*** The 2010 Gym Rats Thread ***

Does anyone else have a crazy. Wait, let me rephrase that, a loony gym bod in their gym?

One chap, a good friend. We always have a regular banter and always end up banging on about who's going to take the lb for lb title for our gym. He did 265KG DL at 13 stone and I have my squat. One of our other friends has the bench. We're all 22.

On Friday, I had a chest session and he was doing his back. I'd finished my workout to fatigue. This freak decides to call me out. He's stupidly cut and he trains like an animal, very strict with his regime and diet (far better than me in that respect). He offered me a cable row competition sitting on the floor. The machine goes to a maximum of 50KG. When I came back from Saudi (6 weeks ago) I was struggling on 40KG. A lot of strength has come back. We loaded the machine with DB's to 164KG and we both managed to pull out 4 reps (reasonable form). Jeez its never going to end between us two. We've been at it for the past few months. Although I still have my 11 stones that will always peak, he does have some higher lifts apart from weighted chins/dips/squats/Leg related exercises.

I WILL WIN :D
 
I think I'm going to start doing PT sessions next year after the competition. I've been helping friends out for a while with routines and form etc for a while. But next year I'd like to do it on the side for people other than friends, a bit of extra income would be lovely and I really enjoy doing it

Plus if I do well in the compeition and get a good finish it might give me a good selling point :p

Yup, in the new year I plan on really getting the PT ball rolling for me as it is what I want to be doing. Just need to speak to my gym and see if they'll be willing to let me pay them a rent per month in order to train there. I've got a feeling they won't though. But I don't want to work for them having them take 40% of each session I do :mad: I've got the last module, business, at the beginning of December and then I'm fully qualified with core & kettlebells on the side :)
 
Can I ask how much you paid for your course Benny? If you don't mind

Just I'm looking into it myself, and my neighbour has just done it and it cost him £2k :eek:

Yup it's not cheap.

I did my Level 2 Gym with 'Envisage' who are based in Sheffield (Uni of Lincoln) for £395. Also did my Level 3 with them for £425.

Then I did my Client Retention, Client Lifestyle & Fitness Assesment, Exercise in Different Environments, Exercise Nutrition and Business & Marketing (Dec 3rd,4th, 5th) with YMCA in London (Kings Cross). Those 5 modules I booked together for £1600 so £320 each. They might not sound it but I found them all useful.

My Kettlebell training was with London Kettlebell Academy and was £195 and my Core module was with YMCA and I think was about £115. So about £2750 in total. Usually the whole package goes for £3000. My basic PT qualifications cost me £2420 then my KB and core was extra as it was something I wanted to do extra.

Unless you've got something going for you people generally want to see that you are qualified or trained to a certain standard. So unless you're an IFBB pro or a succesful powerlifter with some titles people want to know you know what you're talking about. You wouldn't go to someone for medical advice who hadn't been to medical school.

I already had a decent amount of knowledge before the courses and went not expecting to learn much but I was suprised by what I did pick up :) It deffinatley gives you the confidence and some basic structure and procedures to go through with clients.
 
Does anyone else have a crazy. Wait, let me rephrase that, a loony gym bod in their gym?

One chap, a good friend. We always have a regular banter and always end up banging on about who's going to take the lb for lb title for our gym. He did 265KG DL at 13 stone and I have my squat. One of our other friends has the bench. We're all 22.

On Friday, I had a chest session and he was doing his back. I'd finished my workout to fatigue. This freak decides to call me out. He's stupidly cut and he trains like an animal, very strict with his regime and diet (far better than me in that respect). He offered me a cable row competition sitting on the floor. The machine goes to a maximum of 50KG. When I came back from Saudi (6 weeks ago) I was struggling on 40KG. A lot of strength has come back. We loaded the machine with DB's to 164KG and we both managed to pull out 4 reps (reasonable form). Jeez its never going to end between us two. We've been at it for the past few months. Although I still have my 11 stones that will always peak, he does have some higher lifts apart from weighted chins/dips/squats/Leg related exercises.

I WILL WIN :D

it sounds like quite a healthy competition, just don't fall out over it, me and my brother were like this last year, we used to be gym buddies, we ended up falling out big time for a couple of days due to the competition, we were ot raised really competitevly which didn't help! haha
 
This has probably been covered but as I've said before I generally don't like squatting. I find my body and core get enough work for me to isolate and build my legs using other exercises BUT I have started incorporating back squats into my workout again and it's killing my upper back for some reason. The positioning of the bar seems to cause agony in my delts and my right arm also cramps up unbelievably forcing me to stop. Asked a couple of big chats to spot and my form is decent as I suspected. Any ideas? I've tried altering the position of the bar on my shoulders/back to no avail.
 
This has probably been covered but as I've said before I generally don't like squatting. I find my body and core get enough work for me to isolate and build my legs using other exercises BUT I have started incorporating back squats into my workout again and it's killing my upper back for some reason. The positioning of the bar seems to cause agony in my delts and my right arm also cramps up unbelievably forcing me to stop. Asked a couple of big chats to spot and my form is decent as I suspected. Any ideas? I've tried altering the position of the bar on my shoulders/back to no avail.
This might sound kind of obvious but have you tried lowering the weight?

