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

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Replies

  • yoovie
    yoovie Posts: 17,121 Member
    i tuck my chin back down
  • josavage
    josavage Posts: 472 Member
    I ignore it unless the person really looks like they could get hurt. If that's the case, I let one of the trainers know to keep an eye on that person.
  • darkheart
    darkheart Posts: 104 Member
    I think it's all about how you come off. Personally, I've had guys come up to me and give me "pointers" but they always came off as condescending to me. It's also subjective; it all depends on the person performing the exercise.
  • KeriAnn06
    KeriAnn06 Posts: 49 Member
    ???
  • alladream
    alladream Posts: 261 Member
    I am not personally qualified to fix up people's form, but if it seemed really dangerous, I'd discreetly point it out to staff there and mention that person might need a little help--then the experts won't get sued when the person breaks him- or herself in half!
  • papastu
    papastu Posts: 737 Member
    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?

    totaly out of context, you could do a serious injury doing weights wrong
  • skinnybitchbarbie27
    skinnybitchbarbie27 Posts: 306 Member
    I saw a woman doing machines wrong (like dangerously wrong) and then lifting barbells over her head, I don't think she even knew what to do with them. I figured she was new, shrugged it off, and kept on. The next time I saw her I realized she hadn't changed so I knocked on the door for the trainers and just made a quick comment and one stepped out and helped her on the things she needed help with. This didn't make me look like a know it all d*ck and she got the help she needed from someone who actually works at the gym.

    Win-win .
  • AlsDonkBoxSquat
    AlsDonkBoxSquat Posts: 6,128 Member
    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?

    Generally I stare with my "Are you kidding me, you're going to seriously hurt yourself." face
  • KeriAnn06
    KeriAnn06 Posts: 49 Member
    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?

    ??? I wouldn't even put this in the same category :s I could see if your child was doing something potentially harmful to themselves and a stranger saying something. That I would very much appreciate but your children's behaviour is none of my business nor does it compare to helping someone at the gym with their proper form. Personally, if I am doing something wrong in the gym and that could pose more harm to my body than good, I would love some friendly advice. I just don't equate that with giving someone else parenting advice.
  • ilovedeadlifts
    ilovedeadlifts Posts: 2,923 Member
    Typically I'd say it depends on the degree of awful.

    If they are an immediate threat to themselves or a spotter, step in and say "Hey do you mind if I give you a tip". if they say no, it's their own problem.


    If their form is just off and it isn't too bad, just let them learn themselves.

    I've been on both sides of it. I've had people being nice who truly helped me. and I've had people who had little idea on what they were doing, who tried to give me advice I didn't need.
  • emyishardcore
    emyishardcore Posts: 352 Member
    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.
    I agree with this, I would want some one to correct me .
  • marinebiologist_girl
    marinebiologist_girl Posts: 300
    I don't know much about form but was very glad when the gym instructor told me I was doing my rowing wrong - fixing my stance did wonders for my back. So if I knew what I could suggest to a person and I wasn't too shy, I'd offer to point it out.
  • corn63
    corn63 Posts: 1,580 Member
    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?

    Bad example. Poor form can REALLY injure someone. I personally would point it out to someone on the floor that works there and have them help them. I wouldn't want to take responsibility for teaching someone form.
  • lilRicki
    lilRicki Posts: 4,555 Member
    look away...maybe go to someone that works there so they can give the person some tips and advice. If they hurt themselves, you aren't liable.
  • RobynLB
    RobynLB Posts: 617 Member
    So I think the basic consensus is that women appreciate the help, and men feel butt hurt ;) Well, isn't that a surprise!
  • odusgolp
    odusgolp Posts: 10,477 Member
    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?

    While I get that, I would APPRECIATE it if someone helped me at the gym... It really just depends on the person.
  • budru21
    budru21 Posts: 127
    This is such a tough subject. I don't think there is a "right" answer and every situation is different, but I know I have only offered advice when it was asked for. I get so irritated when men approach me and try to "correct my form". I will be doing half reps on the leg press, intentionally trying to hit my quads, and a guy will come up and tell me I should go lower. It is always a reminder to me that I don't know what others are trying to work on at that moment. I tend to keep my advice to myself.
  • penrbrown
    penrbrown Posts: 2,685 Member
    So I think the basic consensus is that women appreciate the help, and men feel butt hurt ;) Well, isn't that a surprise!

