So you're in a gym...

The Shane

.... and you notice somebody lifting and they are doing it wrong, do you interject and point out some key corrections to their technique?

Saw a guy overhead squat today and another deadlift yesterday, both incorrectly.

I used to get p***ed off if someone tried to help, but would have saved me a couple of wasted years.

Also as an aside, who blocks the pull up bar to do bicep curls - idiot.

Shane, The

Smellyirishman

Never have, my opinion doesn't carry much....weight.

crotalus667

The Shane wrote:

.... and you notice somebody lifting and they are doing it wrong, do you interject and point out some key corrections to their technique?

Ask them if they want your advice , if they bont just leave it ,at least you tried

Running Bing

crotalus667 wrote:

Ask them if they want your advice , if they bont just leave it ,at least you tried

Well part of me is saying on this great, I would really appreciate someone more knowledgeable than myself giving me advice. Not only would it save me time it could save me from an injury.


On the other hand, why should I believe what I am being told? How do I know the person giving me advice is not just some know it all gob****e trying to play the big man(Not saying for a second you are Shane). You have no way of telling if what your being told is correct.

Pherekydes

The Shane wrote:

Also as an aside, who blocks the pull up bar to do bicep curls - idiot.

Would that be in Crunch, Westmanstown?

crotalus667

Babybing wrote:

You have no way of telling if what your being told is correct.

true I have been told things in the past that I know are just plain wrong

Hanley

If I'm in TF I don't bother. I see too much dumb sh!t in there to isolate one person and try to offer advice. If someone asks me then I've no problem chatting for like half and hour with em!!

If I'm in Hercs constant coaching by everyone, to everyone goes on. Solicited or not.

arybvtcw0eolkf

Honestly, I could care less what anyone does in the gym.

Pherekydes

Mairt wrote:

Honestly, I could care less what anyone does in the gym.

What bothers you about their behaviour? Let it all out...

mack1

I believe there was a thread about this a number of months ago and a host of people replied with "if it was me I would like to be told" etc etc - but they say that on here where they can see who is telling them and what their post history is like and hence can decide to follow it or not. So advice from hanley, g'em, dragan etc will be well heeded where as some randomer who pops in with something would be taken with a grain of salt.

In the gym you often dont know if they guy giving you advice is a crack on an ego trip or actually knows what he's talking about. I think I remember one of the girls on here telling a story about a dude correcting her on her squatting form just coz she was a bird when in fact she knew well that she was doing.

If it really bothers you I would say tell a member of staff, it's then up to them to tell the guy. You've then done your bit to relieve any guilt if the guy hurts himself but it saves you the agro if the guys starts getting defensive etc.

arybvtcw0eolkf

Slow coach wrote:

What bothers you about their behaviour? Let it all out...

lol... I'll tell you what I can't stand, guys who walk around with a weightlifting belt and gloves on..

Other than that, I talk to no one and offer no advice.

Of course if a newbie asks me something I'll bend over backwards to help.

someothername

i think it might all depend on the person doing the exercise wrong.....
some people like some advice and others ..... we they dont ( to put it nicely! )

personally i dont hand out advise in the gym im a member of, im not qualified enough to!:D

Linoge

I would only say something if someone was in danger of hurting themselves. Other than that they can semi demi squat all they want

crotalus667

Come to think of it my gym has a sign up saying that “for insurance purposes only qualified instructors employed by the gym are allowed to give advice” think about I if someone turns around and says I put my back out coz I fallowed your instruction they could sue you :eek:

Colm_OReilly

Rip, your hero, has an intolerance for silly bull**** and makes no qualms about informing people of such. So maybe you should point it out, though a little more PC.

In westpark I've yet to see anyone do anything functional, so I'm not going to correct someone's bicep curl (if they're jumping their entire body into it). I used to get woefully upset if people were squatting on the smith machine - working horribly as well. I really should have said something to those people and I regret it.

Also, what really p*ssed me off was when the instructors would show movements incorrectly. Air squats with feet parallel, bad knee tracking, restricted depth.

