How bad would someone's form need to be for you to say something?

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Replies

  • rybo
    rybo Posts: 5,424 Member
    Maybe it's the trainer in me, but if someone is doing a movement that is very wrong and could lead to potential injury, I'd feel worse if I didn't say something.
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,463 Member
    It all depends on the approach.
  • roamingtiger
    roamingtiger Posts: 747 Member
    I would say something if it can potentially hurt someone else.
  • Cherimoose
    Cherimoose Posts: 5,208 Member
    Chef_Barbell wrote: »
    I would never. I mind my business. Life is easier that way.

    Reminds me of a great quote by Jim Rohn - "Don't wish it were easier.. wish you were better". :)

    Some of the gym regulars routinely have bad form, but i'm not too worried about them, because their body has somehow adapted to handling bad form well. They usually know they have bad form, and have no great desire to change it. But if someone who appears to be a newbie or new to an exercise is doing something clearly risky, i don't have a problem with telling them. It's sort of like telling a driver that their headlights are off at night. Does it always affect me? In a way, yes, because having injured people in the community is a drain to the community. A simple act of speaking up might ensure that they can continue working and providing for their family, so everyone wins. :+1:
  • LazSommer
    LazSommer Posts: 1,851 Member
    Cherimoose wrote: »
    Chef_Barbell wrote: »
    I would never. I mind my business. Life is easier that way.

    Reminds me of a great quote by Jim Rohn - "Don't wish it were easier.. wish you were better". :)

    Some of the gym regulars routinely have bad form, but i'm not too worried about them, because their body has somehow adapted to handling bad form well. They usually know they have bad form, and have no great desire to change it. But if someone who appears to be a newbie or new to an exercise is doing something clearly risky, i don't have a problem with telling them. It's sort of like telling a driver that their headlights are off at night. Does it always affect me? In a way, yes, because having injured people in the community is a drain to the community. A simple act of speaking up might ensure that they can continue working and providing for their family, so everyone wins. :+1:

    I gotta know, do you use the thumbs up often during in person conversation?
  • Anvil_Head
    Anvil_Head Posts: 251 Member
    I'd say something if/when they were doing something stupid enough that they could potentially hurt me. Otherwise - not my circus, not my monkeys.
  • canadianlbs
    canadianlbs Posts: 5,199 Member
    edited September 2016
    to the general question: i probably wouldn't say much. it's not like i have the answers about how to fix whatever i've just pointed out anyway. but, yeah. there have been people who scared me. and there have been times when i was pretty sure i was scaring others. the only time i've talked to staff was when someone was endangering somebody else for a joke. kids tickling a buddy who's trying to bench, that kind of thing.
    ThatUserNameIsAllReadyTaken wrote: »
    I think the person will thank you once they see the light.

    sometimes that doesn't happen until a long time afterwards, too.
    Keladelphia wrote: »
    I'd probably strike up a casual conversation and then add something along the lines of,

    ugh. just my personal preference, but every single time someone strikes up a 'casual' conversation with me i get flinched, waiting to hear what the real payload is. others probably appreciate this approach more than i do, i guess. but for myself the only real effect it's had is to make me feel patronized and jerked around, which i might actually resent far more than the feedback itself.

    the main outcome in my case is i no longer trust even people who really are just conversing and don't have a 'helpful suggestion' stashed up their sleeve.
  • Chieflrg
    Chieflrg Posts: 9,097 Member
    I've learned noT to offer advice that isn't asked.

    I have gone a couple times to the staff and mentioned if there was a safety issue.
  • sgt1372
    sgt1372 Posts: 3,997 Member
    I don't go to gyms anymore but, if was at a gym and saw someone doing something that was a "danger" to him/herself and/or others, I'd get far away from that person as possible and would point it out to the staff and let them decide whether to intervene or not.
  • Chef_Barbell
    Chef_Barbell Posts: 6,644 Member
    Cherimoose wrote: »
    Chef_Barbell wrote: »
    I would never. I mind my business. Life is easier that way.

