Dave Tate artikel !

[Thomas J]

Der var en glimrende 2-delt Dave Tate artikel i det nye EFS newsletter. Jeg kan ikke umiddelbart finde artiklen på hjemmesiden, så i tilfælde af at de kun var for dem som modtager EFS nyhedsbrevet, så poster jeg hermed artiklen.

"New Article by Dave Tate

Part One

Sick of Your Gym?

The more I read and travel the more I find the same issue coming up time and

time again. I hear it from fellow powerlifters and get a ton of questions on how

to deal with it. Though I train at Westside, my traveling and busy schedule

still allows me to experience this first hand. The issue has to do with finding

a good training facility.

I was introduced to the sport of power lifting and training in a small 20x40

private “pit” of a gym in Findlay, Ohio. This place was a hole in the wall but

had everything we needed to get bigger and stronger. We had one power rack, one

platform, a lat machine and some benches. During this time all I would ever

dream about was getting out. I would read magazines like Muscle and Fiction and

see the huge training centers and knew this is where I had to be to get bigger

and stronger. Is this not where the strong get stronger and the big get bigger?

As luck would have it I found one of these places during my time in college.

This place had all the best machines, mirrors, locker rooms, aerobic equipment,

juice bar and hot chicks walking around from time to time. It took me about 2

weeks to figure out I up rooted myself right into HELL. I ran into many of the

same issues many of you are still dealing with. These include but are not

limited to the following:

1. Gym owners and other staff: These are the same people who love you the minute

you walk into the door but then realize you are “Hard core” and bad for

business. They feel you are bad for business because you scare the members away

and break down the equipment. What they do not see is the time you spend giving

lift offs, spots and advice to these other members while the staff busy on the

phone or whatever else they spend their time doing behind the Iron Gated Front

Desk. Did you ever wonder why the other members ask you for advice and spots? Is

it because you are the only one there who LOOKS like you know what you are

doing? Or is it because the staff can’t be found when they need help. I can

remember early Saturday morning workouts where I would walk into the gym for a

bench session and have to wait ½ hour for anyone to show up so I could get a

spot or at least someone to call 911 if I killed myself. God forbid I ask the

geek behind the desk who is too busy confirming his (HIS?) nail appointment for

a lift off or spot. After a couple of weeks, you either get a personal phone

call, letter or a legal summons to see the manager about “your issues”. At this

point you are asked to tone down your training because you are scaring the other

members. First, I would love to see the member that goes to see the owner and

says, “I am afraid of that fat skinhead. You know the one, right? He grunts

when I’m trying to talk on my cell phone. So loud in fact, that I can barely

hear the TV when I’m on the recumbent bike. {Note: There is no one more

freaking lazy than the people that use these bikes. Whenever I see some fat ass

pedaling on one of these things, I feel like taking that useless towel he or she

wears around the neck (this signifies that he is “getting fit”) and snapping his

ass right out of the gym.}”He scares me so much that I may just take my business

elsewhere. I am going to join the gym down the street” I think this is all a

bunch of bullshit that they use to get you out so they can have their “Happy

Place” of geeks in spandex. Second, what about the people that wear spandex but

don’t quite have the body for it? I understand the freedoms of America, but

spandex is a privilege, not a right. I guarantee that most people in the gym

would like to see these people go well before I get canned. I am all for people

having a positive opinion of themselves, but let’s not get carried away.