I've never corrected someone's rowing technique but that would be harder because they'd have to stop their workout first.

I'd say, do it, but start in a "hey man, can I ask you a question?" and use the whole "I used to do that until someone showed me" they'll be more likely to change.

Frankieboy

Funny enough this happened to me only yesterday.

Saw this guy on the back extension machine and he was going up and down as if he needed to get all his reps done in a very short space of time. Also he extended so far back that the plates were hitting the top of machine, and they weren't just tipping, full on banging of the top.

In this situation I wouldn't have given any advice, first of it's not my job, what are instructers for? Second I'm far from an expert. Lastly I don't go to the gym to talk to people, unless I know you, I'm not chatting with you.

What really pi**ed me off with the above is I had to use the back extension after him, and on the way down the machine was jittery, not running smoothly.

If someone asked me something and I knew I'd answer them, otherwise go see the instructers.

Roper

Shane just point and laugh at their poor technique and then walk out. It will be the ultimate test of their ego. Do I quit now because I suck so much people are laughing at me? Or do I go find out what that guy was laughing at, fix it, and then come back and shove an ez-bar up his ass?

It's the Darwinian way... or at least my interpretation of the Darwinian way from what I got off wikipedia.

kwalsh000

Im paranoid it was me you might have seen o/h squat yesterday!:p My form was not the may west at all yesterday for some reason....i really have done them properly before:D . But generally if im doing something wrong, i would like someone to point it out to me (that is if they actually know what they are doing too!)

Boston

Colm_OReilly wrote:

...Air squats with feet parallel...

Isn't that the type of thing thats personal preference. I angle my feet as I find it more comfortable and controlled. I know others who keep them parallel.

Anyway, in relation to saying something, theres about five instructors during peak time talking bollix to each other in my gym, its there place to correct form. I'd have no problem saying something to someone who was damaging equipment or endangering others, like one guy who was doing bench presses last night without the clips on.

Dragan

Technique is by an large a standard, but individuals will make little ajustments to suit there own structure/leverages.

It's knowing the difference between what is just flat out wrong, and what is weird but works, that can be difficult.

Vegeta

I have to say I'm training at home and I would love someone experienced to judge my form.

I cant seem to get a good squat going lately.

I think it would be great if the more experienced guys here did a very very detailed descritpion of good form for all the major compound movements and made it a sticky. Deads, squats, bench, pressing, bent over rows etc.

PeakOutput

Vegeta wrote:

I think it would be great if the more experienced guys here did a very very detailed descritpion of good form for all the major compound movements and made it a sticky. Deads, squats, bench, pressing, bent over rows etc.

seen as 4 weeks later im still waiting to be ALLOWED make an appointment with an instructor to show me good form I completely agree with the above.....i know there is alot of videos on crossfit i just have to find time between partying and projects(priorities i know but its 1st year) to sit down and find the ones i need

Colm_OReilly

Quick responses:

Good form is not subject to debate, it's determined by your biomechanics.

Can you take a vid of your squat and we can critique it. Feck it, call out some day and I'll critique it live, gratis.

Most gym "instructors" are hopeless, and it's prob best to ignore them (sadly)

Colm
-Back later

Vegeta

Colm_OReilly wrote:

Can you take a vid of your squat and we can critique it. Feck it, call out some day and I'll critique it live, gratis.

I could video myself

If I lived in Dublin I'd be a regular Colm, love the idea of crossfit (especially as I want to improve my pull/chin up strength and endurance)

Ok will start with small steps, where should I be looking when squating. At the roof, straight ahead??

Just for an idea of my current level I did 3 sets of back squats for 8 reps at 90kg on Tuesday night. My current fear is that if I go much heavier I will hurt myself due to sh1t form. They feel fine when I am doing them, my back gets a little tight but nothing that lasts longer than a few minutes. I just feel I am doing them wrong. Weight transfers to the front of my feet sometimes

So if someone could post the things to keep in mind for good form when squating I'd appreciate it

Degsy

I couldnt be bothered offering any sort of advice to half the clowns i see in my gym.A lot of them walk in after a weekend drinking Wked blue and spend an hour walking round the gym,swinging thier arms,looking at themselves in the mirror,doing shiit wrong and hogging weights.The simple fact is they're probably not going to come back so it doesnt really matter what they do.

