This week Vicki and I ran our first Perfect Fit Kids exercise class for both parents and children. It was amazing. I'm not sure I've ever had so much fun as a trainer. Both kids and adults were smiling and laughing while they ran, jumped, crawled, acted like gorillas or popped like popcorn. No one there was thinking they were part of an 'exercise class'. The kids, most of all, I'm sure would have looked perplexed if you told them they were doing something other than playing yet they were going through all the basic movement patterns that ought to be included in any well-rounded fitness class.
It made me realise how annoyed I've become with the 'fitness industry'.
For starters, I'm sick of being told that one type of exercise is better for me – or my clients – than another. That 'too much' running is bad for you, or 'too much' cycling, jumping, lifting, squatting, moving, resting… (well, of course it is - just define 'too much' before you jump on your Reebok Step soapbox or I'm not listening).
For main course, the other thing that's caught my capra is the rush to copyright exercise. Beachbody, P90x, CrossFit, MetaFit, Jump-yourself-into-a-size-ten-bikini-in-28-days-fit… They all want you to believe that their 'system' of exercise is the only way to lose weight, safely, quickly, sustainably, or the only way to fully realise your physical potential (CrossFitters actually believe their 'athletes' are the 'fittest people on the planet'... I think I need to take a deep breath and save that for another blog post).
I really don't want to start an-depth attack here, on anyone. I actually think that – beyond their bluff and bluster – all these exercise programs are great. Join a CrossFit gym and as well as being several hundred pounds poorer each month you will be several pounds lighter; you will get strong; you will, with dedication, turn yourself into a fine human specimen. But have you ever looked at what any of these branded fitness programs involve? The same basic exercises that people have been doing for decades, centuries, maybe even millennia. There might be slight variations (CrossFitters seem to have some kind of mental breakdown when it comes to the pull up for instance) and there might be different names (I hold my own hand up here – I love coming up with new names for old exercises... Iron Semaphores anyone?) but the movement patterns remain the same. There are only so many ways the body can move after all.
'But we use the latest research into interval training to blah, blah, blah...'
Congratulations; so you've moved away from doing Tabatas (20s work/10s rest, 8x over if you didn't know) to a more 'optimally fat burning' 30s work/15 rest, 6x over. Not only that, you've copyrighted your 'new' exercise program as FastFatBurn30. Not only that, you're inviting other personal trainers and bootcamp owners to buy into your system for a mere £100 (half-price for the first 100 FitPros to sign up). As they say in Thailand: 'Same same, but different…'
Exercise shouldn't be 'owned' by anyone. Exercise shouldn't be reduced to systems, programs, methods... Exercise should be fun. It should keep you guessing. It should creep up on you by surprise and it should put you on the floor in a gasping, sweating heap of smiles.
You need to get back to your childhood. You need to rediscover the simple joy of movement. Any kind of movement. Running, jumping, lifting things, throwing them, climbing, crawling... just because. Because it's more fun than sitting on the sofa wondering why your trousers are feeling so tight.
You will lose weight and you will get fitter if you dedicate yourself to movements that make you smile. If you like to run, go for a run. If you like swimming, go swimming. If you like lifting heavy things, go to the weights room. If you like to boogie badly, join a Zumba class. If you're looking for friendship, a nickname and early mornings, join a bootcamp. If you like pink, join a ballet class. It really doesn't matter. All movement is good for you; just don't fall into the trap of thinking that whatever you choose to do makes you fitter, faster, stronger, tougher, thinner or is in any way 'better' than what someone else chooses.
If you do something you enjoy, the hard work may hurt but it won't feel like suffering. As a result, you'll keep at it and get results.
Personally, I like to run and I like to punch and kick things (quite often real people, but they don't mind, they're usually punching and kicking me too...). And, even though I'm not so brilliant at all of them, I also like to push, pull, jump, crawl and lift. But I don't make the mistake of thinking that my clients do, or even should, do. Whether you're a PT client of mine or attend one of my classes, I like to find out what makes you tick, why you want to lose weight, why you want to get fit. If I'm fussy about the way you squat, press, run or lift, it's because I want you to master the movement patterns that will keep your body strong and functioning so you can fulfil the why. So you can play 'it' with your children. So you can run that 5k. So you can throw your 5-year old son on the bed and watch him scream with laughter and shout 'Again! Again!'… and be able to do it again without worrying you'll put your back out. So you can stand at the ocean's edge and race the rising tide. So you can get out of your chair or go to the toilet without asking for help. So you can climb a tree, go for a walk, carry the shopping… if you are strong and capable of basic human movements, you will be able to do the things that bring you joy. And joy through movement is the only way to lose weight and get fit; the only way to keep the weight off and stay fit.
I don't want to copyright movement. On the contrary, I want movement to be open access, free for all to develop in a way that makes you happy.
On the other hand, I don't care if you hate burpees, they're good for you... now give me ten!
For more info on what I do, and for news of more kids classes, visit www.perfectfitpt.co.uk
PS. I know that it's easier to offend a CrossFit evangelist than a Muslim fundamentalist (or Christian fundamentalist come to that), but I'm really not having a go. Not really. CrossFit is great, but it'd be even better if it didn't feel like organised religion...
PPS. Caught my capra = got my goat
No comments:
Post a Comment