2. Chalk: This is one I never really understood. Chalk and barbells go together

like bread and butter. They have been together forever but these places have

done their best to separate the two. Could you imagine a gymnastics center with

a big sign that says “No Chalk”? The only way I found to combat this was to

smuggle in my own ½ block of chalk stuffed into small butter dish. This act was

in itself a renegade move and it did provide some satisfaction. But imagine

trying to get ready for a big lift and having to sneak into a bag, pop open the

butter dish, pull out a small piece of chalk and color your hands with it. This

does not go over well when you are trying to get into an aggressive state for a

big lift. You are supposed to be able to go over the box of chalk and chalk the

hell out of your hands. This is part of the process they do not understand. The

reason for the “No Chalk” commandment is so they do not have to clean it up. If

the staff is not helping members with lift offs, advice and spots then what are

they doing? Sorry I forgot, they are on the phone. This also has to make you

wonder if they clean the pads on the benches and machines. My advice to you is

when you are in these kinds of facilities, use chalk and use it liberally. Defy

the laws and stand up for America. “America? But what does chalk and

commercial gyms have to do with this great country?” If we use chalk, and I

mean loads of chalk, these gyms will be forced to hire people to clean up after

us. More and more people will catch on and use chalk. This leads to more of a

mess and thus more jobs are created. This helps the economy and helps to feed

families across America. This is also why I never bus my tray at McDonald’s.

3. Racks: I could go on forever about this one; the power rack is the shrine of

any gym and should be treated as such. Unfortunately, I have seen many gyms that

do not even have one rack! And those that do have what I call junk racks. I have

always been a wide squatter and could never find one rack I could squat inside

of. So you have to set the rack up so that you can squat outside of it. Now the

rack has pretty much lost its effectiveness. Then you have the J- Hooks. They

are about 10 inches deep and you have to do a freaking half squat just to get

the bar out. If this was not bad enough, the hole spaces are about 4 inches

apart. So you either do a half squat or a standing calf raise/shoulder shrug to

get the bar out. Then you have to walk it out for your set. Once you are done

with the set, you have to figure out how to get the bar back into the rack.

After all this (the calf raise to shoulder shrug to shuffle to squat to shuffle

to shoulder shrug to calf raise) you wonder why your back is so fried from the

squat session. But hey, the rack looks nice to the other members who will only

use it for barbell curls (or is that a reverse-grip clean?) and 135 pound

shrugs. This is a whole other issue not to be discussed in this article. But

yes, I also have had to wait up to 45 minutes for Captain Upper Body to get the

hell out of the power rack so I could squat. These are the same assholes that

discuss and debate whether or not you should do shrugs on shoulder or back day.

4. Barbells: Remember the owners and staff that do not like you because you beat

up all their equipment? Well if they purchased REAL BARS then they would not get

beat up. There is nothing worse then walking into a gym to squat and all you can

find is a bent 1000 pound test bar with no knurling in the middle of the bar.

Trying to find a real piece of equipment like a safety squat bar, okee squat

bar, Texas power bar or cambered squat bar is like finding a straight man at a

Cher concert. No need to worry, there are five or six curl bars you can use.

5. Music: Do I really need to go into this? There are many studies that have

shown music can have a positive effect on your training. These studies must have

been miss read by these gym managers. Britney Spears may increase my test levels

but does nothing for my training. Enough said.

6. Mirrors: I never realized how bad a mirror can screw you up until the day I

started squatting in front of one. First off, I am much uglier that I thought I

was but that is another issue. Second, you have to learn how to position

yourself in space during a big lift so that you learn how to make corrections.

The mirror distracts you from this process. They are good for one reason and

that is to check out the lady (not the heifer) in spandex doing bent over rows

without having to tweak my neck.

7. Bench Press: Much like the power rack, there is someone running around the

country selling these guys a crock of crap on what is and what is not a good

bench press. I have been on benches with 9 inch wide pads with ½ inch foam, J

hooks that are once again about 10 inches deep, racks that are set so you have

to do a half rep to get he bar out, safety posts that get in the way of the

press (I never understood this one. If I miss the last thing I want to do is

toss the bar back toward my head), benches that are 12 inches off the floor, and

flooring that is too slick to get any leg drive.

8. Bands, Chains, Weight Releasers, etc. Do you really want to see the gym owner

freak out? Walk in on your next squat day with a box squat box and an arm full

of chains and bands. They will first look at you with wonder. Then after you get

it all hooked up they may or may not let you finish your training session. Even

if they don’t say anything right away, you are guaranteed to hear something.

