Giving unwanted advise(?)

[maggioracing]

Hey guys. Just wondering if you ever see someone doing an exercise the wrong,...do you ever say something to that person? I'm 38 and finally have some wisdom when it comes to working out. I'm not there to impress anyone. I'm there to work out and avoid any joint or muscle injury.
My pet peeve is seeing these young bucks trying to squat, and over all tyring to lift more weight than they can really do. Requiring a spot after the 4th lift. Come on, seriously. It's technique first and formost, right??? I admit I used to only do quarter squats and really saw no change in my leg development in my younger days. Duh! Now after years of attempts I am finally doing ATG squats. Progress is slow but steady. Lower back pain is almost non-existant due to proper technique.
I keep seeing these young guys putting 185 or 225 ( for example) and only doing quarter squats to impress their friends or for anyone that is looking.
I don't think they realize it, but we all look thinking in reality "I'm surprised no one has told you about your technique. You really need to go lower". LOL.

So lately on occassion I have been doing just that. Waiting for them to finish and saying "Instead of doing 185lbs, take off the 45's and do just the 25lb. plates, do all the way down ATG and really feel your quads,hams,gluts,calves working". A few have listened and said "Holy ****, I can really feel my legs, thanks!". A few were insulted. And after trying what I told them, they went right back to 225lb quarter squats. LOL. "Ok, suit yourself".

It's kinda funny. We are all people watchers at the gym I guess. I just don't want to be "technique patrol" or anything. Just want to help out.

Do people not read anymore? lol.

-Frank

[merlinsrealm]

Seriously, another one of these? Must be a slow weekend

[Brackneyc]

Seriously, another one of these? Must be a slow weekend

A refreshing change of pace might be...anyone giving advice, upload a picture, so we can see if the "advised" had a good reason not to follow unsolicited advice from a stranger.

[merlinsrealm]

A refreshing change of pace might be...anyone giving advice, upload a picture, so we can see if the "advised" had a good reason not to follow unsolicited advice from a stranger.

True, but who the hell like refreshin anyways?

Refreshing is overrated

[maggioracing]

Seriously, another one of these? Must be a slow weekend

LOL. Yeah, sorry. I can only imagine this sort of thread has been done before. I'm just laughing. I left the gym seeing the imfamous "quarter squat in full effect". You know it's funny.

-Frank

[EugenSaxon]

A refreshing change of pace might be...anyone giving advice, upload a picture, so we can see if the "advised" had a good reason not to follow unsolicited advice from a stranger.

Yeh i'll give an example of it here,a buddy I train with got out of the military with me at the same time,and one the day we where to leave Iraqi he got shot in the leg by a sniper,and as a result can only do quarter squats.He's built up so good muscle devlopment from them but I think it's due to good form and detemination as well,as the weight on the bar.

[kimm4]

We are all people watchers at the gym I guess.

Not true. I very seldom watch others because I'm too focused on my own workout. If someone asks for a spot or wants me to check out their form, then sure I'm always happy to help. But other then that, I mind my own business.

[merlinsrealm]

Not true. I very seldom watch others because I'm too focused on my own workout. If someone asks for a spot or wants me to check out their form, then sure I'm always happy to help. But other then that, I mind my own business.

^^^This!

Hi Kimm!

[maggioracing]

A refreshing change of pace might be...anyone giving advice, upload a picture, so we can see if the "advised" had a good reason not to follow unsolicited advice from a stranger.

Taken last month. 3/21/2011. Again. gains are from technique, not weight. No injury.
-Frank

[mslman71]

Not true. I very seldom watch others because I'm too focused on my own workout. If someone asks for a spot or wants me to check out their form, then sure I'm always happy to help. But other then that, I mind my own business.

I get one of those special "WTF is wrong with you looks" just last week in the gym when a guy asked me if someone was using the bench next to me. I told him I had no idea, I hadn't been paying attention. He asked me again, maybe expecting a different answer (?). My brain is focused on the job at hand and as long as no one is crowding my airspace I tend to stay in my own world.

[kimm4]

^^^This!

