It's impossible to have a "judgement free zone."
Humans naturally make observations and analyze that information. Whenever one sees someone, there is a thought that goes through their head. "This person has nice shoulders," "this person is average like me," or "this person has nice form." Either way, we are still being judgmental.
With that being said, people are always going to positively or negatively judge each other, whether we are in the gym, at line in the Connection, or while we're walking to class. If we aim to create a judgement free zone in the gym, we will definitely be discriminating against a certain demographic and be judgmental ourselves.
Sports supplements aren't necessary.
I'm not a registered dietitian, doctor, or have any certification. There is a time and place for anecdotal evidence though. If you are an average person who is looking to get fit, taking protein powders or other supplements like that isn't necessary. That's why they're called supplements.
People have seen results when they take supplements and people who don't supplement see results. And to the people who do supplement, could it just be because they're working out? Lots of conflicting variables. And if they do work, is paying $13/pound of protein worth the increase in results? Back when I supplemented, I went through a pound a month (people probably take it more often that I did) and that would mean an extra $156 spent per year at least.
Oh and protein powders provide protein. So if you are already eating enough protein then there may be even less of an effect. I didn't do any research on these claims though so take it with a grain of salt. (hmm, maybe I can critique scientific research in a future article?)
Constructive criticism is good.
I have the weight room to thank for the amount of personal growth I've experienced in my time here. Anyone who lifts here can choose to reap the benefits.
Freshman year, my squat form was terrible. It looked something like a half squat and I bent over and thought I was going parallel. A short, stocky guy came up to me and consistently criticized me. I didn't take him seriously because I thought he wasn't qualified because he's small (little did I know he was actually a very experienced lifter). It took a deadlift injury for me to relearn my technique for the squat and deadlift.
The story is that most people do things wrong. I still feel like I do things wrong. Having our egos occasionally take a hit is a good thing.
Etiquette goes a long way.
Being considerate of others is something that is important in connecting us all together. This applies to the weight room as well.
I've witnessed people leaving plates on their bars or machines and people think someone is still using the equipment. I've also seen people deadlifting off of the floor in the squat rack when this can be done anywhere else. Simple things like this can easily be solved with a little bit of mindfulness and it makes life easier for everyone. I also try to help people when they are taking plates off of a barbell after deadlifting (which is a workout in itself) and they are very appreciative. Things like this build community and make the weight room a friendlier environment.
If you have any thoughts on this article, please share them with me! I know that there are people who disagree with me on these points and I especially encourage you to discuss your viewpoints with me, if you would like to.
