Over the past month or two we’ve had many discussions with members about all the contradictory information out there surrounding ways to eat and train. We’re in an age where there’s too much information and nobody knows what’s right and what’s wrong. Every “expert” can give you a convincing explanation why their way is correct. This weightlifter says you should squat all the way to the floor, the other one says you should squat quad-dominant, so not as low. This nutritionist says you shouldn’t eat before bed but another one says it doesn’t matter. This guy says the Plank is useless, etc…
What it all comes down to is training biases. People trying to preach that their way is the best and you should all jump on the pilgrimage to Bethlehem with Him. Biases are not evil; it’s just a person’s view on a subject as a result of how they have garnered that knowledge through their life and coaching experiences.
When it comes to fitness writers/bloggers they usually get paid by how many views they get. So they create a “shocking” headline, refer to a lonely science article to back up their views, then sit back and see who jumps on the bandwagon. Intermittent Fasting is the latest cool kid on the block (I’ll let Wikipedia explain it to you). I’ve never tried it but it’s backed up by science and testing, and, hey, it could work for you or I... but a little bit of me feels like “Oh, we’ve run out of ways to teach people what to eat, so screw it, we’ll suggest they just don’t eat at all for a while.” Diet books are carefully titled to catch your eye and make your life easier so you’ll purchase them –“Drop Two Sizes”, “Top Secret Ways to Lose Up to 10lbs in Just 2 Weeks”, “The 4-Hour Work Week”. Most never work in the long-term.
But what almost all fitness experts won’t tell you is that everyone’s body reacts differently. If they did tell you that how can they sell you their product or way of thinking? Of the hundreds of people who got in shape using Insanity DVDs, another hundred didn’t, and the same goes for the Paleo diet and intermittent fasting.
So how do you weed through all this conflicting information, who’s telling the truth? The answer has mostly nothing to do with THEM… it’s all about what’s right for YOU. The solution is for YOU to create a goal (not just “I want to get fit”, or “I want to tone” – a proper goal)… then do some research on people who you think can help YOU achieve this… work out what their training history and philosophy is and if YOU think it aligns with reaching YOUR goals, then stick with their program for a sufficient period of time. Keep a positive attitude and if it works for you, great! If it doesn’t then try something else, it is really that simple.
Kevin
P.S. By the way, we think the plank is great. As we introduce kettlebell deadlifts and swings in our upcoming WORKSHOP you better have the form down to a ‘t’, and it all starts with a solid plank. But hey, that’s just our bias!
This post was inspired by a blog post from one of our mentors, Ben Bruno. I highly recommend you give it a read HERE.
What it all comes down to is training biases. People trying to preach that their way is the best and you should all jump on the pilgrimage to Bethlehem with Him. Biases are not evil; it’s just a person’s view on a subject as a result of how they have garnered that knowledge through their life and coaching experiences.
When it comes to fitness writers/bloggers they usually get paid by how many views they get. So they create a “shocking” headline, refer to a lonely science article to back up their views, then sit back and see who jumps on the bandwagon. Intermittent Fasting is the latest cool kid on the block (I’ll let Wikipedia explain it to you). I’ve never tried it but it’s backed up by science and testing, and, hey, it could work for you or I... but a little bit of me feels like “Oh, we’ve run out of ways to teach people what to eat, so screw it, we’ll suggest they just don’t eat at all for a while.” Diet books are carefully titled to catch your eye and make your life easier so you’ll purchase them –“Drop Two Sizes”, “Top Secret Ways to Lose Up to 10lbs in Just 2 Weeks”, “The 4-Hour Work Week”. Most never work in the long-term.
But what almost all fitness experts won’t tell you is that everyone’s body reacts differently. If they did tell you that how can they sell you their product or way of thinking? Of the hundreds of people who got in shape using Insanity DVDs, another hundred didn’t, and the same goes for the Paleo diet and intermittent fasting.
So how do you weed through all this conflicting information, who’s telling the truth? The answer has mostly nothing to do with THEM… it’s all about what’s right for YOU. The solution is for YOU to create a goal (not just “I want to get fit”, or “I want to tone” – a proper goal)… then do some research on people who you think can help YOU achieve this… work out what their training history and philosophy is and if YOU think it aligns with reaching YOUR goals, then stick with their program for a sufficient period of time. Keep a positive attitude and if it works for you, great! If it doesn’t then try something else, it is really that simple.
Kevin
P.S. By the way, we think the plank is great. As we introduce kettlebell deadlifts and swings in our upcoming WORKSHOP you better have the form down to a ‘t’, and it all starts with a solid plank. But hey, that’s just our bias!
This post was inspired by a blog post from one of our mentors, Ben Bruno. I highly recommend you give it a read HERE.
