But....why would you want to get bulky?!

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IamUndrCnstruction
IamUndrCnstruction Posts: 691 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
This was just asked me by one of the gym staff members when I tried to explain to her why I do 5x5. She then proceeds to lecture me about why I should do more reps at lighter weights and so on....

I am now a bit put out. One, it is hard enough for me to even BE here, now I am judged by staff? Two, she should know better. Three, what the hell man?!?!?

Seriously though... I have lost almost 30 pounds now, 26 of which only happened AFTER I started lifting. Which is what I told her before I walked off to crush my squat PR.
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  • FitStrongHealthy
    FitStrongHealthy Posts: 220 Member
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    HAHAHA!!!! Just ignore her ignorance. If she's a personal trainer I'd be worried for anyone she trains, but if she just mainly sits behind the counter then don't worry about it.

    I hear it from my husband all the time, "babe I don't want you to get too big, keep it light," I just smile and nod and keep on doing my thing. I've tried to explain it to him a few times but it was in one ear and out the other. He'll come around soon enough though.
  • PeachyPlum
    PeachyPlum Posts: 1,243 Member
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    Way to take it out on the weights and hit a new PR!!!

    Honestly, I probably would have looked her right in her face, smiled, and said "I'm trying to look more like you" but then I'm kind of an *kitten*.
  • IamUndrCnstruction
    IamUndrCnstruction Posts: 691 Member
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    @FitStrongHealthy She is a trainer who does the cardiac rehab at the Wellness Center, has a degree in exercise physiology. I think that's why at first I was confused by her attitude (and there WAS an attitude). I guess I should just try and find it funny. And your husband will see and love your results, I am sure!

    @PeachyPlum Ha!!! There were many things I thought of saying, none of them very nice. You can tell she is a cardio person, as a cardiac therapist probably would be.

    I guess it just rubbed me wrong as I try so damn hard and felt like I was finally getting over my "gym intimidation" issue. Ah, *kitten* it, it's not like she is going to stop me from going back or from lifting LOL!
  • _lyndseybrooke_
    _lyndseybrooke_ Posts: 2,561 Member
    edited May 2015
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    Most people would probably be nicer than I would. I'd probably say something really snotty like, "You know, it's so odd that this gym hires people who know nothing about fitness," and then toss my hair as I walked away.
  • SonicKrunch
    SonicKrunch Posts: 192 Member
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    PeachyPlum wrote: »
    Way to take it out on the weights and hit a new PR!!!

    Honestly, I probably would have looked her right in her face, smiled, and said "I'm trying to look more like you" but then I'm kind of an *kitten*.

    I would have said, "I'm trying to look better than you". To each their own. Some people think a Kelly Ripa body is perfection, some people would say a Jessica Biel body is.
  • IamUndrCnstruction
    IamUndrCnstruction Posts: 691 Member
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    @LyndseyLovesToLift It's sad that she is not the first person there to tell me that. She was just a lot more judgey about it. I would go to a different gym, but I am kind of stuck at this one. I will just ignore her, I guess, or maybe I will just tell her off the next time I see her, I haven't quite decided yet.
  • skeo
    skeo Posts: 471 Member
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    Ahhhhh this logic *facepalm* my husband and I have fought NUMEROUS times about this, the "5-8 rep range will make you bulky" "keep it light, do sets of 30+ reps to feel the burn"..OHHH how it frustrates me!

    A slight decrease in caloric intake, more heavy weights = lean and mean!

    P.S great job on the a new squat PR.
  • DirrtyH
    DirrtyH Posts: 664 Member
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    IamUndrCnstruction wrote: »
    @LyndseyLovesToLift It's sad that she is not the first person there to tell me that. She was just a lot more judgey about it. I would go to a different gym, but I am kind of stuck at this one. I will just ignore her, I guess, or maybe I will just tell her off the next time I see her, I haven't quite decided yet.

    Why are so many people in your face about your workout? That's weird. No one gives a *kitten* what I do at my gym. I like it that way.
  • Metruis
    Metruis Posts: 60 Member
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    Yeah, my pounds only started dropping off once I started lifting.

    She can suck it. Keep being awesome. I would've snapped, "Because that's what my dream body looks like. You work for yours and I'll work for mine." If she bothers you again, tell her off.
  • Willbenchforcupcakes
    Willbenchforcupcakes Posts: 4,955 Member
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    Congrats on the squat pr!

    Comments on my programming at my old commercial gym were what made me change to my lifting gym full time - but my coaches are always seeing how I'm making out on my programming and making form corrections. The difference is, that is a big part of what I pay them for and they really know their stuff.
  • IamUndrCnstruction
    IamUndrCnstruction Posts: 691 Member
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    @DirrtyH I can only think that they feel that it's ok to comment about my getting bulky because I am already fat. I worried about that at first too until I understood better what weight lifting would do. Now I have seen the exact opposite. Mind you I still have a long way to go, but I am seeing results with lifting and 1600 calories I never saw from cardio and 1200 calories.

