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View Full Version : The extinction of the heavy lifter



warlock
07-02-2009, 04:26 PM
I was reading an interview with Dave Tate and he said something that made me think in the so called health clubs:

O lifters have been banned for trowing weights, PL for chalk and bending the bars, BBers for grunting, the next are the athletes for going high intensity and it seems that anyone that is there to train balls to walls is not welcome.

I grunt, jump, do explosive movements and could care lees about what other people are thinking of me when I am trying to push myself to my limit. I never throw stuff around, I actually clean the area where I am working out and always leave the gym more organized than when I arrived. I see the discomfort in the faces of other people around me.

Even though I never am hostile or pushy I don't try to talk to people as well as torontonians are just not friendly people and don' wanna be know as the nuts guy that is harassing the members.

I see too much inclusiveness, lowering of standards, "I am here therefore that is enough" attitude, out of shape people everywhere and ****ing rubber covered dumbbells around.

I used to teach 8 classes a week and nowadays I teach only saturdays at 8 am as that is the only class where it is guaranteed the members will work their asses of. I was about to scream at people that would finish a spinning class and wouldn't even sweat.

So is that it?

You work out in a place that looks half decent but have to put up with a bunch of pussyes?

The first gym that I worked out I had no technique, no strenght, no idea of WTF I was doing, the place was a ugly, in Sao Paulo with no AC during summer but I'd show up every day mon to fri. The guys would tease each other non-stop, push each other and help each other. I felt intimidated but never showed as they never bothered me after one month coming religiously they saw my work ethics and started giving me a tip here and there, correcting me when I needed and being overall friendly and polite.

I never had a WO partner in life, no one to guide me or anything beyond those few tips, but the environment just made me go back and push, as hard as I could as if my life depended on that and even though a lot of stuff was missing the progress happened.

Nowadays I share space with morons that wear tank tops and wool toques, the energy is not there and if I don't have music the britney/beyonce soundtrack is just painful.

WTF is going on? Am I cranky or is the world dominated by inferior beings?

I don't mean to rant but just share a few observations...

MUSCULARMAYOR
07-02-2009, 09:04 PM
totally agree with you man. All the major gyms in my area are more of a fashion show than a real gym. Most of the people, guys more so, are there to look cool, and talk rather than lifting big a*s weights. It's getting pretty lame.

BAM
07-02-2009, 09:36 PM
[QUOTE=warlock;136290]or is the world dominated by inferior beings?
QUOTE]

yes

tex
07-02-2009, 10:40 PM
lame and lame......i hear you.....same shit everywhere.....

Ogrew
07-02-2009, 11:37 PM
very true

i was so dissapointed when my one buddy joined goodlife.... whats worse is they all followed n go there now lol
i trialed there for a day... no proper squat rack or deadlift area its so sad...

Lifestyle Central all the way man, get to see Fouad Abiad train balls to the wall... now theres motivation for ya

ironwill
08-02-2009, 12:32 PM
I agree 100 percent...My gym now is OK, but the owners are competitiors and they grunt and use chalk etc, no-one really cares in there, i like it....BUT ive been lectured for grunting in the gym,singing ace of spades, at a slightly loud whisper...Told i made people uncomfortable with my intensity and it really sucked, i never felt good in the gym after that, maybe a bit angry anytime someone stared my way, id think to my self...you wanna bitch, ill give you something to complain about...But i let it go, i had nowhere else to go..
Ive had this exact conversation many times out of frustration with CC...

I enjoy lifting heavy and challenging myself, on my way to the gym i begin getting in a different zone most times, then when im changed and my headphones are in, i dont like to...nor will i very often talk to anyone...I think only of killing the weight i am trying to beat from my last lift or whatever my goal may be...THATS IT..
I dont care for the days events, or talking about the economy...Im not there for a haircut, im trying to beat myself, and i need to focus for that...Im a different person until i rack my last rep....I turn it all off, and then, and only then, ill talk for as long as i can after im done about whatever under the sun...and look for something to eat.....:flowers

ironwill
08-02-2009, 12:34 PM
very true

i was so dissapointed when my one buddy joined goodlife.... whats worse is they all followed n go there now lol
i trialed there for a day... no proper squat rack or deadlift area its so sad...

