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(Sorry, I just need to vent or cry or something somewhere, and my husband is not going to understand what's upsetting me here.)
I never talk to people at the gym. I keep hearing gyms are great pickup places -- I wouldn't know, I never make eye contact with anyone.
I go in, I do my workout, I leave.
Today, I'm trying to find the weights to load for my squats, and I'm very annoyed because all the 45s are on a bar on the floor. (Fully loaded, hard for me to even budge to work a plate off.) I look over at this one guy I see in the weights room all the time, a former Russian (Soviet?) boxer who does a lot of powerlifting. I ask, "Is this yours?" He laughs and says, "I pick up after myself." I say, "I know, right? I don't know what's with the people in this gym sometimes."
I get some other 45s, set up my squat bar, do my heavy squats.
The Russian boxer comes over to me and says, "I'm not going to train you, because I don't work with amateurs. But I see you in here all the time and I have to tell you, your squat is atrocious. Your foot placement, everything. You're going to hurt something. You need to work with a trainer to make sure you have everything in place." He introduces me to one of the trainers working nearby. The trainer mentions he sees me in there all the time and he likes working with power lifters.
And then I declared my workout for the day done and I left. I went food shopping. I bought a Coke Zero (if this were a movie, we'd get a subtitle: She's depressed).
No one ever talks to me in the gym. The first time someone talks to me...it's to tell me I'm doing it wrong.
This is why I don't talk to people at the gym.0 -
Diane sorry to hear you had issues at the gym. And my first thought was that (mildly stereotypical comment ahead) soviets tend to be very set in their ways, and with foot placement being something that varies between people, I could see that being something that he would comment on and be incorrect about. By all means, try getting a video, or some other method to verify your form (take hubby to the gym maybe?) but I wouldn't really stress about it too much.
It also sounds a bit like a ploy to get more business for the trainer...
And enjoy your coke zero!0 -
Sorry diane...he apparently doesn't understand squats as much as he thinks....
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1185582-why-people-have-to-squat-differently and there is more evidence out there that supports this as well. I wish I had saved the video of a competitive lifter mentioning different stances for different folks.
I can't squat with my feet shoulder width apart with my toes forward...it's uncomfortable for me...to the point of hurting almost.
We are all built differently....brush him off...drink your coke zero and get back at er...
besides if he was that worried he would show you his right way..*rolls eyes*0 -
Thanks, guys. I was just SO FRUSTRATED after this.
I thought it was funny he mentioned foot placement, right after there had been the discussion here about it.
I honestly don't think he was trying to drum up business for the trainer -- I think he probably talks to the trainer (the regulars in the gym see the same people, over and over, so that's perfectly normal), and the trainer just happened to be standing there.
I've worked with a trainer at this gym before, but after a couple of years's hiatus from PT I haven't picked up on who might be good to work with in the meantime. Was feeling kind of victorious just getting my *kitten* in there.0 -
Hi! I just wanted to introduce myself and didn't want to start a brand new thread that was "ALL ABOUT ME!". I'm Myles. I started SL a couple days ago (will start posting my performance in the workout thread), and have been lurking in here. I hope to make the next 12 weeks "stick" and show progression, and as it "sticks" I hope to post more in here. I'll be honest that I've stopped and started a lot of personal fitness/diet challenges, and - while I'm always tinkering with something - I am not the best person at sticking to things for long periods of time. I really hope/want to ride out these 12 weeks with SL 5x5, at least, because it's hard to know what really works unless you have a big enough sample of it.
A few things about me:
~ Height - 5'3"
~ Weight - 139.5 lbs
~ Last BF% per DEXA scan (and 4 lbs heavier was 29%)
~ Body shape is an "apple" or "inverted triangle". I have small, muscular legs, but am very jiggly up top with unfortunate posture. Grrrr... (Body image is something I'm working at too.)
~ I have a 5 year old, and my body has been sloooowly bouncing back from the pregnancy.
