Posts by David Long27

nimblemarlin6 said:Look, I’ll ask you this since you’re an experienced David Long27. What’s your take on kettlebells?

The American outfit Dragon Door pushes their kettlebell system as the ultimate way to train, claiming in all their literature that it boosts athletic performance even better than other methods.
For instance, the trainer Tsatsouline claims in one of his books that there was a study where one group of athletes did pull-ups and sprints, while another group stuck strictly to kettlebells. When they tested them, the group doing just kettlebells actually outperformed the other group in both sprinting and pull-ups.
If that holds water, it’s pretty wild.
So, where do kettlebells fit into an athlete's prep? Is it really a superior tool? Do the pros actually use them often?

If you’re actually interested in kettlebells, there are guys in New York City who live and breathe this stuff—they can show you the ropes and walk you through everything. Just go grab a bell and incorporate it into your training however you see fit, instead of just listening to whatever some random person tells you about them. Especially if that person has only swung a kettlebell a couple of times in their life; you'll just end up hurting yourself. Personally, I don't use them in my own routine, nor did I use them back when I was competing. I've messed around with them a few times and I dig how they let you hit specific movements you just can't get with a barbell or dumbbells, but that's about it.

I've spent a massive amount of time in the gym, working with people in commercial gyms and outdoors, which is why I’m even typing this out. (And I'm saying it because I know the vibe in the US fitness scene; you guys are constantly bombarded with advertisements, so it's hard to tell when someone is actually trying to give you some decent, well-meaning advice.)

In the gym, I mostly stick to free weights. I know playing around with heavy iron isn't a joke, so it bugs me when everyone acts like an expert on the subject, only to run away from the actual work like the devil.

I actually like the idea of choosing a sport based on morphological characteristics. I tell people to pick a sport that matches their body type because that's where they'll see results fastest, plus they'll learn more about training than they would at some fancy boutique fitness center. They'll lose those weird prejudices about certain sports and athletes too. One person does boxing, another track and field, someone else swimming, maybe bodybuilding, and so on. I’m not telling anyone to stay out of the gym; I'm just saying be careful who you work with and stop trash-talking coaches. You don't become a coach via the internet, yet everyone feels entitled to spit on us. And if you want to lose fat? I still think running hills is king!

Look, little brat, quit shaking. Nobody has anything against you, but if you think you're being too smart for your own good, I bet you've heard that from me before! Stop worrying so much about what people say and stop bashing someone who put in the work just to help promote you to the world!!!

I still don't get this forum. It’ll never make sense to me why we couldn't have just left it at that first post from a few days ago!! If you like it, fine; if not, whatever. When I need something, I look it up and move on. I value getting an answer immediately without getting lost in a sea of information. I never had any intention of arguing with someone for five straight days.

Peace out, everyone. I won't bother anyone with these mile-long posts anymore!!! And honestly, I probably won't even turn on my computer for a week after all this!

Look, people, you're finally starting to talk like normal human beings again. Don't come for me regarding my previous posts; I just figured someone needed to shake things up and force everyone to actually listen to what’s being said instead of just hearing what they want to hear.

Take this guy who runs most of the discussions here—I’ve read everything he’s posted on the forum. The kid puts in the work. He knows the stuff they talk about in actual gyms, understands nutrition reasonably well, and actually gives a damn about people's joints. Honestly, he could easily land a job at a local fitness center, and he’d probably outwork most of the staff there. I’ve seen his progress photos; the guy built himself a solid physique, no question about it! But when it comes to actual athletics or the definition of a "coach," he hasn't a clue. He’s never even been in that world. (Hey, don't get mad at me, man, but you've definitely played us for fools here more than a few times.)