Lifestyle Central all the way man, get to see Fouad Abiad train balls to the wall... now theres motivation for ya
My old gym....and Tecumseh Lifestyles...great damn gyms..I saw Fouad and Lou when they were just starting out, Fouad was doing the novices, and Lou was a provincial level guy...
I miss those gyms, perfest spots...The one on Dougall was nice as well..

#8
08-02-2009, 01:42 PM
Warlock do you train at premier? You just described my every day experience at premier fitness. Rubber dumbbells that only go to 100's? Cmon dude? GAY!

Its an Under Armour fashion show in there with SO MANY smelly guys leaving hair gel marks on all the equipment they use....hair gel....yeah....

#8
08-02-2009, 01:42 PM
:(

Ogrew
08-02-2009, 01:46 PM
Tecumseh is pretty sweet too i'd have to agree.
Im assuming you left windsor?
LOL who would leave windsor? :P (sarcasm)

tiramisu
08-02-2009, 03:19 PM
I like my basement best.

natenator
08-02-2009, 03:22 PM
I like my basement best.
as long as your wife isn't bitching at you to stop squating eh?

Ritch
08-02-2009, 03:23 PM
^^^ Ha! I remember that...

Nodscene
08-02-2009, 03:32 PM
I'm not much of a grunter myself but I know what you are saying. I can't stand gyms like Goodlife et al. One of my favourite gyms I've ever been too was in Calgary at BJ's gym. It was your no nonsense kind of place. They had wooden boxes with dividers in them to hold plates haha. It was great. Now I'm going to Venice Gym in Scarlem. It's a little on the fancy side but I don't mind it at all. Been to a hell of a lot worse that's for sure.

Bowlcut
08-02-2009, 05:18 PM
[QUOTE=warlock;136290]or is the world dominated by inferior beings?
QUOTE]

yes

AHAHAHAHHAHAHA BAM for with win.

warlock
08-02-2009, 06:54 PM
I am at Extreme fitness in dt Toronto.

I used to call it the Lululemon gym as everybody was covered in that shit and not kidding if they had a new outfit out on the stores on Friday, Saturday would show up wearing it.

Don't get me wrong I wear the LL and Nike as well, I take showers before working out if I feel I need, the area where I work out always end up tidy and clean.

But the attitude is just totally different, I have no talent for sports or am physically gifted. I played volleyball being the only guy under 6' in my team in a bunch of tournaments, I competed in Muay Thai having nothing but decent reflexes and the will to train 6X a week.

I have 2 modes towards exercise: I do it as if my life depends on it or I don't bother and do something else.

Once I was finishing my work out and I was on a corner on my own and one of the trainers tells me to bring the volume down (I was making noise) I pretended I didn't understand, too the headphones off and asked: "I beg your pardon?" the bitch repeated what he said and I couldn't resist to tell him....
"Sometimes it is not about the outfit"

and I proceeded to finish what I had to do.

faller
09-02-2009, 02:30 AM
One of my favourite gyms I've ever been too was in Calgary at BJ's gym. .

I loved that gym! Trained there in the early 80's. Is it still around?

Nodscene
09-02-2009, 08:29 PM
I left Calgary about 5 years ago now so I really don't know. I'm sure it still is though, been around for a long time. They still had wrestlers showing up there last I went, got to meet Owen Hart before he passed away. I doubt they'd let that place close down.

Mastagon
19-02-2009, 06:32 AM
"I beg your pardon?" the bitch repeated what he said and I couldn't resist to tell him....
"Sometimes it is not about the outfit"

and I proceeded to finish what I had to do.

Aces for this. I am sick of those underarmor wearing, pretty boy club going bitches who only come in to work on their bench for the 5th time that week, and load 375 on the bar to shrug.

there was a vid on youtube that explained this type of gym perfectly, comes to the gym for his pre-club fashion statement, and only does shrugs and talks about doing jagger-bombs, cant find it though

Mastagon
19-02-2009, 06:47 AM
and here we go....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4JMOh-cul6M&feature=related

tiramisu
19-02-2009, 07:46 AM
It's kind of funny. I always thought my old gym was a little fruity but they had a good squat rack, plenty of free weights and dumbbells and you could always get your work outs in. I never found it odd that there were women there that were squating or push pressing more than me.

10 years later I realize that at least one of the women made it to the olympia and I'm guessing quite a few of those other "average" folk were fairly elite as well. Apparently when you are in a good gym the only things you really notice are the weights.

Little things you realize 10 years later.