Since I had spent over a year away from the "fitness world", I began to see things through the eyes of an outsider and let me tell you; our world (the fitness world) can be intimidating, confusing, misleading, and unorganized. The people who were "hardcore" seemed annoying, cocky, full of themselves and unapproachable, trainers lacked communication (mainly listening) skills, and there was so much misinformation online that it's no wonder people buy into phony gimmicks. I can see why the average person has trouble sticking to a program and/or reaching their fitness and exercise goals.
What Outsiders See
*When I refer to outsiders, I am referring to those who do not participate in physical activity regularly or at all.
When outsiders look at the world of fitness, they see something much different than those on the inside see. They look at the TV and see dozens of infomercials for DVD's, shake weights, belts, creams, wraps, etc. They see tons of shredded fitness models and body builders, promises of new life through supplements and "magic" pills, and stories of triumph and glory. When outsiders look at the world of fitness, they see hope. This hope can quickly diminish because of the state and complexity of the current fitness world and the misinformation some have presented to the outsiders. If the outsider is not serious about this journey or if they lack the motivation to seek truth, this journey can end rather quickly. Things are not as easy as the infomercials and magazine articles have led many to believe.
Misinformation and Information Overload
If you run a search online for the best exercise to do, you will find a different answer on each page that pops up. If you run a search for the best style of training (HIIT, CrossFit, Bodybuilding, Powerlifting etc) you will also find a different answer on each page that pops up. If you run a search for the best diet or meal plan, again, you will find a different answer on each page that pops up. Why does every page differ? How do you know which one REALLY is the best? With so much information online, you can literally think yourself into and out of each and every program.
The world of fitness and exercise has become extremely overcomplicated. The reason is because people do not take the time to educate themselves on the BASICS and FUNDAMENTAL principles of nutrition and exercise science. With some background, you should be able to sift through the BS and make an educated decision on what is right and what is wrong.
During my transition from Fat 2 Fit, if it wasn't because I had previous knowledge and a background in exercise science, there is no doubt that I would have failed miserably. With all the information online, I would have had no idea where to turn. Once an outsider realizes that the infomercials were wrong and the diet pills didn't work, they will be lost. To the trainer they go!
Issues With Personal Trainers
I spoke with many people who had previously worked with a Personal Trainer and a common issue was that the trainer lacked communication (mainly listening) skills. If a trainer is not willing to listen or try and understand what their client is saying/asking, the goals of the client will not be met and the trainer/client relationship will fail. Too many trainers think that they know it all and they will push their clients beyond their limits and this is wrong.
Trainers: If your client is complaining about knee pain during squats, DO NOT continue the exercise or set. Clearly there is a reason why their knee is hurting and as a trainer you need to take a deeper look into WHY!
Along with speaking to these people, I also reached out to various Personal Trainers. I did not let them know who I was or what I was doing, all I did was request some information and ask about their background and approach to training. I was floored to see how many trainers had absolutely no idea what they were talking about or what they were doing. Are these people serious? Who educated them? Where did they get their information? I was flat out embarrassed by the quality of trainers you find in your typical box gym. So now what, where do we turn??
In The End
Of course not all trainers are bad and not all information is wrong, but you can find a lot of both in this "Fitness World". My time as an outsider taught me to always pay attention to how I communicate with my clients, continue to further my education as a trainer, and return to some of the basic principles. It reminded me to always do my best to spread accurate information and to train people to learn the difference between accurate and inaccurate information.
If you are reading this post today, it is because you seek truth and understanding when it comes to fitness and exercise. I congratulate and thank you for wanting to educate yourself. As a community we all need to do a better job of spreading accurate information for the good of EVERYONE. We need to come together and motivate each other to become better because we all have a common goal, and that is to live a healthier and more satisfying life.
If you would like to learn more about some of the basics of health, fitness, and exercise feel free to contact me at any time! Trainers welcome :) .
No comments:
Post a Comment