November is "Gym People" Suck Month

**Obesely** · Posted On: 12/20/2008 10:12pm

Wow... necro'd my old account rather quickly. The gym I attend... Fitness First... big commercial gym, is full of obnoxious people. I have only been attending since around July of this year, as I went from 101kg to 85 kg (222 lbs to 187 lbs) throughout the latter half of 2007. I am attempting to build up some strength, but even a noob such as I has noticed a few distinct types of assholes.

1) The much noted guys with the big arms and pencil legs. It bothers me... it's really a dick measuring competition. So they do that whole luggage-carrier thing when walking around. It's like the moose/elk/deer/ram with the biggest horns. They're not horizontally symmetrical. It looks retarded

2) 'Boxercising' people and their personal trainers piss me off... it's either done by the tryhard ripped guys or by women... and although their technique is disgusting they trainer keeps encouraging them and telling them they're doing great. Meanwhile ripped guy thinks just slams the pads as hard as he can, his wrists are cocked half the time, it's just ridiculous. Hate these guys with a passion.

I still don't know the names of all the machines, however, there is a machine where you sit down, push a pad out with your knees/legs, and then proceed to use your calves to push it down on the spot whilst keeping your knees locked in/not pushing with your legs. Then I see pencil-legs put it on the max weight (which I can do with my calves), and just keep pushing the pad in and out with their legs. The same people with their air of superiority tend to stray away from the leg curl and and whatever the reverse one is called. They struggle with about half the weight that I can do.

Slightly off topic: Despite a lot of lower body strength, my upper body strength is a bit weird. Essentially, any exercise I do; Lats, pecs, delts, biceps/triceps...well.. my left SIDE can only take about 25% to 75% of what my right can handle (most of the problem lies in the left arm), which makes it impossible to even consider benching anything without looking retarded. Any advice on fixing this imbalance WITHOUT neglecting my right hand side?

**Emevas** · Posted On: 12/20/2008 10:35pm

Stop the madness

**TheRuss** · Posted On: 12/20/2008 10:46pm

Originally Posted by Obesely

Slightly off topic: Despite a lot of lower body strength, my upper body strength is a bit weird. Essentially, any exercise I do; Lats, pecs, delts, biceps/triceps...well.. my left SIDE can only take about 25% to 75% of what my right can handle (most of the problem lies in the left arm), which makes it impossible to even consider benching anything without looking retarded. Any advice on fixing this imbalance WITHOUT neglecting my right hand side?

See a physiotherapist, and then probably a doctor. Something's wrong with your body.

**mundoza** · Posted On: 12/22/2008 4:20am

you may want to use dumbells for upper body instead of barbells. dumbells allow you to work each side independently while barbells will distribute the weight. ie, your right side is stronger and therefore can handle more of the work than the left side.
you can use dumbells for shoulders, arms, chest and back. give it a try and see if this helps?

**Kentucky Fried Chokin** · Posted On: 12/22/2008 4:37pm

I'm going to admit to why I, as a gym person, suck. I like to do deadlifts (that's not why I suck) but when I do, I have a habit of nicking my shins with the bar which causes them get torn open, which causes them to bleed. I never stop mid set, so I end up getting blood on the bar. So at the end of my workout I have to wash my blood off the bar with the cleaner they leave out for cleaning the benches/machines. I'm not sure if anyone notices, but if it was someone else, I might be annoyed.

Let the tears flow, Emevas.

**alex** · Posted On: 12/22/2008 4:46pm

dude thats gross. i would kick your ass the **** out of my gym if isaw you doing that. learn to fucking lift.

**TheRuss** · Posted On: 12/22/2008 4:51pm

Originally Posted by Alex

dude thats gross. i would kick your ass the **** out of my gym if isaw you doing that. learn to fucking lift.

Keep bar close to body to improve mechanical leverage.

- http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/...BDeadlift.html

IIRC, some powerlifting federations require the use of shinguards during deadlifts. Will find a reference if required.

*has a decent-sized scab on his left shin at the moment*

**Kentucky Fried Chokin** · Posted On: 12/22/2008 6:26pm

Yeah, I sometimes tape my shins but it doesn't help much. I'm going to get some baby powder for it.

**Lindz** · Posted On: 12/22/2008 8:46pm

Wear pants. helps way more than tape

**Emevas** · Posted On: 12/22/2008 9:08pm

Originally Posted by H TO THE IZZO

- http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/...BDeadlift.html

IIRC, some powerlifting federations require the use of shinguards during deadlifts. Will find a reference if required.

*has a decent-sized scab on his left shin at the moment*

Long socks are pretty common at the least.