These are often little things that may or may not have any significant consequences to the clients or athletes, but as a trainer/coach it (for some reason) means the world to me. Some of these are legit concerns and some are to be taken in jest.
Box jumps performed the wrong way: I love the box jump; it's a great power exercise and has a ton of carryover to most sports. However, the number of times that I see this exercise performed the wrong way is astounding. People just want to use the highest box possible, with no concern for form. FYI: using a higher box doesn't mean you're actually jumping higher; nor does it mean your vertical jump is equal to that box. This bugs me so much that I'm going to be writing an article about it pretty soon that I hope to get posted elsewhere!
Putting an Olympic weightlifting bar into the rack. This one may seem silly, but it's half serious. Oly bars are special (expensive) bars. They spin beautifully and have knurling that is just sharp enough to hold your grip, but just smooth enough to not shred your hands. They are made for cleans and snatches and should be used for such. Sure, you can deadlift with them and stuff, but I believe that they really don't ever have to sit in a rack. That's what Texas Power Bars are for. I hate going to use an Oly bar and finding that the spot I'm going to grip for a snatch is covered in black plastic because it's been racked so many times. Barbells are the tools of our trade; treat them with the respect they deserve!
The Manta Ray. This is a piece of equipment that actually holds the bar in place on your back while you perform squats or lunges. It's not a sissy-pad that softens it, but it actually rests on your traps and holds the bar. It's stupid and I hate it. It takes all the feel out of the exercise. Learning how to hold a bar on your back to squat is one of the basic tenets of strength and conditioning. If it's uncomfortable, then you need to build bigger traps or wear a hoodie while you squat. Sack up and friggin' squat.
Note: This piece of equipment can, occasionally, be useful for someone with an injury.
Trainers who complain about not having clients. There is no shortage of clients out there, and we all (more or less) have equal access to them. If your schedule isn't as full as you want, go out and do something about it. Take an honest look at what you're doing, and figure out whats wrong. Is your approach to selling off? Do you not have enough knowledge? Do you not try hard enough? Figure it out or talk to one of the more successful trainers at your gym. We've all been through it, so hopefully they can give you some advice. Sitting down and complaining about it won't do you any good, though.
That's it for today. I hope you all go do something awesome and lift some heavy shit today! Enjoy your weekend!
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