Bad Form - Should You Comment?

[Bazza]

More of an ethical one here. Whilst training this morning I saw a guy squatting with pretty bad form. He had 140K on the bar and was squatting to parallel, but the angle from the base of his back to the bar at his neck must have been 60-70 degrees, and he was straining.

Its difficult because if you are like me you generally just want to get in there and do you own thing and focus on having a great training and getting the job done...but when you see someone who is just not doing it right, or at some stage is going to hurt themselves, what is the ethical thing to do.

Obviously people get upset when you think their form is bad....even if it is offered in a supportive, just want to help you kind of way. I would be interested to know others opinions on this. Better to save the guys back and not make a gym enemy?

[Chillicat]

On the one hand, if I'm doing something wrong I want to know and appreciate good advice. But on the other hand, who the hell are you and why are you telling me what to do?

At my old Pump classes back at uni the instructors used to be really great and came around and checked out people's form and corrected them when they were going wrong. And since so very many people take a long time to get things like squats right, it was a brilliant way of doing things. They don't do the same at Bodyworks, though for a while they had a person standing at the side who would come and give you advice if you were doing things wrong - but even from a gym employee this wasn't always appreciated. One woman once said pretty much 'who are you? I don't know who you are so leave me alone' - and her lunge form was appalling and she really needed the help.

I used to see bad form all the time in pump classes, and sometimes it was with people I knew - but I always had that feeling that I'm not a PT, what do I know and who am I to tell them what to do.

Personally I'd absolutely love it if a helpdesk person saw me doing something wrong and told me. But I don't think I'd appreciate it if some random did, no matter how much of a bodybuilder they look.

[samoan_muscle]

Hmmm nah I dont bother...after being around gyms for several years or more and getting mixed reactions just tend get in there and workout with my head down and get out. You cant save everyone...I dont offer advice unless asked.

[Bazza]

Absolutely right.....but it is still a dilemma...its a bit like watching an accident happening...you can see the truck starting to slide towards the little old lady on the pedestrian crossing. If you don't run out there and push her over shes gonna end up grill fodder...on one hand you might get cursed for breaking her arm, but hey you saved her life.

If you follow the logic as you say that

But I don't think I'd appreciate it if some random did, no matter how much of a bodybuilder they look.

then best left alone...no harm..no foul...

[Specter]

Hmmm nah I dont bother...after being around gyms for several years or more and getting mixed reactions just tend get in there and workout with my head down and get out. You cant save everyone...I dont offer advice unless asked.

Yeah..Im the same..dont offer unless asked.Most of the time I really want to put everything into my workout and get outta there asap!

[Marcus]

Hmmm nah I dont bother...after being around gyms for several years or more and getting mixed reactions just tend get in there and workout with my head down and get out. You cant save everyone...I dont offer advice unless asked.

Yeah..Im the same..dont offer unless asked.Most of the time I really want to put everything into my workout and get outta there asap!

I'd agree with this too. I think it's the job of gym staff to correct people's form. It frustrates me when they don't.

[Luigi]

More of an ethical one here. Whilst training this morning I saw a guy squatting with pretty bad form. He had 140K on the bar and was squatting to parallel, but the angle from the base of his back to the bar at his neck must have been 60-70 degrees, and he was straining.

i dont get this ?? are you saying he should of been at 90 degrees or what ??

yesterday there was a guy at my gym squatting 160kg outside the rack with a rom of 2 inches, it was an accident waiting to happen..... but i wasnt going to say anything i was kinda hoping he failed so he would learn a lesson.

theres heaps of people that use bad form at my gym.... i just enjoy the show - always good for a laugh!

[Mr_Krabs]

More of an ethical one here. Whilst training this morning I saw a guy squatting with pretty bad form. He had 140K on the bar and was squatting to parallel, but the angle from the base of his back to the bar at his neck must have been 60-70 degrees, and he was straining.

i dont get this ?? are you saying he should of been at 90 degrees or what ??

yesterday there was a guy at my gym squatting 160kg outside the rack with a rom of 2 inches, it was an accident waiting to happen..... but i wasnt going to say anything i was kinda hoping he failed so he would learn a lesson.

theres heaps of people that use bad form at my gym.... i just enjoy the show - always good for a laugh!

Yeah took me a while to work this one out too I think he means the angle between two lines: a tangent from the lower back intersecting with a tangent from the upper, eg huge rounding of the back?

