Hard & Dirty Training--out of fashion?!?!

[powerrack]

I've noticed the trend more and more at the gym is to have the "touchy..feely" type workouts more then the get down and grind out the heavy weight workouts? I mean doing a heavy set of 6reps on deadlifts, you didn't really get that squeeze on the middle outter right portion of your tiny lats right? That's the type of bullshit I hear at the gym.

I've never gotten good thickness or mass without the heavy stuff I do in the gym, like squats,push presses,chins,dips,deads,etc. I almost feel like an out cast at times in the gym trying to train insane. If I do something like pull out the chalk, it's almost like a strange feeling that I'm doing something wrong. However if your doing one arm cable laterals for a set of 20reps you are doing great and really have a strong mind to muscle connection and are feeling it!

I mean I know the isolation stuff has it's place, but I don't think gyms nowadays will ever go back to what they once were, where the blue collar workout was in style and not this bullshit I see now.

I'm not an old guy, still in my 20's just I've switched to a more "modern" gym due to circumstances and I notice the changes.

Sorry for the rant.

[St]

Ya most gym are full of Pussy's,the Goodlife life styles haha.

[PdH]

I hear ya. I've been training hard since I was 16 (now 43) and the changes I've seen over that time are rather amusing. Few seem to train intensely any more. I think it has a lot to do with 'personal trainers' and their beach balls and pogo sticks. Don't strain yourself and use super-strict form. It's almost as if hard trainers have become pariahs. :wtf

[gordi]

That's interesting, because I thought that I was noticing almost an opposite trend. back in the 80s, people used to train pretty damn hard and heavy... but everything was all about isolating the muscles. Now, it seems that more and more people are doing exercises that work a bunch of muscles all together. I've always loved the big compound movements, and was happy to see them coming back into style.

I kind of thought it might be the MMA influence. Back in the 80s, when everyone watched pro wrestling and wanted to have huge muscles that popped like Hogan's, nobody worried too much about functional strength. Now everyone wants to be Georges St. Pierre, and they are doing more whole-body, joint-stabilizing and core-stimulating stuff.... at least it seemed that way to me. Maybe I'm just lucky...

Of course, here in Japan I'm literally the ONLY guy in my gym going heavy at least half the time... but people are really friendly and encouraging toward me as I'm grunting and sweating away in the corner, so I don't feel like I'm doing anything wrong. I'm more of an interesting and entertaining curiosity than a pariah.

(Hey, I'm 43 too. *high 5*)

[monkey]

Yeah... i almost feel like I'm doing something wrong when I train hard and heavy... I adhere to strict form but just find it interesting how erverybody around me works out like a pussy...
Something funny that I notice is that I often see the biggest guys with shittiest form ...

[PdH]

Something funny that I notice is that I often see the biggest guys with shittiest form ...

I went to a Sergio Olivia seminar once and he was asked about form. He replied "Do you think I'm going to curl 200 lbs with strict form?" He was the biggest man I've ever seen. Controlled momentum used to be an accepted practice. Seems to me Mr Coleman uses a little controlled momentum as well.

[_Ragnar_]

i agree when my work out partner and I train its like everyone in the gym is looking at us. apparently no one has ever herd someone grunt before

[Ritch]

That's interesting, because I thought that I was noticing almost an opposite trend. back in the 80s, people used to train pretty damn hard and heavy... but everything was all about isolating the muscles. Now, it seems that more and more people are doing exercises that work a bunch of muscles all together. I've always loved the big compound movements, and was happy to see them coming back into style.

I kind of thought it might be the MMA influence. Back in the 80s, when everyone watched pro wrestling and wanted to have huge muscles that popped like Hogan's, nobody worried too much about functional strength. Now everyone wants to be Georges St. Pierre, and they are doing more whole-body, joint-stabilizing and core-stimulating stuff.... at least it seemed that way to me. Maybe I'm just lucky...



(Hey, I'm 43 too. *high 5*)


But the thing is Hogan`s strength was functional. He body slammed Andre the giant. Hell, a wrestler of all people must be functional. People are just pussies today. Making sure their "look" is o.k. in between sets, standing 3 inches from the mirror looking at themselves from every angle, checking their teeth. Placing their hat on their head for the eleventeenth time. They make me sick. There is no way I feel I`m getting down and dirty doing a 3-0-3 tempo. Do use it sometimes mostly for arms but I guess it comes down to personal preference and what works for you

[powerrack]

i agree when my work out partner and I train its like everyone in the gym is looking at us. apparently no one has ever herd someone grunt before

That's because you guys are doing it all wrong...if a small grunt comes out of your mouth it means the weight is too heavy bro...hahaha! j/k

[Danger]

Yeah its like people think just showing up at the gym will get them big and it has nothing to do with effort or intensity, I mean if you want to grow you deffinatly cant just stay in your comfort zone.

As far as big guys with bad form, I used to think that as well then I talked to a few of them and realized that once your big enough your rom changes because of all the muscle mass especially for pressing/curling movements.

[warlock]

The thing that amazes me is that some people just don't get it: If you don't push hard, Why are you in a gym?

Now the trend is to discriminate anyone that works out at a descent level of exertion.
There are at least 2.000 member in my gym, only one squat rack and one smith machine.

Sometimes the smith machine is used, the squat rack???? I can count in one hand the people that use it.

[juggybuggy]

seems most gyms nowadays aren't even set up for heavy lifting.
3 gyms in my town, none of them have dumbbells over 100lbs.
I work out at home, but a while ago I wanted to use a leg press cause I had tweaked my back and couldn't do squats.
the first gym I went to did not even have a leg press at all. so I went to another one.
they had a leg press, but there was only 4 45lb plates on the holders, I had to go around and take plates from everywhere else in the gym just to do my workout. by the time I got to my last set I had every 45lb plate they had in the place on the leg press.

