Reactions To Muscle

Haven't commented on this thread in a while...

[b said:
Quote[/b] ]Perhaps the aforementioned behavior is a result of bodybuilding magazines, but I can certainly say people my age (18-22) seem to have great knowledge on bodybuilding.
Click to expand...

Scooper, I agree when it comes to form, but not routine.

[b said:
Quote[/b] ]This further cemented my impression that the vast majority of personal trainers don't know what they're talking about.
Click to expand...

I currently workout at Penn State's main gym - and some of the lead student trainers don't stare at me with disbelief, but with some respect of my routine and form. I get pissed when I see guys whether they are bigger or smaller than me have horrible eccentric form and let the weight slam down to boost their ego. I noticed a couple of the trainers - when they work out - do full body workouts which is a good thing and concentrate on eccentric movements like it was their job... oh wait, it is.

Brings me to mind about this summer back home when I was doing leg presses. I was working in with two other guys and they asked what weight I wanted and I gave them some obscure number that was calculated for that given day in my cycle. Apparently they only know weights on leg press by increments of 90 lbs.

-Colby
 
This is a really interesting thread. I think about the sociological aspect of having muscles a lot. Here's why...

Prior to starting to lift, I wasn't small, but I was obviously untrained, and I had a beatlesque mop top and glasses (still have the glasses), a really unthreatening look. People used to be really dismissive of me, like my social standing was automatically at the bottom of the dumpster. The default behavior for many random strangers was to treat me with subtle rudeness. I put on about 50bs of muscle in the past 5 years, shaved my head and grew a beard. Now its the opposite. People go out of their way to accomodate me, its so profound and weird. My arms are 19", as is my neck, I'm 6ft tall and 303lbs. People always ask me if I played football, which I didn't (was a skinny wrestler @145lb weight class. I am treated with a lot of respect now. Anyone else experience this change in treatement?

People don't mess with me in bars, generally. I've been in situations where there's someone who wants to tussle with one of my buddies and it always breaks up when I get involved. Nobody wants to look me in the eye.

Friends have warned me about getting into fights, they say I'll likely get shot because I'm too big to fight.
 
mj0llnir, getting shot bacause your to big to fight might be true- but its a really dum reason not to fight. What about, its simply not cool to beat up people?  :)
Firminator, man I love your nick! Thats so funny!
 
Hahaha I love the bar fight comments. I have two very strong friends who actually lift all the time yet don't care at all about having a good physique. They tell me they lift for what they call the "most noble reason"--bar fights.
 
I had a fight with a drunk guy outside once, he tried to pick up some scaffolding to hit me with --- it was still attached to the construction!! LOL

But back on track, when I started working out at my new job and mentioned working out, the first thing I got asked was "How much you benching?". Funny thing was, I just got my new home-gym and this guy had just got a membership to Holmes Place (*85/month). I noticed a different attitude aswell once everyone realised that I was dedicated to working out (overeating, training like clockwork etc). He was obviously one of those "I have a gym membership and its expensive" crowd. But he kind of stopped talking to me about it once he realised I was serious - and he was ovbiously part-time.

I'm still only small, 6'1", bout 165lbs but low BF and I think I'm looking quite good. I've put on quite a bit of LBM (I used to be skinny). The wife thinks I look great (she said she didnt like muscle before but now I'm packing on she seems to be into the bigger build). But like has been mentioned before, she doesnt want me to get too big. If anyone has been watching WWE and seen Bobby Lashley - well she sure as hell don't want that! John Cena or Randy Orton is probably as far as she'd like and I'd prolly say the same. But my main driving force for getting in the "Game" is to look better (like I said, I was too skinny), get more healthy and I just love the pump! Man, most times I get 1/4 to 1/2 inch pump - amazing...wish I could keep it on!
 
I think the worst\best comments\looks I get, in the gym and out, are in regards to veins, LOL. Even when my BF% is up, like it is right now around 13%, I am extremely vascular. Kind of like multiple ropes running from my shoulders to my wrists. (Same in the legs from mid thigh to ankle). When I'm down around 8-10% it's even worse. Granted, I'm not HUGE, but at 5'11", 190lb, I guess when I'm in the midst of a routine, I looke pretty uh, formidable?

Anyway, I'm working out the other day, doing bent over rows in an old tank top, and this guy actually walked up to me and asked if I had some sort of "condition", LOL. :) I looked at him and asked what he meant, and he stated that the veins in my arms appeared as though they were going to break through the skin, hehe. He was your typical kind of in shape, does aerobics and ab crunches till he's blue in the face kind of guy.

I also don't actually get comments from women in the gym, but as I'm walking to the next lift, they generally tend to vear away from me. In some ways, it's kind of neat, but in others, I feel like asking exactly what they think I'm going to do to them!
 
[b said:
Quote[/b] (Rotlex @ Nov. 21 2005,4:51)]this guy actually walked up to me and asked if I had some sort of "condition", LOL. :)
Click to expand...
The women dont want your "condition" exploding blood all in their pretty faces!

I have the same thing. I look like one of those manga characters when they go nuts - dont bring a knife near me or its niagra falls time. Wife loves it tho ;)
 
Ha! Bar fights! Yes, well I am not quite 5-9 and hover between 235-250. seems like some guy 300 lb and 6-5 always wants to start something. Otherwise I always run into that 'well I have a friend and he is a lot bigger than you and can becnh 600lbs...20 times and he don't even work out.
 
There is another thing I don't think we covered yet. People ask me to lift things for them.

All the time.

At work, at home, for my parents, my parents neighbors, a lady even stoped me on the street and had me move this big terra cotta pot for her. Couches, Refrigerators, Crates, pots, ....you name it. I don't mind, but you gotta watch out .. it is a good way to injure you back. I feel like it says United Van Lines across my back...but I take it as a complement none the less.

Bob
tounge.gif
tounge.gif
 
lol I shown my sister my bicep the other day she said "eeerrrrr" as in gros lol. To me it was a compliment though. I'm 5,11 and 155lbs lol so I dunno what she was so descusted about lol wonder what she will say when I get bigger.
 
Yeah, I love that. I was at a meeting the other day and my boss kept looking at me funny. I asked him what was the matter and he said, "Your arms are huge! Have you been working out or something?" That was a nice ego boost.

There was also an incident at work the other day where the maintenance man came to work on a piece of equipment that wasn't working. I had placed it up on a high shelf out of the way. The maintenance man had to get someone to help him get it down, and then again to put it back up there. When they asked who put it up there, I shrugged and told them I had done it. They looked at me all weird. I guess because people aren't really used to me being strong yet. It's only really been a year since I've starting to really grow.

Still, all that stuff really keeps me motivated to keep working out. Haha.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top