"Worthless Attaboys....."

[Chris McCarthy]

I normally like to stay well away from any term that seems to have been termed by Kim Wood (apart from "Drug-Pig", but that one is a good one) but I thought this one needed some examination - what exctly is a "Worthless Attaboy", and how common are they? More importantly, are they as destructive as they seem to be presented as?

For example, if I am reading a training log and over the course of a few months the subject works up to, say, a 400lb squat PR, is that worthy of an "Attaboy" or not? I don't think either I nor the subject are thinking it's on the verge of greatness but then I see the ability to give encouragement to others as one of the most positive aspects of the online training "World".

I was hoping that if, nothing else, I could get some feedback as to when the Ironmind Forum says it's officially OK to say "well done".

[Joe Keenan]

Great post!

[Randall Strossen]

Really an interesting idea.

I went through a period of ending every workout in my training log with something like, "Great workout!" So, either I had really low standards or should have been breaking PRs or more left and right (which I wasn't doing).

[Adam Glass]

I normally like to stay well away from any term that seems to have been termed by Kim Wood (apart from "Drug-Pig", but that one is a good one) but I thought this one needed some examination - what exctly is a "Worthless Attaboy", and how common are they? More importantly, are they as destructive as they seem to be presented as?

For example, if I am reading a training log and over the course of a few months the subject works up to, say, a 400lb squat PR, is that worthy of an "Attaboy" or not? I don't think either I nor the subject are thinking it's on the verge of greatness but then I see the ability to give encouragement to others as one of the most positive aspects of the online training "World".

I was hoping that if, nothing else, I could get some feedback as to when the Ironmind Forum says it's officially OK to say "well done".

The more relevant question is why are you worried about making Kim happy?

if you want to tell someone good job then do it. Who cares what someone else thinks?

[Chris McCarthy]

Adam.,

The (apparently too well) hidden subtext of my post was, of course, that the term "Worthless Attaboys" is largely risible outside a very specific, and in my opinion largely imaginary, context.

Since I've read on this board quite a lot over the past few weeks that the Iron Game is on a one way trip to hell I thought I'd try to highlight one of the things I thought the Internet allowed us all to do well (ie. passing on words of encouragement).

And I doubt anything I've ever done would make Wood happy, so I wouldn't be about to try now.

[Kim Wood]

I'm with you, Adam... but doubt if I in fact ever said "worthless
attaboys"(I 'd have to see the post...don't think I ever
said it... might be someone's fantasies projected onto me )my
point is that training should be a very personal endeavor
and not a "group affair" where a major component
is the appeal to others...the grip board provides those energies
for those who need it...why must it become a big thing here?
(as this forum morphs into the grip board meeting those
needs will certainly be a big part of this forum)(I do
remember saying that I hoped this forum would become
more than a warm and welcoming hand that weak men
could reach-out for. The essence of training is to become strong
...that most forums settle into places that reinforce weakness
IS revealing but probably not what a forum like Milo/Iron Mind
should be...)

[Mike Corlett]

but doubt if I in fact ever said "worthless
attaboys"(I 'd have to see the post...don't think I ever
said it... might be someone's fantasies projected onto me )

The Search Function on this Forum is not bad, as it appears it has told me:

1. Kim Wood did not say "worthless attaboys".
2. Randall Strossen did say "meaningless attaboys".
3. Mark Shuetrim may have coined the term "worthless attaboys".

Let me pat myself on the back: Attaboy, Mike! Now THAT is a Worthless Attaboy...

I am not even pretending to say that what I just wrote was funny. Remember, I thought the movie "Joe Dirt" was stupid. To me, "funny" is "My Cousin Vinny". And some of Kim Wood's posts, and some of Rex Hubbard's, and a few of Josh Dale's. Most of our attempts at humor here fall flat, and there is not enough common ground in the demographics to fix that.

[Chris Rice]

If a 30 year old Professional football player scores a touchdown we get break dancing, high fives, lifted up in the air by another player etc. If it’s a game winning touchdown we get most of the team chest bouncing each other, high fiving, and in a pile out on the field that looks a lot like a group hug. Could this be construed like a worthless attaboy for someone “just doing their job” and being paid a few million to do it. But that’s OK – the whole stadium and most living rooms are full of people giving attaboys so that makes it all OK of course.