    Reminds me of a great quote by Jim Rohn - "Don't wish it were easier.. wish you were better". :)

    Some of the gym regulars routinely have bad form, but i'm not too worried about them, because their body has somehow adapted to handling bad form well. They usually know they have bad form, and have no great desire to change it. But if someone who appears to be a newbie or new to an exercise is doing something clearly risky, i don't have a problem with telling them. It's sort of like telling a driver that their headlights are off at night. Does it always affect me? In a way, yes, because having injured people in the community is a drain to the community. A simple act of speaking up might ensure that they can continue working and providing for their family, so everyone wins. :+1:

    Or I could do things my way, which is minding my own damn business. I'm no expert to be judging someone else's workout and I don't pay their hospital bills.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    Even my trainer won't approach non clients in the gym

    Even when really concerned about potential injury

    I've had to convince him to try with one woman who squats very heavy but is going to blow a knee out because they just buckle inwards
  • canadianlbs
    canadianlbs Posts: 5,199 Member
    edited September 2016
    i'm also going to add, i would keep my mouth shut . . . and keep keeping it shut if/when something did happen to the person concerned. none of that 'i knew all along, ha ha, stupid fool' stuff i sometimes overhear from other people. like we don't all have stuff we could learn and little things we don't realise we could do better.
  • Willbenchforcupcakes
    Willbenchforcupcakes Posts: 4,955 Member
    My teammates and I are always correcting and giving feedback on form. Completely different situation than giving feedback to a random person in the gym.

    In terms of going up to a non-teammate, nope. If they ask, yes of course. But generally, most of the ones that care enough to ask for feedback will also go grab one of the strength coaches to give that feedback.
  • Therealobi1
    Therealobi1 Posts: 3,262 Member
    I think the best approach is to inform staff
    I don't understand the mind your own business crew, especially those who can see what the person is doing could be dangerous
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
    So first of all I tend to have a reputation for being the unsolicited advice guy at my gym. That being said, it's not in a bad way in that people give me *kitten* but they also tend to ask me questions and so it's invited in a way even though at times I'll comment when it's not. But it's only with a select group of people who I socialize with regularly.

    But anyway, for me it depends on whether it's a complete stranger and whether there's any small-talk going on or anything of that nature before hand.

    So for example if it's someone who I've seen there regularly and I'm a little social with, I'd go ahead and say something.

    If it were someone I have never seen before, or someone who I've never interacted with before in any way, I would have to see something quite dangerous before I'd say anything. I'd go to a staff member first.

    I should add though, that sometimes people think something is terribly dangerous when in reality it might be something with a marginally higher injury risk. For example if someone were squatting and they had some knee collapse, or someone were deadlifting with some back rounding, I don't think that's cause for urgent intervention. That's a situation where some populations might have a higher risk of injury.

    Anyway, that's my opinion.
  • BinaryPulsar
    BinaryPulsar Posts: 8,927 Member
    edited September 2016
    Personally, I would be glad if someone wanted to help me with form. But, everyone is different. You could try saying Hi. Maybe a little small talk about weight lifting during rest time. Ask them if they would like any help with form because sometimes it helps to get some outside feedback. That's an option. And back off if they say no.
  • BinaryPulsar
    BinaryPulsar Posts: 8,927 Member
    edited September 2016
    That makes a lot of sense. I didn't think of that. I'm a dancer, so I am used to having my form corrected, and then needing to quickly incorporate the change. But, weights are very different.
  • Therealobi1
    Therealobi1 Posts: 3,262 Member
    I take last few comments on board and that's why you could mention it to staff, this way they can watch the person and assess if form is an issue. You can then get on with your day.

  • Chef_Barbell
    Chef_Barbell Posts: 6,644 Member
    edited September 2016
    Therealobi1 wrote: »
    I think the best approach is to inform staff
    I don't understand the mind your own business crew, especially those who can see what the person is doing could be dangerous

    Because everyone is different. Some people are not comfortable approaching complete strangers with unsolicited advice, especially when they are no experts themselves. You never know why someone is doing the exercise they are doing.

    ETA- Some people just want to do their workout and GTFO without interaction.
  • Chef_Barbell
    Chef_Barbell Posts: 6,644 Member
    canadianlbs wrote: »
    Therealobi1 wrote: »
    I don't understand the mind your own business crew, especially those who can see what the person is doing could be dangerous

    i had someone approach me once when i was buttwinking. no question that i was doing it, and in retrospect i totally understand the worry that probably made him feel he didn't have any ethical choice about mentioning it.

    problem was this. i took it on, i believed him, i understood what he meant. but you change one thing in your form and something else shifts, right? meanwhile you don't know from inside your own skin whether you're making things better, worse, or just different.

    it spoiled the session for both of us, actually. me because i was selfconscious and disoriented. 'couldn't' keep right on doing what he'd just told me was 'bad' after i'd thanked him for it; physically couldn't do anything to fix it either. and him because having destabilized me he was uncomfortable BOTH with moving on and leaving me to it, and staying to clean up the 'mess' he'd set off in my form.

    so, yeah. unless he'd been willing to stand there for half and hour and forego his own workout, and i had been willing to take an impromptu schooling from some total stranger, there just wasn't much that either of us could do with the information.

    i get your point in theory, but in practice there's a hell of a lot more that goes into 'fixing' somebody's form than just telling them they're doing one part of it wrong.

