How bad would someone's form need to be for you to say something?

I only offer advice at the gym when people ask me for it, which almost never happens so I mainly keep my opinions about their form or lack thereof to myself.

When I got back to the gym another member corrected my squatting form in a helpful and constructive way and I appreciated it.

I think it's all in how you approach it, if you're not comfortable giving advice mention it to a staff member at the gym. It's good business to prevent customers from hurting themselves.

It's funny that this is an issue in gym culture, runners help each other all the time and it's the norm.

deluxmary2000 wrote: »

stealthq wrote: »

If I think someone is going to seriously hurt themselves, then I'd either say something or point it out to one of my gym's trainers so they could say something. I probably wouldn't have to, though - my gym's trainers have been known to give 'friendly advice' in those circumstances before. They'd probably take care of it before I said anything.

I actually never thought about telling a trainer. It might be more acceptable coming from a trainer than a randome concerned stranger.

Yeah, this is pretty much what I would do...it would be better received coming from gym staff I think. I've said things to people before, but it's always been after they've inquired...like they see me doing something and they realize they aren't doing it right...so they ask what to do.

Maybe it's the trainer in me, but if someone is doing a movement that is very wrong and could lead to potential injury, I'd feel worse if I didn't say something.

I would say something if it can potentially hurt someone else.

Cherimoose wrote: »

Chef_Barbell wrote: »

I would never. I mind my business. Life is easier that way.

Reminds me of a great quote by Jim Rohn - "Don't wish it were easier.. wish you were better".

Some of the gym regulars routinely have bad form, but i'm not too worried about them, because their body has somehow adapted to handling bad form well. They usually know they have bad form, and have no great desire to change it. But if someone who appears to be a newbie or new to an exercise is doing something clearly risky, i don't have a problem with telling them. It's sort of like telling a driver that their headlights are off at night. Does it always affect me? In a way, yes, because having injured people in the community is a drain to the community. A simple act of speaking up might ensure that they can continue working and providing for their family, so everyone wins.

I gotta know, do you use the thumbs up often during in person conversation?

to the general question: i probably wouldn't say much. it's not like i have the answers about how to fix whatever i've just pointed out anyway. but, yeah. there have been people who scared me. and there have been times when i was pretty sure i was scaring others. the only time i've talked to staff was when someone was endangering somebody else for a joke. kids tickling a buddy who's trying to bench, that kind of thing.

ThatUserNameIsAllReadyTaken wrote: »

I think the person will thank you once they see the light.

sometimes that doesn't happen until a long time afterwards, too.

Keladelphia wrote: »

I'd probably strike up a casual conversation and then add something along the lines of,

ugh. just my personal preference, but every single time someone strikes up a 'casual' conversation with me i get flinched, waiting to hear what the real payload is. others probably appreciate this approach more than i do, i guess. but for myself the only real effect it's had is to make me feel patronized and jerked around, which i might actually resent far more than the feedback itself.

the main outcome in my case is i no longer trust even people who really are just conversing and don't have a 'helpful suggestion' stashed up their sleeve.

I don't go to gyms anymore but, if was at a gym and saw someone doing something that was a "danger" to him/herself and/or others, I'd get far away from that person as possible and would point it out to the staff and let them decide whether to intervene or not.