“Culture is what comes out the end of the pipe.”
– Doug Collins
(Secretary of Veterans Affairs)

Deep Squats (Thoughts)

I want to recognize that a vast amount of our members did not grow up lifting weights. Many of you never interacted with bars, plates, bells, balls, sleds and more before joining CrossFit Palo Alto. And it is awesome that you went out of your comfort zone to come here to learn. This week is about teaching you more of the accepted etiquette with barbells and their loading.

Just like any public space, the gym has its own etiquette – unspoken rules people follow to maintain order and express respect. But unlike a dinner table, many of the gym’s rules are a matter of safety. You don’t want to end up learning this etiquette the hard way.

Even if you’re a seasoned lifter, you may not know all the ways to treat the barbell properly. Here are 9 things to remember when working with barbells.

1. LOAD THE BAR PROPERLY
You may feel cool (and feel like you look stronger) by stacking 10s on 10s on 10s. But in truth, your barbell isn’t impressed. It puts less stress on your bar to use as few plates as possible. Not to mention, it’s rude to hog all the smaller plates. Instead, if you can go up a plate size, do it – even if it’s a little extra loading and unloading.

Load the heaviest plates on the inside: 45s first, then 35s, 25s, 10s, you can do the math. This better distributes the weight by keeping the heaviest weight closer in on the bar. Going out of this order might make more experienced lifters dry heave a little bit. It’s just a no-no.

2. UNLOAD THE BAR PROPERLY
Just as important as loading the bar properly is to unload it right. This one’s easier. If your bar’s racked, don’t take too much off one side at once, or your bar will flip and spill. If your bar’s on the floor, don’t be a monster and let the end of the barbell crash onto the floor as you pull off a plate. Use one hand to remove the weight and the other to kindly place the bar onto the ground all nice like.

3. DON’T DROP AN EMPTY BAR
Never drop an empty bar. Dropping an empty barbell on the ground can damage the hardware inside, which can affect the spin or sleeves, damage the bearings/bushing, and break your barbell.

4. BE SMART WHEN YOU DROP A LOADED BAR
While you shouldn’t drop an empty bar, in instances of safety, it is OK to drop a bar if it has bumpers on it to help absorb the shock. Still, you always want to have control over your bar. Bumpers can bounce. Keep your hands on the bar as much as possible so it doesn’t fly off into someone else’s personal bubble, and please, don’t walk away before the bar has stopped moving.

Note: Never drop barbells loaded with 10lb plates (or less). These small plates are really not meant to withstand that much impact and it can cause them to wear out sooner – and not protect your precious barbell. SAVE THE 10’s!!! (WATCH THIS)

5. CLEAN UP AFTER YOURSELF
Your mama taught you this when you were 4, and the rule stands. Clean the bar after you use it – even in your own home gym. Wipe off and sanitize blood and filth. Don’t be gross.

6. DON’T WALK IN FRONT OF A LIFT
This is especially true for weightlifters doing a big lift. It’s distracting (and also potentially dangerous, if they need to drop the bar or walk forward). Many lifters pick a cue – a spot on the wall, for example – to focus on while performing their lift. Not your big head.

7. LOCK IN YOUR HIGH LIFTS
When you’re lifting weights overhead, make sure you properly secure the plates with collars so the weights don’t fly off. It’s smart to prevent falling weights for any lifts. Collar up, kids.

8. WATCH YOUR FEET
Don’t put your shoes or bare feet on the barbell. You’ll actually get three reds (no lift) if you touch the bar with your foot on the platform at an IWF competition. One reason? The same reason you don’t want shoes on the table. Your shoes aren’t clean, and we put our hands on the bar.

Furthermore, in Slavic and Eastern European countries, it’s considered disrespectful to put your foot on the barbell. It’s considered bad luck and offensive. Some say this etiquette even has religious and cultural ties.

 

9. DON’T SLAM YOUR BAR
Have you seen a bro slam the bar down like a caveman asserting dominance? Don’t be that guy. No matter how jazzed you are that you pulled that deadlift.

Control it. Respect it. Respect others around you.

See you in class.

Tim

What’s Going On?

Spring’s Teen Class

Who: Boys and Girls aged 12-17
Dates: March 4 – April 24th
When: Tuesdays/Thursdays at 4pm
*Email [email protected] to sign up*

Nutrition Coaching
Coach Rebecca is now offering nutrition coaching which will include:
Initial assessment, InBody testing and weekly check-ins. Contact her for details.
[email protected]

Overheard in Class:
“I almost threw up on the fourth round.”

Timfluencing

I’m calling this The Sandler Slam. The best four Adam Sandler movies with the best quotable lines and characters. Think I’m wrong? Let me know. Send me your thoughts, references. All I know is that you can have four nights of entertainment in a row with these selections. Enjoy.

Thank you for your support.

I look forward to what we will do together.