last night at the gym

[Northeasterner]

Get there late. Start the bench press.

Between sets 1 and 2, I spot a girl I'd not seen before. Cute. She's standing in front of one of the tricep stations, looking at it, and totally clueless. I head over, start talking to her, and she "welcomes me;" isn't cold or b/tchy. I explain to her how to use it and what part of the upper arm it works.

(She's a foreign chick btw - same ethnic/cultural background as me, but she doesn't speak good English, newcomer)

She asks, "is the tricep a good muscle?"

Inwardly I'm chuckling at how cute a question this is, and I tell her all muscles are good. I then explain that the advantage of developing triceps is that 2/3 of the upper arm muscle mass is there, rather than the biceps. I then pull up my t-shirt sleeve a bit and show it to her.

She sits down and tries to do it... but she can't even fit into the machine (she's not big; rather, she's about 5'3" and very slim), but she doesn't know how to use it. So I adjust the seat, lighten the weight on each arm to the lightest setting, and tell her how to do it.

She manages a rep or two w/ the right arm, but with the left, she can't get one.

So I bring her to the barbell area and pick out a 3lb dumbbell. I bring her over to the bench area where there are mirrors and show her how to do bent-over dumbbell extensions (which I never do anymore). I give her the dumbbell and she tries. I tell her to bend over a bit more, but she doesn't go far enough.

I then lightly press her back until she gets the right angle, and then gently correct her arm form so that her upper arm is still. "The upper arm must not move; use only the lower arm."

"Yes, I feel it now."

I asked her, what are you goals? (well obviously she's not a bodybuilder and doesn't wanna get buffed, but it was relevant). She said she wanted to lose some fat and get a bit toned. So I told her to do cardio and to work w/ weights, but to do light weights and higher reps.

She asked me, "so, are you a trainer?"



This simple question made my night. Granted, she's new to this (new to the gym too) and she assumed, but it's the first time a "newbie" confused me for a trainer.

We exchanged names, and she asked me if I'm a the gym daily. I said no, but I told her when I do come to the gym (I haven't missed a workout since Feb 1). We exchanged a few more pleasantries and she thanked me.

She was sweet. Hope I see her again tonight; maybe we can talk about lifting and other stuff more.

And on a diff't note, two guys said I looked bigger; an employee and a man in his late 40s who is a regular and whom I've seen there since I joined this gym over 1 year ago.

[aneas]

And on a diff't note, two guys said I looked bigger; an employee and a man in his late 40s who is a regular and whom I've seen there since I joined this gym over 1 year ago.

I think they were not talking about your muscles. It was the bulge in your pants.

Oh I love foreign women. Ok I love all women but foregin even more.

[Northeasterner]

I think they were not talking about your muscles. It was the bulge in your pants.

Oh I love foreign women. Ok I love all women but foregin even more.

You're funny dude. You always come up with these witty one-liners.

But seriously - I wouldn't have had the confidence to go show her how to use that if first of all i didn't have some visible muscle and number two, if I didn't have good triceps - how can I tell her what the benefits are if I can't SHOW the benefits?

She was freaking tiny though. Kinda odd these days, whenever I see petite women i think "I can bench press you, sweetheart" (well I can bench press some guys too but that's besides the point)

[QuadR]

Good for you for taking the time to help out a damsel in distress. I think it was noble indeed!
Good Luck!!!

[SP1966]

You're funny dude. You always come up with these witty one-liners.

But seriously -

So the question that comes to mind is: Was that burn intentional or just lucky? LOL

[aneas]

You're funny dude. You always come up with these witty one-liners.

But seriously - I wouldn't have had the confidence to go show her how to use that if first of all i didn't have some visible muscle and number two, if I didn't have good triceps - how can I tell her what the benefits are if I can't SHOW the benefits?

She was freaking tiny though. Kinda odd these days, whenever I see petite women i think "I can bench press you, sweetheart" (well I can bench press some guys too but that's besides the point)

LOL I will be here all week. I like to have fun I cant help myself.

I am happy for you man. You took a shot at the end zone.

[aneas]

Good for you for taking the time to help out a damsel in distress. I think it was noble indeed!
Good Luck!!!

Nobel lol sheeeyah right....

[Northeasterner]

Nobel lol sheeeyah right....

I'm very noble. Last week I helped a senior citizen man doing pec flys and a woman in her 50s doing v-bar tricep extensions.

I didn't ask them what their names were.

[ironwill2008]

I'm very noble. Last week I helped a senior citizen man doing pec flys and a woman in her 50s doing v-bar tricep extensions.

I didn't ask them what their names were.

The old guy doing the pec flyes wasn't me, was it??? My memory isn't too good these days!

[chodan9]

She was freaking tiny though. Kinda odd these days, whenever I see petite women i think "I can bench press you, sweetheart" (well I can bench press some guys too but that's besides the point)

you can probably bench yourself weight wise at this point

[Northeasterner]

The old guy doing the pec flyes wasn't me, was it??? My memory isn't too good these days!