Hi Kimm!

Hi Eric!

I get one of those special "WTF is wrong with you looks" just last week in the gym when a guy asked me if someone was using the bench next to me. I told him I had no idea, I hadn't been paying attention. He asked me again, maybe expecting a different answer (?). My brain is focused on the job at hand and as long as no one is crowding my airspace I tend to stay in my own world.

Exactly, I'm in the zone and my blinders are on. I'm oblivious to what's going on around me...to a point.

[boathead]

what i find interesting is how many here, myself included, give out unwanted advice in these forums, when we wouldn't do it in the gym.

for instance, someone might ask about leg extensions, and then is slammed by 50 unsolicited responses about squats, or why he is not working his lats, or some other non-topic response.

[GirLInterrupted]

I think it just depends on the person. I would be very appreciative if someone corrected my form. I am pretty much oblivious to what others do, I'm nowhere near being able to offer any adivce yet. I just try to make sure I don't park it right in front of someone watching their form in the mirror

[fitmom43]

Not true. I very seldom watch others because I'm too focused on my own workout. If someone asks for a spot or wants me to check out their form, then sure I'm always happy to help. But other then that, I mind my own business.

^^^This

I am way to focused on my own workout to notice what others are doing

Hi Kimm

[themyth2009]

If someone wants my advice they will ask for it...usually the just want me to hook them up.

[Brackneyc]

Yeh i'll give an example of it here,a buddy I train with got out of the military with me at the same time,and one the day we where to leave Iraqi he got shot in the leg by a sniper,and as a result can only do quarter squats.He's built up so good muscle devlopment from them but I think it's due to good form and detemination as well,as the weight on the bar.

That is a great reason. Just further evidence that guys should refrain from giving advice to guys they do not know. This would include (imo) advice about training methods, be them proven scientifically, or otherwise.

[crupiea]

If 225 impresses everyone in your gym, i want to workout there.

[discdoggie]

My advice on giving unsolicited advice is don't.

[Corbi]

Typically I don't but last week I couldn't take anymore and had to correct someone. My gym is upstairs at work so obviously it's someone I work with. Anyways I have been watching himperform the worst shrugs in the world for quite some time now. He's like a jackrabbit on speed, as fast as the bar goes up it's back down. He does 10 reps in about 6 seconds. I finally stepped up and told him as well as showed him the correct technique and for the past week now he has been doing them correctly.

[SP1966]

Heres the thing, I have done my share of eye rolls at much of what would appear to be foolishness in the gym. Then I had the misfortune of injuring myself and found that I had to modify what I was doing, thus I'm sure putting me into the eye roll category on occasion. For the most part now I really tend to give people the benefit of the doubt rather than an eye roll as there is no way to know if they happen to be dealing with injury or some other incapacity.

Bottom line, they are in the gym, it cannot help but be a good thing.

[Meatpants]

I don't generally care what other do in the gym, as long it doesn't jam me up. I generally don't want to speak to you in the gym, and would prefer you don't speak to me. I mind my own business.

[grace_ou]

Hey guys. Just wondering if you ever see someone doing an exercise the wrong,...do you ever say something to that person? I'm 38 and finally have some wisdom when it comes to working out. I'm not there to impress anyone. I'm there to work out and avoid any joint or muscle injury.
My pet peeve is seeing these young bucks trying to squat, and over all tyring to lift more weight than they can really do. Requiring a spot after the 4th lift. Come on, seriously. It's technique first and formost, right??? I admit I used to only do quarter squats and really saw no change in my leg development in my younger days. Duh! Now after years of attempts I am finally doing ATG squats. Progress is slow but steady. Lower back pain is almost non-existant due to proper technique.
I keep seeing these young guys putting 185 or 225 ( for example) and only doing quarter squats to impress their friends or for anyone that is looking.
I don't think they realize it, but we all look thinking in reality "I'm surprised no one has told you about your technique. You really need to go lower". LOL.

