This is especially true when it comes to the barbell.

If you’re doing any of the following, chances are you look a bit like a rookie (bless your heart), and might also be causing a ruckus by putting yourself or another lifter in danger. Or at the very least, you’re probably mildly annoying those lifting around you.

1. Plates On Plates On Plates

Are you the person who has a barbell loaded with a set of 15lb plates, two sets of 10s, three sets of 5s and 2 sets of 2.5s? Not only are you hogging all the small plates in the gym, but you also look a little ignorant.

Here’s the rule: If you can put on a larger denomination weight plate, do so. In the latter case, you have 50-pounds on the bar, so you should replace the multiple 15-, 10-, and five-pound plates with one 45-pound and one 2.5-pound plate on each side.

2. You Don’t Step Up to The Bar

This might be my biggest pet peeve as a coach. Are you the athlete who bends down to do a deadlift or a clean before you have stepped up to the bar? If you don’t approach the bar properly, then you have to pull the bar towards you while you’re all bent and hunched over — and then you automatically end up out of position before you even start the lift.

Instead, step up to the bar until your shins are touching the bar and then take a breath before hinging on down in a perfect position to set up for your lift. Not only will you be in a better position, but you’ll look a little bit more bad ass. Almost like you know what you’re doing.

3. You Drop Stuff

Three things that should never be dropped:

1. Empty barbells (or barbells without rubber plates)
2. Dumbbells (at least not from above knee-height)
3. Kettlebells

Not only is it hard on the equipment, but it’s also loud and obnoxious when you drop a barbell full of steel.

4. You Ignore Your Surroundings

If your gym has platforms, you probably know not to stand on the platform when someone else is lifting. But if you don’t have platforms, it’s less obvious how far away you need to be, so I often see people walk right in front or right behind someone who is setting up for a lift, putting you both at risk for a human on human, or human on barbell, collision.

Bottom line: Be aware of your surroundings and be deliberate about the space you give others when they have a barbell in their hands.

5. Improper Barbell Unloading

Nothing says I’m oblivious to barbell etiquette more than letting your barbell smash to the ground as you aggressively strip the 45-pound plate from it. Instead, place a hand on the barbell and lower it to the floor nicely as you strip the weight.

6. You Don’t Ask For a Spotter

If you’re even remotely close to potentially failing the lift, don’t be shy. Ask for a spotter.

This rule especially applies to the bench press. If you’re comfortable ditching the bar off your back during a back squat, then just make extra sure you have tons of space behind you.

7. You Don’t Respect the Programming

If you’re following a program that prescribes percentages, respect the exact percentages programmed for you each day.

There’s probably a reason for them, even if they seem “too light.” Don’t go heavier because you think you know better, or round the weight up or down because you’re too lazy to take the time to change the weights to adhere to the percentages.

You Have to Follow the Rules

The saying “rules are meant to be broken” isn’t the case when it comes to the barbell. Broken rules can lead to broken bodies in this setting, or at the very least lead to rookie mistakes that will subject you to mocking.

The post 7 Steps to Barbell Etiquette appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

When you set out to improve yourself in the physical realm, it’s easy to get pigeonholed or fixated on the hundreds of rules, programs, and philosophies that exist in the fitness world.

Be wary of them all.

The rules can be great for general guidance or inspiration, but they are no substitute for your own experience. Create your own unique ideal that works for you, even if you’re the first person to do so. In fact, especially if you’re the first.

It’s easy to get lost in all the fitness rules and advice out there. But the real question is, what works for you?

Become a Fitness Heretic

According to various sources, these are the sacred rules of fitness that should never be broken. But if you’re to find what will work for you in the long haul, you’re going to have to break some or all of them:

Powerlifters should be as big as possible, even if much of that size is fat.

Women should be lithe and willowy, not big and muscular.

Guys should be big and jacked.

You should focus on a single sport or activity, and get as good as possible at it.

Everyone needs to stretch, lift weights, and eat clean.

Competitive sport is for the young.

It’s impossible to have great strength, endurance, and mobility at the same time.

Everything in moderation.

Go big or go home.

Those who can’t play, coach.

You should eat 5-6 small meals per day.

Amputees can’t lift weights.

Vegans don’t get enough protein to be great strength athletes.

I need a local coach who can work with me in person.

“That’s the way we’ve always done it.”

None of these rules are inherently bad. For the most part, they reflect the middle of the bell curve, and as such, can serve as convenient “crib notes” for success. The problem arises when we take these conventions too literally and allow them to rigidly define our own behaviors, habits, and choices.

Athletes Who Shatter the Mold

While the advice listed above may be helpful to some extent, there are a whole lot of people who don’t follow any of it. And they aren’t just average Joes. Some of the athletes breaking the rules of fitness are names you may recognize:

• Alex Viada performs at a very high level in ultra-endurance events as well as strength sports.
• Sophie Arvebrink carries a lot of muscle, and makes no apologies for it.
• Dr. Mike Israetel is passionate and successful in both jiu jitsu and bodybuilding.
• Dan Green and Layne Norton are super-lean powerlifters.
• Sohee Lee recently prepped for (and won) a bikini competition while eating a Snickers bar every day.
• Greg O’Gallagher built a great physique and impressive strength levels while intermittent fasting.
• My friend and client Gene Lawrence took up competitive powerlifting in his late 60’s and is now the most decorated masters powerlifter of all time.

