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Thread: Dear Rip, You have ruined my life...

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jun 2012
    Location
    San Jose
    Posts
    57

    Angry Dear Rip, You have ruined my life...

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    Dear Rip,

    You have ruined my life. There was a time where I was able to walk to the back of the gym to a lonely squat rack, maybe two, and conduct a workout in peace. On the rare occasion another person also came to the rack, we could have a nice conversation, perhaps share the rack as there was only two of us. I could look with disgust and superiority at the gym goers on the pec decks and keagle machines, feeling secure in my manhood.

    I am now entering my second year as a grad student at UCLA, and over the past year, things have been changing. When I arrived last year they were in the midst of revamping the entire gym to reflect certain “changes” in the exercise habits of the student body. They split the weight room into three sections of equal size, one section was for weight machines, the middle section consisted of dumbbells, benches, and pulley machines, and the third was 2 squat racks facing mirrors, 2 power racks facing away from the mirrors, and two brand new Oly lifting platforms. Then, they opened up an outside courtyard the size of 2 of these sections and filled it with bars and bumper plates. Machines now make up 1/5 of the weight section of the UCLA gym.

    Now at first I was very pleased. I was able to walk to the squat/power racks, always see at least one other person squatting, but always have a rack for myself. However, throughout the year, things became worse and worse. Every time I showed up there were more and more students squatting in my racks. Sometimes I had to wait. I heard things like “linear progression” and “GOMAD.” I saw fewer and fewer running shoes and more converse and actual weightlifting shoes. During spring finals I had to wait for a squat rack, as I watched a 5’8’’, 125lb sorority girl squat 235 for 3 reps, using perfect low bar technique you outline in SS. She then turned to two of her sisters who were watching in amazement and told them, “forget cardio, use a linear progression and add 5 lbs. every time you come to squat. I have a great book that explains all the lifts really well.”

    This summer, things have deteriorated to unacceptable levels. There is regularly a 15-20 minute wait to do squats, proper weightlifting shoes are now the norm, and people no longer look at me in amazement when I deadlift more than 315. Someone walked up to me, pointed to my belt, and asked if it was one of Dean’s!!!

    Rip…proper strength training is now the norm at UCLA. You, your book, and your influence has ruined me. How can I possibly continue on like this? How can I feel secure in my masculinity when a 19 year old Asian girl wearing Adidas weightlifting shoes is squatting over 225 in the rack next to me? How do I feel superior when 3 frat boys are all squatting 335 for 5 reps to proper depth? I think I may have to go back to triathlons…
    Last edited by edwardmgonzalez; 09-13-2013 at 02:01 PM. Reason: spelling

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Posts
    252

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    Awesome

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Oct 2013
    Posts
    3

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    I bet those ladies looked pretty good. I wish more women were willing to strength train. They would probably be pleasantly surprised at the results.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Aug 2013
    Location
    Costa Mesa, CA
    Posts
    764

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by King of the Jews View Post
    soon the hipsters will wear Best Belts, while they type on the Macs inside of butcher shops.
    Fixies for gainzzz

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Oct 2013
    Posts
    11

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    LOL, funny story, thanks for sharing. I usually lift at home but when I traveled recently I witnessed just the opposite. A gym full of guys and only a couple squatting and deadlifting. And the squats weren't even quarter ones - the ROM was mere inches. The deadlift form was so bad it was acually painful to watch. I think they were trying to do stiff leg deadlifts because they didn't bend at the knee at all. Then they proceeded to let their ego load up two plates and rounded their backs over to no extent. These guys looked bigger and more shredded than me but when I pulled 250 with far superior form I couldn't help but feel good about myself! :-)

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Posts
    8

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    starting strength coach development program
    awesome story! Better that your campus be filled with strong people rather than a bunch of curlbros

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