Thread: Do you have a partner @ the gym? (Poll)

Either find someone at the gym that is experienced that would be willing to work out with you for awhile, great way too learn!

or

higher a qualified PT.

I'm only 17 I cant afford a PT.

My friend is really into working out and knows a lot but lives 30 min away and I wouldnt want to drive that far to get to a gym.

i go with a friend.....

Originally posted by NeedMuscleMass
I'm knew to bb and I'd feel stupid not really knowing what to do.

that's alright bro. its something you gotta figure out for youself. most people don't know how to do shit right anyways. but by talking to people and learning by trial and error, you can learn whats right from whats wrong...

try to learn as much as you can by watching others, talking to others, reading books/mags and using sites such as I.M. to learn how to do eveyrthing correctly.

check this site out....http://www.exrx.net/Lists/Directory.html

there's a start

so far, i have yet to find a partner that can match my intensity.

the only time it sucks is when i need a spot for chest. but, i find the best parnter i can have is my mp3 player. by going alone, i go at my own quick pace, don't b.s. by talking to anyone, and therefore can maintain serious focus and intensity throughout....

If I could do it all over again rather than "learning on my own" and making a shitload of mistakes, I would have spent the money (that I did not have) on a trainer.

Why? Because I could have avoided years of mistakes, setbacks, injuries, etc.

The alternative would be to invest a little money in some books and videos and/or find someone at the gym that is very experienced, maybe for a nominal fee they will let you work-out with them, yes I am serious.

I'm pretty lucky... the gym i'm at doesnt charge for its trainers. They dont work with you as often as a paid trainer would, but you can schedule times with them to go over diet, or to have them walk you through a new routine.

But aside from that, i think Prince is right... dish out the cash for at least a one hour session with a PT. Just tell him you dont even want to do a full w/o, just go one day and walk through all the exercises for every bodypart. Use light weight and only 1 set just so you can begin to get the form down. That way when you come into the gym on your own, you'll have a solid base to begin with.

of course the problem these days is the majority of PT's in "clubs" don't know their ass from their elbows!

Originally posted by Prince
Because I could have avoided years of mistakes, setbacks, injuries, etc.

Excellent point Prince. years of mistakes is a great thing to avoid (as well as injuries).

Bottom line, learn how to do everthing correctly, whether thats by observing or reading....Learn how to do eveyrthing correctlly to maximize your gains from the start

I dont have one, but its possible one of these days one of the people I train in with now and again will become partners, dunno.

Originally posted by Prince
of course the problem these days is the majority of PT's in "clubs" don't know their ass from their elbows!

That is why I don't have a trainer. $90 for 3 1/2 sessions to learn absolutely nothing. I've been at the same gym now for 1.5 years and the people I see with the personal trainer this whole time look exactly the same as a year ago.

I suggest going to the gym and starting with machines... they tend to force you to use a certain form... start with very low weight... increase the weight while still focus'ing on which muscle the machine tells you you should be working... at the point where you feel like the weight is too much and you aren't able to focus on the muscle you're supposed to be working, lower the weight down one setting and start from there... focus on slower reps and perfect the form... after a few months on machines you will see some nice gains, but to really get the most from your workouts, move on to free weights... remember the form the machine made you use and START LIGHT WITH FREE WEIGHTS... and work your way up in the same manner you did with the machine... make sure when you're doing an exercise you aren't just concerned with the amount of weight, but how well you isolate the muscle you are intending to work.

This is the method I used when starting out.. I was too scepticle of the mediocre looking PT's at my gym and had zero knowledge... like the peeps here suggested, use forums to ask questions... you'll find Prince, Mudge, and P-Funk on these forums have INVALUABLE advice.... ask them questions, I have learned TONS from them...

Also, visit the Diet and Nutrition forums and listen to the Jodi chick, I'm surprised her head doesn't explode from all the knowledge it's filled with.

I think if you follow this advice you'll have friends and family members SHOCKED with your results in as little as 6 months.

I gotta have my partner or I would never force myself to lift heavier! I actually use my boyfriend, poor thing has to suffer with my am/pm cardios and my five day splits when I am dieting down. Me bitching that I am not lean enough, or that my legs will never thin out, that my shoulders don't have the caps that I want nor do I have the calfs that he has.

When I first decided to start lifting, I used a trainer for about a month. If you discuss cash, upfront, most of them can work a better deal for you. Even if you can do just a few sessions or so, it will teach you so much. Proper form is one of the keys! Without it, all your time and effort could result in injuries or not making good gaines.

If you dont have the money for a PT ask questions from other people at the gym. If you think that you may not be doing something right go up to one of the PT'S and ask them, as long as they are not training someone else at that time. Any good pt would give you free advise on one or two exercises. The pt's are there to make money and by asking question every once in great while you may get to know them and want to have a session with that person. Trust me they love when they dont have to market themselves.