“You can’t use this stuff here”; it will ring in your ears for the next few

days. You were all excited about trying out some of the best advanced training

methods and now they won’t let you. You are told you will get hurt. My question

is how do they know? And what about the smith machine that could perhaps be the

most dangerous piece of equipment ever invented? Then again they would not know

this because they are too busy on the phone to keep up to date.

There are many more issue but these seem to be the ones I run across the most.

The other one that kills me is the new weight plates. What is up with the iron

grip plates? The ones that have the handles cut into them so they are easier to

pick up. If you are not strong enough to pick the plate up then it should not be

on the bar! Then again, some of the trainers may not be strong enough to pick

them up when they are loading them on the bar for their clients. Forget this

one. It now makes perfect sense.

This article would not be complete if I did not give you options on how to avoid

these pitfalls. Overcoming these issues is one of the missions of Elite Fitness

Systems. I will provide you with some of these options that have worked very

well for others who share the same training frustrations you have.

1. Keep looking: There are many good gyms out there you just have to keep

looking. By the time you finish this article you will know what to look for.

Make a visit to every gym in your area and don’t settle until you find the one

that will work for you. When you find one that you feel may work schedule an

appointment with the owner or manager of the place. You want to talk to the

chief decision maker of the place. This is the guy that will go to bat for you

if problems occur later down the line. Let him or her know what you will be

doing and how you plan on training. Make sure they know you will go out of your

way to help other members when asked and will clean up your mess before you

leave. Get a good understanding of their concerns and let them know yours. Then

pay month to month for awhile “just in case” When looking do not rule out High

Schools and Universities. Many of these (not all) will be more than happy to

have you come in and train at their facilities. I was just reminded of one

other place you may find some help. Tony Hutson a Baptist Pastor started a local

place with other members of his church called the Chain Gain Power Gym. You may

find a great place to train by using your Church as a starting point.

2. EFS Gym Directory: This directory is located at:

http://www.teamvbs.com/gymdir/gymdir.htm

We have created a place for lifters who have found great places to train to post

their facilities. The great thing about this directory is that many private and

home gyms are listed here. You will never find these places anywhere else. These

gyms were started by lifters like yourself that got fed up with the current

state of the gym industry and started their own places to train. These are not

big commercial centers but have all you need to get strong. Most of these

facilities are looking for serious lifters like you to train with. When

contacting them keep in mind they do not have to let you join. These are private

for a reason and they are not looking to go into the gym business. If you are

serious then there should be no problem. If you happen to find a good place

please let us know by posting it on the directory.

3. Visit a Powerlifting competition: This is where you will find the same type

of people with the same passion for the Iron as you have. While you are there

check out the T-shirts these guys are wearing. You will not see very any

commercial gym shirts. What you will find is the name of many hardcore gyms that

may be your next training palace. Take the time and talk to these guys. They can

help steer you in the right direction.

4. Start you own “Hardcore” gym: You can have your own place like those gyms in

the gym directory and on the T-shirts of the power lifting competitors. I spend

time on the phone every day helping lifters get their private or garage gym

started. It is not as expensive as you might think. If you have any questions

visit www.elitefts.com or call 888-854-8806. Part two of this series will focus

on how to set up your own training center.

Sick of Your Gym?

Part Two

How to Start a Private or Home Gym

When you are setting up a place to train on a limited budget you have to

prioritize your items based upon a budget. There are a few things that you must

have and others that would be nice, but can wait until later. I have separated

these by:

A- List: Those items you have to have to get started.

B- List: Those items that could be “A-List” but not necessary to get started.

C- List: Those items that are nice to have but not 100% necessary.

A-List

Combo Power Rack. This has to be the one item all gyms have to be based around.

