet is that those are the people that can't be critiqued because you don't know anything if you think they're not lifting perfectly.

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"Pain don't hurt" - Dalton

"NO, this is my squat rack. Go get your own!"

"Damn that's shit heavy" - Wolf


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Too many times have I heard (with regards to bench and squats) "Its not worth it to go down all the way. Its just a waste of energy. You make all your gains in the top half of the range of motion."

I just want to scream when I hear that. lol

IW

And those people are the same people that quarter squat 300lbs and can do a full squat with 185 or less....assuming they have the mobility for a full ROM, or even care to know what a 'buttwink' is.

I train at home so I dont have the problem of being asked for advice, which is good as with my limited knowledge I dont want that responsibility.
Neither do I have the problem of being told im doing things wrong (which at times I probably am ) by bigger blokes.
The main thing that puts me off going to the gym is that I can imagine loads of shit being talked, and then becoming accepted as proper exercise science.
For example if all the big steroid pumper's all agree that going below paralell on squats is bad for your knees, Whats a newbie or smaller guy going to do if one of the big boys tells them this?
They will most probably follow the big boy's advice and start squatting above paralell?
Im sure some gyms are pretty sound, but im also sure some gyms are laughable, but for now im going to stick to my shed where no one's going to tell me im doing things wrong and where no ones going to ask me how to do things right

Did you guys read the article?

I read it. I was commenting more on what was posted than the article itself.

Yeah..and I was commenting on the article, lol.

Sometimes It's interesting who you get responses from and who you don't. Obviously none of you guys are the assholes who make people want to stay away from gyms.

Also, none of you guys have ever posted anything, to my knowledge, about how all the hapless newbies should stay the fuck away from you in the gyms and all that.

I would say, read the paradoxical commandments. Kane knows about them.

All these things your talking about...I endure them on a daily basis. Heck, I could say that all this dwelling on squat depth AT ALL is misleading. So am I supposed to say..hey, look at all these dumbasses talking about squat depth. They so don't get it!

The point is, you do what you can, when you can and try not to be a part of the problem. That is all any of use can really do. Man, I try to make a positive "do" statement and all I get is griping

The article is talking about the health of the public at large and the difficulty people face getting off the couch and into the gym. Squats are not the problem. Moving at all is the problem.