ALL REAL weight room are the same. I'm not talking the S-4 Compound that is EliteFTS vs. Planet Fitness or even my own gym at Combat Sports Academy. I AM talking about the different "CHARACTERS" that take up residency in ALL programs.
There's the BADASS strong group which is made up of 4-10 Guys with a couple STRONG to the bone women on it's peripheral. They talk and walk the game of BIG weights and dirty gains. They move the most iron in the place and NOTHING and I mean NUT'N will stand in their way in prep of the NEXT meet.
Today many are 8 weeks and two days OUT. If you know what that means then you are probably included in this group.
Next are the Athletes that have a few that COULD make the first group, but are in this one because they aren't about the daily demonstration of strength, but the acquiring of it. They too are massive but slightly more shredded. They move big weight, but not AS big, but for the 3 rep and 5 rep max.
They also are into CONDITIONING, often busting out the sleds and Prowlers post lift.
Following them are the body conscious Body Builders. These folks reside in the very middle of the big weight boys and girls. They are using big weights in what the others call ACCESSORY work. 225 curls, Dips for poundage and reps. Their gym bags are equal parts equipment such as wrist wraps to hold onto bars, various belts, clothing to switch into and out of, as it is supplements. Pre workout, mid workout, after peeing workout, post workout. Chicken...plenty of chicken breast. IN tupperwear. Plain chicken, not dressed in anything but maybe a skirt of broccoli . But that's IT!
The Moms group are those that are body conscious, but not bodybuilding conscious. They want to look good, but they are ok looking good IN clothes, and not so much being nekkid. They like their "social" time. Don't get me wrong, they're not in the gym to pass time between hair, nail appointments and PTA and kid pick up. No, no , no..they are serious about what they are doing, just not life and death for them. As long as their butts are sore from squatting and lunging and the jiggle goes away from their arms and "FUPAS" they are ok.
Last are the Endurance people. The 10K, Marathon, Triathlon folks. Fitbit wearing, calorie counting, mileage accumulating technicolor blurs of metabolic inferno.
These people need NO one to communicate with, nor bother. Give them the assignment, a few coaching points and stand back to let them BLAZE away.
I'm sure there are more that I am leaving out for now, but these are the basics from my experience.
Each group has it's alphas and it's omegas.
Antics range from Humorous experiences that range in a person' s past from a few minutes prior, to "back when I was a kid".
There are the passed on heard jokes that give everyone within ear shot a chance to practice their gratuitous laugh that can be used again at parties, to the actual CONTACT as in slaps, pokes, prods, and punches. Heck even today I had to CHOKE a training partner.
All in all, I know my gym is in full throttle when I hear the clank of weights, the grunts of effort, the yells from "the burn" to the laughter of conversations. I know we are on point when I look up from instructing someone's technique and see arms wrapped around others shoulders, high fives and fist bumps of approvals, to the extended UNTIL AWKWARD hugs that I am notorious of giving being multiplied and transferred.
Check out YOUR gym tomorrow. See if you can fit some of your regulars into mine.
Cheers!
Our menu for today:
Dynamic Squat: 8x2x60%
Dead Lift: 8x1x60%
GHR: 4x10
Sprints: 5x100