Millions of people around the world have used the Starting Strength
method to train in a wide variety of gyms. They have done their
training either in a Starting Strength Gym, in an affiliate gym, in
their home, or, for many of us, in a commercial gym. Let’s be
honest, Starting Strength stands in diametric opposition to nearly
everything about a commercial gym, but this does not mean you cannot
be highly successful training in such an environment.
I personally have had
memberships at globo gyms, non-profit gyms like the YMCA, and even a
high-level barbell club that turned out a national champion in raw
powerlifting. I have also had the pleasure to drop in at the SS Gym
nearest to me a few times. Over the years I have learned that how
you train is more important than where you train. Nonetheless,
some challenges and insecurities can arise when you are training in a
commercial gym. The following is my best advice to motivate yourself,
overcome challenges, and ultimately to be the person that everyone
else at Globo Gym envies.
Assumptions
on Equipment
Before I proceed, I
must remove the assumption that you have a perfect gym in which to
train. You must have available to you a good barbell, appropriate
plates, a quality power rack, a suitable bench, a level platform, and
be allowed to use chalk. If your commercial gym is deficient in any
of these, cancel your membership immediately and find another gym
that meets your criteria. If the gym has all of the equipment but
does not allow chalk, you may be able to carefully chalk your hands
with your own chalk over a trash can. I have done this and no one
complained because I was respectful, and they all saw how much I was
deadlifting compared to everyone else in the gym. Avoiding eye
contact and ignoring everyone else helps get by the rules, too. Wipe
or brush the chalk off the bar at the end of your workout and it is
likely that no one will complain.
Be
Self-Confident
Many people can be
self-conscious when going to a new place, or when trying something
new in a familiar place. If trying something new in a new place, it
can double the apprehension one may feel. This is especially true
when there will be an audience. No one bought a ticket to watch you
squat, press, and deadlift at the local Globo Gym today, but still
you may feel like everyone in the weight room is watching your
performance. Well, good. Let them. Let them see what you are doing.
Let them be enlightened.
I discourage anyone from hiding in the rack in the corner or being
quiet with their deadlift out of fear of drawing attention to
themselves. Be confident, but not loud. You are doing the right
thing, and what others think does not matter. If you are following
the Starting Strength method, you are working on – or have already
developed – the best lifting technique there is. If you are
following the Novice Linear Progression or a custom program from your
online Starting Strength Coach, you are making progress in your
strength and body composition. What you are doing will be different
than what others at the Globo Gym are doing, but know that what you
are doing is superior.
Recently at my gym, a
woman approached me on a busy Saturday morning and exclaimed, “I
love how you own this gym! All of these men around you
and you don’t care.” She’s right; I don’t care about anything
but good training.
Filming Yourself
If you are working with
an SSC online, you are likely to be filming your workouts. Even
self-sufficient lifters like myself will film all or some sets for
our personal use. Filming at Globo Gym seems to make people anxious
(the people filming themselves, that is). Let me remind you to be
self-confident in what you are doing, and that includes filming
yourself for the purpose of improving your technique. You are not
filming yourself doing leg curls in booty shorts like an Insta-thot.
You are not a wanker whose friend is recording him doing preacher
curls to get likes on TikTok. Perhaps TikTok will not be around by
the time this article is published, so sub in the name of whatever
video app the gym bros are using at the present time.
As a Starting Strength lifter, you have a legitimate need to film
your lifts. If anyone at Globo Gym asks about filming or makes a
comment, just say, “I film everything for my coach.” Just using
the word “coach” at Globo Gym makes most people shut up and move
on because they don’t have a coach, and now they will think about
their life choices (“I don’t have a coach. That lady has a coach.
Should I have a coach? Where would I even find one?”). Yes, you may
call yourself coach if you are coaching yourself.
Invest in a tripod.