We offer racks from $900.00 to $3000.00. You do not need a $3000.00 rack for a

home gym. The combo power rack is your best bet. We have built this rack to be

the best on the market for this purpose. It has pin hole setting at every inch

from the bottom of the rack to the top. This is to serve several purposes. It

will allow you to perform dead lifts off the pins from below your knees with the

plates only a few inches off the floor. It also provides you with many options

when performing pin presses for your bench press. Now you can work your EXACT

sticking point in an isometric or static to dynamic position. It also allow for

better spotting when training alone. You can set the pins up so if you miss the

pins are positioned to take the bar. The safety pins we use are also a pipe and

pin set up. This means the pipe will absorb the shock of the weight and not bend

the pins or damage your bars. One other notable feature of the rack is its sumo

base. This is built so you can squat with a wide stance without the rack being

in the way. The combo rack also comes with a free standing bench (built to

competitive standards) for all your bench press training. For any home or

private gym start up this should be the first item you should consider.

Bars: The first bar you need is a good power bar. The Texas Power Bar is the

best all purpose bar you can get. Do not skimp on the bar or you will be buying

new ones all the time. I would also recommend the cheapest bar you can find for

all the pin pulls and pin presses. There is not a bar on the market that can

handle this abuse without bending over time so get something cheap and use it.

It does not matter if you use a bent bar on these movements so save your good

bar for the squats, benches and dead lifts.

Plates and Dumbbells: With these items be smart. DO NOT BUY FROM A MAIL ORDER OR

INTERNET COMPANY unless you plan on a huge order. The shipping will kill you.

First check your local paper and trading times. Many times you will find these

items for free or very cheap. If this does not work then visit your local

sporting goods or exercise equipment shop. Regardless of the price you will save

if you pick the plates up instead of having them shipped. But purchase only what

you need. Get as many 45 pound plates as you feel you will need then only (2)

25’s (4) 10’s (2) 5’s and (2) 2.5’s. This will give you everything you need to

lift any increment of weight needed. For the dumbbells only buy the ones you

will be using. Save the rest for later or when you get stronger. Hex dumbbells

are the cheaper option but may break in time. Pro-style may be a better bet for

long term usage. Do not go with dumbbells you put together. These tend to rattle

which can place stress on the elbows and will always have a post sticking out of

them making movements like the rolling dumbbell extension very uncomfortable.

Rubber Mats: First, make sure you really need them and if so find out the bare

minimum you will need. If you buy these from an equipment manufacture you will

get killed on price. Try to visit you local Horse Supply Shop or Tractor Supply

Shop. The have very good quality 4x6 1 inch thick rubber mats for not much more

that $45.00. This is about ½ the price you will pay from a equipment manufacture

or supplier.

Box Squat Boxes: I feel the best squat boxes are those like what we use at

Westside Barbell. The way they are made is very simple. We use a 2x4 frame with

one support running down the center and a ¼ inch piece of plywood for the top.

Each box is 4 inches in height with a 24x24 top surface. We use a series of

these boxes and 1 inch rubber mats (cut 24x24) to get the desired height. The

mats go between the boxes to avoid slipping. This makes it easy when two or

three people are squatting to change the box height. You can also use the 4 inch

boxes for dead lifts (you stand on them). We also use the boxes to jack up the

back up the bench for incline or decline work.

Board Press Boards: These are also very easy to build. I suggest using 2x6

boards that are 14 inches in length. I suggest making a one board (one 2x6), two

board (two 2x6’s screwed together), three board (three 2x6’s screwed together),

and four board and a five board. These will be used for all your board pres

work.

Dragging Sled: Using a sled in your training can have great effects on your

recovery and general conditioning. If you are not in shape you will not recover

as fast as if your body was working more efficiently. We have several articles

in our articles section detailing the use of this item so I will not expand on

them here. For more information:

http://www.testosterone.net/html/146gpp.html

Chalk: Now that you have your own place you can use as much of the stuff as you

like. Get a box and start making your OWN mess!

