The Gym

[Gpcpa]

Dear Coach Stef and Coach Rip,


6 months ago I messaged you about the mirrors in the gym and you told me if I had to look at a mirror during a lift, I should focus on a non-moving point in the mirror.

I am still trying to verify with you if my example is congruent with what you advised me. I have a few examples:

1.) Pretend like your looking "through" the mirror, rather than looking at yourself.

2.) Look at a mirror reflection of something like " your shoe" because it isnt' moving.


Do these examples detail my understanding of your previous advice?

Thanks for your help,

Greg

[Mark Rippetoe]

I believe I told you to look at the floor. Why are we still talking about this?

[Scaldrew]

Don't you mean to take a more nuanced stance like "turn the rack around so you're not looking at the mirror" like Stronglifts guy? That'll work so much better and is much less work than just having your neck in its normal anatomical position. Isn't that amazing? Wow.

[quikky]

Greg,

Your spine, including the cervical part, should be neutral when you're squatting. If you maintain your spine in the neutral position, when you hit the bottom portion of the squat, your eye gaze will be downward. Pick a thing to stare at when you're at the bottom of the squat, that doesn't affect your spine position, and stare at that thing on the floor when you're squatting.

[FatButWeak]

Wipe a booger on the mirror at the appropriate location. Stare at it.

[Mark E. Hurling]

Two things about mirrors and their discontents:

I coach Our Daughter and after a layoff, she started up again at the gym where she works. Prior to this she lifted in our garage. When she re-started, I noticed her squat form was off and she was not looking down. She admitted she was looking in the mirror. I suggested I could put a towel up in front of it to prevent this. She declined and never looked in the mirror while squatting again. You might try this yourself OP.

The gym I lift in has big sheets that can draped in front of the mirrors where the squat racks (4 of them!) are. People use them too. If you lack the wherewithal to discipline where your eyes look, you might try this as well.

[Gpcpa]

I believe I told you to look at the floor. Why are we still talking about this?

Because you and Coach Bradford seem to have different advice on this topic. So I am trying to see if the advice she told me, "look at a non-moving point in the mirror" is congruent with the examples I have shown; such as, looking at a "mirror reflection of a shoe, because it isn't moving", or "try to just look through the mirror, and let any other distraction blur out"

Two things about mirrors and their discontents:

I coach Our Daughter and after a layoff, she started up again at the gym where she works. Prior to this she lifted in our garage. When she re-started, I noticed her squat form was off and she was not looking down. She admitted she was looking in the mirror. I suggested I could put a towel up in front of it to prevent this. She declined and never looked in the mirror while squatting again. You might try this yourself OP.

The gym I lift in has big sheets that can draped in front of the mirrors where the squat racks (4 of them!) are. People use them too. If you lack the wherewithal to discipline where your eyes look, you might try this as well.

What does OP mean?

[stef]

Because you and ??????? seem to have different advice on this topic. So I am trying to see if the advice she told me, "look at a non-moving point in the mirror" is congruent with the examples I have shown; such as, looking at a "mirror reflection of a shoe, because it isn't moving", or "try to just look through the mirror, and let any other distraction blur out"

No, the advice isn't different. Don't look in the mirror. You've been asking this question over and over in bizarre variant after bizarre variant since 6/24/2014. Are you still "postponing" your training because of your fear? This isn't really about mirrors, is it?

[Mark Rippetoe]

Because you and Coach Bradford seem to have different advice on this topic. So I am trying to see if the advice she told me, "look at a non-moving point in the mirror" is congruent with the examples I have shown; such as, looking at a "mirror reflection of a shoe, because it isn't moving", or "try to just look through the mirror, and let any other distraction blur out"

She told you, I told you, and the book tells you where to look and why. The problem here is that Stef did not delete this pointless idiocy 2 years ago, when she should have. I shall beat her tonight. I'd be very surprised if you have not been banned by later today for offensive-level stupidity.

What does OP mean?

Amazing. You, quad, and dpg should start your own internet.

[Bigbrother24]

So wait this guy has been presumably lifting for 2 years and he still has to ask about where to look.