anyone still feel the need to out do other guys at the gym?

[ProudVirgin69]

I'd like to know when the word "ego" became a bad thing.

The most successful, accomplished people in whatever endeavor they choose have huge egos.

Every thought we have is filtered through our egos, it becomes a bad thing when it overpowers rational thoughts and leads us towards poor decisions.  Like trying to outlift others just to prove you can do it

I think it only became a "bad thing" because people only seem to bring it up when it becomes problematic.  Nobody ever says "What an ego on that guy!" to admire someone who is humble & secure in his-self.

[Palpatine Q]

Every thought we have is filtered through our egos, it becomes a bad thing when it overpowers rational thoughts and leads us towards poor decisions.

Like trying to outlift others just to prove you can do it

yes and no.

Take Arnold S for instance, to keep it BBing related.

Dude went AWOL from the German Army to compete in a BBing comp he felt he needed to win.  dumbass thing to do, but that's what the great ones do.  They are driven and nobody can tell them shit.

Granted, everyone isn't Arnold S and would be better served thinking more rationally like you say.

[oldtimer1]

Ego leads to guys doing an exercise in the easiest way possible. You should lift with the mantra you want to do the exercise in a way that works the muscles the hardest.

 If it means taking off plates in the leg press and really bending your legs so be it. If it means doing presses by coming down that last 6" or more do it.  Do your single dumbbell rows with a full extension and clean pull. Do chins with a dead hang and pull up till your elbows are completely down.

Make the exercise more about working the muscle than being a little boy saying look at me.

[_aj_]

This is nice because you are the strongest man in your gym.

The wife is closing in fast 

[falco]

I never had that need. Nothing is more boring than other people lifts or life for that matter.

[D.O.A.]

yes and no.

Take Arnold S for instance, to keep it BBing related.

Dude went AWOL from the German Army to compete in a BBing comp he felt he needed to win.  dumbass thing to do, but that's what the great ones do.  They are driven and nobody can tell them shit.

Granted, everyone isn't Arnold S and would be better served thinking more rationally like you say.

It was Austria not Germany.

[Palpatine Q]

It was Austria not Germany.

Yup.

[doison]

Training isn't competition. 

If you want to show other guys you're stronger than them, then do a powerlifting meet

[Thong Maniac]

I never had that need. Nothing is more boring than other people lifts or life for that matter.

So fucking true. Amazes me how often people talk about themselves. Im too self conscious and aware to blab about myself. 18-40 year olds in this day and age are programmed to be mildy sociopathic, not caring or thinking who isnt entertained by them. They just go on and on

[clownbaby]

This....nothing better than benching 185 real slow & controlled, acting like it's 400 pounds, and looking lean n mean.  Meanwhile the fatso next to you with 365 on the bar is looking at you like "WTF?"

Gracie BJJ, you're a good dude but you should be past all that stuff at your age.  Lifting weights is pretty insignificant in the grand scheme, who cares if some juicehead lifts more than you.

Oh brother nothing gayer than describing yourself as "lean and mean" while lifting weight that a high school freshman can rep out.  I can only imagine your chest routine, probably goes a little something like this:

Having shaky tricep syndrome on bench and getting 185 for 2.5 reps
Running to the urinals and bathroom stalls begging male members to drink some of their man milk because you claim that you read a men's health article where Ryan gosling said protein absorbs faster through  direct oral ingestion of semen.
Then when you get kicked out of the restroom area for making Elton John like requests you go up to two large brothers and tell them that you also read in men's health that doing dips using two erect penises as bars leads  to proper lower chest development. They respond by promptly kicking your ass.
You finish up the day searching Instagram for pj Braun ass photos and  tell other twinks on bodybuilding.com that you are a throwback iron warrior as you throw your preshrunk extra medium shirt in the laundry hamper.

[Howard]

ive been training over 4 decades now and u would think id be over all the dumb shit that comes along with bodybuilding training,sometimes ill walk into the gym and suppose to do back for instance, then ill see some dudes over by the dumbell rack using 110's or even 120's for flat chest presses. the weak and insecure part of me starts thinking about how i can go over there and out rep them and even go up to the 140's or 150's for good clean reps and show them up.then i catch myself and realize that first off,im an old man,secondly ive been in the game along time and should no better than to do some dumb shit like this and risk injury.maybe some of u guys might not do the weights to show up someone but might use your superior body's to blow them away,u know like if u see a dude checking out his arms in the mirror getting alittle attention u walk over there and BAM,hit your arm shot and totally rain on that dudes parade. even tho some of us r very seasoned lifters and stuff do u guys ever find yourselves struggling with beginner mentallity stuff like i just mentioned?

