Struggles of a fitness professional... with fitness!

We have all seen them around our social media app of choice, persuading us to use their revolutionary method for a perfect body like theirs. Well… Here’s the news: I am definitely not one of those. At least I wasn’t the last time I looked in the mirror. Hell no. Am I fit? Some might say I am OK for my age. But trust me, it sucks the life out of me. In any case, I am nowhere near as fit as I would like to be. And yet, I am as much a sports and exercise professional as those da Vinci models might be. Or at least, so my BSc says! More to come.

I will not lie to you. I hate gyms; I hate weights; my brain melts into a shapeless pulp while running just for the sake of it… But I still consider myself an active person. I can certainly chase any kind of sports ball with my pals all day long, sometimes even past dawn. Perhaps I was some sort of dog in a previous life; who knows? It has been my downfall throughout my sports career: I love the game, I will always give the proverbial 110% while playing… but, praise the almighty, how I always hated the conditioning side of it! Yes, yes, it led to a ton of injuries, not achieving my full potential as an athlete, and all that. By no means I am advocating for a no-conditioning training regime in sports.

I have nothing against new methods, sharing what works for you, trying different things… as long as there is some scientific evidence behind it, and that evidence is openly disclosed. Otherwise, the word ‘experimental’ should come to mind. So, let’s be fair with the audience. One thing is for sure: the human body is a highly complex machine, and there is still a lot we do not know. And if experience – over 30 years and counting - has shown me something: what works for somebody may not work for someone else.

‘What? Are you telling me that the plank does not improve your core strength?’
Of course, it does! But, is the plank for everyone? Big fat NO. I assure you it does not work for me. Trial and error. Fact.
‘You have got to be kidding! Surely your core muscles got stronger after a few sessions.’
Indeed they did! But you hit the nail on the head: after the few sessions that I managed to cope with it… A few weeks later, I reverted to storing my planks in the garden shed, where they probably belong. At least in my case. They are pretty handy there.

To the point, my main complaint about all these ‘revolutionary’ methods is that they neglect a fundamental aspect: the psychological side of exercise. It is the most important thing I have to work on with most of my clients. Too many of the fitness gurus out there take for granted that we are all highly motivated; that we are all willing to take any amount of pain and frustration to achieve our goals, whichever they may be; that we are all ready to melt our brains into oblivion and get to hate the guts of the holy Tasmanian platypus while we exercise… So, while they make their money through product placement, sponsored videos, and all sorts of modern marketing techniques… approach with caution, and make sure you find what works for you, not them.

In this series of articles, I will do my best to make as much sense as possible out of the scientific evidence around exercise and fitness. All from the humble perspective of my own experience, both as a participant and a practitioner. One thing is for sure: if you are not enjoying the activity, the routine, the method… forget it, asap. Do not waste your time. It will not work in the long term, no matter how magical, trusted, proven – or whatever they brand it- the method they sell us might be. I am sure it works for them. Certainly, not for me.