Are you an ego lifter?
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I am 70 had both hips replwced and arthritis in my back. Doctor told me not to squat deadlift or do powder cleans. I've never really been an ego lifter. Colse to it but always tried to do complete reps. I've really started being more concerned with proper form and complete reps. I have ti shake my head when I see someone load all the weight on the bar or machine and barely move the weight. Why what good do they think they are doing?1
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The biggest case of "ego lifting" I observe in the gym is the incorrect use of spotters on the bench press. I was taught that a spotter is there "just in case"... if the spotter actually has to exert a single muscle to help complete a rep, the set is done. (Negative reps are a different situation.)
But there's been more than one time I've been at the gym and witnessed somebody load up the bench press, have a spotter ready, lower the weight... and the spotter has to almost do an awkward deadlift to help raise the weight. Yet instead of racking the weight, the bencher goes for another rep, again requiring serious help up... and a third rep... While it's possible the goal was negative reps, controlling a heavier-than-able weight on the way down, I doubt it, as the bencher lowered the weight super fast, not in a controlled fashion.
I had some accidents that could have been ended ugly doing bench press. But I was the only person that that accommodation gym, where the whole kit was completely *kitten*, btw. Once I just about got the weight up. It was lower than previous time. But then could not hold it and the weight went down to my chest. Nearly. I just about managed to break it. But then it sat there and I was underneath. Ouch! Afterwards I did bench presses inside the squat rack even though I lost full range of motion that way.
Another time I was done, put bar back into holders, and for some reasons my hands remained underneath the bar when it fell down behind me. (like I said: *kitten* equipment) I guess I'm lucky that I'm rather flexible.
I've spotted for some guys that want to go for one rep to many and made me do all the work. I've found that just keep my hand under the bar not touching but just under. Works good that way if the bar drops just a little or they stall you can give just enough to keep the bar moving.0 -
Last rep okay. However, most ego lifters are bad form from the very beginning. So yeah, I do think we mostly agree.Spadesheart wrote: »
The key phrase here is "as much as you POSSIBLY" can. I can do a knee bend with TONS of weight, but why? What's the purpose? To show my knee bend is super strong? Or I can swing the hell out of barbell on a curl with twice as much a I do strictly, but again what is the purpose unless I'm in a sport or job that uses that kind of leverage (say a haybaler).Spadesheart wrote: »Okay, in general I agree and that video is ridiculous, but I'll add a counterpoint.
For some exercises, I am not a form junkie, especially if it's relatively safe, it's being done to an exhaustion at some point in one of the sets, and it's a compound lift where other muscles can be utilized. If you're pulling cables and you're doing as much weight as you possibly can, is it really bad? Your probably using a greater deal of your musculature to do the work, and you're still exhausting the muscles. If you need to pull back your back on a lat pulldown because you're doing more weight than you "should" be doing, I don't really know if I count that as ego lifting per say.
It's mostly with men and not with women, but the instinct to be better than the next guy has many in the gym trying to prove they are on par or better than their peers in the gym. Not intentionally mind you. But for ego lifters it's their time they feel they shine and think they are getting respect.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
I think we mostly agree. I will say that major form breakdowns for me have generally occurred when linear progression stopped. I think this is probably where it comes from for a lot of guys; feeling like you're doing more and getting stronger every week is the drug that gets people into the gym, chasing that high gets harder the more advanced you become. I'm definitely don't want people watching me do work anyways though, so perhaps I don't have the negative personality trait that some do?
Now I've never been as ridiculous as that video, nor do I think anyone should. That being said, with some compound lifts, so long as the lift itself is done to exhaustion, and the breaking of form is safe, I don't think adhering to the form is strictly necessary. Swinging a barbell in a curl does nothing as you're just using momentum to do the work for you. Likely at the expense of pulling or pinching your shoulders. Not only that, but as it isn't a compound lift; it's not really going to hit anything else anyways. However things like a lat pulldown or a cable row, go ahead and pull back if you'd like, so long as you can't do another rep on at least one of those sets.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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I was reminded of this lost the other day at the gym. So a couple of YOUNG teenage boys (I'm guessing 14 at the most) under the "direction" of probably one of the kid's dad. From the beginning it was clear the kid had too much weight and had poor form throughout, but good old dad kept him going 🙄.1
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It's not necssarily ego lifting per say. When I was younger and I going really heavy, I was training the exact same way whether I was at home or in the gym. In my case I was going hard to challenge myself not to impress others really.0
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Nope i've been slow to add weights although I'm limited to what I got to with at home lol0
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I did the same, however with ego lifters in the gym they all mostly have the same traits.......................bad form, make a lot of noise to get attention, and use weights for partial reps.It's not necssarily ego lifting per say. When I was younger and I going really heavy, I was training the exact same way whether I was at home or in the gym. In my case I was going hard to challenge myself not to impress others really.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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