Gym Etiquette For High-Schoolers

[JohnnyCoho]

As wrestling coach for our Freestyle Wrestling Team our last meet was on Saturday, and now I'm putting my high school wrestlers on a weight training program for the Summer. (Basically a somewhat modified Westside program)
The kids have the moves but lack a lot of strength, especially in the lower posterior chain.

Question is this; I want to put together a list of gym etiquette together for the kids to follow while in the gym. Kids are very well behaved and listen well to directions (they know better otherwise its stair runnin time) and I already told them if they're not going to take this serious that they'll be asked to leave...

What would you have on a list of gym rules for High School kids?

 

[zxe003]

Come to train, not to socialize.

 

[zxe003]

Come to train, not to socialize. Don't hold up equipment.

 

[zxe003]

...Don't slam or drop the weights unecessarily.
Break down the weights after use.
Wipe benches down if sweated all over it.
Don't handle too much without a t.p. or spotter.
Don't have toO much pride to ask for help or assistance.
...But also don't bother others who are training right in the middle of their workout.
NO Running, No Singing, No Dancing, No Spitting, No Crying...
And Most Importantly...GO HARD OR GO HOME!

 

[JohnnyCoho]

Kewl' zxe3,...keep em' comin!!! Shoulda mentioned too We have the gym all to ourselves pretty much for 2 hours a night, 4 days a week. Small town gym, and wrestling is huge here! (Years ago the local cops woulda' pulled ya over if ya weren't at a match supporting the team)

 

[guldukat]

Great question. Some of these won't speak directly to etiquette, and it'll take awhile to finish the list but for starters...


Gym Commandments for High Schoolers:

Commandment the First--Thou shalt do leg presses, squats and variations thereof with a __full range of motion.__

During a workout this past Dec., I'd just finished a set of slow leg presses with 10 plates/side for 8 knees-to-armpits reps. (I know that's not special, but the negatives were pretty slow...I think the set took ~55 sec. to complete (?).)

Anyway, as I started to unload plates, two high school kids appeared and told me I could leave the machine fully loaded. Looking at the their builds, the mighty physiques of "Barney Fife" and "Ichebod Crane" came immediately to mind.

So, I just shrugged and said, "Err, okay. Have fun guys."

Well, each did multiple sets with all that weight plus their buddy standing on top of the machine. Impressive, right?

No. Their ROM was about 4"...all they really did was lock and unlock their knees a bit. When they finally moved on to other leg movements, it was similar fare...somehow they even perverted a leg extension into a partial movement!

Tell your kids they wouldn't pull that shit on their beloved bis and pecs, so they should afford leg movements the same kind of respect.


Commandment the Second--Thou shalt shut the fuck up and traineth.

In other words, unconstructive criticism, lots of loud banter and joking around, unsolicited advice etc. are no-nos.

Some of that's okay in a high school gym, but they need to learn proper manners should they enter a grown-ups gym Kids have told me I'm "lifting too much" or "working too hard" when they should've minded their own damn business.


Third to come later. I wasted too much time with the stories ...I'm bored this afternoon

 

[JohnnyCoho]

Thats awesome Guldukat,..funny too!! Printed out a great article by Jim Wendler on Training For High School Atheletes, basically a, "what would you have done differently, if you knew what you know now" Without going into it too much he basically lists 11 things along with explanations,..they are as follows:
1. Train the Core
2. Don't train like college athletes
3. Form Before Weight
4. Build Hamstrings
5. Participate in Other Sports
6. Dont buy into Supplements
7. The Weight Will Come
8. Don't be a Bodybuilder
9. Dont Overtrain
10. Train the entire body
11. Start Today

 

[BrandonXJ]

3. Form Before Weight

I don't think it's possible to stress that enough. Especially with the h.s.'ers, you know they'll try to measure themselves and everyone else by how much weight they can push around. Quality, not quantity.

 

[KillahBee]

stretch
encourage and push each other, but don't put each other down.

 

[Synpax]

I think this is probably a big one for high schoolers:

No teasing people about how little they can lift. No pecking orders. Encourage your colleagues or keep your mouth shut but show everyone respect.