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The pitfalls of fitness trends

The various screens in our lives shout about fitness trends, promising major results for minimal effort. As a fitness professional with 25 years in the industry, I have heard it all and while I don't find it surprising, these claims REALLY bother me. The claim that any singular workout will fundamentally alter your body is bogus.

Kelly Farris,  ACSM CPT

You are born with your body type. The body types are mesomorph, endomorph, ectomorph and combination. No class is going to change your endomorph body into a ballerina ectomorph body. If you have curvaceous hips at your ideal body weight, then you will always have them. Take note of IDEAL body weight. We need to be the best and healthiest versions of ourselves. It doesn’t mean that these classes are without benefit. Any activity is preferable to zero activity. If you are having fun, go for it! Just do not tether your personal goals and level of success to their marketing claims. I need to amend my statement. Any activity is preferable to zero activity, provided you are not causing yourself injury. Doing more is not always better. For example, if you are in the over 40 crowd, you need to watch out for high repetition workouts, as they can cause over-use injuries. A good rule of thumb for everyone, regardless of age, is to aim for a FUNCTIONAL workout.

God designed our bodies for four primal movement patterns: pushing, pulling, lunging, squatting. Exercises should be based in these four movements, helping you to be stronger in your day to day activities. Currently trending on the internet are high rep workouts known as “challenges”. There is a distinct lack of balance in these high volume single exercises. By BALANCE I am referring to muscular balance. Our muscles work in opposing pairs. Doing three hundred crunches a day for a month to work your abs, all the while ignoring your back muscles, is inadvisable. In truth, there is no one way. The best advice I can offer you is vary your workouts, cross train and do not ever stop. You don’t work to reach a goal and then quit. Fitness has to become part of your lifestyle. Don’t get overwhelmed. Get some help. Hire a professional fitness trainer (who has an accredited certification) to tailor make a program for you. FUNCTIONAL. BALANCED. VARIED. SUSTAINABLE. Notice I didn’t say easy. There is no easy short cut to getting in shape. That’s why it’s called WORKING out. Kelly Farris is the owner of Ladies Workout Snellville, Time4Results Personal Training and the President of KLF Fitness. 

For more information visit http://www.ladiesworkoutexpresssnellville.com.
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