Helping stupid/inexperienced people...

SuicideGripMe · 02-25-2009, 10:20 AM

At the gym yesterday, I saw someone doing a ridiculous deadlift. Severly rounded back, not looking up at all, very stiff legged until he got to the bar to his knees where he kind of quarter squated and started jerking his back. It was quite a sight. Now, at what point should you go over and say what the hell are you doing? I mean, Im not an experienced lifter by any means (been lifting for 3 years now with a serious break to get in cardio shape for USMC).

Now, Ive seen people do excercises quite wrong. Everyone has. Everyone has seen 3 teens helping one kid bench 200 lbs. Everyone has seen people using half ROM's (not on purpose), and using terrible form.

So my question is, do you step in to help/give advice to people? I asked this one cat I talk to at the gym and he said "F*ck em, who gives a sh*t if they kill themselves?" I wound up going over and trying to give the guy some advice on his deadlift. He was hesistant and almost defensive at first (I went over there pretty nicely) but after I showed him and he tried it, he was pretty thankful.

Cliffs...
Do you help idiots or inexperienced people at the gym if they are doing excercises incorrectly?

Germanic · 02-25-2009, 10:22 AM

no don't help them, just let them do their thing

btw I hate stuping people

SuicideGripMe · 02-25-2009, 10:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Germanic

no don't help them, just let them do their thing

btw I hate stuping people

fixed lol

Tiny08 · 02-25-2009, 10:24 AM

I don't help unless they're going to hurt themselves. If its someone I know I help right away. Most people still ignore advice though

.

weakshit · 02-25-2009, 10:28 AM

I leave them to it. Unless they're training partners and then I feel its my obligation to help out as much as I can.

Juztin967 · 02-25-2009, 10:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tiny08

I don't help unless they're going to hurt themselves. If its someone I know I help right away. Most people still ignore advice though

.

Same here...

I think this poll should also go for some of the threads started in this forum. Obviously there's a crap ton of newb questions asked all the time, and at least some of them are logical, but some of the questions asked and threads started should just be done away with. For instance the thread bashing lifting gear, I saw earlier this week. But most of those threads are from kids 15-17 yrs anyway... Not that I have anything against them...

dkemano42 · 02-25-2009, 10:32 AM

Hey,

I dont like to help anyone unless they ask for help. Seems to me most people when you try to help them shake their heads and smile, then go on doing what they were doing anyhow.

DK

Entkommen115 · 02-25-2009, 10:38 AM

Unless they ask for help and are willing to listen I leave them alone.

90% of the time they tell you that you are wrong if you try to correct them because their Muscle and Fitness mags know ass tons more than me. I learned my lesson in high school and I will not help anyone unless they ask because its pointless otherwise.

Juztin967 · 02-25-2009, 10:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Entkommen115

90% of the time they tell you that you are wrong if you try to correct them because their Muscle and Fitness mags know ass tons more than me. I learned my lesson in high school and I will not help anyone unless they ask because its pointless otherwise.

Ah yes, the days of reading the ass tons of info in M&F, MD and FLEX... But how can you go wrong? If the guys in those mags are doing the routines are so HUGE, how can it NOT work for you?!?!?!?

19george · 02-25-2009, 10:51 AM

I helped a hot chick with her squats today.

Normally I don't though. People generally know when there doing things with ****ty form, they just don't care because they think they look cool lifting an extra twenty five pounds.

Juztin967 · 02-25-2009, 10:52 AM

Lucky you, I envy you...

skinnycalves · 02-25-2009, 11:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 19george

I helped a hot chick with her squats today.

Normally I don't though. People generally know when there doing things with ****ty form, they just don't care because they think they look cool lifting an extra twenty five pounds.

a chick actually doing skwats

fap

Juztin967 · 02-25-2009, 11:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skinnycalves

fap

x100000000

madaozeki · 02-25-2009, 12:07 PM

I'll approach people if I have the time to devote that day. Otherwise I let it go. And of course only if they're doing something that I know how to teach and they clearly are clueless or doing it in a dangerous fashion. I never approach people doing Smith Machine 1/4 squats, for example.

My favorite is when personal trainers or other gym members approach me to try to teach me how to squat so I don't hurt my knees... Or ask me what parts of the body I'm working when doing power cleans. Usually people approach me to learn to squat, clean or press, so that's always fun.

bosox1362 · 02-25-2009, 12:08 PM

Nope. I leave them to do their thing and I concentrate on my own lifts. I am too focused during my workout to worry about what everyone else is doing. I'm not gonna be the "form police" for my gym.

With that being said, if it is a training partner or someone asks me for help, then of course I will give them advice.

Jason2459 · 02-25-2009, 12:15 PM

Man am I glad I'm not in a commercial gym anymore. This thread brings up some funny and frustrating times. I never go to correct someone but will laugh. Unless someone comes to me I don't go to them.

I've had many people tell me I'm deadlifting way wrong (I pull sumo), squat wrong (low bar, wide stance, and below parallel), I'm going to break my tail bone (box squats), I'll injure my back (GMs), I'm doing DB presses wrong (DB Floor Presses), doing front squats wrong (zercher zquats), Rounding my back way to much (GM/Squats), doing tricep pushdowns wrong (Standing Ab pulldowns), benching wrong (arching)... that's all I can remember off the top of my head. I just laugh and say okay then continue on. If someone asks what I'm doing I'll tell them but I hate talking to people in the middle of training.

Reps n Sets · 02-25-2009, 12:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jason2459

Man am I glad I'm not in a commercial gym anymore. This thread brings up some funny and frustrating times. I never go to correct someone but will laugh. Unless someone comes to me I don't go to them.

