I saw a post today that got me heated- I know big fucking surprise. So I decided to puke out a few lines and see if I can shine rays of my bright personality on the subject. This post (that I saw) condensed into as few words as possible said; “if you've ever been bullied, exploited, harassed, or discouraged from being the best you can be” you'll always have a place at this gym to train.
Now I’ve trained there, several months at a time on and off, and I was actually provoked by one of these “snowflake” lifters, and after a small physical altercation, he left the gym. So from the jump, the post is just bullshit- but after we left and they came back- this gym is a proper fit for them, I’m all for it for the most part, here’s my issue with the whole thing.
This gym, this group of people are extra positive, always clapping, cheering, and Atta boys are raining down at every rep. They gather around and yell the typical “you got this” “kill it” accompanied by stale queues such as “hips” “back” “lock it out” when in reality if you asked them why they said it they wouldn’t have a clue as to why. Cookies Cakes Donuts and even cheap sweet flavored whiskey are training mainstays. Any given day is a comparison to a teenage roller skating rink B-day party (do they still have roller rinks?)
Throw in a passionate, arrogant lifter who is more concerned with winning and getting better and the chemistry of the whole gym changes. People will change days; the little cliques start to form, rumors’-shit talk, etc. Conflict becomes too much for some and the “I’ll leave if so and so stays” starts. This is where it gets ridiculous to me.
So someone takes something more serious then you do, and that offends you? Someone has given more of their self to a sport you aren’t willing to fuck yourself up for, and that offends you? A person laughs when you clap in unison even when someone misses a rep, and THAT offends you???
See the gym, is a lot like life sometimes it gets heavy and fucks you up. You get yourself up dust off and get back at it, sometimes over and over. When life kicks you in the dick, no one is there to clap or cheer you on. Life is tough, and you’ll realize someday (hopefully sooner than later) all the positive bullshit won’t stop the world from being a shitty cold and callused place. So maybe take a lesson from the “asshole” at the gym. I’m not saying deviate from your cupcake ways but look at that guy with an open mind; he is the way he is for a reason.
I've always thought powerlifting as a whole was a mix of so many walks of life which made it even more interesting. Cops and robbers, Preachers and thugs, drug dealers and drug addicts, straight, gay, fat, ugly, skinny, pretty and no one gave a fuck. Everyone came from everywhere to get STRONGER- when did that stop being the point of strength training?
Think of it like this, if you have this pseudo-thought process that everything is all glitter and rainbows, how will you react when the cupcake you all seem to love so much hits the proverbial fan? Outside your safe space is the real world and people are shitty, you will be tested, you will fail, you will hurt, you will be miserable, but (for me at least) the gym has taught me a valuable life lesson.
No matter how hard you try, you have ZERO control over life. All you can do is give anything you love 100%, that way if, in the end, it doesn’t work out the way you intended you can look the man in the mirror and be proud knowing you gave it you're all. If you don’t think like that- then what’s the point?