So I'm in the squat rack tonight.........

[rgjujitsu]

And this guy asks if he can work in. I say sure because I really don't mind. But I have seen this guy before and I know he does 1/4-1/2 squats with like 315-355 and has a small number of male groupies that emulate his workout style, you know, lots of cable pulldowns, half squats and the like.
Well I am really shocked because his first set he does 135 all the way down, like really deep. I was like wow, maybe he changed, maybe this guy really squats now, it really picked me up for my next set. So the second set he goes right up to 225 and right back to his old form. By then he starts with the excuses like wow I really haven't squated in 3 months(lie, I saw him in there each of the previous weeks doing the same shitty squats) then it was "for some reason I can't breathe in here today" among others . Now my question is this, do I say something to him? Like hey what happened to the depth of every set after your first man, it was perfect? Or just something to encourage him not to go so heavy and go deeper? Or do you just agree with his excuses and go about your workout(which I did). Would I be doing the world a service by maybe helping this person be honest with himself? Or is that not my place?

Also, any tips on not focusing on other people in the gym and there forms and comparing yourself to them?

 

[Madcow2]

It's a judegement call based on gut feeling. If the guys making excuses for his lifts and lying there's a lot of ego. Those are the type of people who just aren't receptive and generally wind up wasting your time. I look at it as increasing my GMP for morons [general mental preparedness vs. as opposed to GPP with physical].

 

[perp69]

I wouldn't say anything to anyone about how they lift (except maybe a real good friend) unless they specifically asked me for my opinion. Most people become defensive about it so I just leave it alone. Personally I don't mind if someone gives a suggestion or critque. I figure you never know when someone might give some good advice. I just weigh it for what its worth and decide for myself.

Perp

 

[Tweakle]

If he's not your training partner then it's really not worth wasting any time over him or his form.

 

[cyrex]

I wouldn't say anything to anyone about how they lift (except maybe a real good friend) unless they specifically asked me for my opinion. Most people become defensive about it so I just leave it alone. Personally I don't mind if someone gives a suggestion or critque. I figure you never know when someone might give some good advice. I just weight it for what its worth and decide for myself.

Perp

I actually take it as a compliment when a big guy gives me some pointers. I see dipshits doing stuff wrong and I just see them look at them shaking there heads. They see me doing something and they will come up and say, hey if you did XY and Z you might get this area better. Makes me feel like I'm doing enough right that they see that I'm willing to listen and make corrections where needed.

 

[bignate73]

I wouldnt say anything to him but I'd set the example. if he was 1/4 squatting and you get a chance to work in with him some more, chances are his ego will change a bit when he is loading up the weight and half assing and you are banging out deep squats. that little voice in his head will scream "hey everyone else sees this guy doing some solid work and i'm bobbing around."

 

[Numani]

I wouldnt say anything to him but I'd set the example. if he was 1/4 squatting and you get a chance to work in with him some more, chances are his ego will change a bit when he is loading up the weight and half assing and you are banging out deep squats. that little voice in his head will scream "hey everyone else sees this guy doing some solid work and i'm bobbing around."

im bobbing around...lol

two guys -training partners at my gym. surprising have different form.
one guy does it ass to the floor on everything upto around 6plates a side.

the other guy has no business squatting more than 3 plates a side...yet persists on using the same weights as the 1st guy and half squatting.

now i can understand the use of partials to build some confidence maybe with a weight you aim to get in the next two months. but not way above what you can do now and not for the bulk of your squatting sets.

i keep watching this second guy to see when he will legitimately break parallel with 3 plates -140kg - 315lbs. we are one month into the year and i see no improvement in full squats and a lot more heavier partials.

 

[Lee]

i wouldnt say anything cuz id bet he knows exatly what hes doing. hes just one of those stupid gym rats with huge biceps and small quads.

 

[UrlMighty]

I wouldn't say anything. If I'm squatting deep and he doesn't ask me why I don't stop at ten degrees then why should I ask why he doesn't go down to 135 degrees.

I reckon he sees the deep squats as ok for warmups and limbering but if you want real growth then you have to go heavy and that means less depth to him as part of the trade-off for weight. I often see guys doing all their bench warmups with feet on the bench and then the feet go back to the floor as the weight climbs. Their ass usually starts to get higher at the same time.

Leave him to his 1/8 squats. He's seen your squats and so knows where to ask when he gets interested.

 

[stevius]

Also, any tips on not focusing on other people in the gym and there forms and comparing yourself to them?

I have got into the habit of not standing around; I power out a few reps, rack the bar, have a tiny break then bang on with the workout. It's vital to get that adrenaline going; the best workouts are founded on achieving rhythm, speed and power.

Also, if I'm doing a squat workout, it's very important to brace myself and concentrate hard. Without that focus I'm endangering myself and others.


I can't help thinking how lucky people are nowadays having the internet as a resource. I trained improperly for many years and my legs were like sticks even when I was using three hundred pounds for a smith 'half squat'. I had no-one to tell me how to train properly but that probably served me right for going into the gym to train as opposed to socialising or hanging out and flexing.

