This fitness trend you have to try!
I'm sure by now, you (or someone you know) have been influenced by social media superstars to try something stupid. And I totally get why it happens so often.
These people look the part, so they must be doing something right to look great.
They have an impressive following. so they must have some authority on the topics they cover.
Most of them have partnerships with big-time companies, so they must be trustworthy.
While some instafluencers are indeed spewing some well-documented science, most of what people consume on the internet is wrong, dangerous, and downright silly - all done in an effort for views and clicks.
From ditching resistance training for cortisol control to flushing the body with salt water for weight loss, the internet insanity is truly endless. I've met many who think juice cleanses detox the liver, exercise is not good when menstruating, and that alkaline water is great for gut health.
Just like the internet, Pennsylvania does not require any standard of education or credentialing to claim to be a fitness or nutrition professional. You can start your own business right now and get away with fooling the public without any requirements necessary!
All of this madness makes me want to shove an icicle pick into my eyeballs. Lucky for me, it's been a steady 50 degrees at the end of January here!
I can't possibly cover all of the viral TikTok trends over recent years, so I'm dialing in my efforts into safe movement patterns for the body. I've witnessed weird stuff in person and on the interwebs, which can be quite entertaining, even if it makes me shake my head.
Let me start by saying this: there is no such thing as target training. You cannot go into the gym and do a bunch of arm exercises and expect those parts of your body to change. Doesn't work.
What you can do is work your entire body in a system of compound movements that are safe for your spine and joints. As a bonus, these patterns maximize the recruitment of your muscle groups to increase your caloric burn with full range of motion:
- Push (horizontal and vertical - push ups, overhead presses, etc.)
- Pull (horizontal and vertical - rows, pull ups, etc.)
- Knee (squats, step ups, etc.)
- Hip (deadlifts, bridges, etc.)
- Anti-Extension (planks and their variations)
- Anti-Rotation (pallof presses and their variations)
And that's it. We leverage that exact list to program sustainable phases for clients for maximum efficiency and effectiveness. By combining these six movements consistently, your functional strength will benefit virtually everything you enjoy in life!
Golf. Playing with your kids. Pickleball. Grocery shopping. Hiking. Going up the stairs at work. You name it, you'll be better at it by utilizing these movements in your workouts and not putting a focus on arm blasters, glute busters, or whatever else TikTok is telling you to do.
When I was the Assistant Strength Coach for the Women's Olympic Rugby Team, I used this same philosophy (albeit more complex for their respective performance needs) to get them prepared for the 2016 Rio Games ... and the research is the same now as it was a decade ago!
If this approach is good enough for an Olympian, you can bet it's good enough for the average American. Following the flashy trends on the internet won't yield a successful journey, but putting in the same old boring work consistently over time sure will!
