Tip: The Biggest Clown in the Gym

Are you a micro-repper? Don't be. Everyone is laughing at you.

Are You a Big-Loader, Micro-Repper?

This is best personified by a video that made its way around social media.

World record, right? While that's an extreme example, it does exemplify the degree to which some people will go to massage their egos. I'm sure this guy goes around saying he can leg press all the weight in the gym, for reps. Much to the chagrin of anyone else who'd like to use some of that iron and actually lift with it.

These guys are all over the place. They load up an insane amount of weight, or use all the chains, or hang plates on weight stacks with extra pins they "borrowed" from the stacks next door. They make all kinds of noise and accomplish very close to nothing.

The big-loaders don't just disrupt the flow of the gym by hoarding a ton of plates, they abuse expensive gym equipment by overloading it far beyond its engineered design tolerances. Then valuable stuff breaks and no one can use it until it's fixed, a cost that comes out of the pocket of the gym owner, NOT the dork who broke it.

John Romano is a longtime industry insider and performance-enhancement specialist. He authored several bodybuilding and fitness books and appeared on HBO, ESPN, ABC's 20/20, and numerous radio talk shows. He is also featured in the acclaimed documentary Bigger Stronger Faster. Romano resides in Guadalajara, Mexico where he owns and operates a Gold’s Gym.