Training Mishaps
Pistol Squat - No Bouncing Required!
I was talking with my training partner last week about some interesting training mishaps that have occurred over the past years of going to public gyms. Some are funny, some are sad, and some just downright pissed me off.
Check them out and then add your own in the comments section.
I can’t recall how many times a man has come up to me and started giving me “training advice”. Look, fellas, unless you are an experienced strength coach or close friend, I highly suggest you keep the tips to yourself.
Here are Some of My Most Memorable Instances When a Man Decided to Interrupt My Workout with Very Unwelcome Advice:
-- While in the middle of a set of Zercher squats, a guy comes up right behind me and says, “You’re doing that front squat all wrong”. Two things came to mind when this happened:
1) Do not talk to me when I am actively training. This means from the beginning of the first rep of a set to the last. (The only exceptions are training cues and verbal encouragement from a training partner or strength coach).
2) I have a “personal space bubble”. If I don’t know you or invite you into that bubble, stay the hell away; especially when I am in the middle of a set.
-- After a set of pistol squats (pictured above) a man told me “don’t bounce out of the bottom and don’t go down so far.” He also said some other stuff but I tuned him out at this point. Again, four things wrong with this:
1) I didn’t “bounce” out of the bottom.
2) If he had any idea what I was doing, he would have been aware of the fact that full range of motion occurs with a pistol.
3) If you can’t perform a perfect pistol, don’t even try to tell me how to do it.
4) He didn’t go up to any of the guys in the weight room who were doing stupid stuff and give them advice.
-- Last week I was warming up for my main exercise of the day – conventional deadlifts on a four inch step. I just put 195 on the bar during my warm-up and a man asked me, “What is the point of that?” I had several good smart ass remarks but managed to bite my tongue and replied with “to get strong.”
During My Workouts I Have also Heard Comments on Certain Exercises That I was Performing:
-- This one is by far one of my favorites. My training partner and I were performing natural glute ham raises in a small room that had a power rack and three leg press machines. (I loved training in this small area because it was poorly lit and it had the gyms one and only power rack). After I finished my set, my training partner overhead a woman who was using the leg press say to her friend, “That is the stupidest exercise I have even seen! It doesn’t work anything!” Oh, and did I mention that she went on to perform quarter-rep leg presses? Classic.
-- While I was performing a set of stand-up pull-down abs my training partner overhead a personal trainer make the comment that “I don’t know why she’s doing that, that doesn’t work anything.” Once again, just because you have no clue why or what I am doing doesn’t mean it’s stupid or useless.
-- Once again I was told by my training partner that a personal trainer commented on my performance of seated cable rows. I was using a straight bar and performed seated cable row with a palms-down grip, about the width I perform bench press. The trainer said that “You use that bar for lat pull-downs, not rows. The other bar (she was referring to the neutral grip bar) is the only one you use for rows”. Ugh . . .
This One Still Makes Me Laugh:
-- It was deadlift day and I just loaded the bar to 135 to start my warm-up. After my first set a guy walks over with his chest puffed out and “fake lat” syndrome and says, “Do you mind if I work in?” I said sure and then stepped aside. After he finished I put a mere 20 pounds on the bar for another light warm-up.
Again he joined in, and then I upped the weight to 185. He jumped in again. Then we went up to 205. However, once he saw me put 225 on the bar, he stood there confused and just seemed to disappear. I did my warm-up with the 225 and looked for him before I upped the weight. No where to be found.
He should have stuck around because I worked up to 275 for a few singles. ; )
And This Instance is by Far the Most Memorable One of Them All:
-- While I was performing a tough set of parallel bar dips with added weight, a woman came and stood right beside me, staring. Greatly annoyed by the “personal space bubble” intrusion, I kept performing my dips. She apparently didn’t like that and she proceeded to repeatedly tap me on the shoulder and ask me a question, while I was in the middle of my set. I lowered myself to the floor, took the ear buds out of my ears, and stared at her with a perplexed expression.
