squat form off in gym..say anything?
ndj1979
Posts: 29,136 Member
I noticed this kid at the gym - well I say kid he was probably college age or maybe just getting out of high school - and he was doing squats but his form was kind of jacked becuase he was looking down...I wanted to say something but decided not to ...what do you all think? Should I have mentioned something...I mean I would want to know if my form was not good...ehhhh
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absolutely, bad form can result in an injury and it is always best to help avoid that.
Now the the trick is not to come off like a Cheney, but instead as helpful. If you are still to shy to give a straight talk, lead by example. Get in front of the line for the squat ahead of him and then try his form and then fall to the ground, have the bar crush the back of your neck and then get hauled off to the hospital. As they are wheeling you out, stop the paramedics and motion the kid close, whisper in his ear; "There is another Skywalker"...no wait, whisper: "Don't do what I did, keep looking straight ahead, back straigh, spine at its natural curve" *stop here to spit up some blood* "and lift through your legs and gluts" and then pass out.
He'll get the message.0 -
For kids, I almost always will. For adults, only if imminent danger is ahead, or if it's a friend or someone who knows I know what I'm talking about.
I usually ask, "has anyone coached you on that lift?" That usually works.0 -
How was the bar placed on his back? perfectly ok to look down on a low bar squat...
exhibit A from the cover of Mark Rippetoe's book:
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I never do although the thing i see people doing poorly usually is preacher curls lol. I did help one kid out one time because we had already talked some\spotted each other on bench and he was rounding his back and lifting with his back doing deadlifts.0
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Looking down like, trying to see his belly button, or looking down as in-- neutral neck?0
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i dont know about others, but I always hope to god that if i'm doing something wrong someone will come and correct me!0
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I don't know either. This morning I saw a guy whose whole routine was off - all of his lifts had too small a range of motion and he was lifting lighter than I do and was still all sloppy. But he wasn't doing anything really *dangerous* so I didn't say anything. (Also, he kept standing between me and the mirror, which is why I noticed at all, but that's a different issue, nobody ever herniated a disc from rudeness.)
I think the rule of thumb should be "say something if you think they're going to hurt themselves" but I never know how to bring it up.0 -
i dont know about others, but I always hope to god that if i'm doing something wrong someone will come and correct me!
^ this.... x100000000 -
Just say, "hey, I've been doing this a while and if I saw something in your form that could cause an injury, would you mind if I pointed it out?"0
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No. Don't be that guy, please.
My headphones were on but my ipod died at the gym the other day. I was doing squats next to these *kitten* im tough **** guys. I am squating as low as possible, with proper form, but the squat rack is really tall, right? I am like 1 centimeter from racking the weight on the rack with every single squat.... One of them said "Wow, she's lifting too much." "huh? no she's not" "yeah, she has to be.... she isn't squating deep enough"
Let me tell you this pissed me off beyond all EFFING BELIEF.
Don't be that guy. Rule of thumb? Unless they are going to injure themselves in the next few reps/minutes mind your own business.
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I started mine with "I usually don't ever say *kitten* to anyone, but you're going to fckin hurt yourself"0
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I would hope if someone saw me doing something wrong they would let me know. But... every time I'm at the gym, when the weight area I get looks - OMGs the looks. I don't know which way to take them - are they shocked I'm there, am I doing something wrong, ect.
So as I said, I would hope if I was grossly doming wrong, someone would speak up and let me know. I sure as hell don't want to get hurt because I had a lack of understanding/knowledge.0 -
No. Don't be that guy, please.
My headphones were on but my ipod died at the gym the other day. I was doing squats next to these *kitten* im tough **** guys. I am squating as low as possible, with proper form, but the squat rack is really tall, right? I am like 1 centimeter from racking the weight on the rack with every single squat.... One of them said "Wow, she's lifting too much." "huh? no she's not" "yeah, she has to be.... she isn't squating deep enough"
Let me tell you this pissed me off beyond all EFFING BELIEF.
Don't be that guy. Rule of thumb? Unless they are going to injure themselves in the next few reps/minutes mind your own business.
talking about someone is not the same as talking directly to them to help them avoid injury0 -
No. Don't be that guy, please.
My headphones were on but my ipod died at the gym the other day. I was doing squats next to these *kitten* im tough **** guys. I am squating as low as possible, with proper form, but the squat rack is really tall, right? I am like 1 centimeter from racking the weight on the rack with every single squat.... One of them said "Wow, she's lifting too much." "huh? no she's not" "yeah, she has to be.... she isn't squating deep enough"
Let me tell you this pissed me off beyond all EFFING BELIEF.
Don't be that guy. Rule of thumb? Unless they are going to injure themselves in the next few reps/minutes mind your own business.
talking about someone is not the same as talking directly to them to help them avoid injury
Did he say "they were about to injure themselves"? No. Don't say anything to anyone unless they are going to injure themselves. It's not your business. If i see women doing the ****tiest form of crunches ever am i going to run over to them and instruct them otherwise? No. It's not my business.
You go to the gym for YOU, not to be everyone personal trainer. If they are going to HURT themselves, then i can understand.0 -
I usually appreciate advice in the gym although I rarely give it. Just not my style. I would say it's all about the delivery. Just don't come off as a D-bag. Don't take up 30 minutes of my life but a quick correction is cool.0
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No. Don't be that guy, please.