My suggestion, do some reading and visit some websites out there on the internet that supply a whole lot of info on exercises and forms. I would not rely on watching other people on the gym; you’ll be surprise how many people don’t know what they’re doing and acting like they know shit. Personally I don’t like to work with anybody else. The only person I have ever worked out with is my football coach and that was hardcore, he really pushed me. But too many people I see on the gym are running their mouth way too often, do 1 set talk for 5 min and do another set. It fucking pisses me off, especially when I’m waiting for a machine and I see them wasting their time on it.

Originally posted by NeedMuscleMass
I'm only 17 I cant afford a PT.

My friend is really into working out and knows a lot but lives 30 min away and I wouldnt want to drive that far to get to a gym.

WEll your here now. We the members I'm sure would be more then happy to help you. If you need a workout, we can provide it. If you need to know how to perform an excercise, we can help you there also. Whatever questions you need answering, they can all be answered right here. You don't have to have a partner although it does help new people stay motivated. My suggestion is to pick up a partner the same way most of us did. YOu go to the gym,, keep a hawkeye out for someone your own callibur and make friends. Then you have a partner. I met all my workout partners at a gym. I only know of 1 partner I had that was a friend before we were partners.
As for now, I do not train with anyone, I train alone at home. NO gym no partners. I actually prefer training alone.

Well, here's a suggestion, and I might be shot down for this....but if you are only 17, and still in high school, why don't you see if the high school has an athletic trainer..or approach a P.E. teacher/coach who you think you'd feel comfortable with, and ask them a few basic questions about how to use some of the equipment at the school? (supervised, of course). It's okay to ask one of those teachers - you might be surprised how impressed they would be with you for coming to them with some questions.

I know it won't be comprehensive, but a lot of them have done weight training in the past - and while they might not be able to give you all the specs about everything, you could learn enough of a foundation to proceed to a gym and feel like you could do something while learning and watching others.

Also, if you have a college or university close, see if they have an exercise science program there. Sometimes they'll offer like a summer strength training class and have personal trainers leading it....they also offer both short and longer packages at a discount that could help you along.

I've got a couple of really big BB buddies (one near my own age, one who is only 24) and they are really helpful whenever I want to ask a question, especially when I'm in the "big boy's" room at our university gym.

You should be really proud of yourself for wanting to take this step - and how careful and serious you are about approaching it. Good luck!

KBM you better NOT get shot down for that response because that was the best damn post in here!!! That was an EXCELLENT Suggestion and I'm mad I didn't think of that first. Hell I 1st started training in high school and I had several of the football coaches/phys ed teachers teach me the ins and outs and even trained after school with Mr. Fazzone (coach/Phys ed teacher) He was my very 1st lifting partner. He of couse blew me away and I never thought someone could bench over 300hundred pounds back then when he did it and thought he coulda been the next Mr. America. hahahaha. Anyway that was a brilliant suggestion!!!!!!

I would stick with the basics
-bench press, incline, dumbell curls, triceps push downs, lat pull downs, leg press, upright rows.
Most of these are easy to learn, don't forget to ask for a spot when benching, most people don't mind.
There are advantages to not having a partner, I lifted solo for years, now that I have a partner it's more difficult to agree on when we are both free to lift.
Plus for a while when he would "blow off" I would too (not anymore) when I was solo I never had an excuse to blow off.
There are some web sites that show mini video clips of proper form for various excercises, maybe someone could post the link, I don't have it saved.

i dont have a partner, but i did save enough money to get myself a personal trainer. and he seems to be very knowledgeble

where are you from in NY

Babylon...

Long Island

When I started I had a cousin teach me all the basics and everythign i would need to know about starting. Then after 3 months i went on my own because we couldn't workout anymore and I tried new things and learned mostly from here. Lots of people here say they workout on their own and don't talk to people. I took the other approach, I make friends at the gym so when I need a spot and vise versa we help each other out there. There are many pro's I guess you could call them at my gym and are always willing to help.

A personal trainer is always good if you find a decent one but if you can't afford it start out with machines. Keep your form and learn little by little. Also watch the other guys do things to see how it is exicuted. Then try on your own, and if you don't think you can do it asks oneone to help ya. Ussually they don't mind and are willing. The guys and gals at my gym always like to help youngins out as long as you are respectful and listen. I was lucky to have found a small town gym that everyone knows each other because we form bonds, we become friends. When you screw things up they let ya know but when you are progressing they let ya know as well.

Originally posted by MeLo
i dont have a partner, but i did save enough money to get myself a personal trainer. and he seems to be very knowledgeble

If you knew absolutely nothing about cars, and someone was telling you about how they added a second camshaft to thier car for more power - you would be left thinking wow what a smart guy doing all this stuff to his car, when in reality he is full of crap.

Food for thought.

I kill myself in the gym and I think that a partner would distract me from my work out. However, It would be nice to have someone there to help through those muscle exhaustion reps where I would probably push myself through my sticking points. I can't ever count on anyone being at the gym at the same time with me. Everyone that has worked out with me before quits because they just aren't as serious as I am about it. These are things that should be taken into consideration.

haha, I want to add a camshaft to my car... maybe if I added some more spark plugs too I could own the road!!!

What??????Getting Con-fused! Can't Under-stand! Spock! Need- Some-Input-please!

Spock, report - please. How - is - my - acting!?