Since my whole point from the jump was to steer people toward recreational sport, I want to drive one thing home: gym workouts and those various group classes? They all stem from actual sports. I won't repeat myself too much—those of you following this since the beginning already know what I'm getting at, so just talk amongst yourselves. Basically, people coming from serious athletic backgrounds or from places like KIF (I think BlackRock is the only real heavyweight left in New York City) have all this knowledge at their fingertips. They can master in six months what takes certain big-box gyms years to cycle through. Why?

Because you rarely find an actual COACH in those places. In my opinion, most of the people working there are basically just glorified entertainers, which explains why they act the way they do!
I say "most" because I know any real professional wouldn't take offense!

But those of us who actually love this and want to do it professionally? We get constantly mocked or dismissed by people like that. It ranges from the guys working with casts and injuries to the ones training kids over at a local YMCA in Oakland (for example). When we try to get jobs at these centers, they ask us to tone down the "serious" talk because half the owners don't know any better. They won't hire a real coach because a real coach isn't going to grind seven days a week or go the extra mile for pennies$1167. Then people act surprised when a great trainer vanishes overnight. People walking in for the first time can't tell the difference between a coach and an entertainer, and some stay stuck in that cycle for years.

AND IT'S BECAUSE YOU DON'T ASK WHO THE REAL COACH IS, AND WE STAY QUIET AND DON'T POST ON THE FORUMS.

Anyway, enough of that. I'm not out here advertising anyone; I'm just pushing you to: vet the person training you. Demand more value for all the cash you're throwing around. By doing that, you're actually helping people like us—the ones who aren't there to entertain, but to actually train people.

For all these reasons, recreational sport is better than any commercial gym, whether it's boxing or anything else. As long as it's a sport, the focus isn't just on looking good—the looks happen as a byproduct. If you just want the gym life and care exclusively about aesthetics, find a place with actual coaches; it's not like the talent doesn't exist.

Personally, I think even just messing around in a sports-recreational club is better. But hey, that's just my take. I don't expect anyone to reply to this; I just think it's time this was laid out so people can read it, especially since they're reading all this other stuff anyway.

So, make your own choice, whatever works for you!!! Just stop insulting things you know nothing about. If you have something to contribute, stick to your own field of expertise. I’d love to read something similar from someone in a different profession.

slydriver52 said:👍

Have you even been following this thread from the jump? Like, a few days ago when we were debating where to hit the gym in Chicago?

Ethan Garcia8 said:Man, give it a rest. You're being tedious. Stop nagging. 🙂

Look, thanks for the reply, but that was really the whole point of my posts—just laying it out because someone actually asked.

Now, let me ask you nicely one more time: just drop the stuff about Ante Kostelić. Seriously. It’s not even personal, I don't have a problem with you, it's just that you're acting like a know-it-all in a space where you clearly don't belong.

Maybe try talking about your own field if you actually have something useful to contribute. And look, if you ever have actual questions about training, feel free to reach out. We aren't all the arrogant types you seem to think we are; if you'd actually met people in the industry, maybe you wouldn't be so convinced.

Cheers to the lurkers watching this play out! And hey, that guy from Oakland should hit me up for a beer sometime—he's definitely earned it.

I’ve been seeing posts everywhere saying you live in the gym doing nothing but squats and deadlifts. Look, would you be a total legend and break it down for us mere mortals? We don't train professionally or anything, we just want to look decent. Could you explain the whole squat situation—like, how many different types are there even? I’m talking everything from where the bar sits on your back to which muscles are actually firing. And most importantly, what should we watch out for so we don't absolutely wreck our knees?
(That knee thing is a huge deal for me, especially when it comes to going deep. My girlfriend is asking because she heard deep squats are the ultimate glute builder, but now she’s terrified her knees are gonna snap because she read some forum post claiming deep squats are strictly for hardcore powerlifters.)
Neither of us has ever really done sports or anything, so we have zero clue who to turn to for advice.
We honestly have no idea what kind of shape we're in, so if you happen to know a way to figure out our baseline fitness, let me know!

Thanks man, looking forward to hearing what you gotta say!