Gym Knowledge poll

[furious]

Hey,

Id like your thoughts on a topic I have been observing for some time. You see, I am a personal trainer at one of the largest gyms in Manhattan, and have worked in several gyms around the country. Having observed the general population working out for some time, guys constantly doing latt pulldown behind their head, over tranining, and generally terrible form in most cases, Ive come to the conclusion that 85% of general gym goers have no idea whatsoever of how to train themselves. Year after year they stay exactly the same, yet they are completely hostile to any sort of help or assistance.

My questions to you are these, how many people in your gym do you see training properly, and for those they dont, the psychology behind their inability to change or improve their routine by learning from those around them? Let me know your thoughts.

[ryuage]

I worry about myself... if they went to the gym for a year and never got stronger or bigger I could care less... lol

[MixmasterNash]

There's no option for 10%, so I went with 25.

[IronKidd]

Hmm, I feel half the goer's at my gym know what they are doing.

[getfit]

from my experience and observation many of times i've tried to help people out in the gym or try to correct their form so they wouldn't injure themselves result came to "what do you know?" "leave me alone" "i've been training for years" so i gave up just too bad friggin' thick headed people!

[Vido]

I worry about myself... if they went to the gym for a year and never got stronger or bigger I could care less... lol

Exactly. If they all stay the same size, that just makes me look that much bigger .

[ryuage]

you betcha haha

[GrumpyTX]

LOL. I marked 50% because when I go at 0400 in the morning, there is only about 10 of us there and I know at least 1/2 know what the word Cardio means. LOL

[getfit]

LOL. I marked 50% because when I go at 0400 in the morning, there is only about 10 of us there and I know at least 1/2 know what the word Cardio means. LOL

ha grumpy! LOL!

[ryan-]

Most of the people that go to my gym seem pretty serious. I put 50% but I still think I should go down to 25%.

edit: Boy do I contradict myself in this post!

[Frozenmoses]

There's no option for 10%, so I went with 25.

Exactly what he said.

[Vapour Trails]

I said about 50%, although it could be 25%.

I see horrible things....
People doing curls, wildly swinging the bar or DB, moving there elbows all over the place
People doing excercises, whatever they may be, way, way to fast
People doing one arm rows and it looks like they are trying to start an invisible lawnmower
People doing military press behind their head
People who never do any leg or lower back work
People doing 30 sets of chest exercises in a hour
I could go on....

[Isaac Wilkins]

I'm a 10% voter.

Morons in the gym astound me.

I'm constantly whispered about and confronted about being "on something" and "insane" about the way I train. Of course, I keep getting bigger, stronger, and leaner. They stay small and weak.

Those that are big tend to have good genetics, and any type of program worked for them for the first year or two, now they haven't made real progress in the past three years but won't change.

[MrWebb78]

this is fairly tough. if i look at the way others are training i would have to say 10-20% tops. however if i look at physiques then i would go as high as 50%.

i think a good physique shows that they have found something conventional for them, although its a workout regimen i'd never endorse.

[PizDoff]

I'd say 30-50% at my university gym.
Only ever say two people doing deadlifts as a workout, myself and one other guy last year.

Haven't voted on the poll yet though.

[RickTheDestroyer]

People who never do any leg or lower back work

I'm especially fond of the ones who never train their legs (or if they do, it's with maybe 1 pps on the leg press), but wear a belt constantly, through their 20 sets of curls.

[MrWebb78]

i like curl jockeys, theyre never in the way when its time to do squats

[Ironrelic]

Hey,

Id like your thoughts on a topic I have been observing for some time. You see, I am a personal trainer at one of the largest gyms in Manhattan, and have worked in several gyms around the country. Having observed the general population working out for some time, guys constantly doing latt pulldown behind their head, over tranining, and generally terrible form in most cases, Ive come to the conclusion that 85% of general gym goers have no idea whatsoever of how to train themselves. Year after year they stay exactly the same, yet they are completely hostile to any sort of help or assistance.

My questions to you are these, how many people in your gym do you see training properly, and for those they dont, the psychology behind their inability to change or improve their routine by learning from those around them? Let me know your thoughts.

Good thread. I checked 75% but wouldn't check that for any other gyms I've joined. Furious, do you mean your gym membership is large or the gym/chain? Do new members get any start up initiation or personal training sessions free beyond becoming a paying client? Is there any effort by the staff to let members know that if they need some 'hands on' advice or tips they can get some one out from behind the desk & willingly help them? In all fairness, in a large gym; it's probably not practical + I'm guessing you also have paying clients & rightfully can't be interrupted any old time. Also, some guys probably are more willing to take advice from a staff member who does look like they've pumped iron; not one who's just 'toned, fit, or yeah, it isn't fair or right......a woman. There are also those staff 'big boys' who, after the gym dues are paid, don't want to be bothered with anyone who's not at or near their 'stats'. I've seen all sides of it.

The other thing is, the small percentage of serious, dedicated, focused lifters either have headphones on, one or two training buddies, or want to train alone & rightfully don't care to be interrupted more than once in a while to dispense advice. So, the bulk of your members will train on the fly; not really worried about form, a routine or even gym etiquette. A lot of new pencil necks don't get any words of encouragement from the staff or seasoned members and a lot of them also, like you say, don't want any advice either. Damned no matter what. Only thing I'd suggest you do is.......say, you see a few of those 85% looking like crap doing seated rows; ask if you can give some pointers & if they're receptive, follow up on them; if they still look like crap or don't want a 'form' reminder......well you tried.