My headphones were on but my ipod died at the gym the other day. I was doing squats next to these *kitten* im tough **** guys. I am squating as low as possible, with proper form, but the squat rack is really tall, right? I am like 1 centimeter from racking the weight on the rack with every single squat.... One of them said "Wow, she's lifting too much." "huh? no she's not" "yeah, she has to be.... she isn't squating deep enough"
Let me tell you this pissed me off beyond all EFFING BELIEF.
Don't be that guy. Rule of thumb? Unless they are going to injure themselves in the next few reps/minutes mind your own business.
talking about someone is not the same as talking directly to them to help them avoid injury
Did he say "they were about to injure themselves"? No. Don't say anything to anyone unless they are going to injure themselves. It's not your business. If i see women doing the ****tiest form of crunches ever am i going to run over to them and instruct them otherwise? No. It's not my business.
You go to the gym for YOU, not to be everyone personal trainer. If they are going to HURT themselves, then i can understand.
He asked if he should speak directly to the trainee because their squat form was bad which reading between the lines means they might hurt themselves. Clearly not the same as a couple dbags talking about you amongst themselves.0 -
I don't comment on anyone's form unless they ask me to. If you don't know the person, you don't know what their goals are, if they are working around an injury, trying to break a sticking point, etc.
I don't really want comments on my workout from people who don't know these things about me.0 -
How was the bar placed on his back? perfectly ok to look down on a low bar squat...
exhibit A from the cover of Mark Rippetoe's book:
I don't remember how the bar was placed on his back...
I am not exactly sur I am the form king when it comes to squats lol..but everything i have read onthe subject seems to say that eyes should be forward to slightly about eye level to keep oyur back as straight as possible and keep knees from coming over toes..is this not accurate? Probably another reason I should say nothing...lol0 -
here's Rippetoe himself doing 315x10...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVKEl4Wxoqc&feature=player_embedded 0 -
I would appreciate the advice from someone else0
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If their form is so bad they are risking injury, I say something. If not, I let them do what they do. Unless it's a really pretty girl. Then I don't say anything, ever. Because no matter how helpful you're trying to be, they swear you're just trying to hit on them. I don't want to be the focus of one of the daily gym rants on mfp.0
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Say something!...squats can RUIN your back if you do them wrong. Nothing sucks worse than a herniated disc that could have been avoided if you had known better, at least that is what I thought when I was recovering from one....0
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Looking down like, trying to see his belly button, or looking down as in-- neutral neck?
Looking down as in looking down at ground with eyes....
My understanding is this is not good form and could potentially lead to injury?0 -
here's Rippetoe himself doing 315x10...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVKEl4Wxoqc&feature=player_embedded
Honestly those don't look that great. That said he is 10 repping a weight I may be just shy of 1 repping so...0 -
There's a few ways I approach the situations based on whats going on.
If they just suck at squatting and aren't using much weight and it doesn't look too dangerous, I just let them continue.
If theres a serious risk for injury, I'll approach them.
Don't go up to them preaching about form just say "Can I give you a few tips". If they're receptive help them, if not, their loss.
Smart lifters are open to criticism and will continually take advice and try to learn proper technique.0 -
There was ONE guy who I respected. I used to have dudes come up all the time with "helpful tips"...(eyeroll)..but one guy, really did mean it..and he said "Hey, have you ever tried doing it this way..I find that I get a better burn that way"..Now, him a listened too. (helped that he obviously practiced what he preached and didn't bug me any other time)...So I think the way he said it was very cool. Not like you're doing something wrong, but "I like doing it this way" and kind of showed by example.
I usually don't say much to people. I will go up to other women who seem like newbies and try to help them out if it looks like they are going to hurt themselves.0 -
Looking down like, trying to see his belly button, or looking down as in-- neutral neck?
Looking down as in looking down at ground with eyes....
My understanding is this is not good form and could potentially lead to injury?
Well Rip\SS says to look at the floor 4-5 feet in front of you. Some would say to look higher to keep the chest up and back straight. It is easier if you are looking up I guess. If you are looking at the floor you need that word that means knowing what all of your body parts are doing.0 -
I have never approached anyone directly regarding form. I did watch one guy doing deadlifts with heavy weights and an arched back and walked over to a trainer I knew and said, "hey, can you tell me if I'm crazy here?" He watched one rep and RAN over to stop the guy.0
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I do squats similarly to what Rip recommendends, though I don't look as far down as Rip in the video.
I probably look 5-7 feet ahead of me. But a high bar squatter would think I was looking down and doing it wrong.
FWIW I learned to do squats high bar (bar on top of traps), but like low bar (bar below traps) better now.0 -
There's a few ways I approach the situations based on whats going on.
If they just suck at squatting and aren't using much weight and it doesn't look too dangerous, I just let them continue.
If theres a serious risk for injury, I'll approach them.
Don't go up to them preaching about form just say "Can I give you a few tips". If they're receptive help them, if not, their loss.
Smart lifters are open to criticism and will continually take advice and try to learn proper technique.
the most I saw him doing was 145...but he started with no weight.then increased weight twice...
I dont know when I first started doing squats I was clueless until someone pointed out a few pointers to me...I still worry about my form...I just feel that you are not going to get the right gains if your form is not correct...I mean you don't need to be perfect but you should have some basics down...or so I think ...0
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