Are you ever "unimpressed" with someone's lift?

[Citruscide]

I'm usually not an ASSHOLE... well... heh heh... about lifting that is... and if someone tells me "Hey, I just benched 135lbs!" I'm totally stoked for them and happy they set a new PR... no matter what the weight.

But are you EVER unimpressed with someone who say... Squats 405.... on the Smith? Or Benches 350... on the Smith... or does military press with 225... on the Smith?

For some reason... I'm more impressed with a squat of 225 free bar than I am of 405 with a Smith... I don't even COUNT smith as a lift really? I mean, I do 4 plates on each side of the Hammer Strength front military press... I'm not even impressed by it. I could care less about it... I'm FAR more impressed when I hang clean 225lbs... or knock out a set of lat raises... ya know?

Smith, Hammer, Cybex... I don't they should count for "lifts" -- I agree they may have their place in "workouts" but to compare 400lbs Hammer to 200lbs free... it's not even close.

C-ditty

 

[Lord_Suston]

I am unimpressed with people who do 400lbs on bench but can barely get 225 with horrible form squating. You need to have all around strength. I am more apt to aprecciate a guy who does a hard set with 100 deadlifting then a guy who do one or two reps with 200. to me it is how hard you work.

 

[strider364]

I see that all the time at my gym C and Lord Suston, they can talk the talk, but can't walk the walk. Very few individuals at my gym I see even attempt squat and deadlift, and forget about proper form, that's out the window!

 

[PolishHammer1977]

I am equally umimpressed as well with the Smith. It is a however a starting point for some people. I don't necessariliy think that the Smith should be used as the primary muscle building agent. Free bar all the way.

 

[jerkbox]

yeah.....i work with someone who is always telling me about his squatting.....then I found out he uses the smith...which I imagine varies from machine to machine as far as how much of the load one will actually bear.....so, i told him to get a life and do some real squats.

 

[c-sharp minor]

I have a friend who is 6'4" and wieghs around 140lbs, (well, he wieghed this at the time).

He could barely bench the empty bar.


Sad but true.

 

[Lord_Suston]

I have a friend who is 6'4" and wieghs around 140lbs, (well, he wieghed this at the time).

He could barely bench the empty bar.


Sad but true.

I would be more impressed if this guy kept at it and gained weight and learned how to bench 135 with proper form. I see people bounce the bar and go only half way down, it makes me sick.

 

[MsBeverlyHills]

theres a couple dudes at my gym that use the SMith to do incline pushups-- looks kinda silly but great view of their glutes...

 

[gettinlarger]

I see a guy at my gym. Every week, he will bench 405. But ... he lowers it slowly, until about 2-3 inches off his chest, and he bounces it off. I looks like he is going to break his sternum one day ...

That, to me, is not impressive.

 

[Thaibox]

I agree with you C. It makes it so much worse when you're doing the real lift at the same time as that person is on the smith. Sometimes my leg day would match with these 2 college dudes and we would do squats at the same time. Except I'd be in the cage and they'd be using the smith. The whole time, they'd be looking over at me and trying to do more like its a competition between us doing the same lift. They'd pile on the plates and not even go parallel while I'm going ass to the floor. The worst part is after they're done with their psuedo-squats, they strut by me with air lats thinking they did more than me.