Why Did You Ask If You're Not Going To Listen?

I've been training for a long time, and even though I get paid to train people, I've always been willing to try and help out anyone who's asked. Sometimes, it's really rewarding. It's always great to see someone finally understand the right way to properly do an exercise, use equipment the way it was intended, or just just generally be happier and more productive in the gym because of something you helped them with. Then there are the people who hope your answer will be the shortcut that lets them do the least amount possible. And if your answer isn't the easiest possible way to do what they want, they just throw your advice out the window.

It happens to me all of the time. Besides the gym, I also work at a bar. I always get someone coming up and saying "Hey, you work out a lot. I need to lose 15-20 pounds. What can I do?" Well, the first thing you can do is put down that beer and that shot. The next thing you can do is go home and quit hanging around bars getting drunk until 2am and then eating greasy, fried foods. Which of course brings up the "Well, I can't/won't do that. Isn't there some pill or supplement I can take?" If you're not willing to stop drinking to lose weight, then you've got bigger problems than I'm willing to deal with. And no, there's not a pill that you can take that will let you lose all the weight you want while eating bad food and not exercising. Well, maybe meth or crack, but that would just be irresponsible.

It happens with lifting advice too. A new guy at the gym asked me and my training partner what he could do to make his legs bigger (after telling us he was "really good" at bench pressing). Both of us being former powerlifters, we recommended heavy, deep back/front squats, deadlifts, and pushing and pulling sleds. He then said he wished the gym had a leg press machine and that he'd been doing some calf raises. We explained why the free weights were better for him and suggested that he at least add more weight on his calf raises. He thanked us and went home.

The next day he came in and did legs. Well, he did about half a dozen sets of front and back squats combined. Since then, I've seen him lift four or five times. I have yet to see another squat or even the first deadlift. Although he did finish off his hour-plus arm workout today with three sets of calf raises. Oh well, maybe the next one will listen.