So lately on occassion I have been doing just that. Waiting for them to finish and saying "Instead of doing 185lbs, take off the 45's and do just the 25lb. plates, do all the way down ATG and really feel your quads,hams,gluts,calves working". A few have listened and said "Holy ****, I can really feel my legs, thanks!". A few were insulted. And after trying what I told them, they went right back to 225lb quarter squats. LOL. "Ok, suit yourself".

It's kinda funny. We are all people watchers at the gym I guess. I just don't want to be "technique patrol" or anything. Just want to help out.

Do people not read anymore? lol.

-Frank

My advice don't give advice.

/thread

Here's the problem with ... everybody thinks there way of lifting is right and all you will do by giving unwanted advice is piss people off.

[omnisjdi]

I get the opposite problem. I get a lot of people telling me what to do who clearly aren't taking their own advice.

[maggioracing]

Typically I don't but last week I couldn't take anymore and had to correct someone. My gym is upstairs at work so obviously it's someone I work with. Anyways I have been watching himperform the worst shrugs in the world for quite some time now. He's like a jackrabbit on speed, as fast as the bar goes up it's back down. He does 10 reps in about 6 seconds. I finally stepped up and told him as well as showed him the correct technique and for the past week now he has been doing them correctly.

That's funny. That's kind of what I'm talking about. I had mentioned it to the gym manager. He sees it too, but his reply was "ah, they're young. I did it too. It was all about how much I could lift". Heck I even admit to doing it. lol.
I see there are alot of opinions and I appreciate the good and the bad that has been written. Thanks for reading my post.
Just wanted to know if I was alone on this thing or not. Again, not to be a technique patrol person. But if I think someone is going to hurt themselves I'm going to say something.
Funny story. One guy at the gym== on two different occassions was solicited advice from a group of guys. One time he was doing incline dumbbell presses with his ass at the end of the bench seat and with the arch in his back it added up to an almost flat press. lol. Well a few other young guys saw the same thing. Finally one of the guys stepped up and said something. Another time he was going tricep press downs but moving alot at the shoulders and very little at the elbow. Again, they said something. lol. Well he was offended based on his replies. Well now he does them the right way.

-Frank

[SerpentHearted]

I think it is OK to give advice to random strangers. And not just at the gym either. I try to give other people advice whenever I can. I often tell random strangers to get a haircut or lose weight. At the grocery store I routinely see people about to purchase items and offer them advice on better deals or better products. When I overhear people having loud personal conversations in public on their cell phones I like to interrupt to tell them clever things they should say or sometimes I just interrupt to correct them on their grammar.

I don't know, I guess I am just a really helpful guy.

on spread for some reason.

[drudixon]

Hey guys. Just wondering if you ever see someone doing an exercise the wrong,...do you ever say something to that person? I'm 38 and finally have some wisdom when it comes to working out. I'm not there to impress anyone. I'm there to work out and avoid any joint or muscle injury.
My pet peeve is seeing these young bucks trying to squat, and over all tyring to lift more weight than they can really do. Requiring a spot after the 4th lift. Come on, seriously. It's technique first and formost, right??? I admit I used to only do quarter squats and really saw no change in my leg development in my younger days. Duh! Now after years of attempts I am finally doing ATG squats. Progress is slow but steady. Lower back pain is almost non-existant due to proper technique.
I keep seeing these young guys putting 185 or 225 ( for example) and only doing quarter squats to impress their friends or for anyone that is looking.
I don't think they realize it, but we all look thinking in reality "I'm surprised no one has told you about your technique. You really need to go lower". LOL.

So lately on occassion I have been doing just that. Waiting for them to finish and saying "Instead of doing 185lbs, take off the 45's and do just the 25lb. plates, do all the way down ATG and really feel your quads,hams,gluts,calves working". A few have listened and said "Holy ****, I can really feel my legs, thanks!". A few were insulted. And after trying what I told them, they went right back to 225lb quarter squats. LOL. "Ok, suit yourself".

It's kinda funny. We are all people watchers at the gym I guess. I just don't want to be "technique patrol" or anything. Just want to help out.

Do people not read anymore? lol.

-Frank

I work out at home, so the only dumbass in my gym is me.