Gym Etiquette

The Koji Squat involves hanging loads off a barbell, which challenges the lifters stability due to the chaotic nature of the loads swinging in space. This creates an exercise challenge greater than its equal loading stable counterpart and any weakness or technical flaw is illuminated.

It was the set after this with an additional 40.8kg/90lbs loaded when another gym goer decided to step in front of me and indecisively remove plates from the rack, causing a visual distraction during the lift.

Is gym etiquette dying off, or is it simply part of the decline in common courtesy shown in society?  Have people become unaware of dangerous situations near them, or has portable technology help put us in a constant state of distraction?

These are things I think about, and remain aware of when training myself or others.

I walk into the gym a different person. I know why I’m there, what I have set out to accomplish and how it contributes to a bigger vision. I also know that I am only as good as my next training session, and my intent is to be better than my last session.

I believe this mindset further separates the people that train from those that exercise.

Thrice in the last month I’ve found myself preparing to lift, or already under relatively heavy loads only to be disrupted by another gym-goer. Twice for space invasion and once for deciding to do silly stuff in the same area where heavy loads are being moved.

I’ve had to postpone already physically and mentally prepared lifts and patiently wait for other people to finish whatever it was they were doing. Trust me when I say it’s always a painfully long wait, and I don’t posses the best poker face.  In some cases the distraction has led to cancelling lift attempts.  I really hate when this happens, but I convince myself that it is the safest option at hand.

While I don’t look like the most approachable guy, I honestly do try to treat my fellow humans decently. That said, some people unknowingly or indifferently push my limitations.

Lesser known gym etiquette aka How to piss off strong(er) people 101.

1. Unless the situation absolutely calls for it, don’t approach, or talk to someone when they are preparing to lift. People mentally prepare for lifts and to break their focus is not a good thing. I personally admit to taking my aggressions out on another person for this violation.

2. Related to #1 and the main photo, unless you are the assigned spotter give the lifter space to operate from. This is a safety matter for both of you.

3. Asking to work in is fine and is generally accepted.  That said, if the other person is lifting far more than you can (1), or is considerably taller or shorter than you are (2) then you need to consider how much work needs to be done when switching lifters.

4. Don’t use the Bench Press bench or Squat Rack for silliness. If you’re a gym goer I can at least rationalize that you didn’t know any better.  But if you’re a personal trainer please take this into consideration…

Doing silly stuff on the Bench Press bench or in the squat rack ticks off the strong(er) people in the gym. The strong(er) people will quickly form the opinion that you’re an idiot and will have no problems telling others that you are.  You could be completely nice and otherwise competent, but there is no advantage to the strong(er) people telling others you’re clown shoes.

(1) With the exception of selectorized machines where only a pin has to be re-positioned.

(2) With the exception of Deadlifts, unless one of you isn’t pulling from the floor.

Red Flags

UPDATE 11.19.18: The trainers website has partially changed since the initial draft of this blog.

I was recently asked to review the marketing material and website of a personal trainer and lend my opinion if the trainer seemed legitimate or not. This is not a personal attack on the individual themselves, but can serve as warning order that underneath the slick website your potential trainer might not be all they seem.

The website specified the trainer was certified and held specializations in multiple areas, however the awarding agency was never named, nor could I find anything to support the claim. It’s possible that they are certified by an agency that I am unfamiliar with, but basic Google,Facebook and LinkedIn searches turned up nothing. Potential Red Flag.

If website photos are to be believed, all indications suggest the trainer works primarily with middle aged and older adults (based on photos only this would be 40’s and up.)  Not a red flag in my opinion, but specifying whom they service would benefit them and help potential clients make an informed choice.

Then came some things which I view as red flags.

RED FLAG 1: “Anyone that knows exercise will tell you that heavy weight training/bodybuilding is not the path to fitness.  Yet there are still other trainers out there making people train in these outdated ways.”

I’ll admit that this grabbed my attention. The comment is based on an arrogant assumption that anyone who knows exercise must agree with them.  The person is completely disregarding entire means of training despite ample research supporting the positives attached to weight training.

