Warm Up Room Etiquette

Hello,

As promised here is the full Bob Takano Article

Warm-up Room Etiquette

By: Bob Takano

The function of the warm-up room is to provide a facility where the competitors can adequately prepare for the performance on the competition platform. In a session with a large number of lifters, the lifters will outnumber the available bars and platforms. Since lifters need to warm-up in accordance with the progression of the competition bar, everyone does not need to be in the weight room at the same time. This concept needs to be understood by all parties involved.

It's also not uncommon at local meets to have novices, masters and a couple of national level competitors all in the same session. Furthermore it's also not unusual to have males and females in the same session. All of these factors make the importance of good warm-up room etiquette all the more important.

The warm-up area can often require careful management of several lifters with bare equipment essentials. Etiquette makes things go more smoothly.

Focal Points: In real weightlifting gyms the world over, lifters make use of focal points while lifting and so it is considered boorish to walk through a lifter's line of vision when he or she is preparing to and performing a lift. The same holds true for the warm-up room. Cross through someone's line of vision at critical junctures and we know that you haven't had a proper weightlifting upbringing.

Share the loading: When two or more lifters are sharing the same platform it is common to share the task of changing the weights on the bar with each lifter, the one just finishing and the one following, to load one end of the bar. Coaches may also be involved in the loading in the warm-up room. If you neglect to load your end, it's a pretty good show of bad manners.

Don't bogart the 10 bumps: Some stronger lifters who are out of the loop like to start early and keep adding 10 bumpers to the bar rather than exchange them for 20's and 25's. This deprives the lighter lifters from using them and creates an awkward situation at best.

Don't camp out: Some lifters love to monopolize and show-off in the warm-up. They start early, take too many warm-ups and even lift heavier weights than they attempt in competition. They're in the warm-up before the lesser lifters and monopolize a single platform and as much equipment as possible. Clowns!

Ask Before You Borrow: Just because a plate is lying on a platform, unused, doesn't mean that it might not be used very soon. If you need to borrow it, ask the lifters on the platform if you can. This is just common courtesy. Yes, and remember to return it when you're finished!

Don't camp out in the staging area: Some meet directors thoughtfully provide some seats immediately adjacent to the competition platform for lifters who are "on deck" or "in the hole". If you're not one of them, don't occupy those seats. Coaches, friends and well-wishers shouldn't either.

Get in and get out: If you don't need to spend any more time in the warm-up than is necessary leave it to the people who are warming up. I consider it the job of the coach to manage his or her athletes' warm-ups, so the responsibility really lies with the coach. Most coaches I know are considerate and try not to create circumstances that might inhibit others.

I hope this list of transgressions raises the consciousness of newbie coaches and athletes regarding these issues. That will help make the competitive experience all the more enjoyable and efficient for all of us.

Additional Coaching articles can be found at: www.takanoathletics.com

Be sure to sign up for Bob’s free newsletter, “THE TAKANO ATHLETICS NEWSLETTER”

This free newsletter is to inform you of events, and thoughts regarding the training of weightlifters and the incorporation of the Olympics lifts and their derivatives into the training of athletes.