My Latest on PJ Media: Adaptation

[Mark Rippetoe]

Adaptation, Your Environment, and You | Lifestyle

[FatButWeak]

Another great article: clear, concise, non-inflammatory...it should be required reading in every high school health class in the USA...and yet, per the comments, about 1/2 the commentators still dont get it.....narrow casting, I guess.

[Brodie Butland]

I've read the comments and now am concerned. Why, Rip, didn't you have spotters for the gentleman deadlifting in the picture?

[Mark Rippetoe]

Because we here at WFAC don't care about safety.

[AndrewLewis]

Because we here at WFAC don't care about safety.

Is that still in your waiver or did you take Brodie's advice and change it?

[Mark Rippetoe]

ALL MEMBERS/GUESTS OF WICHITA FALLS ATHLETIC CLUB MUST READ THIS!


Wichita Falls Athletic Club is populated by unstable, unsavory and unpredictable people. Dangers are everywhere. You may fall, be injured or die. There are hidden dangers, and they may be everywhere on the premises. By joining WFAC, or even by training here temporarily, you acknowledge that WFAC may be an unsafe place (to be explained shortly), and you assume the risks associated with training in this horrible place, which may include injury and even death. _______

Treadmills can be, and are, dangerous. Treadmill control switches and railings can break, collapse, or otherwise fail catastrophically at any time. You may fall while the belt is still running and be trapped between the moving belt and another object. They may be negligently designed, constructed, or repaired. We don’t know, because we do not design treadmills. They are probably unsafe. Live with it or stay away. _______

Wichita Falls Athletic Club, in addition to being dangerous, is surprisingly poorly equipped for your comfort and safety. Bring your own first aid supplies, because we don’t provide them, and may not know how to use them anyway. Barbells and other objects can fall from the racks down onto the platforms. This can happen spontaneously, or may be caused by other members or the staff behaving foolishly. Barbell plates can shift, move, or fall with no warning. You may be badly injured, especially if you get hit by something big and heavy. Don't think it can't happen. Even if you know what you're doing, lots of things can go wrong and you may be injured or die. It happens all the time. _______

The heating and cooling system can be dangerous. Hypothermia, heat stroke, lightning, hot coffee and tea, etc. can kill you. Rain, snow, or ice can turn the parking lot into a deathtrap. We are not responsible for any of these things._______

WFAC does not provide supervision or security personnel. All the people in the gym, including other lifters, our employees, agents, and members, and anyone else who might sneak in, may be stupid, reckless, or otherwise dangerous, despite our efforts to prevent this from happening. They may be mentally ill, criminally insane, drunk, using illegal drugs and/or armed with deadly weapons and ready to use them. In addition, you may experience what you perceive to be sexual harassment, from other members or members of the staff. We’re not responsible for the actions of these people._______

If you lift weights or exercise in any way, using any method, you may die or be seriously injured. You may develop rhabdomyolysis, or have a cardiovascular or cerebrovascular accident as a result of any workout, with or without a Valsalva maneuver, either immediately following the workout or days later. This is true whether you are experienced or not, trained or not, equipped or not. If you don’t know what these conditions are, it is your responsibility to find out. We may not explain it to you correctly. It's a fact: lifting weights is extremely dangerous. If you don't like that, DON’T JOIN. You really shouldn't be doing this anyway. We may not provide adequate supervision or instruction. We are not responsible for your correct execution of the exercises, because we may not know how to do them correctly, we may not be able to explain them correctly, and even if we do we cannot control your movements. _______

There may be any number of extremely dangerous conditions existing in and around the gym, and elsewhere on the property. We may not know about any specific hazard, but even if we do, we may not warn you in a timely or effective way, and you may be injured or killed. Effectively, you're on your own. First aid services are not provided by WFAC, and may not be available quickly or at all. Local rescue squads may not be equipped for or trained in gym injuries. If you are lucky enough to have somebody try to resuscitate you or treat your injuries, they may be incompetent or worse. This includes, most especially, area doctors and hospitals. We assume no responsibility. You hereby assume the responsibility. _______

If you decide to train at WFAC, even for a day, that's your choice. Don't do it unless you are willing to assume all risks. By signing this document, you are agreeing to the assumption of all risks, including the risk of injury and death, inherent in joining and attending a slipshod establishment such as this, and that we owe you no duty of care, competence, or any other duty. All risks are assumed by you, the user of WFAC._______

Further, if you have received the advice of a physician against using a gym like WFAC, free weights, barbells, or any of the equipment present at WFAC, you are hereby waiving that physician’s approval and ignoring that physician’s advice. Most of all, remember that we are not doctors, and we do not practice medicine. Be sure about this before you sign this waiver and release.________

We promise you nothing. These premises may well not be safe for any purpose. This is no joke. If we do make an effort to fix an unsafe condition, we may not correct some others, and we may make matters worse! We may give you bad advice. Sorry, but we're not responsible. In short, join or attend WFAC AT YOUR OWN RISK. _______


Printed Name __________________________________________________ __________________________________


Signed____________________________________________ _________ Date ____________________________

[JimtheConquerer]

Gosh, I hope that is your real waiver...

[Mark Rippetoe]

It is.

[VivekSaini007]

Did you write it all on your own?

[Mark Rippetoe]

I had some help.