Rare is the day a more serious lifter without seeing some annoying character at the gym. Not being the most experienced/biggest guy at the gym, I remain pretty tolerant of "that guy" (overused, but applicable term) since it's usually not his fault. Most of "those guys" just don't know any better. They haven't been taught what to do or lack the dedication. They see curl jockeys in the gym and figure that's what you're supposed to do to become big, or whatever "goal" they have in mind. Plus, I've been known to throw in an extra lift, say, late on a Friday night, exclusively focused on biceps and triceps. I call them Beach Lifts.
But, today I had two guys annoy me on independent events. Both events occur while I was doing Hang Cleans. In layman's terms, a hang clean is, essentially, when you take a bar and start with it across your quads and then jerk it up to shoulder-height. I do hang cleans primarily as a trap workout, but you can emphasize otherbody parts as well.
Guy #1: I was doing Hang Cleans using rubber bumper plates, completely minding my own business when an old man approached me with a scowl on his face.
"What the f--- are you doing?" he asked.
"Hang Cleans," I responded."Like hell, f---in' don't just drop the weight on your last set, you'll break the weights."
Background: I lift at a military gym. This guy was old and salty, but looked like a civilian. So, I am forced to assume he's retired military, a colonel or sergeant major. I'm thinking I should be tactful or he could get me into trouble, theoretically. Maybe he was the CO's CO back in the day.
"Well, that's why you have bumper plates, to drop them," I said.
"What else would you recommend?"
"Just treat the f---in' weights like you own them. They need to be here long after you're gone."
Wow. I was perplexed. Yeah, I probably didn't need to drop it on my last set, but everyone who's anyone knows the satisfaction that comes along with dropping the weight and seeing the curl jockeys look over at you like you're an oversized version of what they want to be. Anyways, I was already annoyed. Two sets later...Guy #2:
Guy #2 comes over, oblivious to the sitiuation with Guy #1. Guy #2 is the duty officer, charged with maintaing the weightroom and killing any terrorist that might try to attack us.
"Want some advice?" he asked.
"Nope," I respond.
Background: I am afforded the luxury of seeing Guy #2's rank- and it's the same as mine. So I can be a jerk if I want. AND, Guy #2 is small- like 6"1', buck 70, at best.
"You sure?"
"Not unless it looks like my back is going to break," I respond.
"Well, you just aren't doing it right. Once you get the weight up, you need to drop down into a squat and then push up," he says.
"Hey dude, if I was doing Clean-Squat-Press, you might be on to something. But, I'm not. I'm doing Hang Cleans. But thanks."
Then I started doing another set and he was gone when I was done. What does this have to do with conservatism? Nothing. But it involves common sense, a conservative value.
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6 comments:
guy # 2 should probably stick with just killing any terrorist that might attack.
whatever man, people just need to mind their own business (a libertarian value).
But seriously, there are better things to do than hang cleans to isolate your traps. Why hang cleans? I was taught that any clean (power, hang, etc.) should be done with minimal arm effort and maximum leg power. But, that's just me...
Well, obviously Steve, but I was doing Hang Cleans with the emphasis on traps. I do other cleans on other days for other areas
Ok, but I was simply saying that I find there are better lifts to isolate your traps. Of course, unlike our conservative morals, weight training does imply a degree of relativity. You may prefer hang cleans, I prefer shrugs, upright rows, and shoulder flys (with cables or dumbells). I just wanted to know what you like about hang cleans for your traps?
"whatever man, people just need to mind their own business (a libertarian value). "
-Steve
I strongly disagree Steve. A conservative/liberatarian has every right to bother, beleaguer, and badger another person as much as they wish. When the government comes in with their coddling and asinine "restraining orders" and "assault charges" people like Rob show up that complain about their problems hoping someone will help instead of dealing with the situation himself. Such a complainer Rob.
On an unrelated note, I have my phone back, so feel free to text me movie lines asap.
Dan, obviously Steve agrees people have a right to be annoying. But still I like your larger point, and I think Alexis de Tocqueville would agree:
"In Europe the criminal is a luckless man fighting to save his head from the authorities; in a sense the population are mere spectators in the struggle. In America he is an enemy of the human race and every human being is against him."
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