Meathead competition.......

[DIVISION]

I was deleting a couple of Alex23's posts and it brought up a subject I thought many of you would probably relate to.

For those of you who lift heavy, do you ever notice how there are always one or two other lifters in any gym who are always watching you to see what kind of weight you're pushing or basically judge your workouts against their own?

There is one particular dude who does this, but I don't know the full explanation behind it.

My lifts are strength related, pyramiding up until I reach maxouts usually after 7 sets or so......

This other guy is a typical bodybuilder and he doesn't lift as much as I do, nor does he do negatives or static holds.

He's a typical "all concentric" movement type lifter and coincidentally, his form sucks.....

As a personal trainer, I judge others by the form first and foremost, then the weight.......the combination of the two determines the quality of the lifter in my mind.

I get the feeling this other guy thinks that he's in some type of competition with me simply in terms of poundages, not taking in to account the form or negatives.......simply the ability to move the weight.

When I catch him "peeking", I laugh at him and shake my head because I consider that type of behaviour very catty....like something a woman would do.

I always wonder about guys who are preoccupied with watching me lift rather than with concentrating on their own sets.

The guy doesn't give me eye contact which leads me to believe he's intimidated by me, but really who knows?

I typically stay to myself at the gym and don't talk to many people, including the flirting women who always want the attention.

The one thing that irritates me, though, is when guys stare.........because it means they're way too invested in watching me lift or they're gay.......

I know some of you have dealt with people like this, just wondered what your experiences have been?

......and if while reading this you realize that you're one of the dudes who "stares", stop doing it!

That shit is annoying. 



DIV

[Stavios]

well a few years back when I was 15 or 16, if there was a big or a strong guy I would watch him because I was impressed.

maybe the dude is impressed-intimidated by you

[MuscleMcMannus]

One guy preoccupied with another guy preoccupied with watching him = GAY

[shrek]

dude i feel you,,,, i get people starring at me in all situations not only at the gym but at work resteraunts shopping and deffently at the bars i will have totaly non gay guys that come up to me and want to talk weights and fighting and will be like yo look at this dude to other bystanders and will end up buying me a beer or a shot and i am always with my girlfreind so theres no wondering if i am gay.... i ask my ole lady whats the deal cause it makes me want to fight and she says you just used to being that size but you dont understand that you are really a large and very intimidating guy.... its just people that arent smotherd in this type of world where its an everyday thing to see huge dudes and chicks that they are awe struck

[tbombz]

division is the mexican ronnie coleman

[jtsunami]

man I do this all the time, gotta have some good wankin off material in the showers afterwards, burnin the image into my retinas

HAHA j/k, mostly people who just started lifting do this or have a inferiority complex, it depends where you workout at, if their are a lot of younger men around or if you go late and older guys, but the younger guys like to challenge you so to speak, don't even look at them, stay in your own zone and soon you won't even realize they are there.

jt

[Arnold jr]

Personally I could care less if someone stares at me while I'm lifting. If no one looks or if there are 50 people standing around all watching it makes no difference to me.

If you find someone staring at you and it makes you either uncomfortable or irritated, just take is as a compliment and move on without giving it a second thought...it's just not that big of a deal.

[BIG_O]

I am so used to it by now I honestly don't know it is happening anymore.

When I am lifting weights I am so into my workout I don't usually watch other people unless it is a smoking hot ass that walks in front of me. Female mind you............

I have my ipod on and just do my own thing. I honestly think the guy, based on what you said bro, might be either impressed by you or you motivate him to push harder. A lot of times we forget that some people use us as motivating factors to push harder. A guy sees a big guy and you actually make him work harder. I would take it as a compliment.

Either cut him some slack or just straight up pull it out and see what his reaction is. If he hops down to both knees you know what he wants...............

[leonp1981]

I hate the guys who wait til you finish your last set of an exercise, then walk straight over and put an extra 5lbs on each side/put the pin one notch heavier.  What's the point?

[DIVISION]

One guy preoccupied with another guy preoccupied with watching him = GAY

I'm not pre-occupied with shit, but it does get old.

When you start lifting heavy, McMannus, you'll understand.

Free-weights, bro, free-weights.....the real weight.

By the tone of your comment, I suspect you're probably one of the dudes who stares?   

I am so used to it by now I honestly don't know it is happening anymore.

When I am lifting weights I am so into my workout I don't usually watch other people unless it is a smoking hot ass that walks in front of me. Female mind you............

I have my ipod on and just do my own thing. I honestly think the guy, based on what you said bro, might be either impressed by you or you motivate him to push harder. A lot of times we forget that some people use us as motivating factors to push harder. A guy sees a big guy and you actually make him work harder. I would take it as a compliment.

Either cut him some slack or just straight up pull it out and see what his reaction is. If he hops down to both knees you know what he wants...............

I got you BIG O, and you're probably right, but honestly..........it's just a matter of weight.

