What did I learn today?

Not much. 

• The gym owner ALWAYS has something to say - what is his problem?? It's never 'hi mate, how are you' although we were almost there today.
• I MUST count the plates when loading up. The pic shows a lot of plates (not mine, from google) but what I thought was 15 a side (which would be wrong anyway cos that's be 600-kilos and it doesn't take that much) wasn't. I usually throw the one set of 50's they have one then the rest in 20's. A lad I had a chat with had some weight on so I went straight in at 120-kilos and cracked on. Next time pay attention.

Row, row, row your lats!

I'm a little naughty as I seem to recall a similar title back when Muscle & Fitness was 'Muscle Builder / Power' in an article on back featuring Franco Columbo. Anyway...

Starting yesterday and worse today the part of my lats where they affix into the sides of my my rib cage are sore. If I pull my shoulders back I can feel a little soreness in the rest of the meat. Now I know that being sore isn't the be all and end all of hoped for gains in strength and new muscle growth but still - it made me wonder what I'd done differently.

Saturday was a chest n back day. I'm a great believer in the KISS principle so it was (I do two different sessions, alternating as and when): Iso-lever bench, dumbbell rows and low row. On the dumbbells I max out with the current gyms heaviest bells (all of 70-kilos or 154lbs) and max again on the low row with the 135-kilos / 297lbs.

Being analytical is key to becoming No 1 (or at least half decent ha ha ) so I ask what did I do. On the dumbbell rows the warm up weights come up quickly enough that I am almost catching the weights at the top of the movement. The heavy sets (2 x 8 this week) with the 70's puff me out (strong yes - fit... err not so much) enough that I take my time between arms never mind between sets. I also don't try to balance the bells so have my hands forward so I can just pull. I did make a mental note that I had the bells square on when they were light but the 70's were more across the body - almost the same position as if I'd been using a barbell. 

On low cable rows I'd had the nag from the gym owner to contend with moments before (see article) and so may have been more determined than usual (I'll show you! etc) in pulling my elbows back, sitting more upright and perhaps holding the weight a mo at the contracted position. I made an even greater effort than usual not to slam the weights down. I never do this anyway unless it literally gets away from me - see below.

My final movement, something I am still working on regarding scheduling so it didn't have to be a back day although it does work Traps and to a lesser degree lower back too, was the IronMind Rolling Thunder lift. I'm deliberately not mentioning numbers for a while so best of luck finding out what I'm pulling. On one lift, with a decent weight, it almost popped out of my hand. Fortunately I didn't get told off. I know of more than a few of my bigger gym buddies who've been told off for show boating, throwing down weights and the like (Sam!! I'm thinking of you ha ha) but I do try not to be one of those.

So what was it. Looking at the above (I'll highlight them there in bold and note them below) let's see:

• I am almost catching the weights at the top of the movement. Speed of movement. Note 'almost' in the quote. In other words I'm moving decent enough weight - 66lbs and then 110lbs - quite fast but not so fast that I am cheating.
• I also don't try to balance the bells so have my hands forward so I can just pull. I didn't want to be faffing around trying to balance the bell and thus waste energy I just wanted to pull heavy ass weight. Sometimes some movements require needless cocking about when muscle doesn't care - it's pull and contract and stretch and that's it.
• Pulling my elbows back, sitting more upright and perhaps holding the weight a mo at the contracted position  Err that's probably how ALL rowing and indeed back movements should be done. Remember I'm no bodybuilder so it's not all about the contraction for me but I do like having some muscle and working it hard should make me stronger quicker so...  
• Having the Rolling Thunder at the end, which as above is a back movement of sorts, may have been enough to tip me over from a simple session into a more effective one.

Regardless of whatever movement or lift (if for strength) have half an eye on what you did that made it better than usual. In the meantime some sympathy for my aching muscles please. It's legs today... wish me luck I'm going in ha ha

Are you a gym beast - then you have an obligation

And it may not be the one you think it is. Instead of being the mutha others look up to for just being strong or the guy for whom they are forever pulling weights of kit for after you've done with it you have a better deal.

The pic here is of the Gloucester gym as was. I actually found it on google images when searching under the 'put your weights away' term. Ha! Someone had used our image on their blog.

One can only hope that by becoming the best of the best at something you might one day inspire others to do something close or, god forbid, beat you (whhaatttt! ha ha - it'll happen). You can also show those that come after you that you don't have to be a bad ass in doing it. So leading by example and with Planet Fitness's 'Lunk alarm' in mind try the following as potentially helpful suggestions.

• Put your weights away. I've been guilty., we all have but the argument goes if you're strong enough to lift them them you're strong enough to rack them.
• Note when you're fooling around and being a jack ass. By all means have fun but be aware that others watching you might copy you. I'm sure a few of you have seen posts on forums on idiots who, having 'juiced' allowed themselves to become aggressive morons.
• Wipe shit down. Yes your sweat may well be imbued with testosterone the gym users might benefit from but it's also just plain nasty. Use either the wipes provided or, if the gym is a little more hardcore, just a hand towel you brought with you. Hell, even the summer time sweat box that is Metroflex (110+ degrees according to one article) in Texas has members that don't want to swap sweat.
• Most of all - share. I mean info and time. A minute here and there with other members isn't becoming a member of the social club some gyms seem to be but it's also an opportunity for them to see the big strong lump who maybe even scares them a little as a nice (if not nice at least sociable) guy. 

When I have my own space again...

I do get it - I really do. I understand 100% why gym owners have some issues with certain members. But man oh man when I get my own place with space for weights again  I will be using chalk. And I wont be moaning about belt buckles. I'd go into the specifics but that gives too much away and for the sake of a quiet, for now, life I'll just say that it feels like a pain the arse.

Sure gym owners have to clear crap up, more so in full on mainstream, middle market commercial gyms. So using chalk, especially throwing it around without a care in the world is annoying. Equally if you're ignorant enough to have some big ass buckle and lean on bench pads so as to tear them up like your few quid allows carte blanche then you need to go somewhere else but why me? I'm a good guy. I use chalk in super tidy gyms over a towel and make sure it's not making a mess and I DO NOT lie face down on equipment with a belt on (why would you need a belt if your back is supported anyway).

That said it IS a good motivator being nagged for some shit you haven't done - grrr!