Funny - sad story

[davidM]

Today I went to the gym.
I planned to squat and do chins + the lying french press ( I wanted to give it a shot because I like it but it has always given me problems to my elbows).
I squatted 3305x3 and 308 1x5 then 242 1x15.
Then I did chins with a 45 plate 3x5 and then I started warming up for the "new2 exercise.
After that I put 35 on each side and started my first of the 3x12 sets.
It felt great, no elbow pain at all and a good feeling in general.
The last set: I asked a guy to spot me (pass me the bar) and i finished my third set.
As I expected he told me that I was going too deep and that doing the exercise that way i could hurt my elbows. I say, no, I'm doing this on proposal because doing it stopping at head level or so really hurt my joints. Then I said that I took this variation from Mark Rippetoe and he started smilng, saying that there's so much shit in the internet and that I couldn't trust someone from what he says in his forum...so I said "ok if you don't know him I can understand but trust me this guy knows what he talks about and bla bla..." still that grim on his face. I started to be pissed off but stayed cool. Suddenly he told me "this isn't for everybody" that is "lifting heavy weights is not for everyone...and before I could say something he added " You always squat and press and bench and you are always the same!" with an offensive tone, then " You give advices but you're not the instructor here!".
Now as the matter of fact he gave me an advice but I was shocked because of his behaviour and I didn't know what to say. He was pissed off, without reason.
I say "man you need someone, a really good one...you have been offensive when I only was trying to explain what I do, so you can keep on doing EZ bar curls all day long and when at 45 you'll be able to do what I do maybe we can talk...if I had to train like you I'd buy some EZ bars and train at home without paying the gym every month."
Needless to say he's the kinda guy with no legs and no back or anything else apar from big arms (not beautiful muscular ones) and a stupid look on his face.
Well, I've never experienced this and it really made me laugh after, at home.
I just should have walked away.
One thing he told was true: weightlifting is not for everybody.

[Mark E. Hurling]

I generally only talk to the other geezers at the Gold's I work out in. The instructors out on the floor are personal trainers busy with clients when I'm there, and most of them have seen enough of me to recognize me right off. They leave me alone although I know one of them clearly thinks I'm nuts when he sees me deadlifting and squatting deep over 300. Another one is pissed at me because although I have never spoken to him or his client, the client calls out to me, "Hey coach!" when he sees. me. I don't know why he does that because like I said, I've never talked to him. Just one of the risks you run when you talk to the wrong person. Sorry it bummed you like that, and I completely agree, the guy was a dick.

[dkggpeters]

I squatted 3305x3

Stud!!!!!

[IlPrincipeBrutto]

Hi David,

I think it's never productive to engage with anyone who starts a gym conversation with a negative.
If a guy tells you "you should not do that", you are not going to convince him that what you do is actually right. He's set in his ways, and he wants you to change, not the other way round.
I think the best policy is to just smile politely, thank for the interest, and then go back to what you were doing.

IPB

[LeonidasfromSparta]

Then I said that I took this variation from Mark Rippetoe and he started smilng, saying that there's so much shit in the internet and that I couldn't trust someone from what he says in his forum...

I guess there's also so much shit on the streets too.

so I said "ok if you don't know him I can understand but trust me this guy knows what he talks about and bla bla..." still that grim on his face. I started to be pissed off but stayed cool. Suddenly he told me "this isn't for everybody" that is "lifting heavy weights is not for everyone...and before I could say something he added " You always squat and press and bench and you are always the same!" with an offensive tone, then " You give advices but you're not the instructor here!".

I wonder if he can squat 135...

That's why I try to not talk to anybody in my gym, except for those who ask themselves.

[Alyion]

Pretty much everyone I know in my gym doesn't know anything about Starting Strength or Rippetoe - except for one extremely fucking strong ex-powerlifter dude who is running 5/3/1 and two other guys who also have their heads on straight when it comes to lifting (as in squats and deadlifts and not a million sets of curls). it amazes me how some people actually go the gym just to play on the machines for 30mins.

[davidM]

Today in the gym everybody was kidding about this saying "you're always the same man"...of course these are really friendly people...
Thinking again at what happened I should have told him "No, I'm not the same, my lower back is so much stronger and so are my hamstrings" I guess this would have been a shoking news that there is something else apart from the pecs and the biceps.
But as IlPrincipeBrutto says I simply cannot and should not convince anybody of what I'm doing.
Strangely the guy is disappeared the whole week.

[LeonidasfromSparta]

Strangely the guy is disappeared the whole week.

*Cough*, David ......, did you actually kill him?

[davidM]

*Cough*, David ......, did you actually kill him?

Yes.
Nobody can tell me my biceps are always the same. NOBODY.

[Oldster]

Yes.
Nobody can tell me my biceps are always the same. NOBODY.

Now that is FUNNY!

I only have 1 gym story since I've only lifted in a commercial gym twice. I was by myself out of state on a business trip and popped into a gym of some sort. Don't remember what one but it was very nice. The nice lady that must have been an instructor asked me if I needed a spot on my bench and I told her "no thanks, I'm not doing anything heavy". After 135x20 reps I was putting on a second plate and all the sudden she was 'hovering' very near to me. During that warmup set of 225x25 reps she finally got the idea and went over and spent her time at the fruit juice bar as there was no one else in there. She was very nice after I finished and was preparing to leave.

I guess it would have been a funnier story if she would have threatened to beat me up or something. But its all I got.