Every so often, I read a fitness feature in the lifestyle section of a newspaper and take great joy in ripping it to shreds. And not in the dramatic weight loss fashion.
I hate these features, and many others in actual fitness publications. It’s awkward, because it’s hard to tell whether the trainer is just bad, or badly edited. I sincerely hope it’s the latter, because if it’s not, bad trainers are getting big publicity.
To the untrained eye (pardon the expression) the programmes don’t look that bad. A few sets of lunges here, some push ups there… but I typically think that the advice just doesn’t go far enough. It’s very rare that you see decent tips about progression, and I’ve got visions of people reading a programme once, trying it for several months, and getting frustrated when they plateau.
The bigger issue is that they’re not personalised. They’re written with a textbook version of a client and a goal in mind which, in reality, meets nobody’s practical needs. But again, the reader will take them at face value and, even if they have been working at a more advanced level, will be inclined to just follow the instructions and end up regressing themselves.
The final major flaw is that reading something in a newspaper doesn’t allow you to receive coaching, meaning that incorrect technique is likely to be performed. Instructions can also be too simplistic, or missed altogether, with key coaching points getting left out.
If you find yourself inspired by picking up a magazine, make the next thing you pick up the phone. To a qualified personal trainer. Who will create something just for you, rather than a flashy-looking spread.