Have you ever seen those videos on Instagram where a buff guy is standing on top of a physio ball doing a single leg pistol squat with a kettlebell in one arm trying to catch a three-colored multiple-handled stick in the other? Or a guy setting a deadlift PR with 6 plates on each side then fainting immediately after? I sure have, and I’ve certainly thought it’s cool to watch, but it serves no purpose.
When I first got into this industry, I noticed a lot of trends and misconceptions with workouts being posted in social media, and 90% of the time the things that I saw were not practical to what people should be doing on a day-to-day basis. Nowadays it’s easy to misinterpret somebody doing a functional exercise for something that’s not specific to a sport or to an everyday workout, so you need to keep a closer eye on those who are doing the right thing. Determining the right sources is essential for beginner and youth fitness members so they can train their bodies better. Our purpose as fitness instructors is to educate everybody and properly inform those of the right way to train and the correct methodologies that implement safe, fundamentally sound mechanics and prevent injury. Half of the folks that you’ll see online are just doing something for show, and probably have no certifications or professional experience; once again, it’s more of a fashion statement or purely for entertainment.
No, I'm not here to point fingers or call anybody out, as I certainly was guilty of following along with the training fads when I first began in the industry; but what helped he gain perspective on the right training protocols stemmed from that ethical question: "What's its purpose?" Moral of the story - if you’re curious as to what to do for your workouts but are uncertain of where to start, do your research with credible sources, or just ask the professionals!!