Since we don’t share a remotely common training philosophy (I’m one of the ones guys that supports weight training across a variety of loading schemes) I need to avoid my biases.

They listed some of the benefits of hiring them, which I considered reasonable and within the skills of a personal trainer: Improve Conditioning, Gain Strength (Yes, it can be done without heavy weights or bodybuilding) and Improve Mobility/Flexibility.

It’s the other statements that I had issues with…

RED FLAG 2: “Eliminate Pain” Seriously? I’m to believe that Pain Scientists who have dedicated their entire careers to the study of a multi-factorial issue admit that they don’t have all the answers, yet somehow a personal trainer has figured out how to permanently eliminate it?

Can training help with pain? In some cases, yes.
Can training put people into areas of discomfort? Yes
Can training be done around painful areas/movements? It depends.

RED FLAG 2: “Reduce the need for prescription medications” Doctors determine if prescriptions can be reduced, not trainers. It is POSSIBLE that proper exercise and nutrition can lead to a reduced need for prescription medications.  In some cases weight loss alone could do it in the absence of exercise.

That said, every person is different and to make such a sweeping claim not only exceeds a trainers scope of practice but in my opinion gives people false hope.

RED FLAG 3?: “No two workouts will ever be the same” Is this the best idea for all people? There’s a point where the variation principle becomes a case of “show up and do stuff”

I can say that no two of my training sessions are exactly the same. Sometimes the differences are subtle (change in rest length, same loading/same exercise) and sometimes more pronounced (change of main exercise to something biomechanically similar.)

Example of variation from my own logbook (Experienced lifter with high capacity and sound technical skill.)  True Single Maximum lifts are taken once per week at most.

11.10.18: Floor Bench Press to a maximum single. Macro-Loaded jumps of 50-90lbs.  This was the final week of Floor Presses taken to a maximum level and breaking records in this lift serves as an indicator that my competition bench press will see a record broken.

11.16.18: Standard Bench Press w/competition pause. Record Breaker and I could have pressed at least 5lbs more. Macro-Loaded jumps of 50-90lbs until the last set.

11.19.18: Volume Bench Press Standard grip w/o competition pause and Reverse Grip.  Regular load jumps. Loading topped out well below recent maximum.

Operating under the assumption that the bench press is an acceptable exercise choice for the client, a 40+ year old non-competitor/beginners sessions looks more like this… 

11.10.18: Bench Press warm ups to 3 rep max for 3-4 sets.  I would like to them to reach a point in each set where 1 additional rep could certainly have been completed (Rating of Perceived Exertion level 9) and lift quality remains relatively consistent across the sets.

11.14.18: Based on performance at 75%, add 2-10lbs

11.18.18: Based on performance at 75%, add 2-10lbs

The main lift doesn’t change, nor are we working at an absolute expression of the persons strength. CNS adaptations are taking place, the lifter is developing technical skill with increasingly heavier loads and progressing at their client defined rate.

Any variation in the program can be placed in less demanding supplemental or accessory lifts.  True changes are a case-by-case basis. The beginner needs simplicity and consistency before variety.

(1) IS MY TRAINER CERTIFIED? Links to some of the more common CPT organizations. 

ACE: https://www.acefitness.org/education-and-resources/lifestyle/find-ace-pro/

ACSM: https://certification2.acsm.org/profinder

NASM: https://www.nasm.org/resources/validate-credentials

NCSF: https://www.ncsf.org/certification-exam/credential-verification

NESTA: https://www.nestacertified.com/graduate-search-tool/

NFPT: https://www.nfpt.com/verify

NSCA: https://www.nsca.com/certification/certification-resources/certification-verification/

USREPS:http://customer.usreps.org/USREPS/USREPSWcm/Membership/Directory/Shared_Content/Directory.aspx

 

Win the Adaptation

“It’s not about winning the exercise,but winning the adaptation” Dr. Tyson Beach

People love setting and breaking personal records. I believe that breaking personal records can be an important, and healthy part of a training plan but also believe they are not something you should live or die by.

If anything, you’re only as good as your LAST training session, and knowing when to shut-down a session is a good thing.