I don’t remember what she asked me because I was so shocked that she had the nerve (or the sheer ignorance) to actually touch me and talk to me while I was training. Not only was this incredibly disrespectful, it was downright dangerous.
Now it’s time for you to share. What crazy experiences have you had at the gym?
Comments for This Entry
Antuan-
Wow. Yeah, that's definitely a great reason to train at home! Like I've been saying, if I actually settle down in one area, I'm definitely going to have a home gym myself. I prefer to train solo or with my training partner, and not have to worry about people bothering me.
Thanks for sharing!
Posted by Nia Shanks at 7:36am Jul 20, 2010 [permalink | flag as inappropriate]
The last time I trained in a gym, as usual, I hit the shower after my workout. While I was getting dressed, an old man, who I guess was about 65, wandered over to me and said "I see you put your under pants on first." I resisted the urge to beat the crap out of him since I'm nice to people but since I didn't want to be hit on again in the mens room, I decided to train at home. The thought of being perved over while showering and getting dressed was enough to get me to buy my own free weights and now I train with my wife in the mornings and I'm happy to say, I'm getting better results.
Posted by Antuan at 11:18pm Jul 19, 2010 [permalink | flag as inappropriate]
FlamingJune-
I agree. Some people tend to turn the warm-up into a workout all its own. I do that same thing - switch up the warm-up exercises. Keeps things fresh. : )
Thank you so much and I am so glad you enjoy the website!
Posted by Nia Shanks at 7:05am Apr 13, 2010 [permalink | flag as inappropriate]
Nia, thanks for the tips on pre-workout warm up. I have chosen a few warm-up exercises to rotate, and this seems to be working just fine for me. In my opinion, warm-ups should do just that - warm you up. Not feel like a complete workout!
Just wanted to tell you how much I appreciate your website. You rock :-)
Posted by FlamingJune at 5:54am Apr 13, 2010 [permalink | flag as inappropriate]
Eric-
Holy crap! I've had people come close to bumping the bar when I'm squatting, but it was no where near as heavy as what you were doing! She got lucky that you didn't seriously injure yourself. Dang. I would have been so pissed.
Thanks for sharing!
Posted by Nia Shanks at 7:17am Apr 4, 2010 [permalink | flag as inappropriate]
I'll usually see guys grunt with deads that are pretty much my warm up, and keep in mind that I'm not that strong. Now, I'm not saying I don't grunt, but that is usually reserved to the last rep of my last set of heavy squats or deads.
I'll get lots of unwanted advice, maybe because I do look like a newb, but I believe I do know what I'm doing.
I had a guy tell me that the bar was too low on my back, that I could get hurt, dude wasn't familiar with the powerlifting stance. I've gotten compliments on my form from the few powerlifters that go to the gym. No messing around with the quarter squats.
I once had a 4 plates on the bar and I was in the squat rack. One thing I like about it is that it's pretty hard for someone to get into your personal space...well since it's pretty much a freaking cage!
Well this lady managed to bump the bar as I was going down, I have no idea what the hell she was doing so close to the rack. I struggled to balance the bar but the only thought in my head was "knee please don't snap, knee please don't snap!". I managed to balance it out and I turned around to look at her. I was pretty much speechless. All she did was say a quick sorry like it was not a big deal and just turned around to keep talking to her friend.
Posted by Eric at 9:35pm Apr 3, 2010 [permalink | flag as inappropriate]
Hank-
I agree with JC. What does that even mean?
Posted by Nia Shanks at 2:02pm Mar 24, 2010 [permalink | flag as inappropriate]
@Hank: what in the world does "pledges large pays when it comes to mislaying fat?
Posted by JC at 12:28pm Mar 24, 2010 [permalink | flag as inappropriate]
The Every Other Day Diet, or EODD as it is known more commonly, is a unique and exciting new diet that pledges large pays when it comes to mislaying fat.