LOL... he was far older than you and he had as much lean mass as you did when you were about 12.

[QuadR]

Nobel lol sheeeyah right....

hahahaha...

[Northeasterner]

you can probably bench yourself weight wise at this point

I can. 5x5 got me past my body weight; my heaviest workout weight ever was 215 x 3.

Benefits of strength training: power AND size. Kinda funny you mention chest cuz that chick was so tiny and small that I thought, 'damn my chest is bigger than hers.'

[Beefcupcake]

It's awesome that you're willing to help people! If you have a chance to talk to this girl again, teach her to lift heavy. She can't "tone" if there is nothing to "tone". She must build muscle in order for her to achieve the look she's after. The only way to build muscle is with proper nutrition and lifting heavy.

[bustasinclair]

Some guys have all the luck.....all the women at my gym snarl at me; guess I look desperate

[Northeasterner]

It's awesome that you're willing to help people! If you have a chance to talk to this girl again, teach her to lift heavy. She can't "tone" if there is nothing to "tone". She must build muscle in order for her to achieve the look she's after. The only way to build muscle is with proper nutrition and lifting heavy.

Excellent point, Beefcupcake.

The problem is - I suspect this woman, like a lot of the women of her age range who are regulars at my gym, don't do weights. They are there just for cardio, stretch/dance aerobics, and VERY LIGHT dumbbells.

But I'll definitely mention it to her when we meet again (maybe tonight).

[aneas]

some guys have all the luck.....all the women at my gym snarl at me; guess i look desperate

lmao

[Northeasterner]

Some guys have all the luck.....all the women at my gym snarl at me; guess I look desperate

Haha.

I've found that a great way to approach a woman at the gym without looking like a sleaze is to correct them on their form. Men and women alike often do an exercise incorrectly, but in my experience, women listen to men when it comes to weights for the simple reason that men in gyms (the serious lifters) not only know the right form but have the results to prove it.

[Beefcupcake]

Excellent point, Beefcupcake.

The problem is - I suspect this woman, like a lot of the women of her age range who are regulars at my gym, don't do weights. They are there just for cardio, stretch/dance aerobics, and VERY LIGHT dumbbells.

But I'll definitely mention it to her when we meet again (maybe tonight).

Unfortunately you're right. Most women want to do just cardio and light weights because they don't know better. But I'm sure that the majority want a more athletic look but they won't achieve it with the workouts they do.

Just put it out there for her and it's up to her to follow it or not.

[Northeasterner]

Unfortunately you're right. Most women want to do just cardio and light weights because they don't know better. But I'm sure that the majority want a more athletic look but they won't achieve it with the workouts they do.

Just put it out there for her and it's up to her to follow it or not.

Yep. I think a lot of women are simply scared of weights. They see big guys dropping 90-lb dumbbells after incline presses and get freaked out, and they themselves don't want to look muscular. And they don't realize that if they use light weights at first (as we all must when we start), it'll improve strength and bring other benefits, and they will never get that big, or "excessively big" for that matter, without years of dedicated training and dieting.

A little bit of muscle, with firmness and tone, is great - and sexy. You're perfect proof (sorry to keep praising your results, but I only speak the truth).

[aneas]

It's awesome that you're willing to help people! If you have a chance to talk to this girl again, teach her to lift heavy. She can't "tone" if there is nothing to "tone". She must build muscle in order for her to achieve the look she's after. The only way to build muscle is with proper nutrition and lifting heavy.

I am sure he has plenty of things he wants to teach her. Somehow I think heavy lifting is not high on the list.

[Northeasterner]

I am sure he has plenty of things he wants to teach her. Somehow I think heavy lifting is not high on the list.

Aneas is right yet again. As I said she's a foreigner with poor English. I can improve her oral skills.

[aneas]

Aneas is right yet again. As I said she's a foreigner with poor English. I can improve her oral skills.

Oh no you didnt....

[Beefcupcake]

Aneas is right yet again. As I said she's a foreigner with poor English. I can improve her oral skills.

[Northeasterner]

Oh no you didnt....

Dude, speaking abilities. Her English is limited. One can only improve one's spoken English by practicing.

What'd you think of?

[Northeasterner]

Forgive me, Beefcupcake. I forgot you were here...

[Beefcupcake]

Forgive me, Beefcupcake. I forgot you were here...

LOL! I should learn better to stay out of guy's threads

[aneas]

Dude, speaking abilities. Her English is limited. One can only improve one's spoken English by practicing.

What'd you think of?

garbled English?

[Northeasterner]

garbled English?

Yeah right - is that why you mentioned a bulge in my pants? LOL

[aneas]

LOL! I should learn better to stay out of guy's threads

Nooooooooooo.....we enjoy your personality so much.