The New Fitness Fad and its Dangers!

Working at Premier Fitness here in Avon, We have come across a multitude of clients that come to us after trying the new "Fad" Fitness Boot-camps/Zumba Classes/ Any other fast paced group activity format.

Why, do you ask, do they come to us? Well, they have injured themselves to the point where some have torn ligaments/ muscles/ back injuries... You name it!

We do encourage our own training clients that progression, and even a switch of trainers is sometimes healthy for an individual who may be advancing beyond certain programming- or has reached his or her original goals.  

A client I will refer to as Mr. X, who I  recently had as a client and started with us, and ended up working with me for over a year. (X still comes back every once in a while to work out the "kinks" in his system).  Motivation was one of Mr X's issues, as I'm sure is the same with most of us.  Now, X was progressing very quickly once we switched the trainer and philosophy, and thus the workout.  As we know, every trainer out there has their own philosophy on how or what they believe is the right way. Don't feel intimidated to ask your trainer, or group instructor "why" he or she is directing certain movements and/or their own client improvement philosophies.  Its something I have found that clients rarely question the movements we prescribe and perform in our own private studio, as well as our in-home training we offer.  This needs to happen, from you, the "Clients" perspective.  Don't you want to know why you are doing what he or she tells you, to achieve your own goals? 

We have all seen the recent articles on the dangers of these "fad" workouts.  In the '80s it was Step Classes/ Aerobic Classes, and every 10 years or so, a new fad emerges.  Now, I want to get this out of the way as well.  Some of these "Boot-Camp" Style work-outs work for some people- a very specific type of population.  Same as the P90x/Insanity Home DVD workouts.  But there are RIDICULOUS amounts of danger for a beginner to try and jump into any of these types of group classes.  Some of the dangers are as follows;

1. Not everyone has the same ability- Even identical twins
2. These classes gear only to the EXTREMELY well motivated individual that can handle themselves
3. Most people don't realize their own potential and do way too much then they are capable of
4. People as a whole always want to keep up with their peers around them- this could be the most dangerous part of these classes
5. Each class ranges from the very advanced, to the extraordinarily beginner
6. One "Head of the Class" Trainer or Coach does not have time to spend catching the slower or more "green" individuals up to their current workout levels for their advanced

I know they do also offer classes for advanced and beginners, but you also have to be very well educated on what you are doing. Even in the extreme beginner classes, injuries are off the charts.  

We often have people that walk through our doors with injuries that pertain to them either participating in one of these Fad workouts, and now- are in so much pain that they are worse off then when they started.  That's why we introduce people individually, at their OWN pace, and our trainers are prepared for the same exact injuries time and time again- all from the person coming from one of these classes. 

I want to point out as well, that if you are in that very specific population that benefits from these type of workouts in Boot-camp style, congrats.  You must be a VERY highly motivated person that can keep up with the instructors/trainers that are leading the class and can keep up without injuring yourself.  So if it is working for you, without you walking home or being carried off in a stretcher the next day when waking up, you are one of the lucky ones. These classes throw you into a workout that is geared in one direction, one type of "circut" that has been proved to work, but again, for only a certain specific part of the population.  

Advanced movements that are placed upon beginners in these settings are more then dangerous, but in my view at least, negligent on behalf of some of these instructors.  YES- they do have proven results, but look at the person who may have benefited, was that person someone who just got off the couch and has never had a true work-out before in their life- no.  Beware of these classes and Fad workouts.  

Here are some Tips for you IF you choose to join one of these advanced/beginner classes;

1. Never give up form to keep your pace up with the rest of the group
2. Know your limits, and if you feel pain, STOP
3. Find out who the instructor is, and what his philosophies are
4. Maybe go and watch a class before starting one yourself
5. Everybody is different, not "listening" to what your body is telling you is very dangerous
6. Shop around, there are countless types of these "Fad" classes out there
7. Find one that works at YOUR pace, not the person next to you, or push beyond what you are capable of

By researching on-line these types of classes you can find out your own information and ammunition to go into one of these group settings that tend to be very, very intense.  If its not for you and you can feel it may be too much, listen to what your mind is telling you.  Lastly, do you want to be today's next person walking into Premier Fitness with these injuries- that in some cases can lead to LIFE-LONG implications? 

If you have any questions at all, or would like a one on one assessment, or even training with a Trainer that is not home from college, or a high school drop out with a "weekend certification" come on in and visit us, or email me at mlines@premierfitnessequipment.com.