Have you ever tried to stop yourself from correcting someone's form?

[LauraMax]

I see so many things at the gym that are totally ineffective, if not outright dangerous. Yesterday I saw a guy squatting on his toes. I swear, his heels did not touch the floor for a second. I was right next to him & it was all I could do to not say something. I just kept telling myself "at least he's getting a good calf workout."

About 10 feet away there was a guy doing shrugs, & his arms were bending to at least a 45 degree angle. So I said to myself "OK, this guy's working his biceps w/his traps."

I don't want to say anything b/c I get really annoyed when people say stuff to me. I've heard an awful lot of "why don't you do this, not that." Most recently a trainer came up to me--while he was training a client--when I was doing tricep pulldowns w/a handle & he told me I should use a rope instead. I said the handle is more stable so I could lift more weight. He said well, my triceps are really weak so I try to train them harder. I said if your triceps are so weak, why don't you try a handle instead of a rope? His client burst out laughing. He hasn't spoken to me since.

Interestingly enough, I rarely see women using bad form. But guys seem to focus more on stacking as many plates as they can on machines instead of doing the exercise correctly.

OK my latest gym rant is over. I know it's none of my business--probably you all haven't noticed this about me, but sometimes I have trouble keeping my mouth shut.

 

[chefkate]

my husband! Like every single night!
but I cant argue with his results - his muscles grow faster than our baby's fat rolls! LOL!

sometimes i say something other times i let it slide - dont want to bruise his ego!

 

[kgalas]

I'm not allowed downstairs when my husband is working out for that very same reason! You should have seen him do Kenpo X-omg! Flailing limbs everywhere! I agree, Laura-women do seem to have better form. I've noticed in STS the guys' form is off on a lot of exercises-the lunges and stretches are really bad.

 

[aproudfit]

It can be really hard to bite your tongue. Last night I was having a conversation with a guy about working out and what I do. I always have explaning to do when I tell people I workout mainly at home - they dont ever seem to get that you can get tough effective workouts.... well anyways - I have to bite my tongue when he was trying to explain workout techniques to me - or programs - or do to this or that... sometimes I correct or I should say - give my input - but always interesting.

 

[lioness]

My sister and I attended a fitness boot camp and we were always showing modifications to the other attendees. The instructors apparently did mind us doing so because they never said anything.

I did see people using really bad form and the instructors said nothing. Once we were doing a workout with lots of squats and one of the instructors came over to me, pointed to another client and said, "she's been coming here long enough, you'd think she'd know how to do a squat". I didn't say anything but I thought...shouldn't you say something to her. I was shocked!! I stopped going after that.

 

[morningstar]

I have a hard time watching people run on the street moving their upper body from side to side. I do it myself, so I am always watching out for it with myself and with others. I'm usually very strong on form, but holy god! did my form suck last night on STS Disk 4. Just could not get my s**t together and went to failure a bunch of times.

 

[story1267]

Morningstar that's me too! I see people running and they're slumped over, or leaning hard to one side or the other, or moving their arms unevenly, or really duck-footed. I don't even run! But it just looks like it hurts.

I want to tell them, gently, stand up straight and lean forward a little! Line yourself up! If it hurts to much to run with good posture then take a break!

I keep my mouth shut though.

 

[ivorygorgon]

I have to admit it bothers me when I see really poor form. But I always tell myself, "at least they are here trying." They could be at home on the couch.

One of the things that is really bothering me lately, although I freely admit it is really nothing to me, is that when folks at spin class spin madly with absolutely no tension. Everything on their bodies is bouncing. Heads, arms, butts, boobs, you name it, it's bouncing. Add some tension already! But again, at least they showed up, and it is THEIR workout, not mine.

 

[marnold]

I don't dare advise people other than my DH. I gently remind him when we are working out and add that he should feel free to remind me too. I base my concern for him as reason enough. I tell him all the time that being injured because of improper form is not smart. We both know that an interruption to our STS rotation would not be good.