One of the big problems as I see it is that people don't like to be humbled when they discover the squat. After getting some mileage with the biceps and the usual showy stuff they try to do the same with legs but end up feeling uncomfortable. But starting out with only the bar or even no weight can be tricky at first because all of those small supporting muscles that don't hardly get used are suddenly under stress. To expect someone with a well muscled torso to get under a bar and pump out a hundred pounds of weight or more is ridiculous; three hundred or more and that's suicide.

There needs to be a sign or something near the power rack to the effect of:

"Your quads and butt may be strong but your hips and hams need more work: Be humble listen to your body and take those 45's back off!"

 

[KillahBee]

I say leave him be. Chances are he has a very fragile ego anyway and will probably take your sound advice and turn it into a problem.

And as far as focusing on other people - just stop doing it. I wear headphones and in between sets I usually just sit there and stare at the floor thinking about what I am doing.

 

[djeclipse]

90% of the people at my gym are doing everything with horrable form, 1/4 squats on the smith machine, bench prett with 1/4 movement and way too much wight, seated behind the neck shoulder press with 1/4 movement, it's horrable everywhere you look.

In the pat if someone was near to me I used to try and offer advice, becasue that's what I would want. But I found that most people don't want to take the ego hit to do the movement proprly.

From now on unless people ask me I won't be giving any advice unless it;s a friend of mine or they ask.

 

[altimus]

i used to offer advice to ppl but it was a waste. as forementioned, many folks take advice as criticism and say "yea man, but thats just how i do it". so while exercising those quads, exercise restraint as well and let the misguided, misinformed masses carryout their endless sets of 1/4 squats on the smith machine. every now and then, youll find someone eager to learn and expand that knowledge base who will actually ask for advice, and thats always a good feeling. "you look like you know what youre doing, can i ask you a question..?" only then would i open my mouth.

 

[swaptrex]

let the little guy have his fun...

 

[BiggT]

The only advice I ever offer is if it is kids....most are willing to listen and learn and are 'salvagable' in that they will actually correct their form.....the only other exception is if someone asks.....most guys who have been "training" for some time either let it go in one ear and out the other, or they pull out the list of excuses "I have bad knees"...."I have a bad back"....."I hurt my rotator cuff"....."My ass gets too big"....."I'm just getting back into it" (this one is the best, if you are quarter squatting 405, you won't magically one day be able to full squat it, lol, just strip the bar and work up gradually and correctly)....the second best is "I don't care, I just want to be jacked" (and sadly, if they have good enough drug receptors and enough drugs, they usually look 'jacked' despite being proportionately and pittifully weak).

Anyway, yeah, fuck 'em......unless he asks, mind your own business as far as everyone is concerned. I just always try to intervene with kids, because it could make the difference between someone who becomes a seriously strong lifter for life or just another gym douche bag.

 

[muscelove]

I dont help anyone at all. I never make eye contact and usually keep my hood up at all times. I dont want to be bothered. I prefer to workout when no one is in the gym. I cant stand seeing these groups of guys who workout together posing in the mirror doing 1/8 squats and having their spotter row their 315 while benching.

 

[anotherbutters]

It's easier to tell someone about your own 'discoveries' about what works best, rather than giving out direct advice. Most people, unfortunately, tend to get defensive when you critique them.

You could have told him how you got better results once you started squatting deep, even though you had to reduce the weight by a lot. Tell him that you got back up to your previous weights over time.

Even if you were going deep whilst working in with him and he didn't comment on it, he might have been interested, just too proud to ask.

 

[blut wump]

My attitude is pretty much the same as BiggT's. Most people don't want to hear that they didn't make parallel or even be told that their knees are caving. Those that would want to hear it are well aware and I'm probably already chatty with them.

I think I've persuaded a kid at the gym finally to take up squats. Sadly, he told me last time I saw him that he'd been using the Smith to get the movement right so I had another chat with him. Luckily his weights are still low enough that the bar and a couple of tens will be plenty so he'll not have ego problems using just the bar. I just have to try to catch him on his next legs day and then get him deadlifting and squatting more than once per week.

 

[Jim Ouini]

I only say something if I'm asked. Some people will just come up and ask why am I going so low. Then after I quote Madcow, they say 'interesting', and of course they just go back to their own thing

I did have one friend who started hitting full squats, but he's the one who then tore his ACL on leg extensions.

 

[riverrock]

Don't bother. Our gym is full of so-called "Hardcore" lifters who got their size from huge doses of D-Bol, Deca, and Test. In terms of form, they haven't got any. To reduce their bench and squat in order to do it right would mean a significant decrease. Their ego won't allow that, so they continue on fooling themselves as normal. Just like that guy.

 

[DZLS]

i will not give anyone advice on their technique unless i really know the person...

most guys in the gym, think what they are doing is the correct way, and you're just asking for animocity if you offer up unsolicited advice...