Is there a disconnect between Gen Z gym-goers and older generations in the gym?

[sourpower]

The funny thing is your father's generation used to say the same thing about your generation.

We all just turn into old men screaming at clouds at some point.

 

[nothuman]

It’s all perspective. You can’t appreciate something until you’ve gone through the work or gotten to the other side. @danieltx hit it dead on the head.

I’m 35 now so I sit right in the middle of the spectrum. I see both sides, but just as I’ve learned most of those younger guys you train with now won’t be in a gym 5-10 years from now. They’re chasing a temporary thing. The older guys have been in the trenches and know this is a lifestyle.

Agreed. I think there are annoying young guys who suck for the reasons already pointed out in the thread and also annoying old guys who think they're better just because they're older. I remember getting shit due to my young age when I started posting on forums so I am conscious not to behave the same way they did now that I am "older" (38) and give them the benefit of the doubt unless they show otherwise.

 

[nothuman]

We all just turn into old men screaming at clouds at some point.

Old people complain more than anyone else in general from my observation. Living in apartment buildings all my life, it's always the older people who complain the most. I witnessed loved ones go from being joyful to angry as they advanced in age. I think there might be a hormone decline component, as much as it is a case where they lose patience with the world. It's rather sad

 

[sourpower]

Old people complain more than anyone else in general from my observation. Living in apartment buildings all my life, it's always the older people who complain the most. I witnessed loved ones go from being joyful to angry as they advanced in age. I think there might be a hormone decline component, as much as it is a case where they lose patience with the world. It's rather sad

Anecdotally speaking my father has become insufferable in his old age. Confusion and fear are what I attribute it to. He lives with me and he’s a shell of what he was when I was a teen. A little test would do him good but im not going to be the one to pin him.

 

[Isovet]

The funny thing is your father's generation used to say the same thing about your generation.

isnt that what i said in my post. " every generstion acts like grumpy old people to the younger genertion"

little better reading comprehension goes along way....

 

[PRorER]

This board needs more young guys. Please stick around.

Haha that’s the plan, Just trying to be a sponge and learn from guys who know what they’re talking about

 

[buck]

Old people complain more than anyone else in general from my observation. Living in apartment buildings all my life, it's always the older people who complain the most. I witnessed loved ones go from being joyful to angry as they advanced in age. I think there might be a hormone decline component, as much as it is a case where they lose patience with the world. It's rather sad

When you get old enough you will understand grumpy old people. As age happens the body doesn't feel or move as well. Digestion goes down, sleep is harder etc. Skills abilities go down hill that is just life. And when a person starts physically feeling less well then they feel mentally less well. And to be as happy when things ache and ya can't do much about it can't do what you like and used to do then being happy is tougher. But i am only in my 2nd millennia, second century and 8th decade of life. Catch me later when i really get bitter!

 

[qbkilla]

When you get old enough you will understand grumpy old people. As age happens the body doesn't feel or move as well. Digestion goes down, sleep is harder etc. Skills abilities go down hill that is just life. And when a person starts physically feeling less well then they feel mentally less well. And to be as happy when things ache and ya can't do much about it can't do what you like and used to do then being happy is tougher. But i am only in my 2nd millennia, second century and 8th decade of life. Catch me later when i really get bitter!

They also have wisdom and see all the stupid stuff that is now accepted and promoted for what it is. Lol.

 

[LK3]

Old people complain more than anyone else in general from my observation. Living in apartment buildings all my life, it's always the older people who complain the most. I witnessed loved ones go from being joyful to angry as they advanced in age. I think there might be a hormone decline component, as much as it is a case where they lose patience with the world. It's rather sad

there is truth to that.
dopamine levels drop with age.
get to zero and you are dead.

its much easier to be negative too.
dopamine is basically fucking and fighting. (fucking good, fighting bad, love/hate)
anxiety and complaining and being mean all generate it. probably not as much as loveyness and of the other good stuff that goes wit it.

they hug bro.
lol

 

[LK3]

When you get old enough you will understand grumpy old people. As age happens the body doesn't feel or move as well. Digestion goes down, sleep is harder etc. Skills abilities go down hill that is just life. And when a person starts physically feeling less well then they feel mentally less well. And to be as happy when things ache and ya can't do much about it can't do what you like and used to do then being happy is tougher. But i am only in my 2nd millennia, second century and 8th decade of life. Catch me later when i really get bitter!

in my experience older people are often resistant to try drugs that may help. all due to social believes rather then facts. i think thats sad.

