Gym Annoyances

[LoveGuinness]

1.) “Functional Equipment Being Used for Bodybuilding Exercises” How many times have you walked around your fitness center and marveled at all the new functional equipment that it had? I classify functional equipment as any cable apparatus that has moveable arms, pulleys, or is multi-vector (most notably Free Motion, Paramount, Keiser, and some Precor, Life Fitness and other reputable equipment manufacturers). So, the most annoying thing to see in the gym with this arsenal of movement improving equipment is some guy performing your typical cable crossovers or double biceps curls. The selection of functional exercises that can be performed due to the mobility and angles at which each pulley can be placed is numerous. But why perform your typical sagittal plane crossovers? Are the cable towers occupied? Is your chest workout incomplete without the crossover exercise? Is this the idea of variation from say…the peck deck machine? Obviously, there is lack of knowledge of the usage of these pieces. Although, crossovers and double-bi curls can be performed on them, why choose to do it on a machine that is designed for multi-planar functionality? Learn more exercises!

2.) “Too-Wide-of-a-Grip Lat Pull-Downs” Unless you are 6’2” and above, there is no reason to go wide on your lat pull down grip. The old fallacy of “go wider—get a wider back; or “go narrow—get a thicker back” are exactly that: old bodybuilding fallacy. According to the NASM, using a wider grip actually brings in more scapular movement and involvement (which it is involved during the movement) but the majority of work comes from abduction of the scapula and rhomboids---not the lats. The lats are what you want to work together with strong scapular retraction and depression. Also, going too wide of a grip also tends the lifter to constantly elevate the shoulder blades with each rep. The proper way to perform the lat pull down is with shoulder blades depressed down and kept in that position throughout the set. We tend to raise our shoulder blades and thoracic spine because these muscles are eccentrically weak. Thus, we should focus on strengthening the scapular retractors/protractors and stabilizers to perform a perfect lat pull down.

3.) “Medicine Balls Used for Crunches” Medicine balls have become so popular that they are also manufactured with handles! In my opinion, and hopefully other strength coaches, weighted medicine balls should be used primarily for power movements --aka: throwing against a concrete wall to maximize power output of a specific movement: chest pass (soccer throw); oblique transverse passes (tennis racquet), vertical leaps (basketball dunk), and many more). I have a problem with this vital tool being used by many gym-goers across the US as a way to load the ab crunch. We have all seen them….guy or girl gets on the bench or ball and holds the med ball overhead with straight arms and crunches. Is a dumbbell not suffice for this movement? Did you know we used to use dumbbells for stuff like this before med balls were ever in gyms? The only thing is we couldn’t throw dumbbells or we got thrown out of the gym! Medicine balls are designed to be thrown—to take a beating—witnessed by the material they are made up! Use them for what they should primarily be used for: Power!

4.) “Boyfriends Teaching Their Girlfriends How To Lift” Every week, I spot half a dozen couples working out together and they are made up of big buff guys teaching their “pilates-addicted” girlfriends “how they workout”. So what is wrong with this? Many guys who are in between the ages of 25-45 have grown up with watching the likes of Arnold, Dorian, Lee, and Ronnie (pro-bodybuilders). So flash-forward to the present day: boyfriends teach their girlfriends the bench press, lat pull-down, bent-over row, lateral raises, squat, leg press, curls, kickbacks, and many more. So girlfriends begin training like men who train like bodybuilders. What is wrong with that? Nothing…but if you know conventional bodybuilding routines you’ll know that they contain a lot of sagittal presses and most bodybuilders have the resulted syndromes of such training: upper and lower-cross syndrome & protracted shoulders. So why are you going to mess up your girlfriend’s body? The solution ladies? Seek out a qualified fitness professional to show you how to perform an abundance of multi-planar exercises including bodyweight, bands, balls, and core work. Don’t pass up the free session that you get upon joining a gym. It is your opportunity to ask questions and be instructed on the proper way to perform a variety of exercises. Back in the day, when a woman said “I don’t wanna look like one of those bodybuilding people”, now I know what they meant.

5.) “TVs in front of Cardio Equipment” They are coming into the gym to watch TV and workout. Did you hear what I said? They are coming in to watch TV and workout. You and I go to the gym to workout and maybe, if there is some BREAKING news, we watch the TV. Today’s general population clientele (GPC) has misunderstood what exercise is thanks to the ACSM. People pick the cross trainer or treadmill in front of a TV, plug in their headphones, put on their favorite show and walk at a 2.5 pace. After a half hour, they have not even broken a sweat and their cardio session is complete. They feel content because, according to present-day guidelines, they just achieved an important factor in their longevity and got to watch the latest episode of “24™”. Their real intent is to pay attention to the show on TV and walk. To pay attention to the show, they need to walk at a reasonable pace that will not cause them focus on maintaining balance, endurance, and effort. The very things needed to generate power output to expend the most calories in the least amount of time, thus losing fat! I am not saying this is the majority of gym-goers, but it is what I witness 80% of the time. It is to no surprise that many of the people I witnessed still look the same year after year. Fitness centers need to get rid of all these TV’s and cardio theater systems in front of cardio equipment and focus more on member goal attainment and not dollar signs.