I believe in the creation of mini-goals, which pave the way towards grander goals. The grander the goal the longer the training process, therefore the more mini-goals will be needed.  In terms of coaching, I believe that creating an atmosphere where the individual is breaking little records on a fairly consistent basis helps keep them motivated along the path to the bigger records.

“Skill is perhaps the most important element in strength”  Dr. Thomas Fahey

Not every session will have a record breaker, and to think otherwise would be unrealistic.  For the beginner, the training objectives are the development of technical skill and increasing load over time.  I believe the same could be said for more advanced trainees.

Beginners have the advantage of naturally being able to break records frequently due to training being a new stimulus. Eventually that well runs dry.

The teaching and development of strength requires a patient, and competent coach blessed with an eye for the job, sensible programming and sound load management.

I’ve qualified things based on technical consistency, showing where someone has improved in a given lift and load handling. Video tracking and comparison to past lifts has been used to great effects.

FACT: I knew that video tracking of lifts worked with my highest qualified lifters, and it proved helpful with lowest qualified lifters. Since it worked on both ends of the client continuum, why would it not work with those in the broad middle?

The Mini-Goals based on my definition of the term essentially means, being slightly better than before. “Slightly better” must be defined, and ideally is measurable.

In resistance training, progression towards a mini-goal can occur in one of several ways (1) Adding load to a fixed rep and set scheme (2) Maintaining a load while increasing the reps or (3) Maintaining a load and reps, but adding sets being the most common.

Slightly less common would be load jumping across the sets, using a 5×5 set/rep scheme as follows

Set 1 1×5 30#     Set 2  1×5 35#   Set 3-5  1×5 40#  Total training volume 925#  

The next session this 5×5 scheme could be changed as follows

Sets 1-2 1×5 35#       Sets 3-5 1×5 40# Total training volume 950#

From here you can increase the load to 45# on a set, or increase the early sets to 40#.

But what if the client is having a bad training day?  (35# is feeling a lot heavier than normal)

Bad days happen to everyone, and they are not the end of the world.  One option is the alter the variables. For example, if the 35# was not happening, try the 25#’s.

25# 5×8 Total volume 1000#...an increase over the previous sessions total training volume, and possibly done in less time due to the lower load.

But what about more advanced and experienced lifters?  Competitive athletes can be an exception and certainly not the norm.  My tracking of their records is more in-depth, and is partly based on their qualification level, amount of time I have to work with them and their personality.

Qualification level: Higher qualified lifters typically break records at a far lower frequency.

Time: How long since the last competition, and how long until the next?  Does the time allow sufficient time to peak the athletes performance measures?  In the case of strength sports, is the lifter in the lighter or heavier weight classes?

Personality: Extroverts can benefit from greater diversity in their training while Introverts can benefit from less. This increases/decreases the variety of record tracking and has to be balanced against the amount of time I have with them.

Those are just three of my considerations, I assure you that there are other considerations, and some show up during individual sessions just like anyone else.

Real world example: World Qualified Masters Raw Powerlifter (Bench Press), 82kg class with a 78kg walk-around weight. Extroverted, strength level is well-above intermediate level.  Competes only in World Qualifiers (2nd-3rd week of February) and Worlds (2nd week of November.)

Qualification Level: At this level the lifters technical skill, form and style should be well established. Check it anyhow, look for that something that can be improved.

Qualification Level: Will the lifter be in the same age-group at next qualifier competition? If yes, are they competitive within the division at their current weight?

Qualification Level: Has the lifter changed weight class? Does the lifter have problems gaining, losing or holding onto weight, or will they compete at walk-in weight?

Time: Due to the time between events there is ample time to fully prepare the lifter to beat previous competition numbers.

Time: Lighter lifters typically peak faster than heavier lifters and older lifters peak slower than same weight class younger counterparts. Factor these things into the athletes periodization based on where they currently stand.

Personality: More qualified older lifters don’t automatically have a better sense of reality. Extroverted nature, but trains in a very focused manner.  Approaches lifts unemotionally and digests training data. Can be easily agitated.