B-List

Reverse Hyper: I feel this should really be in A- list but based on budget it

may not be possible to get this at the same time as the other items. I feel this

is a must have for several reasons. First, lower back strength is one of the

biggest problems for most lifters and can put an end to ones training

experience. Having a strong healthy back is a very high priority in the training

process. If your back is messed up then it does not matter what type of rack you

have because you will not be able to squat and dead lift. The Reverse Hyper is

the best machine for developing the muscles of the lower back. This is because

the range of motion the machine offers tends to hit the muscles of the lower

back in glutes in a way no other movement or machine can do. Many have tried to

simulate this or tried another type of machine but when they finally get a real

Reverse Hyper they can’t believe the difference. There are three models. For the

private gym I would suggest the Pro or the Standard. The only difference is how

much weight the machine can hold. The standard is best suited for those who

squat 500 and below. The Pro is for everyone regardless of the weight they can

lift. The standard will hold up to 350 pounds while the pro can hold up to 600

pounds.

Glute Ham Raise: This is the absolute best way to hit the hamstrings because it

works the muscle from both the knee and hip joint at the same time. This is how

the body works when it runs, jumps, squats and dead lifts. We have spent much

time on the design of our unit to make sure the body placement is perfect. I

have not seen another GHR that was built correct. You have to have the pad just

right and the toe plate has to be big enough to push your toe against. Most

other machines fail of both of these specs. When you do the GHR you want to

start with your body parallel to the floor. Then with your knees 2” behind the

thigh pad you want to curl your body up into the horizontal position.

Safety Squat Bar: Besides a good power bar, the Safety Squat Bar is the most

important bar you will buy. The reason for this is what happens to your body

when you use the bar. Most lifters fall forward when they miss a squat or a dead

lift. This is because they can’t keep the shoulders behind the bar. When you

use the Safety Squat Bar for low box squats and good mornings the bar is

constantly trying to throw you into this same forward position we miss in. To

keep this from happening you have to use the muscles of your upper and lower

back to keep the bar is a straight line. This bar will work the muscles of your

lower traps (between the shoulder blades) like nothing else. Did you ever notice

how thick Elite lifters are in this region? This bar can help you achieve that.

At Westside Barbell we do all of out max effort low box squat with this or the

cambered squat bar. We have not used a straight bar for Good Mornings or Low Box

squats for over 6 years! This is how much we believe in these bars.

Cambered Squat Bar: As described above, we use this or the Safety Squat Bar for

all of our max effort good mornings and low box squat work. The Cambered Squat

Bar works much different than the Safety Squat Bar. The camber of the bar is 14

inches lower than where the bar sits on your back. This places the hands in a

lower position taking much stress of the shoulder as well as placing more stress

on the muscles of the back, glutes and hamstrings. Heavy squatting with a

straight bar on max effort day coupled with dynamic day squatting may be too

much for some lifters’ shoulders and elbows. This bar gives these muscles a rest

while still allowing you to work the posterior chain to its fullest.

Cambered Bench Bar: This is a great bar to ad in for variety. JM Presses and low

board presses are great with this bar. The low board presses with this bar are

excellent for bringing up the bottom of the bench press.

Bands: If you have not heard about training with bands then you are already

behind the times. The bands have made an incredible difference in the strength

of many Elite and Non Elite Power Lifters across the country. These can be

applied in a variety of different ways to enhance your strength to levels you

only dream about. For more information on band training see our articles at

www.elitefts.com or the Westside Reactive Method Video.

Chains: Training with chains is another one of the training principles that has

changed strength training over the years. Chains work by adding more weight at

the top of the lift, which is where you are at your strongest point. You want to

make sure you are attaching them to the bar correctly and using the right amount

of chain. For more information on this method:

http://www.testosterone.net/html/body_127resist.html

Manta Ray: If you can’t afford the Cambered Squat or Safety Squat bar then look

into the manta ray for a change to low box squatting for max effort work. This

piece of equipment places the bar higher on your back by increasing the distance

from the load of the bar to your hips. This will train your lower body and back

harder than just using a straight bar.

C-List

Power Bench Rack: Tired of training on sub par benches where you have to press

the bar out a mile before you even begin to press? Tired of trying to figure out

how to attach bands? Tired of training with benches that are to low or to

narrow? Then this is the bench for you. Hole spacing every inch for all you

lockout training needs. Support beam off ground so you can run bands under,

built to competitive width and height, dense hard pad, and adjustable J hooks.