Drummo

The Shane wrote:

.... and you notice somebody lifting and they are doing it wrong, do you interject and point out some key corrections to their technique?

Please do, I trust you.

...even though your career direction tells me I shouldn't

Boston

Degsy wrote:

I couldnt be bothered offering any sort of advice to half the clowns i see in my gym.A lot of them walk in after a weekend drinking Wked blue and spend an hour walking round the gym,swinging thier arms,looking at themselves in the mirror,doing shiit wrong and hogging weights.The simple fact is they're probably not going to come back so it doesnt really matter what they do.

Bar the mirror comment I'd swear you where talking about the trinity gym.

tribulus

If someone asks I'd always help. I had a guy ask me why and what I was doing (facepulls). Normally in ucd I just keep to myself.
On weekends however it's different and like Hanley said people will critique your form whether you want it or not.

Vegeta just get a video up quickly and don't use a little weight you can do 20reps for! For now I'm just going to guess and say:

All you do is break at the knees and squat down, not back at all.
You have no ass.
You have no hamstrings.
You have tight hip flexors.
Your back is weak.
Your abs are weak


It could be all or some of those things, or something else entirely, put up a video!

Degsy

Boston wrote:

Bar the mirror comment I'd swear you where talking about the trinity gym.

Not quite.I'm pretty sure it goes on most places but my gym is tiny so these halfwits can be a major pain in t'hole.

Colm_OReilly

Vegeta,

Don't look up, keep your spine in neutral alignment throughout the movement. This is maintained by looking straight/towards a spot on the ground 6-10 feet away (neutral head position)

I don't know if you're squatting with the weight on your traps or on your shoulder blades (Olympic vs Powerlifting type movement) or anything like that, so general advice prob won't help at this point, but..

Lumbar curve, keep this as you descend
Knees track over the feet, not in between them.
Weight stays over the midpoint of your foot - centre of gravity.
You do not roll onto your toes.

Get the vid up, from a 45 degree angle or a few different angles if you can

Colm

Froot

Vegeta wrote:

I think it would be great if the more experienced guys here did a very very detailed descritpion of good form for all the major compound movements and made it a sticky. Deads, squats, bench, pressing, bent over rows etc.

Try http://www.exrx.net/ .

The site looks a bit dated but it has little gif images (ie moving images) that show you exactly how to do it. This is the only place bar t-nation that I have found to provide this kind of information.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


I did twice in my life correct somebody based on what I saw them doing at the time. Neither of them actually appeared to take on board what i was saying so f*ck em.

The first was a guy doing a bicep curl with the EZ bar. He has his legs dead straight and was effectively leaning back and throwing the weight up. I told him that he was going to wreck himself etc but he just carried on doing it his way.

The second I believe was some guy doing some other stupid bicep manoeuver.

Bicep exercises are some of the easiest to do and get right but I see people all the time literally throwing the weights around like they are playing tennis with the damned dumbell.

BossArky

I don't usually speak much with folk in the gym. Everyone keeps to themselves and works away. Every once in a while someone (usually a gym instructor) might suggest something but I'd say this happens on average once every six months. If someone can help me by pointing out my errors I am much obliged.

The world / gym could possibly be divided into two broad categories;

• those who don't know
• those who know they don't know

The first category bicep curl with the lower back, the second take on board info when it's flying.

smellslikeshoes

If someone asked me for advice I would have no problem helping them as much as I can, at least they have the sense to ask if they are doing something wrong.
I would usually just ignore someone if they were doing something wrong, if they don't have the sense to ask an instructor or anyone in the gym they need to learn the lesson. Maybe I'm a little mean but Ive had too many experiences with the usual 18 or 19 year old "hard men" lifting something thats too heavy for them with form that would make your eyes water, giving me a look that would turn milk sour when I try and point them away from chronic back problems.