I am no trainer but I can see when someone is doing something wrong. Now I am not talking about pulling hairs here, "Wow he is doing that at an 89 degree angle when its supposed to be 90." I am talking about bouncing weights off your chest or leaning and rocking when doing dumbbells. I was spotting a guy the other day and he kept hitting his chest with the bar and I really wanted to say something but from arguments I have heard from people I tend to keep my mouth shut unless I know you personally.

So what do you guys do?

 

I don't do anything either. I see people during exercises incorrect almost every day in the gym, like locking their knees on the leg press machine, but I don't say anything to them.

People in my gym would more than likely get pissed and confrontational if someone tells them they are doing it wrong, so f*ck em; they're not my knees.

 

I just shake my head and look the other way. The worst is when guys jerk the lat pull down.

 

Never. If a person asks for help, I'll have no problems doing so...otherwise, I mind my own business.

 

I always see people (older especially) do the lat pull down incorrectly. Their back is so far leaned back it looks like their doing some kind of lower back extension. It looks like their struggling with the machine.

I do the then then ignore. One of these days Im gonna hear someone scream cause they pulled a muscle doing something the wrong way. I never correct people though unless they ask.

 

There's this young guy at the gym who's always lifting weights that are beyond his limits...and so, for instance, he's using 30lb. dumbbells for bicep curls...except, he's swinging his ENTIRE body.

 

I let nature take its course unless someone asks for help

 

It's hilarious when you've seen someone for 3 yrs in the gym, doesnt look bigger or more lean then that day they first started and yet they still continue to swing from these cable machines like monkeys in a jungle.

 

I usually urinate on them at that point. Normally the bar is to heavy so I get away with it.

 

Only if she is hot....

 

I've got a friend like that. He doesn't know what it means to really push hard. Once he starts feeling resistance or a little strain he stops his reps. Doesn't like freeweights. I prefer to work out alone than with him, it frustrates me. He's been working out for years with absolutely no changes. I put on size and he doesn't so naturally I get accused of "cheating" if you know what I mean.

 

You're on that Barry Bonds* and Roger Clemens!

 

I agree. I have a buddy who wouldnt take advice from me because I dont have 24inch arms. He's the one who lifts way too fast and doesnt push himself. Just gors through the motions. Now that I've gotten great results in the past yr or so, Ive been accused of creatine or hgh. Gimme a friggin break! I just laugh it off.

 

Surprisingly, I don't really pay attention to other people at the gym.

 

Whats the point if you dont check out the man candy

I do because I have learned a lot of new exercises watching people. If I see someone doing something interesting I will wait till another day and try it out. Or go up and ask them what body part that works out and then try it.

 

I don't help anyone cause I don't want to offend them. However in my observations its usually two types of people. Old guys, or the young "look at me" guys

Things that are most often screwed up:

Dumbbell curls

Overhead tricep extension (guys usually have their head tilted way forward, which is bad for your back)

Row Machine

I also think its funny trying to watch some people figure out how to use the machines

 

Teabag him?

 

I saw some young kid in the gym on the calf raise machine the other day rocking his entire body back and forth and bending his knees like as he was doing squats instead. On top of that he was doing them entirely too fast. I'm surprised he didn't end up slipping and/or hurting himself.

What makes it worse the people who he was working out with didn't even tell him he was doing it wrong. I remember when I started really working out, the guys I used to work out with would always correct me if I was doing something wrong.

 

I rarely ever do curls because my arms grow abnormally fast and I get out of proportion easily. But when I do them, I go to failure and if I don't have a spotter I will "rock" a couple extra reps out. Again, strict form until absolute failure.

I think part of the problem is people get so focused on the numbers they're trying to hit that they lose sight of the goal. I use numbers as a guideline only. If I can't hit that number using correct form (with the rare exception) then I don't hit it. Cheating from rep number 1 to your goal is not the way to do it.

 

When I first started weight lifting 3 years ago, I was taking advice from a friend (essentially following whatever he did). And we were doing one exercise and someone came over and said you'll tear your rotator cuff if you do it like that; then he showed us the proper way.
Anyways, I'm glad he helped out -- not that I would've necessarily torn my rotator cuff that day; but since at the time I was just looking for any help/advice/pointers.

 

It's not my duty to tell ppl how to properly lift weights.

 

+1

 

Let the gym's personal trainers do the correcting. They should be the ones out there watching for that kind of stuff. After all, who is to say even you are doing it exactly how it should be done to a "t". But yes, there are many instances when exercises are done blatantly wrong. I'm surprised more people don't get injured or strained. I wouldn't say anything unless approached though, or unless it's someone you know (or perhaps, want to get to know). ....You'll have to judge how they might react to some random person (not staff) approaching them to correct them. I'm sure some people would gladly accept the help and appreciate the correction, while others would rather just be left alone.

 

The premise of this post is ridiculous. If you make eye contact with someone at the gym, you're a douche. Much less correct them!

 

Are you drunk yet?

 

WTF??
Since when?

Giving advice depends on circumstances. At my college gym/weight room, everyone pretty much knew everyone else and there was never an issue helping others out or letting them know that their technique was not optimal.

In a private club/gym, I don't recall anyone correcting anyone else except for the workout partner/coach. I wouldn't hesitate to mention proper technique to someone if I was acquainted with the person, but not strangers (unless they are about to damage the machines or the weights I want to use by dropping them).

 

Almost....