    SO much this!
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
    canadianlbs wrote: »
    Therealobi1 wrote: »
    I don't understand the mind your own business crew, especially those who can see what the person is doing could be dangerous

    i had someone approach me once when i was buttwinking. no question that i was doing it, and in retrospect i totally understand the worry that probably made him feel he didn't have any ethical choice about mentioning it.

    problem was this. i took it on, i believed him, i understood what he meant. but you change one thing in your form and something else shifts, right? meanwhile you don't know from inside your own skin whether you're making things better, worse, or just different.

    it spoiled the session for both of us, actually. me because i was selfconscious and disoriented. 'couldn't' keep right on doing what he'd just told me was 'bad' after i'd thanked him for it; physically couldn't do anything to fix it either. and him because having destabilized me he was uncomfortable BOTH with moving on and leaving me to it, and staying to clean up the 'mess' he'd set off in my form.

    so, yeah. unless he'd been willing to stand there for half and hour and forego his own workout, and i had been willing to take an impromptu schooling from some total stranger, there just wasn't much that either of us could do with the information.

    i get your point in theory, but in practice there's a hell of a lot more that goes into 'fixing' somebody's form than just telling them they're doing one part of it wrong.

    And there is a big difference between seeing something that's "wrong" and knowing how to coach someone how to fix it.

    And to understand how something might "look wrong", but actually be appropriate given the person's anatomy, medical history, etc.

    There are often times when I see someone doing something "wrong", but find out that they were coached to do what they are doing by a therapist or another trainer for (good) reasons that aren't readily apparent.

    So even though it is specifically my job to observe people exercising and correct their form, even I do not bigfoot my way into someone's routine without some detailed observations and discussion beforehand. Otherwise, you can end up with the exact same scenario you described.
  • kwtilbury
    kwtilbury Posts: 1,234 Member
    That's the job of the gym staff. If they're not correcting him, say something to the staff.

    If someone's is just generally using poor form, say, using momentum on barbell curls, I'll just roll my eyes. If they're using poor form that could result in injury - rolling their back on deadlifts - I'll discreetly say something to staff.
  • gothchiq
    gothchiq Posts: 4,590 Member
    I would say nothing regardless because I work out at Planet Fitness. It's up to the staff if they see someone they think is likely to injure themselves. Now if my husband is messing up his form, I will say something because that's hubby and we can help each other without breaking the gym rules.
  • gothchiq
    gothchiq Posts: 4,590 Member
    .... what in the world is "buttwinking"? I'm almost afraid to ask lol.
  • upoffthemat
    upoffthemat Posts: 679 Member
    kwtilbury wrote: »
    That's the job of the gym staff. If they're not correcting him, say something to the staff.

    If someone's is just generally using poor form, say, using momentum on barbell curls, I'll just roll my eyes. If they're using poor form that could result in injury - rolling their back on deadlifts - I'll discreetly say something to staff.
    I agree with this. I would want to know, but I would want to know from someone who actually is competent to correct me as well, not just thinks they are. Saying something to the staff seems the best answer if someone looks like they are going to hurt themself.
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,439 Member
    edited September 2016
    canadianlbs wrote: »
    Therealobi1 wrote: »
    I don't understand the mind your own business crew, especially those who can see what the person is doing could be dangerous

    i had someone approach me once when i was buttwinking. no question that i was doing it, and in retrospect i totally understand the worry that probably made him feel he didn't have any ethical choice about mentioning it.

    problem was this. i took it on, i believed him, i understood what he meant. but you change one thing in your form and something else shifts, right? meanwhile you don't know from inside your own skin whether you're making things better, worse, or just different.

    it spoiled the session for both of us, actually. me because i was selfconscious and disoriented. 'couldn't' keep right on doing what he'd just told me was 'bad' after i'd thanked him for it; physically couldn't do anything to fix it either. and him because having destabilized me he was uncomfortable BOTH with moving on and leaving me to it, and staying to clean up the 'mess' he'd set off in my form.

    so, yeah. unless he'd been willing to stand there for half and hour and forego his own workout, and i had been willing to take an impromptu schooling from some total stranger, there just wasn't much that either of us could do with the information.

    i get your point in theory, but in practice there's a hell of a lot more that goes into 'fixing' somebody's form than just telling them they're doing one part of it wrong.

    Yeah, and that assuming the person "helping" knows what they are doing. I've gotten some terrible advice on how to squat (look at the ceiling). It screwed up my workout completely, just by having my focus altered. And I didn't want to take the advice, so I was always watching the guy to see if he was watching me not taking his advice. :s Never have seen him in the squat rack, BTW.

    ETA: Sorry, that was a little sideways from the OP.

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