Do they honestly believe that noone will ever need more than 180lbs on a leg press?

[powerrack]

The thing that amazes me is that some people just don't get it: If you don't push hard, Why are you in a gym?

Now the trend is to discriminate anyone that works out at a descent level of exertion.
There are at least 2.000 member in my gym, only one squat rack and one smith machine.

Sometimes the smith machine is used, the squat rack???? I can count in one hand the people that use it.

Yes, I agree on the fact that it seems the trend is to discriminate anyone that works out hard. I find even the other members at the gym kind of look at you like, this guy is strange, why is he doing that. You are basically not supposed to go crazy, and you are supposed to just look pretty and wear a nice matching outfit to the gym.

I put chalk on my back when I squat heavy, b/c the weight doesn't slip with chalk on, I am 100% sure people think I'm ridiculous when I do it, also I take my shoes off when I deadlift, that's frowned upon as well.

Sometimes I wish I could just live in Texas, train at Metroflex, where I would be the guy looking at everyone thinking they are nuts! ;)

[O-Train]

These sound like some seriously shitty gyms. More like fitness hangouts. I hope I never have to go back to a gym that makes me feel like I need to shower before training.

[powerrack]

All the old school type gyms have pretty much shut down in my area, now it's all rubber plates (not talking the olympic lifting type,just the crap kind), etc.

I guess these gyms have to go where the $$$ is.

[O-Train]

All the old school type gyms have pretty much shut down in my area, now it's all rubber plates (not talking the olympic lifting type,just the crap kind), etc.

I guess these gyms have to go where the $$$ is.

Exactly how it happened with the first gym I trained at (which was an old wearhouse). Got bought out and I ended up at the fancy gym with the rubber plates. Sometimes a University or College will have a good gym.

I'm not sure that training hard is out of fashion. Maybe just that weight lifting and fitness in general has become so popular that the wannabes vastly outnumber the serious lifters.

[gordi]

Maybe just that weight lifting and fitness in general has become so popular that the wannabes vastly outnumber the serious lifters.

That makes perfect sense.

[Dozer1980]

agreed our gym is full of wannabies and style experts however me and a few bros joined up and the only had 75 pound dumbells at the time now we requested some heaver ones and the owner got a rack from 75 to 140's hes a real cool dude being a small town and small gym helps i think because he sees that we are very serious in our training and wants us to stay.

[SmallieBigs]

ya, in small towns, you're the free advertising (the after photo, if you will...).... they'll probably try and keep you happy

[faller]

agreed our gym is full of wannabies and style experts however me and a few bros joined up and the only had 75 pound dumbells at the time now we requested some heaver ones and the owner got a rack from 75 to 140's hes a real cool dude being a small town and small gym helps i think because he sees that we are very serious in our training and wants us to stay.

Does make sense about gyms filling up and makeing it look like noone trains hard anymore..

Also you lucky bastard, we've been trying for 2 years now to get heavier DB's with no luck. We even volunteered to get them ourselves but they still say no..

[Atarii]

That's because you guys are doing it all wrong...if a small grunt comes out of your mouth it means the weight is too heavy bro...hahaha! j/k

That made me chuckle.

Yup, I sympathize with your situation the new gym and all, I went from working out in a gym where it was big weights, big guys, and serious lifting most of them were power lifters, it was pretty cool :D

I've been going to a newer one with girl man trainers who are 150 pounds wet.. and the guys/girls(yes ladies you to) who workout there seriously have no discipline, show no drive to intensity, and I have not seen any difference in their physique. I guess that hotdog isn't a protein shake after all ;)

Whaaaa? Am I missing something.


Lame Tag:
(Hi, I'm new to these boards 3+ years BB experience, nice to meet you all)

[warlock]

Gyms are busines and most business will not cater to serious lifters for various reasons:

1) they are there primarily to to train
2) they want results
3) they intimidate idiots
4) they know something about training therefore are not easy targets for their trainers
5) they know something about nutrition therefore will not buy the crappy overpriced shit that they sell there
6) they pay membership and actually use the whole place
7) tricks in BOSUs don't really impress them for more than what they are: tricks
8) they don't buy those crappy t-shirts that are sold to the "community"
9) they actually sweat when they train10) they are stigmatized by the image that AAS has in the mainstream and are labeled as users no matter what.

The so called fitness centres are so crappy that they still have ****ing hi/low-step classes, do you have idea of how many people are employed by the effects of step classes?

Their semi literate trainers are more than willing to teach crunching and leg pressing no matter what type of ortopedic profile the member has.

The moron that runs the PT department does that because he can't train anyone and prefers to be a sales bitch

The owners/managers can't put together decent program that will educate the comunity and at the same time make a buck.

The marketing is towards pansies that think that just coming to the gym is enough and lifting weights is something easy to do.

I guess that we live in times of mediocrity and everything is gathered towards lower standards.

I am as frustrated as anyone else about this but I learned that there is only one way to overcome this situation: get together with like minded people!

There isn't much that I can do about the mind set of other human being only about mine.

That's why I come here to hear iron stories, bros and sis accomplishments, discuss and ask about goals, share knowledge, agree, disagree, rant and rave.

The only advice that I can give is to keep the eye on the prize and keep pushing, being an ambassador for the lifestyle and prove with actions that it is possible to do the hard work and still a good affiliate of the "health club".

[AlladdinSane]

This thread is funny.

(See signature)

[powerrack]

This thread is funny.

(See signature)

Oh damn you Alladdin! I need to be at that gym.haha

[Shortdave]

Ya, he (Alladdin) owns the place.