Do You Talk to Strangers?

Specifically, do you make suggestions to strangers if they're doing something wrong?

I was in the gym today and a guy was doing an exercise that is extremely bad for the shoulders. I thought about saying something but decided against it. I've gently told people in the past about harmful exercises or techniques but never received a positive response so this helped me with my decision. On a side note, I don't talk to anyone or even make eye contact when in the gym anyway, so its really just par for the course.

Thoughts?

Why were you afraid this time, brother?

I know we do not ALWAYS greet a tip, like that, wholeheartedly and THEY would feel, themselves, undermined or embarrased by your knowledge and experience but, if you are humble enough, you could have had the chance to help him know those muscles are unnecessarily over stressed.

I do not always keep this as a rule (Jas 4:17) but, it counts whenever I made use of GOOD will.

do we have a message from GOD the CREATOR through JESUS for 'strangers'? or just for those who love us and are our 'friends' ?

Perhaps you made the right choice not saying anything about it as many in that type of setting would seem to take offense unless they were instructed by a fitness instructor. If someone wants to do lat pull downs or upright barbell rows they will figure it out sooner or later. Maybe not until they are applying some some icy hot to their shoulder but they will eventually figure it out. If you go to the gym with someone else you can always get close to where someone is working out and say something like "bro, i used to use that lat pull down machine but it really messed up my shoulder".

If he turns a nut preacher he would loose access to that gym... Just saying!

Sure. I understand feeling apprehensive about engaging somebody you've no impression of, but wear kid gloves and let the dice fall where they may. It helped me to stop seeing strangers as strangers.

As for your case, Utah, whether they got all farty about it because of their own perception, or your delivery came off a certain away, it sounds like your heart was in the right place. I respect that.

By the way! Some people may think, by any sort of approach in a gym: "This folk could be a gay... and I liked him, so he´s trying to lure me away"... When I was younger I saw things like that so, when I´ve reached people out (without preaching), that apprensiveness worked odd ways, too.

I don't talk to strangers,but if some one in my neighborhood says hello to me or good morning to me while I'm on my walk I will say it back to them.

Hi, stranger!

Allow me to introduce myself to you... my name is Antonio.

Is your name butterfly? or your using it to hide and fly?

it's nice to meet you Antonio,my name is Tonya.

Lol! Well I wouldn't have thought to pose it as a homosexual thing, but yeah, I guess that's possible too.

Aww, but you talk with us here! How would you ever meet people without stepping out on a limb?

Usually, no. People might think that you're threatening them simply for making eye contact sometimes, so I try to do minimal of it unless I'm being talked to.

Not proud of my lack of communication skills.

Deja vu?

Tonya and Tony-a are alike?

Pss! Pss!

Next time a tree tells you: "Hug me" don´t miss it out... He could be serious at that he asked!

The woman I have read on this forums do not lack of anything I had read she said before, except eye contact...

Only if they have candy.




....or is that, don't take candy from strangers??

What if its Snickers?
Is it okay then?

yes that is very true

Oh, sure!

I´m not biased whenever I shared with people in the streets or subways but, I have met those... A couple of months ago I was on the subway with one of my Catholic friends and, the man we were talking to, when I was leaving the metro system, tried to stop me severl times, as he was leading me so I had to ask him: "Do not touch me! Unless you were a woman" and precisely that moment a young woman reached us, when I was telling him those things I saw... In a gym, where arms and legs are almost naked or somewhat exposed, the sexual thing always arises.

Lots of variables.
Place, issue, personalities.

Scenario A. I've just completed several sets of the deadlift at 350lbs. Knees locked (It can be done. Correctly. Must be fit). I'm pumped. So I gulp, splash, and guzzle my Perrier.
Suddenly, there, back behind a group of builders, stand Frank Yee and Lee Priest. Yee performing shoulder shrugs. But I notice he's not raising the barbell correctly.
Nope. I ain't saying a thing.

Scenario B. I've just completed several sets of . . . Perrier.
Suddenly, there, right among the machine weights, sits an elderly man (He's looks to be in his 80's). He's at the Lat Pull down.
I noticed he leans forward as he pulls down the bar.
Nope. I ain't saying a thing. He's in his 80's. He's fine.

Scenario C. I've just completed . . . Perrier.
Suddenly, there, within the treadmills runs a female. She's not running correctly.
Nope. I'm married.

Scenario D. I've just completed . . . Perrier.
Suddenly, there, just a few feet away, stands a mid-age man. He's a bit overweight. Seems uncertain. Not confident. But trying as curls the barbell. What's that? He's holding his breath!
Yes. I am going to assist. How? I will stand back as if I am waiting for the barbell.

And say something like . . .

Me: "Hello. How are you? . . . I've noticed you were holding your breath when you were lifting."
Stranger: "I don't know. Was I. Just seemed the thing to do."
Me: "Oh. Have you tried inhaling and exhaling? I've found that by breathing, my body is more flexible. Less prone to injury. Here's how I do it."

Scenario D's strong point is this: It's less likely to make the stranger feel ignorant, out of place, stupid. And so there's a greater chance of actually helping the person.

Should you advise a stranger? Depends on your personality, what you sense about the stranger, the setting, and the place.

Utah, I am proud of you, very proud of you for exercising. But why the gym? I've found that by buying my own weights, and some equipment, I save money. Instead of paying monthly membership fee, I just pay monthly charge fee for the cost of the equipment. Not saying you are wrong. Just trying help. But my way is better.

Great post, my Brother. I'm never afraid, just reserved. In this case, the guy is about 10-15 years older than I am and he's pretty developed so he's been doing this a long time. It's true if he was 20 years old and obviously new to the gym I might not be so reserved.

That said, you hit me right between the eyes with James 4.17, and thank you for doing so.

This is my plan: Say good morning when it seems appropriate (without seeming gay, cause I'm not) and I know exactly where you're coming from with that. Then, if saying good morning becomes customary for us, then I will share with him the harm he is doing with that one particular exercise.

He's doing Lat pulldowns and bringing the bar down behind his neck almost to his shoulder blades. This is a serious no-no as it is bad for your rotator cuff. You always want to bring the bar down in front of you, not behind you. Another horrific mistake folks make is when doing shrugs, some guys grind their shoulders and that's even worse than what this guy is doing.

Would you accept a date from a stranger?