first training day after the seminar...

[JKuhlmann]

so i get through 2 sets of squats, when a guy comes walking up to offer some advice....tells me i should be lookin UP when squatting. i explain to him that its important to keep a neutral spine, and that he'll actually generate more power on the way up. he has a look on indignation on his face, so i tell him "i'll PROVE it to you"....

i put him in the squat position. i push on his hip w/ his head up and he can't budge, head down he comes up easily through my resistance. he makes acknowledgement of the difference w/ a laugh, but i can tell he sees it as some parlor trick.

he then says, "well, if you're looking down, you'll fall forward" i then jump on that explaining the concept of a straight bar path over midfoot, lever arms, a solid stance, and hips being back.

he could provide no rebuttle of any kind, let alone a logical one. but was still unconvinced. oh well. considering he's one of the few people who squat pretty regularly there i can't write him off completely.

the ironic thing is, even though he wouldn't listen to me about the squat he insisted i help him w/ his deadlift form in the future. go figure.

Thanks Rip and staff for the great seminar.

[Dastardly]

You should've just told him you like it that way. Trying to coach/educate everyone in sight is an impossible task, perhaps one you should be paid for.

Unless its the kind of person who comes to you for advice, they'll never truly believe you. And any advice would be superseded by anyone more older/experienced/jacked than you anyhow.

People used to be pretty much terrified watching me squat, they would tell me to "look up". The staff were close to telling me I wasnt allowed to squat, which is quite remarkable considering nearly everyone squats/deadlifts with a fully rounded back. But instead they clearly explained to me that my safety was my responsibility and that I was doing it the wrong way.

Skip to a few months later, and I am one of the most respected people who trains at my gym. Im the guy who owns the squat rack. Sometimes people come to ME for advice. But I still know the words of the biggest strongest/experienced guys will hold the most weight.

[jep6095]

Nice job J (who are you?) I agree with Dastardly that you really can't educate anyone on the spot who doesn't want to agree with you. But I do believe you can put shards of doubt in their training and they may pay closer attention to what you're doing in the future.

Remember to keep things simple when explaining the methods to others or you risk losing their interest and presenting yourself as a pretentious jackass (lord KNOWS there's enough of those guys in the gym.)

Keep us posted.
jp

[JKuhlmann]

JEFF! AKA pajama pants boy!

[jep6095]

AKA pajama pants boy!

Ahhhhhh! I should have wrote something about that. It was cool, but I'd still just want to curl up and take a nap if I wore my jammies to the gym!

It was great having you at the seminar this weekend. Keep up with the updates, how many more people will come ask you why you "do it the way you do?"

And keep that low back tight on the deads!
jp

[GesD]

It is truly amazing that once you do SS people in your gym begin to automatically associate you as the Squat king because everyone else avoids that rack like grim death unless their doing bicep curls.

[Patrick L.]

And most other people on the squat rack are doing 1/4 or 1/2 squats at best...