Why don't we attract more quality members?

[KenDowns]

Is it me, or has Oscar somehow encouraged some lurkers to join up? I'm going to go ahead and give him the credit. Well done!

[Ironman]

I quite agree with everyone here. "unconfirmed spammer" was funny at the time, but probably not very nice. Therefore the first rank is now "former lurker", it's much nicer and should be accurate in it's description 99% of the time.

We probably should take it easy on the new people, and not jump to conclusions about spamming. It's quite difficult to do anyway with the countermeasures I have in place.

I have noticed some people are not too fond of accepting reality, so that may deter some people from signing up. But then again, the people you would like to talk to find that a big plus. So I think being more welcoming is the main thing to keep in mind.

[Khronos8]

@KenDowns: Please dont feed the troll.

[Stefan 93]

Look at it this way:
Bodybuilding.com Forum - everyone goes there because obviously they have good name for this things.
T-Nation Forum - everyone who searches something sees links to this site (because of their articles and huge forum), so many go there.
And this forum has some unusual name - Exrx. Who will google that?

Another thing. Look at site Exrx.net. It looks like it's 10 years old and everyone thinks those guys which made it gave up.

But this forum is much better. You guys told me some things which I couldn't find on Internet. And no-one on Bodybuilding forum knew anything about them.

Ironman, why forum lurker? Spammer was much better! No-one who manages to register here will quit because of that.

[Rik-Blades]

Well, I love the site. I may not post very often, but i'm here pretty much everyday.

I like to stay in the background, read through the advice from our most experienced lifters here.
I'm not a newbie, this will be my forth year of lifting soon. I didn't quit, kept it up, even after giving up my gym membership so I could care for my wife full time. I lift exclusivley at home now, outside, squatting in the snow when I have to.

This forum for me is like my gym buddies I ought to have. It's funny really, I was very much like KPj at the beginning, asking stupid stuff etc, bumming up my shoulders and posture, but slowly the advice here has helped me learn and grow. I've probably only spent the last year finally getting it something close to correct, but at the same time realise that i've still so much to learn.

I also like the no BS attitude here. There's no 'how much ya bench' ego stroking going on here and no 'you really need our latest BioPuke™ to be swole' sales pitch. I hope it stays that way.

It was actually myself that suggested to IM we have the 'unconfirmed spammer' status for newbies. Yes, at the time we had BIG spam problems and it kinda appealed to both our sense of humours at the time. It really ought to change, I can see that it may seem unwelcoming to some.

...farewell 'unconfirmed spammer'...i'll miss ya...sniff!

[Ironman]

Look at it this way:
Bodybuilding.com Forum - everyone goes there because obviously they have good name for this things.
T-Nation Forum - everyone who searches something sees links to this site (because of their articles and huge forum), so many go there.
And this forum has some unusual name - Exrx. Who will google that?

Another thing. Look at site Exrx.net. It looks like it's 10 years old and everyone thinks those guys which made it gave up.

But this forum is much better. You guys told me some things which I couldn't find on Internet. And no-one on Bodybuilding forum knew anything about them.

Ironman, why forum lurker? Spammer was much better! No-one who manages to register here will quit because of that.

I said "former lurker". Obviously if they signed up they aren't lurkers anymore. Most likely they were though. Usually people just read the forum before they actually sign up.

By the way, google any exercise, and notice which fitness site is at the top. It's either the first hit, or second after wikipedia.

[Oscar_Actuary]

That's how I got here.
Before getting the rack, I was trying to find more exercises to do with dumbbells.

[KenDowns]

By the way, google any exercise, and notice which fitness site is at the top. It's either the first hit, or second after wikipedia.

Like Oscar, that's how I got here. It came up several times when I was googling how-to's. What struck me immediately was the encyclopedic detail and cross-referencing. Only later did I figure, which forums would likely have the best informed no-nonsense participants, and exrx seemed the first answer.

[Jungledoc]

By the way, google any exercise, and notice which fitness site is at the top. It's either the first hit, or second after wikipedia.

Like Oscar, that's how I got here. It came up several times when I was googling how-to's. What struck me immediately was the encyclopedic detail and cross-referencing. Only later did I figure, which forums would likely have the best informed no-nonsense participants, and exrx seemed the first answer.

Yes, we have no-nonsense participants. And me.

[The_dog_mom]

google any exercise, and notice which fitness site is at the top. It's either the first hit, or second after wikipedia.

Yep that's how I got here. I bookmarked EXRX and even sent it to my husband. Confusion over how to start is what made me post on the forum and the rest is HX.