When making a purchase, remember that you get what you pay for. A $10
tripod from buycrap.com will disappoint you out of the box, and
likely will not make it through one workout without breaking. A $200
tripod from the local camera store is unnecessary because you are
going to the gym, not on a safari. Tiny tripods usually will not give
you a good angle if they sit on the floor. If you have to put a
tripod on a piece of equipment to make it the right height, you will
rightly be accused of hogging equipment. Most lifts need to be filmed
from hip height, and a short tripod cannot do that. Neither can a
phone propped up on a water bottle. Just buy a decent tripod with
adjustable height.
Where you put the
tripod matters to your coach or whoever will be using the video.
Finding the right distance, angle, height, etc. takes time to figure
out. Just keep experimenting. What makes it more complicated at Globo
Gym is the presence and movement of other people. Avoid having other
people in your shot because they may give you a hard time about it.
Avoid setting up your camera in a place where someone may walk
between you and the camera.
The best place to set up a tripod is at the corner of the platform
that is attached to the power rack. If your gym does not have a
platform attached to the power rack, just visualize in your head
where the corner of a platform would be. Once Globo Gym members see
you doing serious training they are unlikely to complain about your
tripod.
Asking
for a Spot
Much as already been
written on spotting in SSBBT3 and at startingstrength.com. Always use a spotter for high intensity or limit bench presses. Using
the pins or safeties at the proper height in the power rack is
typically all you need for a safe squat, bench, or press. There is
no point in having a spot for deadlifts, power cleans, or any other
exercises. If someone offers to spot you on an exercise that does not
require a spot, tell him where to go.
In the context of Globo
Gym, it is most important to find someone who you trust to spot your
bench press. Typically I ask the gym staff for a spot. The staff has
a very good reason to ensure a safe bench press: their jobs and
reputation. If the staff is not available, assertively ask someone
that you have seen benching for a spot. Whether it is a staff member
or a fellow bench presser who spots you, clearly and concisely
dictate how many reps you are doing and that the bar is only touched
if absolutely necessary, which means that you are indeed really stuck
or in real danger of getting hurt.
How
to Handle Unsolicited Advice
There is no shortage of
unsolicited advice about lifting at Globo Gym, and it often comes
immediately after you got that spot for which you asked. The
“personal trainers” on staff are looking to start a conversation
with anyone who will listen in order to get new clients. Members who
have been there for decades want to tell you how they did it “back
in the day.” Do not listen to anything these people say. You have
in your SSC one of the very best in the industry. If you are working
your way through the NLP on your own, you have the best method known
to man and everything you need to know is in The Blue Book or at
startingstrength.com.
I have heard the most
asinine advice while working out at Globo Gym. Let me share some of
these gems so that we can all laugh at them together:
“You should squat
with plates under your heels.” – Someone who started
bodybuilding in the 70s
“Warming up with
resistance bands helps you lift more.” – The personal training
manager thinking he was teaching me something
“Your hips are too
high when you deadlift.” – A person who doesn’t know anything
about deadlifting
“Exhale as you push.” – Someone who lifts less than I do
“Touching the bar to
your chest on the bench ruins your shoulders.” – Someone who
thought I should listen to him because he “used to play football”
“Don’t pause your
squat at the bottom; it makes it harder.” – Ok, that is true, but
what the commentator did not know is that my SSC programmed pause
squats for a specific reason: to make it harder.
I share these examples
not only in jest, but also to prepare you for the deluge of
foolishness that awaits you when you undertake serious training at
Globo Gym. Be self-confident and do not allow their comments to
influence you. If people are bothering you, wearing headphones sends
a great signal that you do not want to talk. If someone talks to you
with your headphones in, just ignore them. If anyone gets a word in
with you, just say, “Thanks. I already have a great coach,” and
keep training. Whatever you do, do not get discouraged.
Doing serious training
in a commercial gym with your SSC or following the NLP on your own is
possible. Make it happen and do not let any situation in your
environment deter you from training. If you keep training
consistently for many months you will put a lot of weight on your
bar, you will get strong, and eventually you may develop a sort of
fan base at Globo Gym. You will get compliments on your strength,
your form, and your dedication to training. You will be asked
questions about how others can replicate your results. Remember that
how you train is more important than where you train.
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