What do you do when you see terrible form at the gym?

jayche

Today I saw someone going deep on some good mornings with a really rounded back (I'm not exaggerating when I say his back resembled a flamingo's neck) on the squat rack but ultimately just said nothing and let him do his thing.

What would you do if you saw terrible/potentially dangerous form in the gym?

wellbert

Look away from the mirror.

Healthydiner65

Why don't you respectfully ask if they would like help with form! What's the worst they could do? Then you will be a Super Hero for going out of your way to keep someone from getting injured!

RobynLB

My gym is very communal, so you give and get lots of pointers, and most people like / expect it. Usually if people are doing something wrong, they are feeling it and frustrated and they are happy to have someone show them the right way to do it. Conversely, a lot of people actively seek out advice, and I have gotten great tips this way. Just go over and smile and say, "oh, hey, you want to see something... you're really going to like doing it this way better..." If it's someone who isn't friendly, or doesn't like input, then just ignore it and focus on your own thing.

n0ob

I scoff and do nothing...

Chief_Rocka

I treat it with righteous indignation

DavPul

Look away from the mirror.

LMAO

Crankstr

I am trying to picture this...wish i could see it

jayche

My gym is very communal, so you give and get lots of pointers, and most people like / expect it. Usually if people are doing something wrong, they are feeling it and frustrated and they are happy to have someone show them the right way to do it. Conversely, a lot of people actively seek out advice, and I have gotten great tips this way. Just go over and smile and say, "oh, hey, you want to see something... you're really going to like doing it this way better..." If it's someone who isn't friendly, or doesn't like input, then just ignore it and focus on your own thing.

Well usually if someone wants advice they come up and ask me, from my experience I've found that people who don't ask for advice tend not to receive it well and sometimes even lash out. Maybe my gym is just full of ****s lol

brittany103

I think it depends on the person, personally I don't want anyone bothering me at the gym, if I'm doing something wrong I'll survives, but if the person looks approachable, it doesn't hurt to mention something, just don't do it in a I know more I'm better than you sort of way and hopefully the person doesn't mind and appreciates the advice.

cwolfman13

Today I saw someone going deep on some good mornings with a really rounded back (I'm not exaggerating when I say his back resembled a flamingo's neck) on the squat rack but ultimately just said nothing and let him do his thing.

What would you do if you saw terrible/potentially dangerous form in the gym?

Being a total noob in RE to lifting heavy, I'd hope someone would stop me and then show me how to do it properly. I'd then thank them because I like to do things right.

katiefridley

Nothing. It is none of your business. How would you feel if you were in a store and your kid was throwing a temper tantrum and someone came up to you and "respectfully" asked if you wanted parenting advice?

cwolfman13

Nothing. It is none of your business. How would you feel if you were in a store and your kid was throwing a temper tantrum and someone came up to you and "respectfully" asked if you wanted parenting advice?

Totally different I think...good parenting is subjective...proper form/technique is definitive.

BinaryPulsar

I don't always ask for advice at the gym (even though I want to) because I don't know who is experienced or not and I can't expect them to be my trainer, they are busy. But, if anyone ever saw me with bad form I would absolutely want them to say something to me, rather than for me to end up injured. Really, my body is that important to me.

metaphoria

Thank the good Lord I can finally afford a gym membership. Sigh.

DontStopB_Leakin

Nothing. It is none of your business. How would you feel if you were in a store and your kid was throwing a temper tantrum and someone came up to you and "respectfully" asked if you wanted parenting advice?

Horrible comparison.


Two completely different things.

Syreeta6

Close my eyes and cringe... *yikes*

penrbrown

"Excuse me, I happened to notice how you were doing your squats. You're doing pretty good but you're rounding your back a bit too much. This could lead to injury. Maybe try like this *demonstrate proper form*, it should feel better and will get you a better burn with less chance of injury."

-> Just do it.

Hendrix7

from my experience I've found that people who don't ask for advice tend not to receive it well and sometimes even lash out.

