Re: OT- Social Hour at the Squat Rack

Matt Plummer

2007-02-01

All of you are amazing. I try so hard to not react to everything you are saying,
but I end up so pissed off I have to speak up. Its hard for me to understand
that the only way a person can be fit, strong, cool, and even healthy is to
ride a bike. Heaven forbid people having other enjoyment and aspirations beyond
cycling. So what if a person only works out to have larger muscles or to look
better. Maybe ask yourselves why you do many things you do. I'm willing to bet
a lot of your answers are going to be pretty funky.

As for the grunting, its related to something called the Valsalva Maneuver. This
involves trying to exhale to a closed throat, which builds pressure in the
abdomen. When this pressure is released it generates a grunting type sound.
This is only beneficial in certain types of exercises. I can't speak for all of
the grunters, but most seem to be doing this correctly.

And the standing around. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends 2-5
minutes of rest between sets for strength training. This is not muscular
endurance or lifting for hypertrophy, this is for pure strength. So resting
up to 5 minutes between sets makes for a lot of standing around.

Also, I'm pretty sure that spin class and riding bikes are two different things.
I've yet to go to a spin class that is designed for cyclists, they are designed
to give people power and endurance workouts. I've been criticized in the past
for doing things too much like a cyclist and not getting the full benefit of
what the instructor is trying to pass on. So there are certainly benefits to
changing your style a bit.

What I'm trying to put across with this message is that people go to the gym and
do things for different reasons, a lot of reasons that we don't understand.
Isn't that the best part of all of this. So many types of people with so many
different goals coming to one place to share the activities of the gym. Maybe
thats why there's so much socializing. It seems like some folks on the list
might be a little too critical of what others are doing. Maybe its time to be a
little more critical of ourselves.

Matt Plummer

Quoting "Keith A. Prior" :