Posted by Hank at 11:25am Mar 24, 2010 [permalink | flag as inappropriate]
yea, I've been thinking about doing a video series.
Perhaps I'll do a serious one about exercise selection etc.
then I'll do a parody series about what gives me the lolz at the gym.
Posted by JC at 5:55pm Mar 23, 2010 [permalink | flag as inappropriate]
JC-
Hey, you know what's even better than that? Guys that flex or grunt when a girl walks by them. Even better: guys that act like they're wiping sweat off their face with their T shirts just so they can catch a glimpse of their stomaches in the mirror, or when a girl walks by. That happens at least once a day.
Hey, next time that incidence occurs at the gym, get a video!
Posted by Nia Shanks at 4:18pm Mar 23, 2010 [permalink | flag as inappropriate]
it's just so embarrassing... there are lots of guys who grunt and literally STARE at themselves while working out. I want to walk over there and tap them on the shoulder when they're flexing and ask them just wtf they're doing?!
Posted by JC at 3:51pm Mar 23, 2010 [permalink | flag as inappropriate]
JC-
Sadly, being a female and having headphones in and looking at the floor doesn't keep guys from giving unwanted advice. I've had headphones in and they just talk louder.
Ha! I bet that would have been fun to watch. I can't count how many 1/4 squats I saw back at the school gym at U of L. I was just waiting for someone to get seriously injured.
Oh yeah: I remember watching a group of guys (all weighed over 200lbs easy) doing 1/4 squats with about 225 and screaming and grunting the entire time. Very entertaining.
Posted by Nia Shanks at 3:46pm Mar 23, 2010 [permalink | flag as inappropriate]
I always train with my headphones in and my eyes to the floor. No eye contact, no casual small talk, nothing. I train at the University gym, so it's pretty easy to avoid conversation as everyone's too busy looking in the mirror.
As of late, I've been getting funny looks when doing barbell glute bridges and people look at me awkwardly when doing full squats.
My favorite instance was after a heavy session of RDL's. I was going to do some light squats for the hell of it. I went over to a squat rack occupied by a few guys who had some respectable weight on the bar(considering their size) but I hadn't seen them squat yet. I let them at it for the first set of like 185. Quarter squats all the way. Then it was my turn and I jump in there with the full low bar squats. After all, I just planned on doing some light work.
after a few more sets, they're starting to get a lil competitive but I just shrug it off. I decide I'm going to stay on the rack with them until they stop upping the weight or until one collapses as a result of too many quarter squats.
We finally get past 225 and they start upping the weight by about 10lbs each time. Their squats are beyond terrible at this point. One guy is GMing the whole damn time and the other guy is barely doing 1/8 of a squat.
We had 275 on the bar and I got under and just did 5-6 reps and racked it. They put 20 more pounds on. I couldn't believe it but I didn't say anything. It was the same damn thing again. After this set, one dude dropped out and said it was too heavy for him.
I got under the bar and did a few more reps and then sat down. The dude put 315 on the bar and proceeded to squeeze out not 1 but 2 barely-bending-at-the-knee squats.
I then got under the bar and did 3 full squats to make him feel good. I racked it and then said "how much more are we putting on?"
They just looked at me for a second.
that's it.
Posted by JC at 3:35pm Mar 23, 2010 [permalink | flag as inappropriate]
JB-
Stupidity at it's finest. It's instances like that that gives our professional such a bad image. Any dumbass can get an online certification without having ever read a book or learned anything remotely similar to anatomy or training. After they get their "certification" they think they are qualified to train people.
Both sad and terrifying.
Thanks again for sharing!
Posted by Nia Shanks at 3:27pm Mar 23, 2010 [permalink | flag as inappropriate]
Nia, It's stealing. I don't understand how some people sleep at night.
I was completely agog.
I almost asked her "Really, because I thought the biceps femoris was responsible for knee flexion and hip extension? How can a muscle that moves two joints be a stabilizer?"