Initial plan based on the above data.

Periodization: The lifter should break a PR in a more difficult Bench Press variation 5-7 days before competition.

Programming: Present the lifter with a range of training PR’s to aim for in biomechanically similar lifts. Intelligent variation for lifter safety, stimulus for his extroverted nature and additional training data to indicate progression is occurring,consider these as mini-goals.

Program supplemental and accessory lifts to develop the lifters weak areas. Base these choices off observation of the individual lifting 85%+ 1RM loads under competition rules and screening data.

Mental: RPE 8-9 level with routine waves in lower RPE’s. Never miss a rep! Leave the gym with a win knowing “5 more pounds was there” and leave the competition platform knowing there was nothing more to give.

Tempo: Alternate training pauses between longer and shorter than competition.
The lifter has a calm nature and the intent here is to introduce a new stress. In competition you cannot control the speed in which the head judge will call for the press command, replicating this in training can be of benefit.  Do not over-do this.

Volume: Set maxes across rep ranges (2,3,4,5 etc) with last rep velocity as an indicator. This will create a natural need to wave loads over time.  At this lifters skill level and age, plan for a 3-4 week microcycle with room for expansion some lifts.

Variations: Floor Press (often less range of motion, has arch limitations and offers no leg drive, Cambered Bar Press (Greater range of motion), Pin Press from weak range, Incline Bench Press. These lifts provide 4 or more new records. I would advice the Incline Bench Press be limited to a 3RM for safety concerns

Combined with volume variations this creates 20 or more possible records

Floor Press 1/2/3/4/5RM
Camber 1/2/3/4/5RM
Incline 1/2/3/4/5RM
Pin Press 1/2/3/4/5RM…and can also be set off multiple pins.

..add 3 potential grip widths
(Competition,Wide and Close Grips)
for more than 60 possible records.

..add 2 pause types and you’re now past 120 possible records.

This doesn’t account for some of the other possibilities…
Different Incline Bench Angles,Other Bars,Board Presses, Paused Presses,Assisted Lifts.

Rotate the appropriate stimulus at the appropriate time for the appropriate reason(s).

Rep Maximum vs. Maximum Effort

“One-repetition maximum (one rep maximum or 1RM) in weight training is the maximum amount of weight that a person can possibly lift for one repetition.”  The common definition found in general training books.

“Maximum Effort Training is the lifting of the heaviest load possible that day.  It might not be the persons 1RM.”  Westside Barbell

I was recently asked how I define Maximum Effort Training, and how it differs from what I was taught in my early years. I explained that 1RM and Maximum Effort are not entirely synonymous, and that going off the commonly accepted 1RM definition quoted above, it might help to add “but it depends.”

A few of my opinions: (1) 1RM’s are not constant, and are subject to being higher or lower in any given week. (2) Not everyone needs to train for 1RM’s. (3) I would rather have one high-quality repetition with a sub-maximum loading than ugly repetitions at near maximum loading. (4) Strength is specific and (5) I don’t deal in hypotheticals and try guessing what your 1RM is from your 3-5RM data.

Consider the individual doing the work, and if 1RM/Maximum Effort are even a necessity.  Not everyone needs or has the initial capacity to train/test for 1RM’s, nor is it an absolute need for every goal. While there is value in singles (especially relatively heavy singles) a beginner or novice lifter might be better served working in the three to five rep range once technique passes muster.

I am operating under the premise that training is being managed in both the short and long terms. Some trainers do not manage their clients sessions, and in my opinion a training cannot manage what they don’t measure. Simply writing individual workouts isn’t management, at least beyond the session.

Based on the writings of Dan John, I define 1RM and Maximum Efforts differently based on who is in front of me.  The broad breakdown is as follows;

Active Athletes: Strength Athletes/Tactical Populations. People whom 1RM strength is a necessity of sport or occupation. 1RM/Maximum Effort training applies to these people based on needs.

Everyone Else: People that are not subject to the rules of competitive Powerlifting or have absolute need for 1RM testing/training.  Provided there are no client specific contraindications these people can engage in Maximum Effort training after technique, form and style have been cemented and linear gains have ceased to progress.