 

[MR. BMJ]

your generation is fucked.... im 40+.... you are probably an outlier in your generation...

every generation acts like grumpy old people to the younger generations. IE- the younger generations are going to take the world to hell.... and they are all brain dead and lazy...

its never true but honestly... in this case it might actually be...

your generation doesnt know which gender they are... cant stop filming themselves... and are just all around pathetic losers..

( not saying you personally are just your generation as a whole) but honeslty... its not even your generations fault... its not mine... its the boomer genertion...

they are literally the problem for everybody..

the gym culture we all grew up in is absolutely disgusted by what we see..

people more interested in likes and clicks than actually lifting..

people who call themselves " influencers" who havent done shit and dont have 1 oz of credibility.....

no respect for themselves or others in the gym....

extremely lazy all around and want instant gratification.

i could go on and on....

This is spot-on! I can't really add anything, except I feel that many from our generation (i'm 48) seemed to give a lot more praise and acknowledgement to the older generation(s) before us, even though they scolded our asses, lol. They made you WANT to earn their respect and work hard for things, and in the end, it meant something. I've lost all hope for this current boomer generation and younger, they don't respect anybody or anything, they want everything given to them, they don't value anybody before them, and when you give advice, they still think you are stupid. Not saying every single young person is like this, but many are, unfortunately. I give as much praise as I can when I see young kids do good, or a good firm but fair stance.

I give so much praise to my grandfathers' generation, and those who endured/fought WWII, great depression, etc. Just a different breed. I'm speaking as an American here, it may be different in differing countries. When they gave a compliment, or a smile, you earned it, and it felt like a million dollars.

 

[Itisisaysme510]

To start, I’m 24 years old so I’m gonna make the assumption that I am one of the younger individuals on this forum. I’ve been working out for 10 years now and most of my experience within the gym was learned from MUCH more experienced gym members, strength coaches from playing hs/college football, and watching YouTube (EliteFTS, IFBB pros, etc).

Something that I’ve always noticed early on is that there’s always been people at whatever gym I workout at that are super friendly or helpful but they are usually +30 in age. I have 3 training partners (1 everyday, 1 a few times a year, and 1 only over the summer because he’s in college out of state) who are all relatively the same age as me but we’ve known each other for years. I’ve always found it funny interacting with people my age or younger in the gym. It usually turns into a dick measuring contest… I’ve had people tell me my physique/lifts don’t count because I take steroids (I’m open about my use if asked). Once I had a kid curse me out because I wouldn’t tell him where to buy gear(personally I think it’s a right of passage to find it yourself, which isn’t very hard). It’s almost like in my generation people are competing against each other to look better than the guy next to them. Obviously not everyone is like that but it is becoming a theme as I’ve become more experienced.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, it’s always the older guys (by old I just mean above my age range) at my gym that are the first people to congratulate you on a big lift, compliment you, etc. I’ve also learned a lot just from taking lil pointers here and there. This question is aimed more at the individuals on this forum who have made the gym apart of their lifestyle and have years of experience but do you ever feel like the gym culture you grew up in is completely different then the gym culture younger generations are experiencing? If so what are the things you like or dislike?

Probably no more than any other generational divide. Usually the ines who complain about "kids these days" or only like music from when they were 16 are the ones to avoid.

 

[buck]

They also have wisdom and see all the stupid stuff that is now accepted and promoted for what it is. Lol.

Wisdom? I think you may want to have long talks with more of them old people. I have over the decades and i find wisdom is not about age. It only comes from learning from ones mistakes. And many never do i find. Most i talk to wish they had taken better care of themselves, started saving for retirement earlier and the list goes on. And still aren't doing those things.

 

[buck]

in my experience older people are often resistant to try drugs that may help. all due to social believes rather then facts. i think thats sad.

I can agree. But the amount of people that want to take a pill or drug to deal with something even though their own actions are what is causing the problems is alive and well at all ages.

