Words to lift by from an old gym rat

  • Published
  • By Lt. Col. Brian Mahoney
  • 319th Air Base Wing Chief of Safety
GRAND FORKS AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. --  I love going to the gym and working out and I have been doing it for nearly 30 years now.

It is partly the challenge to see if I can "hang with the young guns" and keep myself fit. For the most part, I feel good about my efforts ...even if I do get the dreaded "for your age" disclaimer when I get the rare compliment.

I have seen many changes in perspective now that I have gotten up there in years when compared to the average-aged Airman. Specifically, my perspective in the area of safety and how it applies to the weight room is better than ever and I honestly do not like what I am seeing.

So there I was, the "old guy" in the weight room working hard. However, when I looked around I noticed something starkly different from the first time I entered the GFAFB gym in 1985 (Yes, I was here in 1985!)

I now see Airmen who seem to believe if they wear a skull cap or ball cap on sideways, a sleeveless shirt a size or two too small, and crank out the tunes on their iPod, they will look tougher, lift more weight, and impress everyone with their prodigious weightlifting feats.

I also recently realized that was me 25 years ago, only I wore Zubas, a bandana on my head, wrestling shoes, and cranked my cassette in a "boom box."

But there is one big difference between my early "gym rat" days and today's Airmen. I was fortunate enough to have a great weightlifting mentor; in fact, he was a world champion powerlifter in the 80s and 90s. He taught me to use very strict form, ease my way into the bigger weights, and most importantly, have patience. Sadly, I do not see that patience when I go to the gym now.

About a month ago I saw two Airmen loading up the squat rack with 225 pounds, which was at least 60-70 pounds heavier than either one of them. Strength can be deceiving, but I noticed they weren't using the proper form in the first set. Each rep consisted of about one quarter of the movement normally expected and they used poor form.

To my surprise, they moved up to 315 pounds for the second set and each rep consisted of about 4-5 inches of poor movement, along with loud grunting, and slamming the bar onto the rack. I had to laugh when they started telling each other "great set," verbally pumping each other up on how strong they were getting.

Another day, I saw two young Airmen loading 225 pounds on the bar at the free-weight bench press; a benchmark weight for most lifters. My concern began when the first guy pushed out four reps, bouncing the bar off his chest so hard I thought he would break a rib or his sternum. Then the second guy, who was much smaller than his buddy, decided it was his turn to impress. His lifted the bar off the rack and almost dropped it on his chest. Fortunately his partner and another gym patron were in good position to help him manage to get it up on the rack again. Again, I laughed inside when they started praising each other for a job well done.

After nearly 30 years of lifting weights as both a competitive lifter and simply a gym rat, I have gained plenty of experience and I am able to go to that bag of tools to keep safe. And although I may not be the strongest guy in the gym, nor the most knowledgeable, I understand gym safety.

Unfortunately, too many lifters do not have that same bag of tools. And they don't ask for help because they feel embarrassed. Compounding the problem, guys like me sit, watch, laugh inside, but don't say anything because we do not want to be "that guy" who knows everything.

So instead, I wrote this article.

The mindset in the gym needs to change and I encourage everyone to take the time to learn safe lifting practices, be patient, and step in when necessary to prevent an injury.

As a lifter, if you cannot do repetitions using 100 percent strict form, reduce the weight! It is only with patience that you can naturally and safely achieve a healthy, fit, and stronger body. Furthermore, ask for help! It is not a sign of weakness. It is a sign of maturity and strength of mind and character.

Strength does not come from the clothes you wear, how loud you yell, or even if you have the coolest tats. It comes from long-term, safe, and dedicated effort. If you truly want to live a healthy life, redefine your goals.

When I was in my 20s, I told my wife one of my goals was to be 50 and be in the same or better shape.

I challenge you with a goal: Commit to fitness, get to the gym regularly, and do your best to live a healthy lifestyle. If you do, someday you will also get the "for your age" statements made to you by a young gun. And that always makes a person smile inside.