Basically this.

funforsports

Golden rule: Only approach hot chicks. All others do not accept advice well. They tend to call it criticism.

teryx123

When I'm at the gym I leave people alone, and I would rather be left alone as well. If anyone wants help they can always ask. Luckily at the gym I use there is none of that. My experience with weights goes back decades, and I have specifc things that I do for specifc reasons. Some are to strengthen old injuries and some are to work around them. I know what I need. I really don't need somebody telling I'm doing something wrong when they have no idea what I'm doing or why.

mizzie1980

I ignore it, but I don't go to the gym, I go to group fitness classes so the instructor is responsible for making sure everyone's form is right.

But, if it was bad to the point of risking serious injury, I think you could say something. Maybe "Hi! Sorry to bother you, but I'd hate for you to get hurt because I didn't say anything. It's best to keep your back straight to avoid [insert horrible injury here]." Or maybe mentioning it to one of the trainers there, if your gym has them.

Jeneba

I make mean faces & then report the misbehavior to the gym owner or the trainers. Oh - and sometimes I mutter "Are you TRYING to hurt yourself?" The reason I tell the owner or manager is because this could turn into a Liability issues.

alyssamiller77

Most of the time I just simply try to avoid watching the train wreck. Honestly, most of the people that I see with crappy form are young "adult" (i.e. 18-24 yr old) males that are at the gym with their friends lifting far too heavy in an effort to show off. Those are not people I'm going to try to offer information to because they aren't going to take the advice anyway.

Instead I just try to set a good example. I've gotten to the point now where my muscle size and definition is at the higher end of the people at my gym. So I figure those that are interested in having success like mine will see that I'm not using obscenely heavy weights to do it and they'll see how my form looks on many of the exercises they do themselves. If they don't notice the difference between my form and their own, then chances are they're really not as focused as they need to be on doing it right anyway.

At the end of the day, I go to the gym to improve my body. It's really my "me time". I'm not interested in trying to coach someone else. If they ask for help, I'll gladly give it but I prefer to be in my own little world and focus on my own progress and injury avoidance.

Cr01502

I don't always ask for advice at the gym (even though I want to) because I don't know who is experienced or not and I can't expect them to be my trainer, they are busy. But, if anyone ever saw me with bad form I would absolutely want them to say something to me, rather than for me to end up injured. Really, my body is that important to me.

See but then you also open yourself up to people that have absolutely no idea what they're doing teaching you their mistakes.

I tend to not correct anybodies technique unless

1) They're a client of mine
2) They ask for my help
3) They're about to injure themselves or someone else

As someone said earlier giving out unsolicited advice is often ill received and people can be pretty indignant about which way is the right way.

sijomial

I ask the gym's PTs to intervene and offer advice rather than sit at their desk...

At my gym on a Saturday afternoon there is a session for teenagers and they often have no idea about technique and risk injuring themselves. I do intervene personally at times but it has more "weight" coming from a fitness professional.

lewcompton

I simply state... "You might want to look up while doing squats unless you are looking for the hernia to pop or your back to go out."

bbgughj

Today I saw someone going deep on some good mornings with a really rounded back (I'm not exaggerating when I say his back resembled a flamingo's neck) on the squat rack but ultimately just said nothing and let him do his thing.

What would you do if you saw terrible/potentially dangerous form in the gym?

Nice , Even though I see someone with the wrong form , Its is not my responsibility to change or correct them , Unless I am asked .

That is an employees or personal trainers job . I leave my ego outside of the gym and mind my own business .

triggsta

I usually pity them and hope they don't do anything. Experiences of trying to intervene are usually filled with "you don't know what you're talking about" and "I've never gotten hurt doing it this way"... and I can't help but add to their second comment a "yet". So I just let them do their own thing.

At the gym I go to, most of what I see is just poor form that wouldn't necessarily cause injury but also doesn't give them maximum results. Again, I just pity them and move on. If they see me with my wonderful form and want to ask questions, then I will give them all the time that I have to talk to them about it, but otherwise it's their loss, not mine.

thebigcb

mind my own and leave then at it

I am not qualified so not in a position to be giving advise

Ge0rgiana

Bite my tongue and remind myself that it may be embarassing to a guy to be corrected by a woman.