It feels like there is a new workout technique, diet, piece of ‘revolutionary’ equipment or quick fix being released or promoted every day.
And with each new idea or theory comes a new catchy name or sound-bite.
OK things need names and if it truly is new and revolutionary, it stands to reason you want the name to be memorable. That’s just marketing. Problem is, marketing is coming at the expense of content.
There’s little new or revolutionary. It might be new, but useless (I refer you to the shake weight, ‘shape up’ shoes, slendertone etc) or it’s just a well marketed version of the same old garbage – See my post on Zumba, Body Pump and Vibroplates.
Back in the day exercises might get associated with the person that invented or popularized them, as in the Arnold Press, the Zeicher Squat. Nowadays it seems the label is the important part.
How many Thor or Captain America workouts have we had this year? In the past few years 300 & Spartan workouts were all the rage along with the more recent Spartacus workouts. Thing is, they mostly end up just being big circuits with no real difference to any other circuit training or drill based workouts. Why? Because then they can be performed for groups which can bring in more money than training an individual.
Does anyone honestly think Spartacus trained, not only with little dumbbells and in a circuit format but, to the dance music that invariably comes with these classes? Did anyone really believe that the 300 workouts were the one key secret to getting the cast to their 6 pack physique ready for that film? And do we honestly think Chris Evans or Chris Hemsworth had one secret workout that no one else has ever tried that was key to their physiques in Captain America & Thor?
Are people really that gullible?
Unfortunately the answer has to be, in part anyway, a resounding yes. Otherwise, why would these things keep popping up, getting quoted and being used?
It’s only a matter of time before we get the Tom Hardy ‘Warrior’ workout (or perhaps they will wait to ‘Bane Train’).
Then there are ‘descriptive’ titles. Now, forgive me for being Mr Picky, but surely a descriptive title should tell you what the workout, technique or theory does that others don’t? The one I have heard a lot over the past couple of years is ‘Metabolic Training’ – What the heck does that mean? Is it suggesting that if you use this training you will raise your metabolism? Is there any form of training that does’t raise your metabolism? Getting out of a chair or going for a walk will raise your metabolism! If we are talking raising it and keeping it raised beyond the scope of the workout, then any anaerobic training, HIIT or heavy resistance training will do that (a lot more than these faddy workouts ever will). What it is really referring to is EPOC (Excess Post exercise Oxygen Consumption) and the creation of an Oxygen Debt. But, there is no one ‘magic’ workout that makes that happen above all others.
Another is ‘Endurance Training’! Could you be a bit more specific? Mostly this is used to describe high reps. But sitting in a freezer to prep for a trip to the Arctic would be endurance training, or hill walking could be endurance training. In fact almost anything that will last (or endure) could be considered endurance training. Endurance for what?
Then there is ‘slim-a-size’, ‘yummy bummy’, ‘slimfast diets’… and on and on…
In the end it is just sticking fancy labels on things to hide the fact that there truly is no substance to it. It just sounds good.
Training is not done just for the sake of it, it is done to achieve something. So there should be some thought behind why you are doing things.
Just realize, there is very little that is actually new and things that work are the things that last, not fads or gimmicks. If it has been done for decades there is likely a reason. If it is shiny and new, it is likely either a re-hash of something old or is untested garbage with a well marketed visual image.
Even the tried and tested stuff can get irritating when people walk around the gym talking about their latest 5/3/1 routine, 5×5, German Volume Training or Russian Strength Sets as if they are something new that they just invented.
All the workouts I have mentioned are reasonably good workouts with solid benefits, but to treat them like they are the latest ‘miracle’ and the fast track to a ripped physique, huge growth or a shredded six pack, that’s just bull crap and cause me switch off.
So here’s a shiny new technique for you. It’s called Metacolonic Training. It is where you take your metabolic training, your Superhero Workouts, faddy diets, gimmicks and your quick fix solutions and you shove them up your…
And relax!
That’s my view anyway – perhaps you like these gimmicks, or you have actually seen some staggering results from them.
Or are you as frustrated as I am with hearing this nonsense day in and day out?
I’m sure, regardless, you will have heard of at least a few of them.
So what do you think? Is there anything here of validity or is it simply more layers to convince people that there are ‘easy’ fixes available and that hard work, effort and dedication can simply be bypassed?
Comment below and let me know.