    Do NOT crack open a road map ! DO NOT CRACK OPEN A ROAD MAP!
  • ArroganceInStep
    ArroganceInStep Posts: 6,239 Member
    I don't like most of the people at my gym (women included) so I'd honestly just let them get hurt. If I did care enough to say something, I'd walk over and ask if they needed a spot. If they said yes I'd offer small advice on the lift when they were doing it, but that's about it. You can get seriously injured doing something as simple as walking up some stairs, these things happen in and out of the gym. Also, what if you're wrong?
  • ArroganceInStep
    ArroganceInStep Posts: 6,239 Member
    So I think the basic consensus is that women appreciate the help, and men feel butt hurt ;) Well, isn't that a surprise!

    Runs off to do a search on the number of threads with women b****ing and moaning about creepy guys approaching them in the gym.
  • cynthiaj777
    cynthiaj777 Posts: 787 Member
    Golden rule: Only approach hot chicks. All others do not accept advice well. They tend to call it criticism.

    Wrong. Hot chicks call it criticism too.
  • teryx123
    teryx123 Posts: 57 Member
    So I think the basic consensus is that women appreciate the help, and men feel butt hurt ;) Well, isn't that a surprise!

    Actually, I know of several women who avoid weights for exactly this reason. There's another issue too. Just because some dude walks up to give you advice doesn't mean he has a clue what he's talking about. Most of the time it's a measure of ego more than anything, and these guys have zero real training.
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
    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.

    Truth! Parenting is about style. There is no "correct" way. With weight lifting, there's a correct way, and a going-to-injure-yourself way of doing it.
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
    So I think the basic consensus is that women appreciate the help, and men feel butt hurt ;) Well, isn't that a surprise!

    Runs off to do a search on the number of threads with women b****ing and moaning about creepy guys approaching them in the gym.

    :wink:
  • ironanimal
    ironanimal Posts: 5,922 Member
    Most people don't take advice well, well intentioned or not. So, I just shake my head and hope for the best for them.
  • yoovie
    yoovie Posts: 17,121 Member
    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?

    try this instead...

    How would you feel if you were in a store and your kid was trying to balance on one foot in the baby seat of the cart while you were busy looking at the nutrition label on a can of peaches and someone came up to you and held the cart still "respectfully" pointed out to your child that the wheels on the bottom of the cart and his shifting center of gravity were about to make him fall on his face?

    so to answer your question, I would be very very VERY thankful and I would buy them a coffee.
  • kuntry_navy
    kuntry_navy Posts: 677 Member
    let em learn from mistakes, it's called life. unless they ask, definitely help if they ask
  • JohnMessmer
    JohnMessmer Posts: 536
    I have to say it is quite depressing to see so many reply that they would do nothing and "mind there own business". It is your business to help your fellow man out if you can. It is your business to step in and offer a mother with a screaming child assistance. It is your business to give a damn and care about someone other than yourself for 2 minutes. This world we live in is a result of everyone so self involved that they miss the big picture, we are all in this together. Hold a door for someone, help someone carry their bags, hold the elevator, not because the person can't do it but because it is nice to have a little help once in a while. Show some compassion, and extend a helping hand, and "if" by chance you are confronted by negativity then simply move on and offer the next person some help. We should reverse what we have become; which is, a society of individuals who are afraid to say hello and offer help and then wonder how people can do horrible things to each other. Lets stop isolating people and start encouraging interaction. I can recall a time when I knew every single person within 3 blocks of where I lived, their parents and visiting relatives and even pets. Now I barely know the people that are within two or three houses of me. I still say hello and try to assist whenever I can, and I truly believe that the world is what we make it.
  • BinaryPulsar
    BinaryPulsar Posts: 8,927 Member
    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.

    I know enough to know when something doesn't feel quite right or not. But, that doesn't mean I always know how to correct it because I am inside my body and not viewing myself from the outside. I have tried asking people for feedback and found that the people I asked knew less than me, so that's why I stopped asking. As a dancer I am very accustomed to having my form corrected to the tiniest detail (but I also have injuries and issues that make things more challenging). I would take the advice I receive and run it by my own understanding. But, that does not even happen. People do not offer help or correction to me at the gym. Often I try something new. I know enough to know what the "directions" are, but sometimes I could use an outside eye to help me embody it correctly. If I was doing something differently on purpose (as someone else mentioned) then I would just explain it.

    Edit to respond to some other posts: Although in the past I would get lots of offers of help at a particular gym. And I never considered the men creepy. Not unless they told me that they felt really excited watching me workout in my exercise skirt, or something like that (that's not helping my form).
  • PikaKnight
    PikaKnight Posts: 34,971 Member
    So I think the basic consensus is that women appreciate the help, and men feel butt hurt ;) Well, isn't that a surprise!

    Do NOT crack open a road map ! DO NOT CRACK OPEN A ROAD MAP!

    LMAO!!!!!

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