 

[fit_fairy]

I see so many things at the gym that are totally ineffective, if not outright dangerous. Yesterday I saw a guy squatting on his toes. I swear, his heels did not touch the floor for a second. I was right next to him & it was all I could do to not say something. I just kept telling myself "at least he's getting a good calf workout."

Was he squatting with weight? There is a hindu squat where you come up on your toes as you squat, but I don't think you are supposed to use wt of any kind. It's more of an explosive move. Maybe he was confused

 

[LauraMax]

Was he squatting with weight? There is a hindu squat where you come up on your toes as you squat, but I don't think you are supposed to use wt of any kind. It's more of an explosive move. Maybe he was confused

Yes, he was squatting w/weight. I just re-read my post & realized I wrote something about him working out baby cows.

 

[fit_fairy]

I just re-read my post & realized I wrote something about him working out baby cows.

I was nice and didn't call ya out on that one

 

[sparrow13]

I'm not allowed downstairs when my husband is working out for that very same reason! You should have seen him do Kenpo X-omg! Flailing limbs everywhere! I agree, Laura-women do seem to have better form. I've noticed in STS the guys' form is off on a lot of exercises-the lunges and stretches are really bad.

Hee! I have the same thing with my DH. He started P90x a couple of months ago and I was banished from the room while he was lifting. He's gotten a little better about it - I can come in the room now - but when I mention his form on something he gets a sour look. And then denies he had a sour look.

 

[Fitnessfreakk366]

I'm so glad I workout at home! LMAO!

Laura, this thread has me LMAO!!! Thanks girl!

 

[lcobb2]

As a personal trainer, ALL THE TIME!!! I actually use it as an opportunity to educate my clients about what not to do. I subtley mention, "see the person doing X movement, Don't do that!!! It's amazing the terrible form I see, but I realize that it's their body and they can do with it what they want (even if it is dangerous). Sometimes I laugh, othertimes I roll my eyes, and then I get judgemental.

 

[Beavs]

Spot on Laura because I have noticed the same thing. Women are more conservative with what they lift and tend to do so with proper form. Men make rather ambitious weight choices and often exhibit form that keeps physical therapists, orthopaedists, and chiropractors in business. It's tempting but I try to keep to myself unless I can see that someone gives off cues that they would be interested in some guidance (usually other women).

There is a guy at the gym, I call him Denny Terrio, who walks about in an 80s style low cut ripped muscle shirt and Richard Simmons shorts dishing out free advice on form and random unwanted commentary. I don't want to end up in the same league so if someone is really looking dangerous, I'll talk to one of trainers I know and he will approach that person before they kill themselves.

 

[kathryn]

Yes, he was squatting w/weight. I just re-read my post & realized I wrote something about him working out baby cows.

???
Calf = baby cow or leg muscle (though some instructors incorrectly say "calve" for the singular)

Calves = plural of both

 

[kathryn]

I workout at home, so I don't have this problem (though I do tend to want to correct the form on some video exercisers, and I sometimes 'talk to them' about it!).

When I travel, I workout in hotel fitness centers, and there I sometimes have a strugle to keep from saying anything.

Once, there was a woman in the hotel weight room who was rounded over with horrible posture on the stationary bike, and I almost literally had to bite my tongue to keep from saying anything. (I also REALLY want to say something to people with aweful posture that I see elsewhere, but I end up just doing my own posture check, as they remind me of what I don't want to look like).

 

[LaughingWater]

I wouldn't mind pointers, especially from someone who knows what they're talking about. I find it hilarious when someone who obviously doesn't work out gives me advice though...like my former internist. Sweet guy, but it was painful to watch him demonstrate some basic stretches. I wanted to say, "Dude, please. You're gonna hurt yourself."

 

[Peaceful Rainbow]

I never watch DH work out. He's been using my workouts for 15 years now and has made little progress. Though STS is actually helping his strength. I tried once very early on to give him some form pointers and it was definitely not well received. Thankfully, we work on in the basement, so I can't see him, because it really drives me nuts to watch his form. I just keep telling myself he's doing something and so far he hasn't done any real damage to himself.