PDA

View Full Version : The Cold Shoulder in a Powerlifting Gym



rbowman91
02-11-14, 1:01 pm
im a former bodybuilder who switched to powerlifting about 7 months ago. my first meet is this June. i dont expect to win anything, i just want to NOT get any red lights and hit my attempts.

one thing im noticing is that i tend to get the cold shoulder from a lot of the senior powerlifting 'gurus' in my gym, due to my former bodybuilding. dont get me wrong, these guys are very impressive lifters, but there is clearly some kinda negativity towards me being in their turf. first i thought it was imagined, but over time its pretty apparent.

honestly though, this kind of thing just makes me want to do the meet even more and kick some fuckin ass with my lifts. this kinda thing always seems to get me going (just like how being 'the small kid' is what made me go from 135 soaking wet to 190 with clean mass gain over the past 5 years. i am 5'7 and 22 years old so for me this was a nice gain)


its ashame that some people treat lifting as an exclusive club. i hope i NEVER become that way, but this kind of thing can be very motivating. has anyone ever experienced this type of thing in a powerlifting gym? wondering what other's take on this will be.

i cant wait to hit the platform in june! my goal is: hit all of my attempts with good form and do my best. thats all!

rbowman91
02-11-14, 1:04 pm
CLARIFICATION: this is NOT to badmouth the gym. there are many friendly powerlifters in there. im just referring to a few of the old 'top dogs' in there.

Firefist
02-11-14, 1:45 pm
Hear you loud and clear brother. I used to train my ass off to get stronger in spite of people who looked down on me. Now, my mindset has changed;

I don't care how strong you are. You could pull 900 pounds or 90 pounds. If you're a a disrespectful, self-absorbed prick, I don't want any association with you. No matter how knowledgeable you may be or how much I could benefit, I won't trade decency for 10 pounds on my bench.

Good for you brother, hit some PR's and do work.

Big Wides
02-11-14, 2:21 pm
I don't think it is a powerlifting gym thing but more of people being dickheads than anything else. I encounter the same thing and I train in a Commercial gym. There are people who act this way for no reason, most of the time people who walk around like their shit don't stink are just covering up the huge pile of shit they left somewhere else

papercut
02-11-14, 6:22 pm
I don't think it is a powerlifting gym thing but more of people being dickheads than anything else. I encounter the same thing and I train in a Commercial gym. There are people who act this way for no reason, most of the time people who walk around like their shit don't stink are just covering up the huge pile of shit they left somewhere else

This. I also lift at a "commercial" gym and experience the same thing.

GunRock
02-11-14, 8:57 pm
Where do you train? I visit family in DC periodically and I've never found a good place to train. I tried calling a local Crossfit Box on the off chance my wife and I could train there and they told me that their gym was strictly for locals who might sign up.

I plan to be up there for Mother's Day weekend so I'd like to have somewhere to Deadlift and Overhead Press (that's what's scheduled).

rbowman91
02-12-14, 9:13 am
Where do you train? I visit family in DC periodically and I've never found a good place to train. I tried calling a local Crossfit Box on the off chance my wife and I could train there and they told me that their gym was strictly for locals who might sign up.

I plan to be up there for Mother's Day weekend so I'd like to have somewhere to Deadlift and Overhead Press (that's what's scheduled).

you are right in that finding a hardcore PL place to train is difficult in DC. you do have some options however if you know where to look. check it out:

1. if your a member of a Gold's get a travel pass and go to the one in Tysons Corner. it was RECENTLY bought by Golds gym. it is NOT your 'typical' golds. it used to be run by a powerlifter, so their entire freeweight section is designed for powerlifting (deadlift platform, multiple squat racks, bumper plates, chains, chalk, thick bars, yoke bar, etc etc). this is where the local powerlifting team trains with their coach, and this is where i train. its in the bottom of an office building. kinda strange. but if youre not a member of golds they'll rape you on the day fee.

2. your best bet is probably Supreme Sports Performance & Training in Rockville MD, (about 15 min from DC). This is 10 bucks for a day fee, and is a TRUE private powerlifting gym. The guy who runs it is a USAPL coaching committee big dog, and it has everything for powerlifting. no machines or anything except a glute ham raise and reverse hyper.

3. Aggressive Strenggth and Conditioning in Chantilly VA is also good, but theres no staff and you need a member to let you in. its a warehouse gym. so its a crapshoot as far as whether or not you can even get in the door.

Universal Rep
02-12-14, 9:58 am
Welp. Lets be honest. Theres still animosity between powerlifters and bodybuilders. Many from each sport dont think too highly of athletes from the others, lets not kid ourselves. Now of course Animal is strivin to change that and show that its not about the differences, the lines that separate one sport from another... Instead, Animal wants to focus in on the things that both sports share in common. And there are tons of stuff. Think about the vids or the CAGE and how that brings everyone together. But I dont think this view is held by everyone out there. Not even close.

DoubleTapJak
02-12-14, 10:04 am
I think if anything, the gym tends to magnify personality traits. Meaning the guys I can't stand to run into at a party are the same ones I'd rather not have to ask for a spot. Other side of the coin, there are some really great guys I know that are much more into aesthetics than I am who are still happy to help out and give me useful advice. You're doing it right by not letting these guys get to you and instead using it to fuel your journey.

rbowman91
02-12-14, 10:52 am
Welp. Lets be honest. Theres still animosity between powerlifters and bodybuilders. Many from each sport dont think too highly of athletes from the others, lets not kid ourselves. Now of course Animal is strivin to change that and show that its not about the differences, the lines that separate one sport from another... Instead, Animal wants to focus in on the things that both sports share in common. And there are tons of stuff. Think about the vids or the CAGE and how that brings everyone together. But I dont think this view is held by everyone out there. Not even close.

I think this is EXACTLY whats going on. i just hate the 'black and white' approach. i have so much respect for guys like Sam Byrd who can hop between each sport and do great. I think my former bodybuilding is definitely what gets a 'scoff' from the powerlifters in my gym when im training around then (even though im running the 5/3/1 powerlifting program). I also LOOK more like a bodybuilder than a powerlifter, which isnt helping my cause in there (an exact term i heard in there was calling bodybuilders 'pumped up retards'. that guy is a real treat to be around lol). BUT im friendly and kinda just keep to myself when i train. I dont like to chat too much regardless when training so i guess its not a big deal as long as im doing work and setting PR's.

i love how companies like ANIMAL bring it all together. its good for both sports.

rbowman91
02-12-14, 10:54 am
I think if anything, the gym tends to magnify personality traits. Meaning the guys I can't stand to run into at a party are the same ones I'd rather not have to ask for a spot. Other side of the coin, there are some really great guys I know that are much more into aesthetics than I am who are still happy to help out and give me useful advice. You're doing it right by not letting these guys get to you and instead using it to fuel your journey.

this is VERY true. i know my best AND worst has come out in the gym over the past couple years.

World Eater
02-12-14, 1:54 pm
I don't think it is a powerlifting gym thing but more of people being dickheads than anything else. I encounter the same thing and I train in a Commercial gym. There are people who act this way for no reason, most of the time people who walk around like their shit don't stink are just covering up the huge pile of shit they left somewhere else
Most likely a case of people being dickheads (got a lot of them on this planet) but online I see the cold shoulder thing more often. Might be how USA powerlifters talk tough but there's a LOT of articles on EliteFTS where they talk about powerlifting guys (especially West Side Barbell) and how "this and that guy (insert 'big name' in the sport) wouldn't even look at me until I started putting up serious numbers" and stuff like that.