Fitness influencers: education or entertainment
I have a love / hate relationship with fitness influencers and social media. I love social media because it’s a very powerful tool for disseminating positive information and knowledge. But it’s also a powerful tool for disseminating useless information and terrible advice.
Social media is rampant with fake exercises, useless training circuits, and “fitness influencers” who perform party tricks. Sad truth? This nonsense is what you like most and get your views. They put out content purely for entertainment: content without substance, depth, or practical takeaway.
Every day, these trainers with thousands or millions of followers do push-ups with stacked dumbbells, climb two ropes with a medicine ball in their legs, or stand on a barbell ab wheel. I’m rolling out. Most of their content is “Hey, look at me and see what I can do!”. It’s narcissistic and narcissistic.
This is my problem. What are these party trick videos that teach people about exercise? there is nothing. How do you see some IG clowns doing backflip burpees on a battle rope to help the average guy struggling to do five push-ups? it’s not.
It teaches the average person nothing about proper exercise, basic learning, or general training. Not only that, but in many cases it only makes them feel worse about themselves and their current physical condition.
Most fitness on social media is nonsense. These people don’t care about you. These “influencers” are more interested in getting more likes and followers than helping them reach their goals.
Want to lose weight? Eat less. I will walk more. Want to lose weight and build muscle? Lift the weights and eat more protein. Do you understand what I’m saying? No one wants to hear the truth that isn’t sexy.
Effective training can be boring. To get good results, you need to do a lot of fairly mediocre and repetitive training every day, every year. You rinse and repeat the same 20-30 movement patterns throughout your life. A lean, muscular and strong physique is the product of consistent hard work that prioritizes basic movements over the years.
Trainers who really want to help you aren’t going to entertain you. They are going to educate you. A good trainer will tell you what you want to hear, not what you want to hear. They may not always give you the advice you want, but they will give you the advice you need.
Intentionally consume social media. Find out the difference between a good trainer and an “influencer”. Please do not entertain. I was educated.