I used to do a little of that many years ago when I competed.
Now I sit back and enjoy seeing some beast bench or squat heavy with a barbell.
Now, at 56, I kick back and do mostly Hammer type machines with no shame.

[Conker]

nah that would be idiotic ,when i go to the gym i have a pretty good idea of the weights i'm gonna be lifting on that given day. so if i was planning on flat benching sets with 110 dumbells i'm not gonna suddenly pick up the 130s because i saw someone else pick up the 120s. it is a nice feeling if you happen to be lifting bigger weights than others, but i'm not gonna fk up what i planned to do because there happens to be people stronger than me in the gym at that time.

[BigNJ]

Only immature retards try to out do other people in the gym.

[BodyMachine]

Interesting you mention this. I've changed my lifting style from stupid heavy with mediocre form to moderate weight with great form. I've grown tremendously as a result (sitting at lean 241lb 6'2") and I've taken the entire summer off. Anyway, dumb asses see the moderate weight and a times chuckle. I always make it a point to hit a pose a few min later which seems to humble them quickly. Few realize the benefits of slow movement with perfect form. Throwing weight around doesn't add size

[Viking11]

No, I train at home now. I don't need to do that, I just need to out do ME... Still anxiety provoking.

[gracie bjj]

id have to say the leg press is the most ego driven lift,behind the bench press ofcoarse where guys will cheat just to look stronger than everyone else.the ole 6inch leg press guys who put on 1500lbs and come down 6inches

[rocket]

The entire human race is only in existence because of outdoing its competition.  Everything about us is keyed to rising above those around us.  If you throw that out, you'll never develop at the same rate. 

It might seem "uncivilised" to be riled at some twink coming in and destroying your strength or some guy lifting 15kg db curls with 19 inch arms (whatever incites you), but it is that streak of competitiveness that keeps you in check and ensures you stay strong and motivated.

I absolutely abhor competition in most of the realms of life and I can assure you, there is no question I'd have done a whole lot better had I not hated so much. 

Naturally, that isn't a blanket thing, if you're rich, with a lovely girl and you already attained that body, enjoy life - for the rest of us, though, we need to grind and whatever keeps us turning up to the things we wish to strive in, works.

[Papper]

That "need" should have subsided when you're broke into adulthood

[Griffith]

No. I don't care what other people are doing, I focus on my own training.

[DroppingPlates]

I try to stay in the zone, but sometimes have have that  or  look, only for a few seconds.

[gracie bjj]

The entire human race is only in existence because of outdoing its competition.  Everything about us is keyed to rising above those around us.  If you throw that out, you'll never develop at the same rate. 

It might seem "uncivilised" to be riled at some twink coming in and destroying your strength or some guy lifting 15kg db curls with 19 inch arms (whatever incites you), but it is that streak of competitiveness that keeps you in check and ensures you stay strong and motivated.

I absolutely abhor competition in most of the realms of life and I can assure you, there is no question I'd have done a whole lot better had I not hated so much. 

Naturally, that isn't a blanket thing, if you're rich, with a lovely girl and you already attained that body, enjoy life - for the rest of us, though, we need to grind and whatever keeps us turning up to the things we wish to strive in, works.

great post man, i agree about humans having a competetive nature,

[Rammstein]

This guy is trying to outdo everyone:

[oldgolds]

Everyone competes in the gym...It brings out the best. I used to approach every gym session like I was going into battle. I wasn't a prick about it but I wanted to out lift everyone else.

[ritch]

Not one bit.
Most guys who are way less advanced than me use more weights. I like 3-0-3 tempo's for given body parts, slow negatives so pushing heavy weight for the sake of it means nothing to me now.

I have no clue how some of the guys who press 100lbs+dumbells do so matter of fact as most look like total gym newbies.

[TheShape.]

id have to say the leg press is the most ego driven lift,behind the bench press ofcoarse where guys will cheat just to look stronger than everyone else.the ole 6inch leg press guys who put on 1500lbs and come down 6inches

This, yesterday all the local high schoolers came into the gym doing exactly this. It accomplishes nothing. What's really amusing the bench press spotter deadlifting the weight off  the other guy saying "it's all you man!"