After client classification definitions start to change….

Current Max: The highest load an individual is lifting at their current stage of progression. Depending on the training protocol this may or may not be a singular RM nor the individual necessarily “everyone else.”  This is most commonly seen with beginners and linear progression models, but can be seen with more advanced lifters.

“You lifted 100# for 3 sets of 5 last session, today you lifted 105# for 3 sets of 5.  105 is your current max in this lift.”

Specific Rep Max: The highest recorded lifts in a given technique using a specific number of reps greater than 1 (2RM,3RM,4RM etc.) This can be applied to both groups, and as previously mentioned I believe 3-5RM is better for beginners, which for them makes the current max and specific rep max the same thing.

“Your previous Incline Bench Press 2RM was 100# and your 5RM was 85#.  Today you hit 100# for 5 reps. This means your Incline Bench Press 5RM went up 15#, and you likely smashed your 2RM as well.”

With more advanced trainees and athletes I don’t run Singular maxes and Specific Rep Maxes in the same training block with the same lift,however I can pair unrelated lifts. For example performing Maximum Effort Squats (1 rep) and Maximum 6 reps Bench Press in different weekly sessions.

Casual Max: The highest load an individual can execute with passable quality without need for warm up sets. This is not highest they can perform and is more related to the individuals confidence level. Not used with beginners.

“I know for a fact that on any given hour of any given day, I can load up 225# on a bar and deadlift it, or load 135# and Bench Press it, but when it comes to Squats I need to start with the empty bar.”  

Weekly Maximum Effort: For Conjugate lifters, the highest load achieved that day, which may not be a record on any level. This can also be applied to non-Conjugate novice lifters experiencing a good or bad training day.

Training Max: The highest single recorded under a specific set of training conditions  and non-contest requirements   I reserve this for active athletes and typically this is performed with biomechanically similar lifts, but have ran it with the competition lifts.

Competition Max: For Powerlifters: The highest lift recorded under full contest conditions and specific to the division that the individual competes in.
-100% Raw: No support gear of any type.
– Classic Raw: Rules vary per organization.  Typically allowed are knee wraps,belts and wrist wraps.
– Equipped: Single Ply or Multi-Ply

 

The Old Guy in the Gym”

IMPORTANT IMPORTANT IMPORTANT IMPORTANT IMPORTANT IMPORTANT 

The Old Guy in the Gym IS NOT IN ANY WAY SHAPE OR FORM the same as the NAKED OLD GUY IN THE LOCKER ROOM.  They are totally different Old Guys.

I was 12 years old when I first stepped into a gym.  In my case it was a combination of Nautilus units and Barbell/Dumbbells and the set-up favored Bodybuilder training.  I recall seeing guys that looked older than my Dad still getting it in, and some capable of lifts that even made the younger people stop and watch.

Truth be told, its still motivating to see the older experienced lifters do their thing, and I currently find myself in the position as the Old Guy in the Gym.

FACT: A trainers age alone is not an indicator of their qualification.  Some got better with age while others are stale and displaying mold.

For the past six weeks I’ve had the pleasure of observing beginners all over again, and have given some pointers to a few of them. Typically this has been form related, and by extension connecting themselves to the movement. Adjustments to load selection, lifting posture, tempo and an individually defined approach has solved all issues to date.

The look on a beginners faces when they experience exercise on a new level is as satisfying to me as the expression of experienced lifters hitting lifetime personal records. It’s the coaches equivalent of the perfect beat.

As always, The individual (the Who) is the guiding consideration. Beginners needs the Why and the How of things. The highly experienced need the What and the How. The exercises themselves are essentially demonstrations of a specific ability.  It’s the coaches task to set people up for wins, and not put them in positions that guarantee failure.

The coaches balancing act is to not over-coach/over cue a movement, which is something I’ve been guilty of in the past and a fairly easy trap to fall into. There is also the task of determining the optimum coaching/cueing dosage per person, as some need more than others.

Despite the typical look on my face,I can still be the Old Guy in the Gym that can give five minutes of help to a beginner.