> I do spin classes and just flog myself!
> I get my HR pretty jacked pedaling to no where. I usually only get to the
> puke
> point out at Alpenrose but spin classes come close. If you ever want to
> indulge
> in a spin class be sure you warm up somehow before you start.
>
> Too bad those spin bikes can't show the watts being put out by each bike!
> Then we would really see how deep "Spin Bike Barbie" is digging! ;)
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: obra-bounces@list.obra.org [mailto:obra-bounces@list.obra.org]On
> Behalf Of Malcolm, Gary
> Sent: Thursday, February 01, 2007 8:47 AM
> To: obra@list.obra.org
> Subject: Re: [OBRA Chat] OT- Social Hour at the Squat Rack
>
>
>
> Thomas,
>
> This year, for the first time, I purchased a 4 month membership at a gym in
> Eugene just for the spin classes. I promised the wife that I would not train
> at night and to tell you the truth, it's been flipping cold lately. So most
> weekdays I haul my butt out of bed at 4:15 and spin for 30 or 40 minutes by
> myself and then take a 60 minute spin class. (I just walk by the muscle
> fatties as they are grunting - or lounging - away... pointless)
>
> I don't know about your classes but the gals at Gold's Gym are ruthless
> monsters. Outside of a race, I have never consistently worked as hard as I
> have when an otherwise pleasant aerobics instructor is screaming in my ear
> that I need to 'dig deeper', or 'I thought you were a bike racer?', or 'Is
> that all you've got?' Admittedly I turn up the tension more than the typical
> spin junkie... Or perhaps I'm just lucky.
>
> And then I end the workout with a 10 minute sauna. Pleasant.
>
> You may judge for yourself the results of a mud and ice free training regime
> on the 18th.
>
> Gary "$pinMonkeeG" Malcolm
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Thomas Hoffman [mailto:t.hoffman10@verizon.net]
> Sent: Thursday, February 01, 2007 8:15 AM
> To: 'Evan MacKenzie'; 'Heather VanValkenburg'; obra@list.obra.org
> Subject: Re: [OBRA Chat] OT- Social Hour at the Squat Rack
>
> >>>He said he has a bike that he occasionally rides to the gym, but
> apparently the thought of doing something other than driving to the gym to
> work out was completely foreign to him. What kind of society do we live in
> that people think like this?<<<
>
> I went to a spin class at Bally's and the instructor chewed me out after
> because I didn't follow his specific instructions as to where to put my
> hands. I was using the bars to stretch my back during a cool down section
> of the work out.
>
> It was funny because a few months earlier I had sold the guy some shoes. He
> had just earned his "SPIN CLASS" teaching certificate. We asked him how
> much he rides his bike, I don't think he had one. Or had any interest in
> cycling.
>
> It is to bad that so many folks have this attitude about spin class vs
> riding outside. If they can do Spin class three days a week, they will
> certainly have no problem riding outside. I bet a few of them will be able
> put some serious hurt on the rest of us at PIR.
> Maybe we should go an a recruiting spree. Help these folks being oppressed
> by Corporate Gymnasium free themselves from the persecution of monthly dues,
> sweat covered weight benches and mildewed locker rooms.
>
> YES! FREEDOM! THY NAME IS OBRA!!
>
>
> .oops...gotta go... the squat rack just opened up..
>
>
> Thomas Hoffman
> RE/MAX equity group
> 503-495-5607 Direct
> 503-475-3417 Cell
> www.tomshometeam.com
>
> Check out this great Listing!
>
>
> Click here to view your eCard
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: obra-bounces@list.obra.org [mailto:obra-bounces@list.obra.org] On
> Behalf Of Evan MacKenzie
> Sent: Thursday, February 01, 2007 7:57 AM
> To: Heather VanValkenburg; obra@list.obra.org
> Subject: Re: [OBRA Chat] OT- Social Hour at the Squat Rack
>
> Losers.
>
> I've always wanted to do this, but never have.
> You walk up to someone in the gym and ask them "Hey, what what they are
> training for?" I'd bet you 9 out of ten would look at you dumbfounded
> because they don't want to admit that it's just vanity (That, and they don't
> know what dumbfounded or vanity mean). Then you say, "No, I mean, what sport
> do you do that you are lifting weights for? Are you a cyclist, do you play
> football or soccer, you know?"
>
> "Uh, I'm just here to lift weights."
>
> "So you don't actually do anything then?"
>
> "Uh, I guess not."
>
>
> My wife and I started going to spin class last fall when the days got
> shorter (boring!). The instructor was complaining because when the Hillsboro
> Aquatic Center (which has a pool, weight room and other fitness stuff) was
> closed DURING THE SUMMER, he didn't have anywhere to work out. He said he
> has a bike that he occasionally rides to the gym, but apparently the thought
> of doing something other than driving to the gym to work out was completely
> foreign to him. What kind of society do we live in that people think like
> this? That is SO WRONG!
>
> OK, that's the end of my Thursday morning rant.
>
> -Evan
>  
>  
> ------------- __o
> ---------- _ '\<,_
> ----------(_)/ (_)______Get on your bikes and ride!
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: obra-bounces@list.obra.org [mailto:obra-bounces@list.obra.org] On
> Behalf Of Heather VanValkenburg
> Sent: Wednesday, January 31, 2007 8:53 PM
> To: obra@list.obra.org
> Subject: [OBRA Chat] OT- Social Hour at the Squat Rack
>
> Enough about number sizes and onto a very serious issue...
>
> WHAT'S WITH ALL THE GUYS (I don't see women doing this) AT THE GYM THAT COME
>
> TO JUST HANG OUT? Seriously, they come in, they hang out and talk to their
> buddies, (usually in the way), they LOOK like they might be there to
> workout, since they are wearing the approprite workout attire, but they
> don't lift a single weight. I mean, you don't just accidentally drop by the
> gym to hang out, right? What's up with that?
>
> Does this happen where you work out?
>
> Are you one of THEM?
>
> What should we call THEM?
>
>
>
> -Heather VanValkenburg
>
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