Don”™t listen to the expert

Fitness should not be complicated.

As a career fitness professional I subscribe to certain groups such as ACSM, IHRSA, & ACE, just to name a few.   I have joined in on chat rooms to engage with peers, and have spoken at many fitness conferences.  Some may say I am an industry expert.  I have a problem with my peers.  They talk above people.  They are clearly trying to show everybody how smart they are and guess what, no one cares.

I have always been an advocate of (K.I.S.S.) ~ Keep It Simple stupid.  Well you simply have to keep it simple.  Sorry if that”™s offensive, but if it”™s offensive I probably am not taking to you. I want to talk to the masses.  You know the 97%, not the professional athlete, not the college athlete, not the weekend warrior or cross fit stud.  I am talking about the masses.

The fact is in the United States only about 30% of people belong to a health club, according to IHRSA those numbers may go up a little in more affluent higher educated markets; but the nation”™s average is 30%.  So why do so many people not workout or belong to gyms?  That”™s easy to answer; because we make it hard, and we make it confusing.  We want to scare people as oppose to entice people.  We need to make entry so inviting to fitness.

People see slender models on TV.  They see PX90 Info-commercials.  They see Shawn T and they say “no way”.   I know they are attractive to some, but I am speaking of the masses.  It”™s kind of like how many people play in the NBA? But how many people play pickup basketball?   I am identifying the guy in pick-up basketball.  I am identifying the person who has not moved in a while and we need to get them started.

So here is what I suggest ~ Just simply start moving. Start with a walk; a standing squat;  getting in and out of a chair; some calisthenics; join a gym.  Don”™t look at the yoga guru or the buff trainer.  Simply ask for a basic program that covers all your muscle groups.  Use some cardio equipment and start moving. Just get your blood flowing and get the muscles firing.  Make yourself feel good because you are doing something.  The more you do the more confident you will become.

Of course you can progress.  As you get more experience you can take a class; higher a trainer; start a goal of running a 5K.  The fact is as soon as you start someone will want to get in your head and tell you how it could be done better.  Well better usually means more difficult, which puts you back to square one.  You will get frustrated and quit.  Don”™t listen to the expert until you”™re ready~ just move.

Move, move, move

Set modest goals. 30 minutes a day of activity.  If you do that just for 90 days you won”™t be part of the masses and you will move into the group that is active and taking action.

Doing something is better than nothing.  We already know the outcome of doing nothing. So dare to begin, don”™t listen to the experts, just get started.  Too much information causes confusion. Confusion leads to procrastination.  Don”™t procrastinate, just take baby steps.  A body that moves is a healthy body, a body that does not move, well you know the answer. Let”™s get moving!!!

Chuck Hall~ Fitness Consultant;  Health Club Owner (HappyLee Fitness); Weight Loss Clinic Owner (InShapeMD~Severna Park); Public Speaker