Why difference when with instructor?

Bottle_of_Smoke

I've noticed whenever the trainer in my gym is going through a new routine or I ask him to check if I'm doing something right, I can always lift the weight he suggests, without feeling all that tired, but doing it on my own I can never get near the same lift.

Is this common, anyone any tips on getting around this psychological block?

unreggd

Maybe you dont wanna feel "scarleh" so ye get a little kick of strength

Could be bad posture

But in general ye dont do full sets in an assessment, have you??

BraziliaNZ

Yeah you always train easier when someone is with you, psychological reasons. lolz @ "scarleh"!!!

MMM

This is exactly why you should always try to train with a gym buddy

unreggd

MMM wrote: »

This is exactly why you should always try to train with a gym buddy

+1

Bit of subconcious competition

And the day flys by havin a chat about random stuff

aye

unreggd wrote: »

And the day flys by havin a chat about random stuff

thats the reason i dont train with someone, too much talking not enough intensity.

OP is the trainer touching the machine when you are lifting?

arybvtcw0eolkf

MMM wrote: »

This is exactly why you should always try to train with a gym buddy

I hate training with anyone.

RacoonQueen

Mairt wrote: »

I hate training with anyone.

Me too. I'm very 'zoned' while I train, plenty of people have tried communicating with me but I tend to make the point I'm not interested in talking while training, without actually saying it.

I don't know how anyone can train with someone else I just can't do it.

Money Shot

Mairt wrote: »

I hate training with anyone.

I'm the same - always have been. I just like to get in, do my bit and get out as quick as possible.

It gets complicated when you have to pick someone up, meet them there or whatever. I just prefer solo - and it's never held me back - I think.

brianthebard

It doesn't have to be a training buddy, i've noticed over the last few months that a little competitive spirit rises up when there's others in the gym, especially if you are going for a new 1rm. But if you are really revved up about being in the gym you won't need that, your own target or desire to beat your own expectations should be enough.

arybvtcw0eolkf

mp1972 wrote: »

Me too. I'm very 'zoned' while I train, plenty of people have tried communicating with me but I tend to make the point I'm not interested in talking while training, without actually saying it.

I don't know how anyone can train with someone else I just can't do it.

Same here, esp. if I'm using ephedrine. I'm totally focused, baseball cap pulled down low, iPod blazing away and I'm in my own little world.

Size=everything

Mairt wrote: »

Same here, esp. if I'm using ephedrine. I'm totally focused, baseball cap pulled down low, iPod blazing away and I'm in my own little world.

Isn't that stuff illegal here my mate was trying to order a fat burner that had some ephedrine in it and got a seizure letter from customs saying ephedrine is classified as an amphetamine in Ireland.

unreggd

Maybe your training with the wrong people

I usually go with the same guy, we have similar programms and goals, and its always a good visit to the "gime"

yet, i went with another friend one day last week and he was so irritatin!

g'em

Size=everything wrote: »

Isn't that stuff illegal here my mate was trying to order a fat burner that had some ephedrine in it and got a seizure letter from customs saying ephedrine is classified as an amphetamine in Ireland.

It's available by prescription only, and supplements containing ephedrine for common sale are illegal and will be seized by customs if they are imported.

Patto

I'm facing a similiar delema at the moment. A few guys I know at the gym offered to share their program with me and for me to join in with them. I'm sure their program isn't too bad and aspects of working with a couple of training partners would work well.

Aspects of working with others really bother me too. My programs are designed with my goals and my "training age" in mind. I don't really think "one size fit all" programes work as well. The other thing is there is way too much hanging around and chatting when you work with more than one other person, I like to superset almost everything and move quickly.

Spotting is another delema, I got pinned under a bench press last week. I usually don't use a spotter, I prefer to get a good sense of where failure is with a spotter and then work just below it without a spotter. I lost concentration last week and failed when I shouldn't have. I find that a lot of people when spotting are too quick to give assistance and give far too much assistance. That's not a big deal of course, you can always instruct beforehand.

So, I don't know what the conclusion is, to the OP, I don't find any difference in the weights I lift when with an instructor or gym buddies, though my concentration is better for sure and I move quicker between lifts. As for my current delema, it would be great to get a decent spot on my bench and the squats but I don't think I'm going to change tack on my goals and my program to do so.

arybvtcw0eolkf

Patto wrote: »

Spotting is another delema, I got pinned under a bench press last week. I usually don't use a spotter, I prefer to get a good sense of where failure is with a spotter and then work just below it without a spotter. I lost concentration last week and failed when I shouldn't have.

Some advice gained from experience over the years.

If your not using a spotter and getting close to failure, A; your being fool hearty, and B; if you want to continue to train like this then don't use collars on the bar.

Take that as advice from the dumbest fool hearty eejit here!.

rubadub

I would presume it might have the same effect as a pace maker in running or cycling. When cycling I often give chase to people in front of me, or if a fast guy passes me I will try and keep up. At my next stop I can find myself exhausted without realising I have worked so hard.

celestial

The reason you can do more is simply cos you know you're being watched - your sympathetic nervous system is even more active when you know you're being watched when training - a study recently showed that lifters could lift ~20% more weight with an audience! It was in Men's Health a while back.

Hanley

celestial wrote: »

The reason you can do more is simply cos you know you're being watched - your sympathetic nervous system is even more active when you know you're being watched when training - a study recently showed that lifters could lift ~20% more weight with an audience! It was in Men's Health a while back.

There is absolutely no way that is true for anyone other than a complete newb. No way.

javaboy

Hanley wrote: »

There is absolutely no way that is true for anyone other than a complete newb. No way.

It's the other way around for me. I can deadlift maybe 950-1000lbs when nobody's watching but anytime someone asks me to do it in front of them I struggle to lift 100lbs. :cool:

arybvtcw0eolkf

Hanley wrote: »

There is absolutely no way that is true for anyone other than a complete newb. No way.

Hanleys the poster was quoting from 'Mens Health' Mag - the mag that promises we can all have ripped abs in six easy workouts!.

The answer is easy.

We all perform better to an audience - why I've no idea.

For instance my last Judo competition, I went alone (apart from the lads in the club) and lost four out of five fights. I rang home and first thing I told the family - "dammit, if I'd brought you all here I'd have fought much better" - and thats the truth of it.

The fight I won (my last one), was after getting advice from an old coach of mine. I didn't take his advice, but I'd the height of respect for this guy and fought my heart out for him and took the fight.

As for lifting weights, I'm not sure. Without sounding like an 'old sweat', I'm lifting weights so long now that I can't remember having to lift to impress anyone else, but I can only guess its like I said above.