Joined a new gym last night. Hilarious

[silachoo]

Last night I was doing presses (low 200's) and in the power rack next to me a chap was doing high bar squats with 115x15 (estimated reps) while making lots of grunts and moans. At the end of his set he watched me do a set of presses. I try to avoid eye contact especially with people like him because they will try to talk. Anyway, he "accosted" me and I figured he was just going to say good job or something so I took out my earbuds. He then told me, as he demonstrated, to maintain a 45 degree bend in my knees while I press overhead because it will alleviate the compressive forces on my spine and allow me to lift more. I did the right thing however, partly because I was dumbfounded by the wordsalad before me and partly because I don't like to be an asshole if I can help it, so I nodded and smiled and said "That's certainly an interesting theory, thanks" and then did another set as he watched. I'm sure he got the picture after that.

The end.

[CJ Gotcher]

He then told me, as he demonstrated, to maintain a 45 degree bend in my knees while I press overhead because it will alleviate the compressive forces on my spine and allow me to lift more.

Because the spine, which is almost perfectly designed to handle compressive load and which will virtually never fail in compression, needs to be given a rest from compressive forces in the press???

[CJ Gotcher]

So good. So good.

I'm glad you made this. It should really be a T-Shirt.

What can I say? You inspired me.

[ithryn]

Alpha male posture exercises

[afatgoat]

confession: guys in tights and sweat pant capris bother me more than it should.

[zinedine kilbane]

Having seen a decent number of 200lb guys doing 315 for full and clean reps (sets of 4-8; no spotting BS), there must be something useful in their routine.

A 200lb guy benchin 315 for reps at a non powerlifting gym, 99% chance that the useful part of their routine is the injections

[CJ Gotcher]

A 200lb guy benchin 315 for reps at a non powerlifting gym, 99% chance that the useful part of their routine is the injections

Or... they just really care about the bench. For a determined 200# male, a 315# bench is not a big deal.

[Adam Skillin]

Even if the bro is using chemistry, does that preclude there being something useful in what they do?

No, it certainly doesn't preclude that the programming/exercise selection is useful, but it certainly does throw a wrench into the argument "well x programming/exercise selection/whatever got 200 lb bro A to a 3-plate bench..."

That said, at my current level of old age and wisdom, I try to refrain from discussions of "the juice" on the internet, because such conversations are fraught with pitfalls and value judgments (both real and perceived), and I simply lack the requisite minimum knowledge of such things to be entitled to an opinion on the matter.

[amsgator]

Or... they just really care about the bench. For a determined 200# male, a 315# bench is not a big deal.

Dammit. 105 pounds to go.

[Adam Skillin]

Dammit. 105 pounds and lots of determination to go.

ftfy