    @Iron_Miss_Canada Ah! If only they someone would comment on my form, that's what I need, not someone telling me that I am going to "bulk up". I eat at a deficit and don't even lift heavy by most people's standards (though heavy is relative and it's damn heavy for me)

    To answer any who may wonder why I stay, I am on supplemental o2 and this is a hospital gym so I get to use their tanks, most gyms, I think, would consider me a liability? I honestly don't know.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,268 Member
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    wow...it happens a lot...I walked into a gym once last summer to check it out...first words out of the front desk clerks mouth was "cardio equipment is upstairs"....I am not a member of that gym...

    ignorance can be fixed tho...did you explain how long you've been lifting etc? just curious.
  • IamUndrCnstruction
    IamUndrCnstruction Posts: 691 Member
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    @SezxyStef I tried to explain a little, and that I had researched many different programs and the benefits and so on. I have only been lifting for about four months now, and have made, for me, much progress. She threw back something about endurance and slow twitch muscle fiber so that I can carry things....she does have a degree which makes this harder for me to understand her attitude.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,268 Member
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    IamUndrCnstruction wrote: »
    @SezxyStef I tried to explain a little, and that I had researched many different programs and the benefits and so on. I have only been lifting for about four months now, and have made, for me, much progress. She threw back something about endurance and slow twitch muscle fiber so that I can carry things....she does have a degree which makes this harder for me to understand her attitude.

    education <>intelligence...

    I know lots who feel this way too...until they see my results...and that's the best you can do...show the results.
  • IamUndrCnstruction
    IamUndrCnstruction Posts: 691 Member
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    SezxyStef wrote: »
    IamUndrCnstruction wrote: »
    @SezxyStef I tried to explain a little, and that I had researched many different programs and the benefits and so on. I have only been lifting for about four months now, and have made, for me, much progress. She threw back something about endurance and slow twitch muscle fiber so that I can carry things....she does have a degree which makes this harder for me to understand her attitude.

    education <>intelligence...

    I know lots who feel this way too...until they see my results...and that's the best you can do...show the results.


    That is what I keep telling myself whenever they comment. I am sooooo bulky now that I can fit into jeans I haven't worn in almost two years ROFL
  • slp51
    slp51 Posts: 201 Member
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    This is why I love Planet Fitness, my gym. They have in huge letters on the wall "NO JUDGEMENT ZONE." (If I told them they spelled "judgment" wrong, that would be judging them, wouldn't it?)

    Trainer Tom that I sometimes work out with at the gym is all over lifting. His philosophy is to lift first hitting the big muscles first, and then 20 minutes of cardio, "if I want." He explains that the muscles repairing themselves burns calories all day long, and cardio is really just good for your heart.
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,574 Member
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    slp51 wrote: »
    This is why I love Planet Fitness, my gym. They have in huge letters on the wall "NO JUDGEMENT ZONE." (If I told them they spelled "judgment" wrong, that would be judging them, wouldn't it?)

    Trainer Tom that I sometimes work out with at the gym is all over lifting. His philosophy is to lift first hitting the big muscles first, and then 20 minutes of cardio, "if I want." He explains that the muscles repairing themselves burns calories all day long, and cardio is really just good for your heart.

    I thought the "no judgement zone" actually didn't take kindly to serious lifters? Just the word on the street though, I've never tried PF myself.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
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    Ha. No judgement gym is the most fundamentally judgey gym out there.

    Whatever. Just tell her she's fu*king stupid and go on about your day.

    You get where you want to be.. Own it and no one ever questions you. . Okay no one is more likely rarely. . They hate on you but they rarely question how awesome you look lol. Keep at it and continuing crushing it.
  • IamUndrCnstruction
    IamUndrCnstruction Posts: 691 Member
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    I have never tried another gym, I am not sure they would let me join, or I just join a straight up weight lifting gym where people don't look at you weird for deadlifting. But mostly it's the comments from staff that get me. All the guys that go there give me my space and respect what I am at least trying to accomplish.

    @JoRocka I am not there yet, not even close. But I am closer than I was yesterday. They can hate all they want.
  • CipherZero
    CipherZero Posts: 1,418 Member
    edited May 2015
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    IamUndrCnstruction wrote: »
    This was just asked me by one of the gym staff members when I tried to explain to her why I do 5x5. She then proceeds to lecture me about why I should do more reps at lighter weights and so on....

    Tell her to go screw herself. Seriously. You're paying for gym space, not their inbred opinions.

    How did you not laugh in her face?

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