Where are your hands placed when you're lifting? How are they placed?

Read up on this: http://stronglifts.com/how-to-squat-with-proper-technique-fix-common-problems/

it sounds like quite a healthy competition, just don't fall out over it, me and my brother were like this last year, we used to be gym buddies, we ended up falling out big time for a couple of days due to the competition, we were ot raised really competitevly which didn't help! haha
That should never be a problem, we have a good understanding and we're good friends. Constantly trying to help each other even though we're competing against each other when the time is appropriate. Hehe :)
 
I have indeed yes, only had two 10kg plates on today, use to lift much more than that even on front squats.

Adjusted my hands a couple of times, over shoulder width apart and then a bit wider.

I'll have a read :)
 
Try upping the weight. I find when I'm doing BW squats, I don't feel particularly comfortable. Once the weight starts racking up, I feel much more into it. If that makes any sense?

Technique is crucial. Have you read up on starting strength by Riptoe? Youtube for his vid. Very useful!
 
Feeling a bit ill today, but was still focused to give my legs a good going over.

Did loads of squats, 10+ sets of front and back, did some sets of back squats at only 70kg but with full Ass 2 grass form which I might consider just doing always from now on, prior I have only done to parrallel (and sometimes just above parallel if a new weight/very heavy :o).

Do you think squatting ass to grass would benefit my knees or hinder them? My right knee seems a bit niggly and I dont feel too comfortable on it so possibly using lower weights and going deeper is better?

*The only problem with all the squats I've done is I'm going to be walking like a cripple during my job interview tommorow lol
 
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Pritty sure going below parralell de-loads the knee which would be better for it as it's under less constant stress. You also get bigger ROM in the glutes & quads which is of course beneficial. Just make sure your lower back isn't rounding. Do some stretching to improve flexability if it is.

Might be wrong about the de-loading the knee so do some googling.
 
Has anyone here ever had a cramp in their abs?

I was doing hanging leg raises today when I got the worst cramp ever on my last set, I couldn't properlly lower my legs and was in agony.

Worst cramp I've ever had, felt like a knife was being twisted around in there :/
 
Has anyone here ever had a cramp in their abs?

I was doing hanging leg raises today when I got the worst cramp ever on my last set, I couldn't properlly lower my legs and was in agony.

Worst cramp I've ever had, felt like a knife was being twisted around in there :/

Nope. I did however once get a horrid cramp right down my leg to my foot while doing pull ups =/. I think cramp is usually due to hydration?:confused:
 
Well that was laughable.

I 'trained' (PT) my friend tonight just now. Total beginner to exercise.

Duty manager popped over 15 minutes in and shy-ly said:

'We don't allow external PT here'
'Okay, well this is my mate and I've just written him a plan, there's no money involved' (There is).
'Okay' *Walks off*

An instructor I'm friends with seemed a little iffy about it and basically said to make it less obvious. I gave my CV in back in June to no avail and the only reason my friend has joined is so I can PT with him.

I've got the center managers e-mail and will be dropping him an e-mail shortly but would appreciate any advice about how to word it. I work in offices 2 miles down the road and could most deffinatley bring in plenty of business for them.

Fire/flame away.
 
When are you going to let me come up and train legs with you Benny? Am I going to have to pay too? :p

I charge per rep :p

I have everything I need to train legs at home so it's free!

Benny maybe you should do the exercises he does just at very low weight for 3 reps, so it looks like you're "training" too?

Yeah, my instructor friend suggested 'blending' in a bit. He seemed a bit ****** to my suprise. He doesn't even know my friend so isn't like I've stole a potential client as my friend only wants PT from me.

I've sent this:

Hi Dave,

I'm currently a member at William Penn and have been for some time now. I'm also a qualified Personal Trainer myself and would very much like to start personal training at your gym. I already have a couple of friends that are interested in some personal training with me who are already members at William Penn. However I am told external personal training is not allowed.

I live very locally and am available at evenings and weekends to personal train any clients that you or I might have. I also work at Skanska offices in Maple Cross and am confident that I can bring in extra memberships and personal training clients.

I have attatched my C.V. for you to view. If you are interested then please don't contact to hesitate me. I can make myself available any evening this week should you wish to meet to discuss matters further.

I look forward to hearing from you,

Yours sincerely,

**** stabber.

I'll keep you posted.

I had planned on doing it with a few others in there but they were like hawks and cottoned on pritty quick as it's quite a small gym.

I don't really want to pay them 'rent' as I wouldn't do enough to break even and I know that's not their policy. They are 'rent' free but take £12 of every £30 session. I think you get an hourly wage on top which is about £6 or so. So I'd still be making almost what I am charging my friend now but it'll be costing my friend a fiver more each time. Unless I give him some of my pay to balance it out which I'd do if it means I have his business.

I still work a 42 hour week anyhow so this is 'extra' income. Living at home too so I've got it coming out my backside in terms of comfort.
 
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