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Gym Instructors |
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Thu, July 26th, 2007, 10:52 AM
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#1
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Senior Member
woodan is offline
Join Date: Jun 7th, 2007
Location: London, UK
Age: 36
Posts: 2,654
Sex: Male
Stats: Height: 6' 3", Weight: 102kg, Deadlift: 1x170kg, Squat: 1x150kg, Bench 1x85kg - 6 July 2010
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Gym Instructors
I've just got back from the gym and to be honest I'm really disappointed. I'd gone down there today to meet an instructor. All I wanted from him was to check my form, correct it where it was wrong and to show my how I should be doing power cleans. And what happened is exactly what has happened whenever I have seen an instructor in the past.
I explained what I wanted to him. I told him I was starting a program that was based on squats, deadlifts, bench presses, military presses and power cleans (Rippetoe's Starting strength). Immediately he's asking me why I only want to do those exercises. Then when he tried to show me a power clean it looks nothing like I've seen online. After that he's suggesting I get "more creative" with the exercises.
I've been following the Max-OT course that I found on here for the last month or and something very similar for 3 months before that. During this time I have been at the gym 5 nights a week without fail. While I'm there I see the same old people day in day out and none of them are doing this stuff that the instructors are telling people to do. But I continue to see new people come and go after an instructor session where they have them performing all kinds of crazy things.
Now I'm sure that not all gym instructors are like this. I just seem to have had a really bad experience with them. Today has put me in such a bad mood that I will probably miss my usual session today and go down the pub with the people from work. On Monday I will start the Rippetoe Starting Strength workout, but I will have to take my camera down to the gym record my lifts and get the people from this forum to check my form instead as you guys appear to know what you are talking about.
Anyway, that's it. I just needed to get that off my chest. I hope I don't offend and gym instructors here. That's not my intention.
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Thu, July 26th, 2007, 11:03 AM
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#2
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Senior Member
tennisball is offline
Join Date: Feb 15th, 2005
Age: 35
Posts: 2,634
Sex: Male
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As a beginner, the power clean will be a more technical and difficult movement to learn, let alone perfect so that you're going to get the full benefit of it. That's not to say you shouldn't keep trying- it took me a while to get it just right.
What it sounds like is that this trainer doesn't really know much about power lifting moves- many trainers have a specific focus that is their comfort zone- whether it be bodybuilding, conditioning, off-balance training, etc. And some are just salesmen for the gym.
Don't get discouraged. You're doing this for yourself, and you can definitely teach yourself, especially with all the videos on youtube. Keep going, and work hard!
__________________
Zen: Of course the real reason I ate cocoa puffs is that I'm a retard, but that isn't as impressive to write.
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Thu, July 26th, 2007, 11:11 AM
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#3
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M@ is offline
Join Date: Jan 17th, 2006
Location: Washington, D.C.
Age: 38
Posts: 13,935
Sex: Male
Stats: clydesdale
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Don't get me started. You're not alone in your disgust/frustration. 
__________________
M@ | After receiving our free video and literature, only 3 out of 10 people both view the video and read our literature. Those who fail to watch the video and read the literature are not very likely to purchase a ROM. It takes a small amount of discipline to both watch the video and thoroughly read the literature. ~ $15,000 Exercise Machine Marketing Crazy
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Thu, July 26th, 2007, 11:13 AM
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#4
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Senior Member
woodan is offline
Join Date: Jun 7th, 2007
Location: London, UK
Age: 36
Posts: 2,654
Sex: Male
Stats: Height: 6' 3", Weight: 102kg, Deadlift: 1x170kg, Squat: 1x150kg, Bench 1x85kg - 6 July 2010
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The reason I asked this particular guy was because I saw him show a girl squats and deadlifts and he appeared to know what he was talking about. He definitely looked the part. It just seemed that he wasn't happy with me dictating my own workout! And after he showed me his version of a power clean I soon realised I would be better off teaching myself.
He's just bummed me out for today. Tomorrow I'll be back on it and Monday I'll start with the new routine. If it takes longer to get it right, it takes longer. At least I'll be doing what I want to be doing.
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Fri, July 27th, 2007, 03:21 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
woodan is offline
Join Date: Jun 7th, 2007
Location: London, UK
Age: 36
Posts: 2,654
Sex: Male
Stats: Height: 6' 3", Weight: 102kg, Deadlift: 1x170kg, Squat: 1x150kg, Bench 1x85kg - 6 July 2010
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Grr... I just found out he told me how to do a hook grip completely wrong! He tried to say the thumb under the fingers on the same side of the bar (!) I thought it was a bit weird so I looked it up today and sure enough, completely wrong.
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Fri, July 27th, 2007, 03:45 PM
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#6
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chicanerous is offline
Join Date: Feb 1st, 2004
Posts: 16,405
Sex: Male
Stats: 5'9"
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Quote:
Originally Posted by woodan
Grr... I just found out he told me how to do a hook grip completely wrong! He tried to say the thumb under the fingers on the same side of the bar (!) I thought it was a bit weird so I looked it up today and sure enough, completely wrong.
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That sounds right. Hold bar in your hands, lay down thumb, then put fingers over it.
Images from: http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=1175186
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Fri, July 27th, 2007, 03:49 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
woodan is offline
Join Date: Jun 7th, 2007
Location: London, UK
Age: 36
Posts: 2,654
Sex: Male
Stats: Height: 6' 3", Weight: 102kg, Deadlift: 1x170kg, Squat: 1x150kg, Bench 1x85kg - 6 July 2010
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No, he was trying to tell me that your thumb would be the same side of the bar as your fingers. Not like in the pictures you attached.
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Fri, July 27th, 2007, 03:54 PM
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#8
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chicanerous is offline
Join Date: Feb 1st, 2004
Posts: 16,405
Sex: Male
Stats: 5'9"
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Quote:
Originally Posted by woodan
No, he was trying to tell me that your thumb would be the same side of the bar as your fingers. Not like in the pictures you attached.
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Aha!  Yes, ditching that trainer was a good idea then. 
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Fri, July 27th, 2007, 04:09 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
bradh is offline
Join Date: Jun 7th, 2005
Age: 34
Posts: 4,109
Sex: Male
Stats: 6', 255lbs
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Quote:
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I just seem to have had a really bad experience with them. Today has put me in such a bad mood that I will probably miss my usual session today and go down the pub with the people from work.
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Huh? How old are you?
Train it will only help your "frustrations".
__________________
“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” Aristotle
Hell, there are no rules here-- we're trying to accomplish something.—Thomas A. Edison
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