~ I'm still figuring out how to live the life of a recovering cardio junkie (long distance cycling and running races), because all that steady state cardio was not working for me to lose fat. I credit weight/circuit training in the year for the 10 lbs and 4% BF lost so far, but time to make a concerted effort to track my strength progress.
~ I'm back to calorie tracking. 1600 cal/day is roughly my TDEE-15%. I eat mostly Primal, and lost a lot of my fat just with that dietary change and weight training, but I'm stalled, and it's just time to measure and keep a better handle on what goes in.
There's more, but I think I've given you a wall of words already, so... pleased to meet you. Hope to chat more soon. 0 -
Welcome Myles
I've loved SL so far, I hope it sticks for you too! 0 -
Welcome Myles I've loved SL so far, I hope it sticks for you too!
Thank you! Tonight is workout #2, and so I'll post my numbers in that other workout thread.
Diane, I just wanted to say *hugs for that episode yesterday. It's awful when people think they're being helpful (if that's what he was doing) and they're actually being super hurtful. You don't need me to tell you this, but just keep going. They'll either become more helpful, or just figure out bodies are different and they should keep their opinions to themselves. (I totally kill my knees if my toes are forward on a squat.)
And, if it's any consolation, I for one, will join Diane in Suckitupville and start lifting again at my work gym, where my former trainer gives me the stink-eye for not training with him anymore. Plus, there are TONS of trainers just milling around watching everyone work out there, making me feel judged. It's a lot more comfortable/anonymous-feeling for me to lift at the 24 Hr Fitness by my house, but their equipment isn't as nice. So I'm gonna get over my weird fear and start lifting there, during lunch right at the busiest time. Plus I'll have a Coke Zero in your honor. 0 -
Hi Myles: I'm fairly new to lifting- doing stronlifts about 5 weeks now. Stick with it. It's good. I'm a little older so I'm taking is slow on the weight progression but having a good time with it. I'm 5'1" and 136#. Feel free to friend request me if you want.
Deb0 -
@Diane: If there was really anything wrong with your form, don't you think the trainer who "sees you in there all the time" should have said something? Isn't that what he's there for?? Don't let the russian guy bother you.0
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@Diane: If there was really anything wrong with your form, don't you think the trainer who "sees you in there all the time" should have said something? Isn't that what he's there for?? Don't let the russian guy bother you.
Well, maybe if I hurry up and turn pro or semi-pro he'll work with me.
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(Sorry, I just need to vent or cry or something somewhere, and my husband is not going to understand what's upsetting me here.)
I never talk to people at the gym. I keep hearing gyms are great pickup places -- I wouldn't know, I never make eye contact with anyone. I go in, I do my workout, I leave.
Today, I'm trying to find the weights to load for my squats, and I'm very annoyed because all the 45s are on a bar on the floor. (Fully loaded, hard for me to even budge to work a plate off.) I look over at this one guy I see in the weights room all the time, a former Russian (Soviet?) boxer who does a lot of powerlifting. I ask, "Is this yours?" He laughs and says, "I pick up after myself." I say, "I know, right? I don't know what's with the people in this gym sometimes."
I get some other 45s, set up my squat bar, do my heavy squats.
The Russian boxer comes over to me and says, "I'm not going to train you, because I don't work with amateurs. But I see you in here all the time and I have to tell you, your squat is atrocious. Your foot placement, everything. You're going to hurt something. You need to work with a trainer to make sure you have everything in place." He introduces me to one of the trainers working nearby. The trainer mentions he sees me in there all the time and he likes working with power lifters.
And then I declared my workout for the day done and I left. I went food shopping. I bought a Coke Zero (if this were a movie, we'd get a subtitle: She's depressed).
No one ever talks to me in the gym. The first time someone talks to me...it's to tell me I'm doing it wrong.
This is why I don't talk to people at the gym.