[biggurl27]

I have had good and bad reactions from helping people with their form 1 guy basically reacted badly and was mean to me and stormed off in a huff and another guy was thankful. I just keep my mouth shut now and will only advise if people ask. Its a shame as there are a lot of people that are doing things wrong and could injure themselves but no one says a thing... even gym instructors.

[Specter]

I have had good and bad reactions from helping people with their form 1 guy basically reacted badly and was mean to me and stormed off in a huff and another guy was thankful. I just keep my mouth shut now and will only advise if people ask. Its a shame as there are a lot of people that are doing things wrong and could injure themselves but no one says a thing... even gym instructors.

You mean you werent checking their arses for a change and decided to give some helpful advice.. :pfft:

[biggurl27]

Yep funnily enough i actually do go to the gym to train

[Specter]

Yep funnily enough i actually do go to the gym to train

true. I admit some arses have to be checked out though...be bad form not to... :pfft: Its like giving your own discreet advice without commenting to the actual person :nod:

[shruglife]

yesterday there was a guy at my gym squatting 160kg outside the rack with a rom of 2 inches, it was an accident waiting to happen..... but i wasnt going to say anything i was kinda hoping he failed so he would learn a lesson.

theres heaps of people that use bad form at my gym.... i just enjoy the show - always good for a laugh!

[biggurl27]

hahaha that is the funniest shit ever!!! Even funnier is that I see some big boys do that shit, with like he Hammer & Strength Chest Press loaded up with 140kgs either side going beep beep beep ARGHHHHH hahaha

[Specter]

was he psyching himself up in that clip or was that it?

oh geez..I just watched his other clips..wtf! :pfft: Did u see him doing those 100kg x25 rep bench presses off his chest!!! Bounce..bounce..bounce..he is lucky he is just fat.

[shruglife]

was he psyching himself up in that clip or was that it?

oh geez..I just watched his other clips..wtf! :pfft: Did u see him doing those 100kg x25 rep bench presses off his chest!!! Bounce..bounce..bounce..he is lucky he is just fat.

Yep. His channel is a goldmine of hilarious shit :nod:

[Bazza]

Bazza wrote:

More of an ethical one here. Whilst training this morning I saw a guy squatting with pretty bad form. He had 140K on the bar and was squatting to parallel, but the angle from the base of his back to the bar at his neck must have been 60-70 degrees, and he was straining.

i dont get this ?? are you saying he should of been at 90 degrees or what ??

Yeah sorry..should have explained it better. The guys squat went to parallel, then on the upward movement when it was apparent that it was too heavy and his legs couldn't handle it, has back was bent at about 60-70 degrees from the base of his spine to where the bar rested on his shoulders. So the only way he had of getting the bar back on the squat rack was to use his back to lift it back on....minimal quad movement, but all back....owww

[Darwinstef]

I'm the last person to get hung up on form, what works for some may not work for others. I say leave them to it, if they hurt themselves then they will learn that's not how to do it

[Luigi]

true, another example

one guy who seems to have the worst form on everything - tends to go for max weight and minimum reps. so bench press he manages to get 2 at 80..... so puts 100 on the bar gets it down to chest then huge struggle but finally gets one rep up so goes for another - spotter does most of the work ... so racks it then puts 120 on the bar ??? lol goes down again and even the spotter is having a hard time helping him lift it off his chest - there any point to this ??

spotter then politely tells him to lower the weight and do more reps to which he gets in a shitty :doh:

[musclenz]

I find most people don't appreciate being told their form is bad. I never get involved unless asked & nobody asks me cause I'm too grumpy :grin:

[Mrbig]

try being a P.T and when you try to help someone they get all pissed off its funny becoz most of the time they know there doing it wrong but continue doing it so id leave it unless they really look like they mite hurt themselves or others

[gazza]

most of the time it's just bad form to comment.

[Lazarus]

... it can lead to getting a rep as "that guy".

[rose]

Let Darwin take care of it etc.

But if they're hogging the rack or whatever, do something hardcore in front of them to frighten them off.

[ohjoshua]

i dont get this ?? are you saying he should of been at 90 degrees or what ??

yesterday there was a guy at my gym squatting 160kg outside the rack with a rom of 2 inches, it was an accident waiting to happen..... but i wasnt going to say anything i was kinda hoping he failed so he would learn a lesson.

theres heaps of people that use bad form at my gym.... i just enjoy the show - always good for a laugh!

LOL!

i know who you are talking about!

young part moari guy... came to the counter claiming to get a few reps out at just past paraell. I called his bluff and made him do one reps at 140 to prove it.. worst form ever.