Gyms became mainstream and now most adults; we males more than women don[t want to be 'told what to do' by another adult. Decades ago in Dave Draper's time, gyms were small; just benches, bars and plenty of plates and if you messed around, you probably weren't a member for very long.

Sorry this went on so long.....don't blame you for feeling PO'ed; maybe it's the 85% keeping the gym financially sound for the 15% who do know their stuff and do see results. Part of it is also big chains coming in and taking enough of the small percentage of serious pumpers to put the indi gym owners out of business. I'm at an indi now & hope to God it's still around another 10 years or so.

Cuttin' to the chase......I dunno what the answer is

[mpi]

i like curl jockeys, theyre never in the way when its time to do squats

I wish I had this problem, people are always curling in the "curl rack."

[furious]

Good thread. I checked 75% but wouldn't check that for any other gyms I've joined. Furious, do you mean your gym membership is large or the gym/chain? Do new members get any start up initiation or personal training sessions free beyond becoming a paying client? Is there any effort by the staff to let members know that if they need some 'hands on' advice or tips they can get some one out from behind the desk & willingly help them? In all fairness, in a large gym; it's probably not practical + I'm guessing you also have paying clients & rightfully can't be interrupted any old time. Also, some guys probably are more willing to take advice from a staff member who does look like they've pumped iron; not one who's just 'toned, fit, or yeah, it isn't fair or right......a woman. There are also those staff 'big boys' who, after the gym dues are paid, don't want to be bothered with anyone who's not at or near their 'stats'. I've seen all sides of it.

The other thing is, the small percentage of serious, dedicated, focused lifters either have headphones on, one or two training buddies, or want to train alone & rightfully don't care to be interrupted more than once in a while to dispense advice. So, the bulk of your members will train on the fly; not really worried about form, a routine or even gym etiquette. A lot of new pencil necks don't get any words of encouragement from the staff or seasoned members and a lot of them also, like you say, don't want any advice either. Damned no matter what. Only thing I'd suggest you do is.......say, you see a few of those 85% looking like crap doing seated rows; ask if you can give some pointers & if they're receptive, follow up on them; if they still look like crap or don't want a 'form' reminder......well you tried.

Gyms became mainstream and now most adults; we males more than women don[t want to be 'told what to do' by another adult. Decades ago in Dave Draper's time, gyms were small; just benches, bars and plenty of plates and if you messed around, you probably weren't a member for very long.

Sorry this went on so long.....don't blame you for feeling PO'ed; maybe it's the 85% keeping the gym financially sound for the 15% who do know their stuff and do see results. Part of it is also big chains coming in and taking enough of the small percentage of serious pumpers to put the indi gym owners out of business. I'm at an indi now & hope to God it's still around another 10 years or so.

Cuttin' to the chase......I dunno what the answer is

Hey,

I work for NYSC, and at my gym alone there are 7500, I believe in Manhattan alone the company has over 300,000 members. In all fairness I hate the way the company operates, each customer is given a "first workout", which is supposed to be logged and cataloged on the computer system. We have to document everything we do, meet quotas each month, and it really sucks all the joy out of being a trainer. Many of our trainers would otherwise be used car salesmen and some know about as much as the general clientelle, which really bugs me. However, I do the best I can and try to operate independantly of this business model. I think Manhattan is unique in that people are especially agressive and pressed upon, which translates in their response. Still, I do try to ffer advice from time to time and more than not people tend to take it the wrong way it seems. I just know that for me the gym is a sanctuary and I try to learn something new everytime I go, I cant imagine just going and doing the same thing week in and week out, which makes me curious as to the mindset of these people.

[SteveEU]

As a relative newcomer to the gym, I'm prob not the best to judge...but i've done alot of research for my training routine..do's and dont's, technique..etc. Mainly from this site. I have to say tho, from what i've seen in my gym..the unknowledgable heavily outway the good trainers. And whats more..the personal trainers don't seem to pull these people up and put them right in correct form etc?
Just two days ago i watched a guy squatting about 160kilo's to a depth of six inches? Forgive me if i'm wrong, but what's the point in that? I think i'm right in believing quality not quantity...but still training to failure...at my stage? I can see my improvements in the short time i've been going, so i hope i'm doing something right...but i would hope that if a personal trainer saw me doing something wrong or dangerous that they might pick me up on it?...Fair comment?

[Vapour Trails]

Only ever say two people doing deadlifts as a workout, myself and one other guy last year.

Same here, I've been going to the same gym for 2 months, still haven't seen one other person besides myself doing deads.

[Adam]

Same here, I've been going to the same gym for 2 months, still haven't seen one other person besides myself doing deads.

I've been lifting for over 5 years at gyms. I could count on my fingers how many people ive seen doing deads.

[ElPietro]

Depends on what you mean by knowing what they are doing. If you mean can they stop mid-workout and explain to me how the ATP-CP system or Krebs cycle work, then maybe 1%. But when it comes to training, there are so many ways to accomplish goals, we sit here everyday and argue different rep/set schemes, or this exercise is better than another, but really if you just go lift heavy and stay consistent, the difference in results from our nitpicking is probably not very much at all.

I don't really care what others are doing in the gym, unless someone asks me for help or advice, the only time i'll approach someone is if they are lifting with form that will lead to injury.

[Rex]

but really if you just go lift heavy and stay consistent, the difference in results from our nitpicking is probably not very much at all.