Record Boards: The Ultimate Motivator

Those that have spent time inside Muscle Pit know we have an array of specialized equipment specific to our needs to help accelerate the development of maximal strength in the quickest time frame possible.

These apparatuses assist in adding exercise variation to our training programs which prevent adaptation which in turn slows progress. The variety of exercise also assists in keeping the lifters mindset fresh, eliminating any mundaneness that may be creeping into their training.

Some of the specialized pieces we house at Muscle Pit include Mono Lifts, a Reverse Hyper, a Glute/Ham Developer along with specialized bars like the Cambered Bars, Safety Squat Bars, Fat Bars plus our own engineered devices like the MPS Slider and the MPS Hip Thrusters to name a few.

Recently I was showing a potential new member through our facility, and as he was studying the record board he turned and asked which item of equipment I thought had the biggest impact overall in improving our team’s strength…

My reply startled him and may surprise a few of you reading this as well…. I said “You are looking at it!! – The Record Board”.

The Record Board

Yep, out of all the specialty stuff here at Muscle Pit, the record board is the one piece of equipment that keeps everyone motivated and focused to improve and has been responsible for getting the very best out of each of our lifters – Without will and hunger nothing happens.

In my opinion a record board would be a “must have” in any gym I was involved with. If you think about it the record board is generally the first thing that grabs your attention when you walk in to a gym that has one.

I feel It should be of massive size so it is in every member’s face and should pay true homage to those names that adorn it.

Ask yourself when you last visited a gym that had a record board or some sort of recognition ladder how much attention did you give it? Most people I have found tend to ogle at it and immediately start equating it back to their own performances.

Authenticity

In my eyes the board needs to demand respect and to do that integrity plays a major key, without integrity there is nothing.

To build on that; at Muscle Pit every lift that adorns our board has been passed in a sanctioned competition. The lift has been performed and completed in a manner that conforms to that sanctioned federations set of rules and judged to be successful by a team of credited referees. This gives it authenticity.

Gym Lifts

On a side note, nothing riles me more than individuals boasting about big gym lifts without qualifying it as a “gym lift” – I’ve heard and seen people claim huge numbers in the gym only to fall short on the platform – You know, the quarter squats, the bounce off the chest, the hitched deadlifts etc…. I’ve see on FB recently a lifter claiming to have finally joined the 300kg squat club after PB’ing the lift in training while using a Duffalo Bar – Sorry but that’s Wrong!!! It’s a Good Duffalo Bar squat, a good Gym PB but that’s it.

To get into any “club” there must be a degree of credibility. Hence why to gain entry your lift needs to be passed in a competition otherwise Pandora’s box is opened and every high arse squatter etc… stakes a claim devaluing the “club”.

A comp PB is totally different as its been scrutinised by 3 qualified judges – Lets keep the standard!! Get it done in a comp and you’ll feel a lot more satisfied and earn a lot more respect from your fellow participants of this sport.

Qualifier

In my time the board has also worked as a qualifier of character and helps me establish if the person is a good fit for our training environment.

Some will look at our board and say “fuck yeah I want to get amongst this and have my name on that board” or “I want to train in this environment as they are doing something right….”.

Others have looked at it totally different and been defeated before a weight has been lifted and respond with “I’ll never…”, “I can’t….”, “That’s impossible…” which they are right of course because they get shown the door.