Health, Fitness, and Wisdom
For those who aren’t familiar with it, the Dunning Kruger effect is a cognitive bias where people think they know more than they actually do, or believe they are capable of more than they actually are. That is, someone’s very little knowledge about something leads them to believe that they actually know a lot about that thing. And the other kicker is that, in most cases, the person doesn’t know that they don’t know. That is, the person is ignorant about their own ignorance.
I was livid and nauseous after reading this. Of all the hypocritical, asinine, condescending…Where are all the try-hard-loud-mouthed-chest thumpers? You know, the ones always crying about “cancel culture”? The ones screaming “FREEDOM OF SPEECH”? Where’s that energy?
I’ll tell you: They’re busy licking the boots of the olympic committee, talking about “Keep politics out of the Olympics”. UHH HELLO??? People just going to forget Tommie Smith and John Carlos?? Or does that energy only come out by the oppressors want to silence the oppressed?
This article is for anyone who is still unsure about hiring a Virtual Personal Trainer (VPT).
The first Covid-19 lockdown had an immediate effect on many businesses. Specifically, businesses in the hospitality industry felt the hit right away. And in particular, within the health and fitness industry, gyms, clubs, and health and fitness specialists. Many of us mobilized and became familiar with the most accessible virtual platform. Whether it was Zoom, FaceTime, Messenger etc. We quickly began to think of ways to generate an income and provide services to our clients.
My short answer to the question is this: If you’re on a tight budget and you’re thinking short term, got with the PT. If you’re thinking Longterm gains and more ROE, then a Fitness Specialist is your best bet.
For one, a FS has most likely carved themselves a career in the health and fitness industry. As such they are more likely to stick with you long term, and you won’t have to worry about turnover. Staying with the same person means they have better understanding of your needs, goals, strengths and challenges. And since a FS has broader scope of practice they can help you with things like nutrition, movement assessments, behaviour modification etc. All of these things mean better long term investment, because the same person can help you track your progress, and help you adjust for future challenges.
So you’ve decided to get some personalized coaching to help you navigate through the world of health and fitness. Maybe you have some goals you want to reach. Perhaps you don’t know where to start. Maybe your chiropractor or physiotherapist recommended you start strength training after rehabbing an injury. Proper training is more complicated than just “getting a good sweat on”, and maybe you’ve realized this.
Finding the right trainer may seem like a challenge itself, and it should be! You’re making an investment in yourself and you deserve the best. Some people are looking for someone to just tell them what to do. They want to huff, puff and sweat, and that’s ok, group ex classes are great for that. But if you’re looking for specific guidance, and personalized programming that is tailored specifically to you, then you have to go one step further. Remember, your body, as well as your work and personal schedules are different from others. For this reason, you can’t do group ex classes alone and hope to make specific progress.
Covid-19 wrecked havoc on the health and fitness industry in 2020, and it continues to do so. Many personal trainers, physiotherapists, chiropractors etc. have suffered extreme setbacks to their businesses. Many have been laid off, and lots more are working reduced hours. Not to mention how many gyms have closed down, and those remaining are struggling big time.
As fitness specialists, personal trainers, gyms and clubs try to cope, virtual training took off slowly and now seems to be here to stay. Gyms, clubs, and individual trainers are offering it through different online platforms. And though many were very skeptical at first, it seems that more and more are coming around to it.
Every New Year, like clockwork, pros in the health and fitness industry start talking about SMART Goals. Personal trainers, nutritionists, fitness specialists, dieticians, coaches all have something to say about the topic. And they all sound the same. But before I go further, I want you to know that I am actually a fan of SMART goals. The strategy works, in my professional opinion, when it comes to developing and maintaining successful health and fitness routines. The SMART strategy has helped me empower my clients, and teach them the value of intelligently investing in health and fitness.
New Years resolutions are a scam! Now for a philosophy joke. “Existence is a scam invented by philosophers to sell more philosophy”. HAH! How can you not laugh at this?! I won’t explain the joke, you either get it or you don’t. However, it came at the same time as 2021 was rolling around, and people started talking resolutions. You know what new year resolutions sound like…New goals, new habits, new you, eat better, exercise more, meditate, journal, connect with people etc. It just goes on and on. But I’m just going to write about the fitness industry for the sake of simplicity.
Colonialism refers to the practice of a country that seeks to grow it’s reach to territories outside of it’s own. The growth happens in the form of establishing authority and dominance over people of a different region. Authority and dominance over a people happens primarily on an economic level, which extends to every other facet of that culture.
There is a process through which colonialism unfolds. It starts with contact, and then setting up colonies or settlers on the land. After that, there is usually an exchange of cultural practices and knowledge, as the colonizers begin to establish economic opportunities. And with economic growth being the prime directive, the colonizers were not shy about overtaking the native people. As a result, the lives and culture of native people were hijacked and destabilized.
The gym space should be a place where everyone feels safe and confident to engage in whatever health and fitness pursuits the have. Whether it is taking care of their mental and physical health, improving fitness, developing athletic abilities, or aesthetic feature. Gym members should be able to pursue these things without certain annoyances.
Most importantly, with Covid-19 not going anywhere anytime soon, gym etiquette is more important that ever. It’s no longer just the employees who must look after the gym space and respect boundaries, it’s everybody. Anyone who comes in to the gym has to make sure they respect physical distancing and clean and sanitize equipment. Additionally, gyms are operating at a limited capacity, allowing a certain number of people to be in the gym at once. As such, people have to adhere more strictly to timed workouts as other people are waiting to use the facilities.