Whether you train at a serious gym or a commercial gym chances are that there are just certain people who piss you off or at the very least their actions make you want to bend them over the glute ham raise and discipline them like a child in a grocery store for being an idiot. Here are the top 10 things that make me want to do just that.
1. Using the power rack for curls or pointless exercises that don't require a rack.
2. Not benching correctly and throwing ridiculous amounts of weight on the bar while performing a quarter of a rep.
I often encounter people who bench with flaring elbows, poor stability, poor foot placement, and poor form. The bench press is a full body exercise (not just chest, shoulders, arms). Most of the standard meat heads are probably scratching their heads at this "Full body?" In order to perform a proper bench and shatter records, tightness is absolutely key. By tightness, I mean forming a rock-solid stability, key contraction, and to minimize the displacement of the bar. One should never lay flat on a bench, press the bar out of the rack, flare the elbows to 90 degrees and press anywhere above the lower portion of the sternum. I could get into the correct way to bench press, but that is a novel in itself and will be saved for an upcoming article.
3. Squatting onto the toes through the quads with no hip drive, yet they still continue to add weight.
Good squat technique requires good hip mobility, good hip drive with the butt back while staying on the heels, a tall torso with a tight diaphragm to support the ribs and vertebral column, knees behind the toes, and not allowing valgus stress for the knees to come inward. Squatting in any other shape, way, or form is setting yourself up for disaster. Time and time again I will encounter some scrawny ass pipsqueak who thinks he's a big shot by loading the 225 on the bar when they can't even properly squat their own body weight. The people I am referring too often end up with ligament injuries in the knee for squatting forward, or back injuries from having poor stability.
4. Deadlifting with a rounded back and still adding weight to the weight you are already struggling with.
Sure straight legged deadlifts have their purpose. When deadlifting or even lifting something up off the ground for that matter, should be done through the hips. The common everyday gym goer often uses all lumbar and thoracic flexion with extension in these areas to come back up. Not only setting themselves up for back pain, but further potential injury. This movement should be done entirely through creating a hip hinge with a tall chest, neutral spine, with the hips coming up first, and a firm lockout through the glutes (not back extension).
5. Wearing a power belt for deadlifting or squatting with weight which does not require a belt.
Of course belts have their purpose in the world of training. However, belts should be reserved for those lifting weight in the 300+ range. When using a belt with minimal weight or exercise which don't require one can make your core become reliant to the belt. The prime purpose of the belt is to help us create an intraabdominal pressure to help support the rib cage and vertebral column. We should first learn how to create this ourselves through a strong diaphragm, and strong pelvic control. Becoming reliant on the belt can ultimately leave the diaphragm and abdominals undertrained and incapable of performing optimally when needed.
6. The chicken leg program
The fellas with the big upper body's with sticks for legs and no posterior chain. Stop pressing every single day and learn how to squat. Not only will training the legs make you more proportional but it will make you stronger in your upper body lifts as well.
7. Every treadmiller who walks or jogs for an hour and complains they can't lose weight
Peep the previous article on losing fat and energy systems training.
8. Guys who sit there and talk for 5 minutes in between sets. You came for a reason. NOW SUAT!!!
SHUT UP AND TRAIN!!
9. Performing curls 5 days a week
Lets try some compound movements shall we. Not only will this increase motor recruitment and strength overall, but performing curls often can leave your biceps and triceps overtrained and unable to adapt to the training stimulus.
10. Talking on the cell phone.
I don't care what happened to Sherry from the car pool.
What grinds your gears at the gym? Feel free to leave your input.
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