Training on this bench will take you bench training to the next level

Mono Lift: This specially designed squat stand allows for optimal squat

training. The hydraulic lift and lever support stands make for the best training

environment for serious squat training. This is a must for heavy band usage.

Belt Squat Machine:. This is the best way to train the hips, glutes, quads and

hamstrings while keeping the bar off your back.

Pro Elite Pull Down: Super oversized lat pull down with low pulley unit: This

machine is the "best of the best" lat machine. The machine is 96" from floor to

top pulley with removable seat and low pulley set up. Great for pull throughs

and low and high lat work

Weight Releasers: Weight releasing is one of the best ways to build explosive

and starting strength. With the weight releasers you can add as much weight to

the top and eccentric phase of the lift. At the reversal point the weight

releasers kick off the bar to allow you to finish the concentric phase of the

lift.

Weight Trees and Bar Holders: If your going to spend all the money on plates and

bars you should at least keep them out of the way so you are not tripping all

over them.

There you have it. Everything you need to build your own gym. You can spend as

much or as little as you like. Start with those items on the A-List then if

needed progress to some of the other items on the B and C list. If you need any

help with any of these items or setting up your gym feel free to contact us at

[email protected] or call 888-854-8806"

[Luciferase]

Det er jo smukt.....mange af de ting han kommer med, er faktisk noget jeg har overvejet. Det er sjovt nok også alle de ting vi har diskuteret flere gange.....sidste gang p.g.a. udmeldingen fra de største centre om dopingbekæmpelse ved at gøre livet surt for folk der træner seriøst.

Visit a Powerlifting competition: This is where you will find the same type of people with the same passion for the Iron as you have.

Jeg kan kun sige at efter vi var til JM i weekenden er jeg helt klart overtalt.

[Blackmoore]

Inspirerende..man får helt lyst til at træne IGEN efter at have læst en tate artikkel :)

[Nexus]

Blackmoore-> IGEN!!?? hvad snakker du om?? - du fyre den sgu da af ;)

[Blackmoore]

Bare rolig..jeg bliver hjemme... men når der skrives så meget om tunge vægte, kalk og den slags, bliver man sgu "sulten " :D

[cilius]

Elsker den her:

I understand the freedoms of America, but

spandex is a privilege, not a right.

Ellers en lækker artikel, den rammer hovedet på sømmet... er der forresten nogen der kender til hardcore gyms i Kbh? (eller DK som helhed, vi kunne evt. lade os inspirere og lave en liste over hardcore steder i DK)

Kærligst <_<

Cilius

[Rod]

Lækker artikel, jeg er vild med hans måde at skrive på. Man sidder jo og griner højlydt når han sviner mainstream gyms og deres inventar og underlige regler.

- Rod

[AndersL]

Ellers en lækker artikel, den rammer hovedet på sømmet... er der forresten nogen der kender til hardcore gyms i Kbh? (eller DK som helhed, vi kunne evt. lade os inspirere og lave en liste over hardcore steder i DK)

Kærligst <_<

Cilius

Så sent som i mandags tænkte jeg at jeg ville prøve at lave sådan en liste ved at opfordre MOL, Getbig og BodyHouse brugerne til at sende mig en mail, evt. med en lille andmeldelse af centret, og så ellers bare få samlet alle centre (Også Form og Fit ;) ) så der var en liste for enhver smag.

Nu vil jeg gøre det! :D

Fed artikel, kunne virkelig godt tænke mig at starte et lille "hard-core" gym!!!

[MASS]

Trying to find a real piece of equipment like a safety squat bar, okee squat

bar, Texas power bar or cambered squat bar is like finding a straight man at a

Cher concert.

:lol: skræmmende men sandt!!!

And what about the smith machine that could perhaps be the

most dangerous piece of equipment ever invented?

:evillaughter:

A og B listen over udstyr.... saaavle saaavle :drool: :a-okhand:

God artikkel.......