Diane, I had something similar happen to me a few months ago, and to be honest, I still haven't gotten over it. No Russian powerlifter involved, but still. The first guy I had chatted with in passing a couple of times. I knew he used to compete, can't remember if it was body building or powerlifting, so I felt he should know what he was talking about. He told me I was leaning too far forward and was going to hurt myself. I knew I sometimes had a problem with leaning, so I deloaded, took a video and posted it here for advice. I didn't get any major criticism and a few tips, so I proceeded with squatting. A week or so later, another older gentleman I talk to, came up to me and told me the same thing. My confidence was pretty much shattered. I went from enjoying squats, to disliking them, because I felt like it was a constant fight to improve and do them correctly. In the back of my mind, I keep hearing them tell me I'm doing them wrong.
Long story short, I've pretty much quit progressing on my squats. Some of it is because of things totally unrelated to confidence issues, but I admit, most of it is. I had a good, long talking to with myself a few weeks ago and it helped a bit. Then, I lost a good friend in an accident and I didn't do squats for a couple of weeks. Now, I'm slowly going to work back up and regain my strength and hopefully, my confidence along with it.
I know not to listen to random people in the gym, especially ones who use the Smith Machines. :grumble: It's still hard not to let it bother me, but I keep plugging away.0 -
Long story short, I've pretty much quit progressing on my squats. Some of it is because of things totally unrelated to confidence issues, but I admit, most of it is. I had a good, long talking to with myself a few weeks ago and it helped a bit. Then, I lost a good friend in an accident and I didn't do squats for a couple of weeks. Now, I'm slowly going to work back up and regain my strength and hopefully, my confidence along with it.
I know not to listen to random people in the gym, especially ones who use the Smith Machines. :grumble: It's still hard not to let it bother me, but I keep plugging away.
Oh no! If you like squats, find a way to get back into them! That's terrible if the naysayers can affect you that much.
And I always see women squatting on the Smith machine and I'm like, "..."0 -
@amy hi and welcome...
Yes the lifting sticks with most...I am 8 1/2 months in...loving it still.
Feel free to friend me as well..and that goes for anyone in this group...I may appear a bit blunt...well I am but I still be friends...:flowerforyou:
@ cruisn' not sure if you ever saw this pic
bar placement defines your "lean"...I do low bar so I would probably have "bros" at a gym telling me the same thing...doesn't make them right.
Everyone squats differently...we are all built differently, hold the bar in a different place...
This is one of the reason's women tend to stay away from the free weights..
Don't listen to them...because to be frank (and other please correct me if I am wrong) if your form was so off you wouldn't have been progressing as well and you would have hurt yourself long before they stepped in.
I think we can all "feel" it when our form is off...for us...foot placement, bar placement, leans etc...
Fall back in love with them...and each time you see those jack *kitten* at the gym just remember they don't know everything about weight lifting and they definately don't know your body or what is good for you...oh and picture them failing at their squats...cause if they are so busy watching you they aren't paying enough attention to their own workouts.0 -
Fall back in love with them...and each time you see those jack *kitten* at the gym just remember they don't know everything about weight lifting and they definitely don't know your body or what is good for you...oh and picture them failing at their squats...cause if they are so busy watching you they aren't paying enough attention to their own workouts.
I agree with this. I'm so sorry, that y'all were put in those positions by people who don't even know you. I'm somewhat of an introvert and would have been greatly discouraged with that "advice". ((hugs))0 -
Fall back in love with them...and each time you see those jack *kitten* at the gym just remember they don't know everything about weight lifting and they definitely don't know your body or what is good for you...oh and picture them failing at their squats...cause if they are so busy watching you they aren't paying enough attention to their own workouts.
I agree with this. I'm so sorry, that y'all were put in those positions by people who don't even know you. I'm somewhat of an introvert and would have been greatly discouraged with that "advice". ((hugs))
Thanks for this! ...Ever since my run-in, I haven't had the courage to go back to my gym. I'm still working up to it, but I guess it really affected me. I thought that was something I got over a long time ago, fear and apprehension about working out in front of other people. That girl smashed all my progress and courage.
