fitness social media is ludicrous

I saw an absolutely ludicrous post from a popular coach on Instagram the other day telling people not to train arms before they’d passed certain tests.

It made me want to tear my eyes out.

But it got me thinking about one of the BIGGEST problems in the fitness/rehab space right now.

Almost every new client I meet with has numerous questions about what’s right/wrong/harmful/bad for their bodies because there’s so much confusion, fear mongering and misinformation from “professionals” on social media.

Most people just need to START moving, or move more. There are already so many barriers to people exercising—why are we putting up MORE? We as coaches and healthcare providers should be ENCOURAGING and ENABLING everyone to get in the gym and start their fitness journeys, not making it harder and more confusing.

If you’re someone who wants to get started in the gym, do it!!! Ease into it and meet yourself where you’re at. Experiment. Collect data on how your body responds. Go squat. Train arms. Train legs. Find what feels good for you, and ask questions if you’re not sure about things. But don’t let arbitrary criteria or BS from gurus online stop you from even taking that first step.

An end note:

I’ve struggled a lot with social media over the past years, and it’s often because of the prevalence of posts like this. It’s a love-hate relationship. There’s so much negativity and misinformation on here in the fitness space that it’s hard not to become cynical, even as a physical therapist and coach. But every time I think about stopping, I remind myself that there’s a chance to do good here. There are people on the other side of the screen, who are in pain or searching for answers, and they deserve to get the right ones. And if just one of my posts reaches one person who needs it, and it helps them get back to doing what they love, then it’s all worth it.