[S54MCoupe]

4.) “Boyfriends Teaching Their Girlfriends How To Lift” Every week, I spot half a dozen couples working out together and they are made up of big buff guys teaching their “pilates-addicted” girlfriends “how they workout”. So what is wrong with this? Many guys who are in between the ages of 25-45 have grown up with watching the likes of Arnold, Dorian, Lee, and Ronnie (pro-bodybuilders). So flash-forward to the present day: boyfriends teach their girlfriends the bench press, lat pull-down, bent-over row, lateral raises, squat, leg press, curls, kickbacks, and many more. So girlfriends begin training like men who train like bodybuilders. What is wrong with that? Nothing…but if you know conventional bodybuilding routines you’ll know that they contain a lot of sagittal presses and most bodybuilders have the resulted syndromes of such training: upper and lower-cross syndrome & protracted shoulders. So why are you going to mess up your girlfriend’s body? The solution ladies? Seek out a qualified fitness professional to show you how to perform an abundance of multi-planar exercises including bodyweight, bands, balls, and core work. Don’t pass up the free session that you get upon joining a gym. It is your opportunity to ask questions and be instructed on the proper way to perform a variety of exercises. Back in the day, when a woman said “I don’t wanna look like one of those bodybuilding people”, now I know what they meant.

I don't mind this one so much... as long as the girl is ultra-attractive, haha. Eye candy!

[Soup Nazi]

6.) If you pile up the weights, be courteous enough to remove them and put them in their respective places after you finish using them.

7.) Bring a small towel, I'm tired of cleaning your sweat off in the gym.

[S54MCoupe]

Originally Posted by Soup Nazi

6.) If you pile up the weights, be courteous enough to remove them and put them in their respective places after you finish using them.

7.) Bring a small towel, I'm tired of cleaning your sweat off in the gym.

Amen.

[Sportsmedjosh]

You can't reserve equipment while working out, bouncing between four different pieces of equipment and getting mad if anyone uses them.

When people ask you how many sets you have left when your in the middle of a rep.

[desperate housewife]

Soup Nazi,

That's a great point. Usually most gyms has paper towels and a spray thing near the cardio, but I have noticed its lets around weights and espcially on the mats to stretch out.

[Sportsmedjosh]

leaving weights everwhere it a big bother to me especially on machines, a lot of women have a hard time removing these weights. It also doesn't allow for them to use machines that they would like, which results in a women's only area at a lot of clubs.

[desperate housewife]

Originally Posted by Sportsmedjosh

leaving weights everwhere it a big bother to me especially on machines, a lot of women have a hard time removing these weights. It also doesn't allow for them to use machines that they would like, which results in a women's only area at a lot of clubs.

So true, I find myself gravitating towards the machines where all i have to do is pull the plug out and put it in a lower weight. Often times I am amazed at the ammount of weight some people can lift/curl/extend.

[livewell]

Naked hippie women and old sagging naked Asian women lounging around in the locker room. I don't understand this. I don't want to see this. I avoid the locker rooms unless I REALLY need to use the facilities.

[S54MCoupe]

Originally Posted by livewell

Naked hippie women and old sagging naked Asian women lounging around in the locker room. I don't understand this. I don't want to see this. I avoid the locker rooms unless I REALLY need to use the facilities.

You should see how bad it gets in the mens locker room. The guys who have nothing to be proud of tend to be the ones who have least shame.

[Soup Nazi]

8.) Please, and I mean please, don't spot if you're unsure you can hold the lifting weight. There is no shame in saying, I can't spot you on that much weight.

I had an azn guy spot me on my first attempt of bench press with barbells in over a year, I asked him to spot me with the weight, he said "yeah easy enough", I said I'm gonna try 20 reps, around the 15th stay smart, he's like cool.
On the 17th my arms lock and the guy can't lift the barbells up, long story short, I almost died tonight.

[Gold Digger]

I totally agree with soup nazi about the not putting away weights. Its just plain ignorant, especially since everywhere you turn, INCLUDING the water fountain, there are signs reminding you to put your weights away!