This helps.0 -
(Sorry, I just need to vent or cry or something somewhere, and my husband is not going to understand what's upsetting me here.)
I never talk to people at the gym. I keep hearing gyms are great pickup places -- I wouldn't know, I never make eye contact with anyone. I go in, I do my workout, I leave.
Today, I'm trying to find the weights to load for my squats, and I'm very annoyed because all the 45s are on a bar on the floor. (Fully loaded, hard for me to even budge to work a plate off.) I look over at this one guy I see in the weights room all the time, a former Russian (Soviet?) boxer who does a lot of powerlifting. I ask, "Is this yours?" He laughs and says, "I pick up after myself." I say, "I know, right? I don't know what's with the people in this gym sometimes."
I get some other 45s, set up my squat bar, do my heavy squats.
The Russian boxer comes over to me and says, "I'm not going to train you, because I don't work with amateurs. But I see you in here all the time and I have to tell you, your squat is atrocious. Your foot placement, everything. You're going to hurt something. You need to work with a trainer to make sure you have everything in place." He introduces me to one of the trainers working nearby. The trainer mentions he sees me in there all the time and he likes working with power lifters.
And then I declared my workout for the day done and I left. I went food shopping. I bought a Coke Zero (if this were a movie, we'd get a subtitle: She's depressed).
No one ever talks to me in the gym. The first time someone talks to me...it's to tell me I'm doing it wrong.
This is why I don't talk to people at the gym.
I must've skipped a page, because I just saw this. UGH. Why can't people leave us alone? They are doing us more harm than good, and pretty transparently only doing it to stroke their own egos. They can leave thinking, "I used my vast superior knowledge to help someone at the gym. I'm a great person!" ...when in reality, they insulted and upset us.
It should really be a universal gym policy: Leave Everyone Alone.0 -
I must've skipped a page, because I just saw this. UGH. Why can't people leave us alone? They are doing us more harm than good, and pretty transparently only doing it to stroke their own egos. They can leave thinking, "I used my vast superior knowledge to help someone at the gym. I'm a great person!" ...when in reality, they insulted and upset us.
It should really be a universal gym policy: Leave Everyone Alone. [quote/]
I agree! I think MOST of the time, people have good intentions and they don't stop to think of the negative effect their advice can have on someone. It took a lot of courage for me to walk into the gym and start a program, doing something I knew nothing about. They don't realize how much time and effort I put into researching and making sure I knew exactly what I was doing, before I even walked in that door. They don't stop to think that maybe, just maybe, the way they know how to do something, is not the only way to do it, even if they've been doing it that way forever.
I just get pissed at myself, for letting them get to me. I know better, but some days, I just can't get past it.Fall back in love with them...and each time you see those jack *kitten* at the gym just remember they don't know everything about weight lifting and they definitely don't know your body or what is good for you...oh and picture them failing at their squats...cause if they are so busy watching you they aren't paying enough attention to their own workouts. [quote/]
Thanks, Stef! I'm really trying! Most days I do ok and I'm working my way back up!0 -
Hi. I got in my Day 2/Workout B yesterday. It took forever because this guy was squatting with tons of 45 lb plates at the squat rack, and he had 8 sets, he said. I didn't want to ask if I could work in with him and bother with all that plate-swapping. So I did OHP first. Then deadlift second. Then while I was doing those, more people slipped in and used the rack before me and a line formed. It was an exercise in patience. Then I finished with squats. Is it ok to do them out of order like that?
I didn't know that Deadlift was supposed to be ... 1x5?!? I couldn't figure out why my Stronglifts app wouldn't let me check off sets 2-5, until I squinted closely and saw that. I was only supposed to do warm-up and one set. I'm not sure why I never noticed that before. I have to get better about reading the instruction manuals. Drrrrr.
I took some "before" pics yesterday. I should probably share them with you guys so we can all bond over my love handles. 0 -
Oh no! I'm the Thread Killer!
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naw this can be a sporatic thread esp on the weekends...0
