Joined a new gym last night. Hilarious

[Sean Herbison]

There's less margin for this kind of ugly save with a high bar squat

Unfortunately, that's a mixed blessing. It's good that you don't have to abandon a rep just because you didn't execute it quite right, as this allows you to use more taxing weights and get a larger overall training stimulus. However, it also allows you to become accustomed to bad form, potentially leaving a weak point that will limit long-term progress. Basically, it just requires more focus on technique, since there is not the same necessity for performing each rep correctly. I'll still stick with low-bar and work on doing the reps correctly. (Also hurts my knees less, so there's that.)

In competition, it's an uncontested good thing. Even if you could theoretically do more weight with a high-bar squat (I don't know, there might be someone who can), it's not at all forgiving compared to a low-bar squat. Rather like a squat jerk vs a split jerk. If your technique is perfect, you can do more weight with a squat jerk, since you don't have to move the bar as far, but there's no way you're saving it if you don't hit it just right. Contrast that fact with Taranenko's world record using the split jerk.

[Skander]

Yes, HB seem less forgiving -- a rep I might grind through low-bar is a fail instead. Also HB squats tend to irritate my knees.

I do like the more forgiving nature of LBBS, and it feels better on my knees. I've been doing more LBBS and have managed some Oly PRs while mostly doing it, though I'm not sure that it was that much superior to HBBS. Then again, I was neglecting my front squats last time I was doing more Oly lifting.

Now I'm doing 531 with LBBS as the main squat, and front squats as the "major accessory" afterwards. That means front squats for sets of 10 on the 5 week. That's...fun...fml.

In gym news, we don't have many resolutioners, just lots of collegiate athletes who have upped the quality of gym stuff by about 100%.

[MBasic]

Today Lifetime trainer has a lady doing the Jefferson Squats....Where you straddle the bar and try to pull it up into your crotch....With your spine and pelvis twisted a little.

[Carnivroar]

Bro-coaching the deadlift:

- You gotta hump the bar, bro. Physics, physics.

- This is too heavy

[kanahan]

Second time I see people deadlifting while looking at their back on the mirror on the side, with their neck turned 90° while pulling. Dude you won't worry about a little lumbar flexion when you have to wear a neck brace for the rest of your life.

[aurelius]

Saw a dude 'deadlift' 275 (with straps but that is not the complaint of my post). Feet a bit wide but whatever man. He'd lift it from the floor to the standing position. Then basically half rep it (or lower the bar to about knee height) then raise back up into standing postition with a very exaggerated, hips forward position. What is the supposed point of this? Other than to look goofy and not be strong. Does anyone know?

Oh, and here are my feelings about all of the New Year's people making me wait for a rack.

[Mark E. Hurling]

A misunderstanding of RDL's perhaps?

As for the New Years Resolutionaries, I'm wondering if there's a similar phenomenon that will manifest itself with SIU student body at the Rec Center. I'm guessing not. But school starts tomorrow, so we'll see.

[Brodie Butland]

Was training someone over the weekend at a powerlifting gym. Despite never squatting before, he had a pretty good looking squat after a few sets.

Woman who was doing zercher squats with the empty bar (and that's it) comes over between sets and tells him: "just a tip: you should look up because that will keep your back vertical." Trainee politely nods and says thank you, then gives me a "did that just happen?" look.

Also found a unicorn at my Y. A nice young man was working in with me on squatting. Both of us were below parallel. This means that in a commercial gym, two people were using the squat rack at the same time, both to proper depth.

[kanahan]

Also found a unicorn at my Y. A nice young man was working in with me on squatting. Both of us were below parallel. This means that in a commercial gym, two people were using the squat rack at the same time, both to proper depth.

To be fair I found that a decent amount of people do hit depth at my gym. But they squat 5x12 with little rest and after having done other leg exercises and cardio. And most of the time they dont evem look like they are grinding at all, probably lifting super conservatively because they afraid of failing a squat. So obviously the weight they put on the bar is pathetic, even though they look like Hulk.

[MBasic]

Saw a dude 'deadlift' 275 (with straps but that is not the complaint of my post). Feet a bit wide but whatever man. He'd lift it from the floor to the standing position. Then basically half rep it (or lower the bar to about knee height) then raise back up into standing postition with a very exaggerated, hips forward position. What is the supposed point of this? Other than to look goofy and not be strong. Does anyone know?

A misunderstanding of RDL's perhaps?

probably these two pussies /s
. . .like this ?
(straps & just below the knee ROM)