Rant: The YMCA never fails to amuse me!

[chris_f]

Not so much the Y, actually, as the people who lift there.

Today, this young guy, maybe 21, 22 years old, was benching, and asked this older guy (maybe in his 40's) for a spot. He was doing decline bench presses, about 230 lbs.

Somehow, the old guy starts talking about increasing your bench press, giving the kid advice. The old guy has been "lifting since [he] was 8 years old. [He] grew up doing this shit!" He then tells the guy the secret to increasing your bench...

Flies. Lots of them. Lots and lots and lots of flies. In fact, they should make up a majority of your workout. Follow them up with wide-grip bench, normal grip bench, and then close-grip. But flies are absolutely essential.

The kid really took the advice to heart, and began doing incline dumbell flies immediately thereafter. The irony of all this, though, is that while the kid had a 230lb decline bench, the old guy was doing 20 lb inclines (Honestly! 20 lbs, not including the bar!) on the smith machine!!!

So much for putting your money where your mouth is!

[GqArtguy]

Maybe he was deloading? [img]tongue.gif[/img]

[ninja]

I saw three very muscular guys "attempting" to do pullups yesterday. The reason I say attempting, was that they would use straps to grab onto the bar, and then one of the buddies who wasn't lifting would grab his feet and help him up with every rep.

I wonder how they got so big? Maybe they take flax seed oil..... Yeah thats it, flax seed oil.

[kmwest]

At least he didn't tell the young guy that squats were bad for his knees.

[chris_f]

"At least he didn't tell the young guy that squats were bad for his knees."

He doesn't have to. No one does squats at the YMCA!

[OldGuy]

I thought you were going to tell us your experience in the sauna

[Matthew]

I must have really lucked out with the gym I used to go to. Squat racks were used for squats only, I've only seen straps being used once (and it was at a different gym). I've never seen anyone deadlift which kind of disappointed me, but other than that people wipe the equipment after they use it, I've seen people doing HIIT, the trainers could be a little more informative (giving reasons why they put that movement in or why your program should look like this) but they were really very good. Sure there will always be those people that you see basing their workout around bicep curls and tricep extensions and leg curls and extensions, but for the most part the people there seem like they know what they're doing and they're all really nice. I kind of feel sorry for you guys [img]tongue.gif[/img]
The best part to me is that my gym was in a community centre, it didn't need to be some big fancy building with an easily recognizable name. But you could still find a way to do any exercise you wanted, and get the help you needed. Wow I'm starting to sound like a commercial.

[kmwest]

Originally posted by mAtThEw:
I kind of feel sorry for you guys [img]tongue.gif[/img]

I work out at home now. It's not a bad gig... I'm the only schmuck that I have to put up with. Although it is fun to go into the university weight room sometimes and do heavy deadlifts and lots of pullups, just to see the looks on people's faces. I do PT twice a week with a couple guys and we always include chinups in the weight room. I get some nice looks, with my cammie trousers, combat boots, and pumped arms. :-D

[Matthew]

lol ya I work out at home now too. This was all before I started that. I know what you mean though, it's nice to get a few looks once in a while.

[lilman]

I have the honor of working out in my home gym as well. I used to work out at the YMCA and it was actually pretty okay. The weight room was excellent and it was mostly people who knew what to do. The only problem I had with the YMCA was the old guys hanging out naked in the locker room talking about their day at work. I am way comfortable with myself but it just kills me when a guy is sitting in a chair naked reading the paper and trying to talk to me about current events.

[chris_f]

"I am way comfortable with myself but it just kills me when a guy is sitting in a chair naked reading the paper and trying to talk to me about current events."

I usually avoid the locker room! When i work at Y for summer camp though, i always have to deal with naked old men... summer camp and naked old men: two things i never thought i'd say in the same sentence!

[md11hydmec]

I went to a gym once, before I really started working out. I felt a little uncomfortable, because I was fat and they weren't. Got a set of DB's and started working out at home, my wife would join me occationally to walk on the treadmill. Now she's working out along side of me. I love it. Gives me someone to talk to. I just have to keep her encouraged.

[BRITISHBULLDOG]

I go to the YMCA gym here in the u.k,its got rather ok equipment however some of the people dont know what they are doing!plus there are alot of steroid use in our gym too,shame!

[RipStone]

Originally posted by lilman:
I am way comfortable with myself but it just kills me when a guy is sitting in a chair naked reading the paper and trying to talk to me about current events.

I don't understand why they just can't put a towel around their waist??

[Kam]

I go to YMCA since my company pays for the membership. The weight room is perhaps the worst one I have ever seen and about the size of my kitchen. They have the essentials though so I cant complain too much. Lucky for me there are usually only 2 guys in there when I lift and they keep to themselves. The middle school is just down the road though so I have to make sure I dont go before 5 since people in this town use the Y as some sort of day care...No naked old guys sitting around the locker room either which is always a plus!