Never too old to learn

GO BIG · 04-19-2007, 01:53 PM

So here I am at 40 years of age, been training for 26 and tonight I learned a lesson the hard way.

I injured my groin in August last year and have been squatting on the smith machine ever since, and have managed to get back up to 440lb for about 6 reps on a final set with everything going really well.

Two weeks ago I moved to a new area and had to change gyms - tonight was my first leg workout in the new gym and as per usual I headed for the smith machine and started my warmup adding 88lbs per set and on set three at about 300lbs I squat down and turn it around at the bottom of my stroke when....... wait for it........THE F%^&ING MACHINE SLIDES BACK HALF A METER leaving my sprawled on the floor like a wet fish with an incredible pain shooting up my left quad.

THE BUGGERS HAD NOT BOLTED THE MACHINE TO THE BLOODY FLOOR HAD THEY???

Moral of the story: NEVER assume that equipment in a gym is set up properly and is safe to use Check it out first

On the plus side, at least I didn't pick up any major injury, probably just tweaked the quad a touch even though it's burning like hell as i sit here typing this AND, I decided to hit the free bar rack again managing 440 for 3 reps on final set.

Lesson learned!!!

Greystoke · 04-19-2007, 02:13 PM

Man, I just looked at your pictures. If I was the guy who owned that gym...never mind bolting the Smith machine...I'd be bolting the front door before you came looking for me.

GO BIG · 04-19-2007, 02:33 PM

LOL! One of my nicer moods today - actually went to the maintainance guy and said "Er excuse me sir, your smith machine seems to be loose and could cause injury to some unsuspecting individuals, Thank you very much" or something like that......

Greystoke · 04-19-2007, 02:38 PM

Sometimes checking first doesn't help. I was using a bicep preacher curl cable machine in the college gym years ago. The cable snapped out of the connecting bolt during the positive portion of the movement and the sudden momentum forced the bar right into my forehead.

I was unconcious for a few minutes and received 13 stitches in my forehead. I had two black eyes from basically punching myself with a steel bar. I have been leary of all those Nautilus type cable machines ever since.

GO BIG · 04-19-2007, 02:42 PM

LMAO! yeah, remember that happening to a training partner on a seated cable row machine a few years ago - never seen 300lbs move so fast. One second he was there the next ?????????

GO BIG · 04-19-2007, 02:45 PM

Sh-t! Then the time the power went out while I was at full tilt on the treadmill - I went over the bar like a retarded gymnast!

not2l8 · 04-19-2007, 02:54 PM

thanks for posting that. good advice. i'll pay attention from now on. I have noticed that at my gym sometimes the weights are lose on the dumbbells and I tighten them up if I grab any that are lose. Seems like a lawsuit waiting to happen

Mr. Someday · 04-19-2007, 03:12 PM

Tip to my big South African friend....next time lift just the weight on the bar.....not the whole damn machine!!!

Freakin' animal!

Just glad to hear you managed to escape that without serious injury.

Just to add another dim-whitted moment to the pile here.....last week I was doing my calves on the hack machine (560#)....thinking about what kind of food I will eat after the New Englands.....go to lower the weight, but never bother to pull the handles in.....end up pancaked into a pile smaller than Herve Villachez!!! Thank God for the bottom safety stop!!

-Leonidas- · 04-19-2007, 06:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Greystoke

Man, I just looked at your pictures. If I was the guy who owned that gym...never mind bolting the Smith machine...I'd be bolting the front door before you came looking for me.

Me too!!

blabber · 04-19-2007, 07:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GO BIG

Sh-t! Then the time the power went out while I was at full tilt on the treadmill - I went over the bar like a retarded gymnast!

ROFL, reminds me of the first time I used a treadmill. I nearly George Jetson'd myself by hitting the "up" arrow quickly three times, thinking each stroke was a 0.5mph increase. To my horror, the display jumped up 5mph each stroke, and the thing took off crazy! So I was STOMP STOMP OH NO HEY STOP WAIT HUFF PUFF PANT PANT PUFF WHEEZE HOLD IT STOP THIS CRAZY THING! HELP! JAAAANE!

GO BIG · 04-22-2007, 08:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr. Someday

Tip to my big South African friend....next time lift just the weight on the bar.....not the whole damn machine!!!

Freakin' animal!

Just glad to hear you managed to escape that without serious injury.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr. Someday

Just to add another dim-whitted moment to the pile here.....last week I was doing my calves on the hack machine (560#)....thinking about what kind of food I will eat after the New Englands.....go to lower the weight, but never bother to pull the handles in.....end up pancaked into a pile smaller than Herve Villachez!!! Thank God for the bottom safety stop!!

ROFLMAO!!! Steve that is freakin' hilarious man - Amazing how low carb diets can affect your mind hey??

hardball · 04-22-2007, 11:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Greystoke

Man, I just looked at your pictures. If I was the guy who owned that gym...never mind bolting the Smith machine...I'd be bolting the front door before you came looking for me.

Good one, the thought of throwing the Smith Machine at the owner came into mind.

Islandtroll · 04-22-2007, 12:14 PM

Everytime I see GO BIG posting, I feel small and skinny

Seosaid · 04-25-2007, 11:23 AM

LOL I'm really sorry for all of you but each and every story was funnier than the previous.

I'm just glad no one really got hurt!

GO BIG · 05-08-2007, 01:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Seosaid

LOL I'm really sorry for all of you but each and every story was funnier than the previous.

I'm just glad no one really got hurt!

Maybe we should start a thread? Call it "A funny thing happened in the gym" See how many more idiots like us there are.

JeepCreeper · 05-08-2007, 02:00 PM

In all the gyms I've been to I've never seen a piece of equipment bolted to the floor, or maybe I just never paid enough attention.

IR45N · 05-08-2007, 07:12 PM

Impressive! You're a good advertisment to start lifing in your 20s & most important, not stop. 50's gonna look good on you! Hope the Smith mishap heals fast.

deerhearse · 05-08-2007, 10:57 PM

The belts on some machines scare me a bit...such as the lat pulldown machine when your pulling 250-plus pounds toward your teeth, all the while reading "inspect for damage daily" on the belt as you pull it toward you.....the thought of that belt snapping makes me cringe. I do three variations: 1) behind the neck, 2) parallel grip (narrow), and 3) the toward the face ones I mentioned above.

I love lat pulldowns, but feel much safer using dumbells for bent-over rows as there is no cable or belt to slip or snap!

thedisneydad · 05-08-2007, 11:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by deerhearse

The belts on some machines scare me a bit...such as the lat pulldown machine when your pulling 250-plus pounds toward your teeth, all the while reading "inspect for damage daily" on the belt as you pull it toward you.....the thought of that belt snapping makes me cringe.

haha, that's no joke...I can just imagine getting a nice set of dentures for my Bday...that would suck.

GO BIG · 05-10-2007, 08:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by deerhearse

The belts on some machines scare me a bit...such as the lat pulldown machine when your pulling 250-plus pounds toward your teeth, all the while reading "inspect for damage daily" on the belt as you pull it toward you.....!

ROFLMFAO!! Brilliant, thanks man I needed that laugh!!