Some guys act like it's super-human to push 120DB's on incline press for negatives and form, but it's very doable for a good majority who have trained for years, esp if they're chemically enhanced.

Alot of it is mental and you're a heavy lifter yourself, so you understand........

For the most part I block it all out, but sometimes you just notice shit and it becomes some kind of scene or spectacle......



DIV

[jtsunami]

I noticed some people also, if your huge, but don't lift a lot of weight, I don't want to get injured so I don't lift really heavy dumbells, anyway some twink will get beside you and pick up the heavy dbs on the rack and start pushing it to act like he is showing you up 

[StackedDec]

You guys must workout at golds or 24hr.  The gym I go to (or did when I could afford it) has mostly 60 year olds and cute young rich girls.  None of the heavy weights ever get moved, there are a frew strong guys there, but you might see 2 or 3 if you're there for hours. 

Honestly it on a good day is like lifting Shangri-la.  Open benches, open mirror space, a track, a heated pool, hot tub, 3 saunas and steam rooms, pretty good equipment.  If you bring your lunch and are there  early, you can seriously workout from 5 am to whenever, take a shower, eat, and then rest up watching tv and then do it again and you'll never get anyone staring or bumping into you and almost never do you get on a sweaty machine.  God I miss that place

[Hereford]

Maybe they just are seeing what your doing for some ideas?

Not everyone wants your nuts you know...

[Dr Loomis]

I dont know, you seem to payed alot of attention to him and noticing everything he was doing. Then made a thread about it on your free time. Maybe you pay to much attention to others and are not focusing in the gym ? I wouldn't notice someone watching me.

[staxripa]

im pretty sure we all look at other people on occation, it sounds like you guys gotoa gyms where no one talks to eachother, that seems like the uncomfortable part to me. just a bunch of people standing around staring at eachother....creapy.

[Steelrabbitt]

There was a bigtime meathead gym that was about a mile from the golds where i train that closed down. now they all came to my gym and it really sucks. They all stare at anyone who is remotly big. Also they will do a set and start to shadow box to let everyone know, dont mess w them cause they know how to fight! Im also noticing alot more egomaniacs w the younger generation from when i was late teens early twentys.

[DIVISION]

You guys must workout at golds or 24hr.  The gym I go to (or did when I could afford it) has mostly 60 year olds and cute young rich girls.  None of the heavy weights ever get moved, there are a frew strong guys there, but you might see 2 or 3 if you're there for hours. 

Honestly it on a good day is like lifting Shangri-la.  Open benches, open mirror space, a track, a heated pool, hot tub, 3 saunas and steam rooms, pretty good equipment.  If you bring your lunch and are there  early, you can seriously workout from 5 am to whenever, take a shower, eat, and then rest up watching tv and then do it again and you'll never get anyone staring or bumping into you and almost never do you get on a sweaty machine.  God I miss that place

Alot of it is the area you live in....

I'm in the suburbs, so that means alot of college kids, milfs and recreational lifters.

There are a few serious guys, but they're few and far between.

For alot of people it's mainly a social event.



DIV

[busyB]

Alot of it is the area you live in....

I'm in the suburbs, so that means alot of college kids, milfs and recreational lifters.

There are a few serious guys, but they're few and far between.

For alot of people it's mainly a social event.



DIV

Yeah, because you are at LA Fatness.

Go to Golds, you will blend right in brother 

If your LA Fatness is anything like mine, there is no gym ediquette either. A kid walked under one side of the Smith machine I was Front Squatting on. He thought I was still resting and was apologetc but still aLmost smacked the top of his head.?!? He was rolling a DB and I so badly wanted to say, "If it is too heavy to carry back to the F'in rack, then its too heavy for you to lift little guy!?"

[DIVISION]

Yeah, because you are at LA Fatness.

Go to Golds, you will blend right in brother 

If your LA Fatness is anything like mine, there is no gym ediquette either. A kid walked under one side of the Smith machine I was Front Squatting on. He thought I was still resting and was apologetc but still aLmost smacked the top of his head.?!? He was rolling a DB and I so badly wanted to say, "If it is too heavy to carry back to the F'in rack, then its too heavy for you to lift little guy!?"

I don't pay membership dues at LA Fitness, bro.

I'd fit right in at Golds.......yes, but I don't want to pay another membership.  (Another Bill) 

Gym ettiquette is lost and I'm not sure it will ever be found again, my friend.


DIV

[GermnBlt]

I don't mind the looking part, its the guys that uses the mirrors looking at ya like they are being sneaky and shit...that gets on my nerves, but guys that try to out do you on everything...The kind of guys that see you lifting big, and notice some females checking you out and all..then they try to out do you by showboating...That really gets on my friggin nerves...

The kind of kittykats walking around the gym isn't my type in the first place, but these same guys that try to showboat are the ones doing 100mg of dbol a day and think they are capt swolepatrol...