Idiots in the Gym

Arnold - Ass to heel

I've got to vent about something. There are too many freaking idiots at the gym.

It was legs day. I set up on my squat rack. I put down a set of 8 at 155lbs. It felt pretty good but I wasn't getting my form all there, so I took it down to 135. Up walks this kid to the squat rack next to me. He's no bigger than me and he looks a lot younger than me. He puts on 4 plates on each side. That's 405 lbs. He gets under it, makes a couple grunt noises and then lets out a huge "AHHHHRRHHHH" and steps back. He then squatted about 4 inches down and then back up. His form was so terrible that a guy ran up and supported his back and made him put his chest up. He puts it back on the rack and me and this big guy just looked at each other and shook our heads. Then I do my set. When I do squats I do ass to heels squats. I couldn't finish it with 135 so I took it down to 105 and did another set of 12, ass to heel squats. The kid next to me comes back with a belt he got from the front, and proceeded to put another plate on each side. That's 495 pounds. If he were to do proper form, he would be one of the strongest people in Utah right now. He gets under it, lets out a scream again, and does 4 piss-poor excuses for a squat, and then basically falls forward to get the weight back on the rack.

A few things that kills me about this. Number one, the gym is not a show. Who the hell cares if you can squat 500 pounds! You look like a moron if you're not doing full reps. I see this all the time. Especially on bench and squats. Second, a real bodybuilder or power lifter would never, ever, do 500 pound squat with no spotter. Not in a million years. 500 pounds can break your back, literally. If you go to the gym so big guys will look at you, you will get hurt eventually. Plus, just a little side note, those big guys you are trying to impress think you are a complete moron. I'm sitting here doing 135, but my squats are so deep and in good form, that I have way more respect than that idiot trying to do 500 pounds with no spotter. I had to walk away from him because I was too worked up about it, and it was getting in the way of my workout.

I wish I could yell to everyone in the gym, WEIGHT DOESN'T MATTER!! Go as heavy as YOU can and push it to the limits of YOUR ability. People get hurt every day from trying to push more weight than the guy next to him, that is 75 pounds bigger then he is! With weight lifting it's you vs YOU. Those egotistical morons at the gym doing half-assed reps aren't helping anyone, including themselves.