These days, it’s not uncommon for single and double-amputees to compete in a wide-range of sports. The number of vegan, high-level competitive athletes totally debunks the rule that protein needs to come from an animal. Twenty years ago it would have been unheard of to see athletes compete in both physique sports and powerlifting. Today, there are many who find success in both.

I’m sure you can think of other trendsetters and rule-breakers who had the imagination and creativity to challenge the status quo. Tell me about them in the comments section below. Follow their lead. Make fitness work for you, rather than vice versa.

Competition is for the young? Don’t tell that to Gene Lawrence.

Define Your Own Athletic Success

One rule that nearly all of us follow, consciously or otherwise, is that the main reason to pursue an activity is to be successful at it. And while “success” is usually a lot more fun than the alternative, consider pursuing an activity based on what you might learn, or how you might improve from it.

If you’re a super-tight powerlifter, consider taking a yoga class. Conversely, if you’re an experienced yogi, consider getting under a heavy barbell from time to time. Do these things not because you’ll ever be great at them, but because they might make you better at what you love to do. 

I hope this discussion opens up some new possibilities for you. If it has, please don’t keep it a secret; I’d love to hear your thoughts below.

This Week’s Training:

Volume: 87,520lb (Last Week: 96,090lb)

Significant Lifts:

• Bench Press: 200lb (3×10)
• Trap Bar Deadlift: 365lb x 8
• Dumbbell Bench Press: 200lb x 7

This was my fourth (and heaviest) week of a 5-week hypertrophy cycle. Next week is a deload. I’m happy with some of my high-rep PR’s this month and I’ll continue to build on those numbers during the next cycle. Physically, I’m noticing a bit of new growth in my quads and calves, so I’ll continue to work on those areas over the next 5-6 weeks.

Monday, March 21, 2016

Bodyweight: 200.8lb

Volume: 26,270lb

Goblet Squat

• Set 1: 25lb × 10
• Set 2: 40lb × 10
• Set 3: 53lb × 10

Safety Squat

• Set 1: 65lb × 10
• Set 2: 115lb × 6
• Set 3: 155lb × 2
• Set 4: 175lb × 10
• Set 5: 175lb × 10
• Set 6: 175lb × 10
• Set 7: 175lb × 10

Leg Press

• Set 1: 180lb × 8
• Set 2: 270lb × 6
• Set 3: 320lb × 2
• Set 4: 370lb × 8
• Set 5: 370lb × 8
• Set 6: 90lb × 8

Trap Bar Deadlift

• Set 1: 135lb × 5
• Set 2: 185lb × 5
• Set 3: 225lb × 5
• Set 4: 315lb × 5

Seated Calf Raise

• Set 1: 90lb × 10
• Set 2: 90lb × 10

Wednesday, March 23, 2016

Bodyweight: 199.4lb

Volume: 23,550lb

Bench Press

• Set 1: 45lb × 10
• Set 2: 95lb × 8
• Set 3: 135lb × 6
• Set 4: 185lb × 2
• Set 5: 200lb × 10
• Set 6: 200lb × 10
• Set 7: 200lb × 10
• Set 8: 200lb × 8

Chin Up

• Set 1: 5 reps
• Set 2: +30lb × 5
• Set 3: +30lb × 6

Hammer Iso-Lateral Incline Press

• Set 1: 90lb × 8
• Set 2: 160lb × 8
• Set 3: 160lb × 8
• Set 4: 160lb × 6

Hammer Iso-Lateral Shoulder Press

• Set 1: 50lb × 8
• Set 2: 100lb × 8
• Set 3: 100lb × 8
• Set 4: 100lb × 8

Dual Cable Low Cable Curl

• Set 1: 100lb × 10
• Set 2: 100lb × 10
• Set 3: 100lb × 10

Thursday, March 24, 2016

Bodyweight: 199.2lb

Volume: 26,300lb

Trap Bar Deadlift

• Set 1: 135lb × 10
• Set 2: 135lb × 10
• Set 3: 185lb × 8
• Set 4: 225lb × 6
• Set 5: 275lb × 4
• Set 6: 315lb × 2
• Set 7: 345lb × 8
• Set 8: 365lb × 8
• Set 9: 345lb × 8

Hack Squat

• Set 1: 90lb × 8
• Set 2: 140lb × 8
• Set 3: 210lb × 8
• Set 4: 210lb × 8

Leg Press Calf Raise

• Set 1: 180lb × 10
• Set 2: 180lb × 10
• Set 3: 180lb × 10

Friday, March 25, 2016

Bodyweight: 200.2lb

Volume: 11,400lb

Bench Press (Dumbbell)

• Set 1: 100lb × 10
• Set 2: 140lb × 8
• Set 3: 170lb × 8
• Set 4: 190lb × 8
• Set 5: 200lb × 7 (Video Below )

Seated Row

• Set 1: 135lb × 8
• Set 2: 180lb × 8
• Set 3: 180lb × 8

Bicep Curl (Dumbbell)

• Set 1: 60lb × 8
• Set 2: 70lb × 8

More on Fitness Rule-Breaking:

• Is Your Sport Killing Your Athletic Potential?
• Be Your Own Expert: What We Can Learn From Fitness Gurus
• Rich Froning Is Not the Fittest Man in History
• New on Breaking Muscle Today

Photo 1 courtesy of CrossFit Empirical.

Photo 2 courtesy of Charles Staley.

The post Learn the Rules, Then Break Them appeared first on Breaking Muscle.