Posted by J.B. at 3:23pm Mar 23, 2010 [permalink | flag as inappropriate]
Jennifer-
So glad you like the website! ; )
Damn, that would be VERY annoying. I think you make that T shirt for sure!
I know the trainers you are talking about. They have to do something "new" and "different" and "exciting" every week. God forbid you just use more weight!
Keep training hard and making those guys look like the fools they are!
Thanks again for sharing.
Posted by Nia Shanks at 2:12pm Mar 23, 2010 [permalink | flag as inappropriate]
Love this blog AND all the comments - great laughs!
My main problem is trainers offering unwanted advice. I am always in the gym with a notebook (obviously I have a plan) AND I am usually workout out with and training a friend. These trainer guys (it's always the guys) come up to us and try to get us to do something different - come on, I'm gonna give you something better, you'll work so much harder...and then they want us to do rollups or planks with claps or something great for a warmup but not helpful for actually building strength. I need a shirt to wear to the gym that says, "Don't bother me." All the trainers I've come in contact with have ADD - they constantly make up exercises and they want you to do something different all the time. How can you increase strength if you don't stick to a plan of rotating the same exercises while adding progressively more weight? There is something to be said for the time-tested, proven, basics of weightlifting. I'm not interested in some exercise a trainer just made up and thinks is the greatest b/c it gave him a great "burn" last night.
Posted by Jennifer at 2:00pm Mar 23, 2010 [permalink | flag as inappropriate]
JB-
WHAT? That is unreal, and terrifying that she is taking someone's money to "train" them. Glad you liked the post and thanks for sharing!
Kudcea-
I love how people are always so quick to give worthless unwanted comments. ; ) It's even better when they know nothing about the subject. Thanks for sharing!
FlamingJune-
For warm-ups I prefer to use a combination of bodyweight exercises (squats, push-ups, lunges, etc) and mobility drills (check out the interview series with Tony Gentilcore). The workout (upper or lower body) determines which exercises I will use.
Example on lower body days: (each drill 8-12 reps each)
-Bird dog
-Fire Hydrant front & backward
-Hip Flexor Stretch
-Reverse Lunges
-Rollover into V Sit
-Hip Extension
-Clams
-Hip Flexor Stretch
It varies sometimes but those are staples that work for me. It all depends on your personal needs - muscle tightness, weakness, activation needs, etc.
As for the warm-ups you mentioned: you could always do fewer reps than what they recommend or cut it in half if you think it's too much. Hope that helps.
Michelle-
Yeah, I would be pissed off.
Unfortunately too many women are still convinced that they can only do aerobics, yoga, or lift pink dumbbells. All we can do is prove them wrong. ; )
Thank you for sharing!
Jack-
Wow. I know not to get around you when you deadlift! Ha ha ha! I bet you most guys think the same thing though.
Hey, did the set of deadlifts feel lighter since you were so pissed? Ha!
Thanks for sharing!
Posted by Nia Shanks at 1:53pm Mar 23, 2010 [permalink | flag as inappropriate]
Great thread.
This just happened to me last week. I thought I was going to kill this guy. Serious!
This is what happened: I sometimes train at a very small gym near my house. It only has one barbell. So I was doing heavy deads with the only BB in the gym. I was all psyched up and ready to do my lift when this idiot walks up to me and TRIES to take the weight off the BB.
I said "What the hell are you doing?"
He told me he's going to take the BB because the BB was MADE AND SHOULD ONLY be used for bench pressing.
By now, I was seeing red and was about to tear his head off. Sensing my anger, the guy walked away as I screamed some mean things to this idiot. In fact, I was SOOOO pissed off, after I did my set, I went AFTER him and continued to scream at him.
The whole gym was laughing.
I was out of control!
Posted by Jack at 1:36pm Mar 23, 2010 [permalink | flag as inappropriate]
I have two comments, one is funny but irritating and the second is well sort of sad.
