What’s the Deal With Meatheads, Anyway?
Posted by Brad Campbell
17
Sep, 2009
What’s up party people? So, I went to the gym the other day for the first time in months and it didn’t take long for me to remember one of the major reasons I quit going in the first place.
Other than the fact that it’s much quicker to get an awesome fat-burning workout right here at home…the other thing that really annoys me about the gym is the stereotypical loud, grunting meathead walking around with his chest puffed out. I know you know the dudes I’m talking about, too…
I was about 10 minutes into my super intense metabolic weight workout, when I headed over to knock out a quick set of incline dumbbell presses.
All Eyes On Me began to blare through the earbuds of my outdated iPod shuffle (yes, I’m probably the only person on earth who has never upgraded to a “real” iPod…but don’t judge me…that day is coming very soon) and I was feeling no pain.
I grabbed the 65 lb dumbbells and laid back on the incline bench. I was grinding out my 7th rep when my focus was interrupted with a huge thud and then another.
Turns out the meathead on the bench next to me felt the need to drop his 110lb dumbbells on the gym floor, one at a time, from about shoulder height.
UGGH…I can’t stand people who lack gym etiquette and common sense, especially when you know this guy just wants everyone in the gym to look his way and notice how big and strong he is.
I glared at him in the mirror with total disgust (although I’m sure it didn’t register in his tiny brain), before regaining my composure and finishing my set. I GENTLY set my weights down, took a few breaths and then picked them back up and returned them to the dumbbell rack. No loud thuds, unnecessary scenes or damaged equipment here.
I was off to my next few exercises in this grueling circuit workout. Fast forward 6 minutes. I return to the benches to crank out some explosive tricep dips. Guess who’s finally back from his stroll around the gym and ready for a second set – you guessed it – Mr. Meathead.
Instead of focusing on the lactic acid that was flooding my arms towards the end of my dips, I watched anxiously as this guy finishes off his last few grunts (oops, I meant reps) and then lets the 110 lb dumbbells fly once again from shoulder height.
Now, it’s one thing if you’re using some real heavy dumbbells, you give it everything you have during the set and at the end you lower them to your sides, making an honest attempt to ‘set’ them on the ground, but end up letting them fall the remaining few inches because you’re totally exhausted. I can understand that.
But this meathead just about caused an earthquake after each of his sets, which totaled about 3 in the entire time I was at the gym.
Hmm, not surprising that his belly stuck out farther than any of his muscles. Way cool, bro – you can lift a really heavy weight for 5 reps, but you couldn’t sprint down a flight of stairs to save your own life if your house was on fire. Not MY picture of an ideal body, but to each his own I guess.
I just have a real short fuse when it comes to people being complete idiots at the gym. Like I said, when it comes down to it, I’m not sure why I haven’t cancelled my gym membership.
I can get the same results working out with my own body weight, a pair of adjustable dumbbells and a stability ball in my small office, garage or outdoors.
This saves so much time and has the added benefit of not causing distraction and total annoyance from random meatheads that give other fit people a bad name. In case you’ve been lucky enough to do most of your workouts outside of the gym and therefore aren’t quite sure just what a ‘meathead’ is…
The Urban Dictionary offers the following definitions:
–> An enormously muscular guy who cannot hold a conversation about anything other than weight-lifting and protein shakes. Gets upset very quickly when he cannot complete his own sentences and thoughts. Can be found at nightclubs wearing shirts that are 10 sizes too small (if at all). They are by far the most closely related human beings to that of apes, chimpanzees, and other primate. They are evolutionary hindered and are less capable of following directions than my dead hampster.
–> One who wears cutoff t-shirts, lift weights, and drinks gallon jugs of water. Usually plays football, wrestles and is very muscular. They tend to have short hair and frequently wear sleeveless shirts. Drinking protein shakes and shopping at Hollister are also essential parts of the average meathead’s day.
–> Meatheads tend to abbreviate where they live by putting the first letter of the city, and adding -town after. In addition to lacking high IQs, meatheads tend to stereotype things and people completely wrong. Common meathead responses: “Bro, let’s down this protein shake then go to the gym” and “Dude that guy has a Fall Out Boy shirt…do you think he’s one of those Emos?” (smashes aluminum can on head).
I have no idea if those definitions are meant to be funny, but for some reason that had me rolling. Does anyone else see the irony in using “meatheads tend to stereotype things and people completely wrong” as part of the definition for another stereotype? Funny stuff.
Bottom line is this – if you’re strong enough to use the weight for reps, you should be strong enough to set the weight at least most of the way down, without causing damage to the equipment and without making a huge spectacle out of your workout.
Trust me, if you have a good enough body, you’ll get enough attention without having to resort to foolish shenanigans that cause you to fall victim to the meathead stereotype.
This has been a random rant by Brad Campbell…and I feel much better now.
Do you agree? Are you anti-meathead as well? What kinds of things annoy you at the gym?
Another meathead post you might enjoy: Navy SEAL Workout
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