 

[Isovet]

This is spot-on! I can't really add anything, except I feel that many from our generation (i'm 48) seemed to give a lot more praise and acknowledgement to the older generation(s) before us, even though they scolded our asses, lol. They made you WANT to earn their respect and work hard for things, and in the end, it meant something. I've lost all hope for this current boomer generation and younger, they don't respect anybody or anything, they want everything given to them, they don't value anybody before them, and when you give advice, they still think you are stupid. Not saying every single young person is like this, but many are, unfortunately. I give as much praise as I can when I see young kids do good, or a good firm but fair stance.

I give so much praise to my grandfathers' generation, and those who endured/fought WWII, great depression, etc. Just a different breed. I'm speaking as an American here, it may be different in differing countries. When they gave a compliment, or a smile, you earned it, and it felt like a million dollars.

I remember the first time I stepped into golds. I was maybe 20. Had been lifting for 4 years by then. Looked pretty good or so I thought. Walked in the front door. Took a look around. Saw the dudes in there and knew “instantly “ i was in a league way above me…..

At that moment I realized I wasn’t jack shit. Did I start taking out my phone and posting videos of me flexing… ? we didn’t even have cell phones then but that’s not the point.

I put my hoodie on went to the nearest cybex bench press and got to work… kept my head down , my head phones on and started the work….

You know what’s funny…. The older guys saw me in there every day. Working… grinding… eventually I’d look up and get head nods, then I get occasional looks of approval. Nobody said shit to me until they saw progress and continued commitment. Eventually the small talk came… and then from there I became accepted…

I worked my way to being accepted… I didn’t demand it or force it.

 

[Eguz22]

have you studied this guy?

I have studied a lot about him but I still do not know if I have managed to understand him deeply, he is a fascinating thinker and he is the only atheist who was not only against the idea of god, but against other ideas that came to replace him, such as humanity, progress, the state, laws, morality, for him all these things are like a virus that takes possession of him unique, that is why his approach is so shocking.

Nietzsche was inspired by him, but he never mentioned or acknowledged him in his writings. Ego issues. Of course, there is much that is authentic or original in nietzsche's proposal and clearly differs from Stirner's, but anyone who reads both can sees some similarities.

Ayn Rand also read him, she picked up some ideas like egoism and individualism, but her ideal being is rational and somehow wants to live in a society with a micro state and laws. She never acknowledged any teacher except Aristotle, but again, anyone who reads these different authors will see that there are similarities. She even went so far as to open each chapter of The Fountainhead with a quote from Nietzsche.

The prologue to "the ego and its own" blows your mind

What is not supposed to be my concern! First and foremost, the Good Cause, then God’s cause, the cause of mankind, of truth, of freedom, of humanity, of justice; further, the cause of my people, my prince, my fatherland; finally, even the cause of Mind, and a thousand other causes.

Only my cause is never to be my concern. "Shame on the egoist who thinks only of himself!"

I for my part take a lesson from them, and propose, instead of further unselfishly serving those great egoists, rather to be the egoist myself.

God and mankind have concerned themselves for nothing, for nothing but themselves. Let me then likewise concern myself for myself, who am equally with God the nothing of all others, who am my all, who am the only one.

If God, if mankind, as you affirm, have substance enough in themselves to be all in all to themselves, then I feel that I shall still less lack that, and that I shall have no complaint to make of my "emptiness."

I am not nothing in the sense of emptiness, but I am the creative nothing, the nothing out of which I myself as creator create everything. Away, then, with every concern that is not altogether my concern!

You think at least the "good cause" must be my concern? What’s good, what’s bad? Why, I myself am my concern, and I am neither good nor bad. Neither has meaning for me.

The divine is God’s concern; the human, man’s. My concern is neither the divine nor the human, not the true, good, just, free, etc., but solely what is mine, and it is not a general one, but is – unique, as I am unique.

Nothing is more to me than myself!

 

[LK3]

I can agree. But the amount of people that want to take a pill or drug to deal with something even though their own actions are what is causing the problems is alive and well at all ages.

its not just about taking drugs brotha. you have to take drugs and do the work. lol
thats the problem.
the drugs im talking about dont come form your dr. lol

 

[buck]

its not just about taking drugs brotha. you have to take drugs and do the work. lol
thats the problem.
the drugs im talking about dont come form your dr. lol

Those are the some of the same drugs i was talking about... brotha. I was mostly talking about bodybuilders. Although the same applies to others as well. Bodybuilders lead their lifestyle and others do the same. And the negative side effects can be the same.