A few years ago I was working as a trainer. I was working out and performing squats, one of the other trainers a young guy early 20's total goofball was walking by. He proceeded to stand behind me and in the middle of my rep informed me that I had a nice ass. I couldn't decide if I should be flattered or pissed of. If I should start cracking up or rip him a new one.
I think I told him thank you but do not stand behind someone squatting and talk with them. I informed our boss told him he needs to have a talk with him. This could get him the trainer in question into a lot of trouble. like fired..
The second comment is sort of sad. I was working out one day, I was doing a circuit of heavy cable rows, jump rope and 1 leg squats to bench. The cable row is right next to the add/abductor machine. While I was training, there was a young twenty something woman on the abd/add.
Later in the locker room, we ran into each other as it turned out our lockers were right next to each other. This young woman said to me, "you work out so hard, I could never work out that hard or be that strong".. I was floored. I felt so bad for this girl. I told her she absolutely could work out hard and she could be strong if that is what she wants.
I hate that women are still convinced that they can't be strong. that they have to be relegated to pink weight, inner/outer machines and endless cardio.
Posted by Michelle at 1:26pm Mar 23, 2010 [permalink | flag as inappropriate]
This is off topic, but I couldn't find a post about it. Do you recommend warm-up exercises and if so what? I am a big fan of the Cosgroves and have used Alwyn's workout routines for several months now, but I just cannot implement their advised warm-up routines. I think warm up should be quick (like 5 min) and very simple. Heck, their warm-ups would be considered an entire workout by some folks.
Thanks!
Oh, and I don't have any good stories. I work out with my husband, and that seems to hamper the "helpers" However, one of the rare times when I was working out alone, a big hulking guy offered to help me put the clips on the end of the weight bar. Granted, this pair was especially hard to work with, but I still felt like my face was as red as the bar on the right of this page!
Posted by FlamingJune at 1:21pm Mar 23, 2010 [permalink | flag as inappropriate]
I usually have a very stoic expression on my face in the gym so I haven't had many people come up to me and say anything. But I had this one memorable incident.
I was doing band assisted negative chinups a few months ago to build up the strength. It was a fine Saturday afternoon with not many people in the gym. I had rolled up a band on the smith machine and was doing a 30-45 seconds negative when an old 60 something guy with a huge tummy and thin legs came up to me and asked what was I doing. I told him that I am doing assisted negative chins because I cant do a full chinup yet. At which he said "oh I thought you were stretching your legs or something ha ha ha". I was annoyed but I ignored his comment and went on with my training. A few minutes after, he came up to me and said "You know you can do the same on these machines without having to use a band(pointing towards the assisted pullup machines". I just said that I knew but I prefer not to use them.
Posted by kudcea at 1:07pm Mar 23, 2010 [permalink | flag as inappropriate]
Those are classic.
A few months ago one of the (terrible) trainers at the gym near my home was explaining to a client that the hamstrings were merely "stablizers" and don't actually move anything.
I had to leave the room to not laugh at her in front of her client.
great post, and good stuff.
Posted by J.B. at 11:34am Mar 23, 2010 [permalink | flag as inappropriate]
Jon-
I have found the Smith Machine useful for elevated push-ups and inverted rows. It's also good for one arm push-ups and inverted rows. That's it. However you could obviously use a power rack. ; )
T Bar Row? Why don't you like that one?
Skull Crushers? I like them as long as the person doing them has healthy elbows and keeps the reps higher (8+). Why don't you recommend them?
Charmed-
That damn fear of getting "too bulky" will forever haunt women . . .
Yes, the "pretty strong for a girl" comment is damn annoying, especially when considering pound for pound I ( and A LOT OF WOMEN) am stronger than a lot of guys.
Thanks again!
Posted by Nia Shanks at 11:05am Mar 23, 2010 [permalink | flag as inappropriate]