I've had many people tell me I'm deadlifting way wrong (I pull sumo), squat wrong (low bar, wide stance, and below parallel), I'm going to break my tail bone (box squats), I'll injure my back (GMs), I'm doing DB presses wrong (DB Floor Presses), doing front squats wrong (zercher zquats), Rounding my back way to much (GM/Squats), doing tricep pushdowns wrong (Standing Ab pulldowns), benching wrong (arching)... that's all I can remember off the top of my head. I just laugh and say okay then continue on. If someone asks what I'm doing I'll tell them but I hate talking to people in the middle of training.

lol.

thebeast1 · 02-25-2009, 12:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jason2459

Man am I glad I'm not in a commercial gym anymore. This thread brings up some funny and frustrating times. I never go to correct someone but will laugh. Unless someone comes to me I don't go to them.

I've had many people tell me I'm deadlifting way wrong (I pull sumo), squat wrong (low bar, wide stance, and below parallel), I'm going to break my tail bone (box squats), I'll injure my back (GMs), I'm doing DB presses wrong (DB Floor Presses), doing front squats wrong (zercher zquats), Rounding my back way to much (GM/Squats), doing tricep pushdowns wrong (Standing Ab pulldowns), benching wrong (arching)... that's all I can remember off the top of my head. I just laugh and say okay then continue on. If someone asks what I'm doing I'll tell them but I hate talking to people in the middle of training.

Holy ****. LOL

freeride88 · 02-25-2009, 12:41 PM

I'll step in if they are in immediate danger, like struggling with a bench press or something, but otherwise, I just keep moving.

Jason2459 · 02-25-2009, 12:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by freeride88

I'll step in if they are in immediate danger, like struggling with a bench press or something, but otherwise, I just keep moving.

^^ This
About to get decapitated is different then form issues and that's something I would definitely jump in on. Probably wouldn't say anything to the person but walk away with my head shaking. I certainly wouldn't be screaming IT'S ALL YOU MAN DO ANOTHER ONE!

metalchick · 02-25-2009, 01:19 PM

Most of the time I dont help people. I know because I am a girl they won`t listen to me anyways, and will become embarassed or something. I was squatting at my school gym a few weeks ago, and there was a guy teaching another guy how to do box squats, but he had no idea what he was doing. I was just doing 135 for reps, and they were using the same weight, they did a few sets, tried to go heavier, then gave up and walked away. I wanted to help but I knew there was no point in getting involved. People who think they know what they are doing won`t listen to someone else.

Swolegantor and I always wonder why a group of people, all who have around the same level of knowledge choose to listen to one person.. we came to the conclusion that it's just the person who talks the most, and who maybe has been to the gym a few more times then the other people.

dannyautrey · 02-25-2009, 01:41 PM

i'll usually run in and spot someone if they look like they're struggling. other than that, I'll wait till I'm approached...

I'm gainin a reputation in my gym as a powerlifter, which is fine with me as long as people aren't comin up to me with the typical BS( i used to could squat 700, bench 500 and Deadlift this building, but I'm out of shape now). I'm not the most knowledgeable person in the world, but I seem to know more about squatting and deadlifting than most..

ShutUpAndSquat · 02-25-2009, 01:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jason2459

doing tricep pushdowns wrong (Standing Ab pulldowns)

lmao, i can see it now...some 24 hour fitness personal trainer telling a 220 pound guy that he's doing "tricep pushdowns" wrong.

Entkommen115 · 02-25-2009, 02:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jason2459

I'm doing DB presses wrong (DB Floor Presses)

This.

Whenever I do any kind of floor press I get the "Omg what a retard he doesn't even know how to bench good" look. It pretty much never fails and yes it is always the smallest person in the gym that tries to make me aware of my "mistake".

dannyautrey · 02-25-2009, 02:25 PM

i hate approaching people... if i run into a skinny dude, 8/10 times he'll look at me and say some crap about not wanting to get huge like me(i'm not huge..lol)

if i run into someone who is actually pretty cut or big, he'll look at me like "i'm bigger and stronger than you, so my way must be right"...

lose/lose most of the time.. you can only teach those who want to be taught.

Iceman1800 · 02-25-2009, 02:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SuicideGripMe

Cliffs...
Do you help idiots or inexperienced people at the gym if they are doing excercises incorrectly?

nope. who are you to decide what is right or wrong? you really have no idea what they are doing or why. its like people watching me do good mornings and tell me I'm squatting wrong.

SoaringSwine · 02-25-2009, 03:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Iceman1800

nope. who are you to decide what is right or wrong? you really have no idea what they are doing or why. its like people watching me do good mornings and tell me I'm squatting wrong.

Common... Just use common sense. You can tell when someone is actually a noob. Do you think the guy would be doing round backed, hitched deadlifts on purpose?

Iceman1800 · 02-25-2009, 03:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SoaringSwine

Common... Just use common sense. You can tell when someone is actually a noob. Do you think the guy would be doing round backed, hitched deadlifts on purpose?

ever watched a strongman contest? whatever it takes to get the bar to the top. plus alot of guys use rounded backs when pulling. I guess my point is that most people seem to think their way is the only right way and most of the time they should just mind their own business.

.J. · 02-25-2009, 03:20 PM

i usually just watch people do quarter squats and just laugh.

Hatmanii · 02-25-2009, 04:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Iceman1800

ever watched a strongman contest? whatever it takes to get the bar to the top. plus alot of guys use rounded backs when pulling. I guess my point is that most people seem to think their way is the only right way and most of the time they should just mind their own business.

Pro strongmen with years of experience and average joe gym goer are two completely different things. There are acceptable and unacceptable ways of doing things. It isn't all simply perception.