What the fitness industry gets wrong

[moreace01]

I'm always amazed when I take a strength class at a gym just how complicated the movements are that they are asking people to perform very quickly at high reps. It wasn't until I started to work with trainers and had more experience myself that I realized how lacking in form and dangerous some of it was.

So I'll watch the moves (looking at you Equinox - of all the gyms I've joined over the years, your classes were by far the worst offenders), and I'll do what I think is appropriate. It's not because I'm not in shape - I'm just not going to perform some fool move and fuck up my knees because some hotshot instructor wants to show off, or doesn't want us to get bored. Or whatever.

Anyway. As my parents get older, it's become extremely clear to me just how intimidating the gym is for people who aren't in shape. My dad keeps trying to get my mom to use his trainers (she really needs to do something - long story) but she won't do it and I am certain that part of it is not wanting to look weak/uncoordinated/unable/whatever else in front of other people - particularly those who make it look so easy. There is definitely an untapped market here.

[erbear]

My frustration these days lies with the fact that I was a D1 varsity athlete in college and I can’t get back into fitness now that I don’t have a baseline (like others, the pandemic was rough on my fitness and activity level). I don’t want to admit that I’m a beginner anymore but I am…and I have no idea how to start.

[Deleted]

Apr 29, 2022 13:50:57 GMT -5 moreace01 said:

Anyway. As my parents get older, it's become extremely clear to me just how intimidating the gym is for people who aren't in shape. My dad keeps trying to get my mom to use his trainers (she really needs to do something - long story) but she won't do it and I am certain that part of it is not wanting to look weak/uncoordinated/unable/whatever else in front of other people - particularly those who make it look so easy. There is definitely an untapped market here.

Many of our parents are of an age where fitness wasn’t taught at all, especially to girls and women. It was considered un-ladylike for women to participate in any kind of sport or pursue fitness, so many older women have really no idea where to start when it comes to exercise.

[breezy8407]

My mom is recently retired and for the first time in her life is active and going to the gym a few times a week. She goes to the Y and goes to classes that are meant for active agers (I think that's the term I heard recently). She is so excited about it. I am glad she found the community and happy the Y has an environment she feels comfortable in.

I think there are places out there, but its so location and instructor dependent.

[TR]

Apr 29, 2022 14:02:30 GMT -5 erbear said:

My frustration these days lies with the fact that I was a D1 bastiste athlete in college and I can’t get back into fitness now that I don’t have a baseline (like others, the pandemic was rough on my fitness and activity level). I don’t want to admit that I’m a beginner anymore but I am…and I have no idea how to start.

I feel this. Starting is always the hardest for me. Do you want a suggestion of what worked for me?

[erbear]

Apr 29, 2022 15:28:15 GMT -5 TR said:

Apr 29, 2022 14:02:30 GMT -5 erbear said:

My frustration these days lies with the fact that I was a D1 bastiste athlete in college and I can’t get back into fitness now that I don’t have a baseline (like others, the pandemic was rough on my fitness and activity level). I don’t want to admit that I’m a beginner anymore but I am…and I have no idea how to start.

I feel this. Starting is always the hardest for me. Do you want a suggestion of what worked for me?

Yes!!

[starlily]

The only class setting I've ever felt truly comfortable in is reformer pilates, but that's because I was fortunate to go to a great little studio when I started. All the instructors taught modifications for beginners and injuries, group sessions were limited to 3 people, and they talked only about the non-weight loss related benefits of a pilates practice. That studio eventually closed after the owner's passing, but I still take weekly private sessions with one of the trainers from there. I have some knee issues and she always finds a way to work around them.

I did also take group classes at a trendy pilates "club" for a bit before the pandemic to get in more pilates without spending as much money. I was kind of disappointed with the lack of instruction re: proper form and modifications. I was able to self correct on both fronts because I had enough experience, but I was concerned for some of the absolute beginners who were clearly struggling and not getting any feedback.

[TR]

Apr 29, 2022 15:33:28 GMT -5 erbear said:

Apr 29, 2022 15:28:15 GMT -5 TR said:

I feel this. Starting is always the hardest for me. Do you want a suggestion of what worked for me?

Yes!!

Don't laugh. Peloton Dance Cardio. It was something low stakes, it was fun to me (and I could do it with no one else watching), and because you're trying to figure out the steps there's a lot of breaks and it wasn't too hard. I'm sure I looked like an idiot, but no one could see me so who cares? lol Once I got into a habit of getting up and putting on a class and moving I transitioned into the beginner HIIT and bodyweight strength classes and now I do the classes with weights and the harder HIIT classes.

[StrawberryBlondie]

Apr 28, 2022 19:06:24 GMT -5 formerlyak said:

I can totally relate to this. As I got older and wanted to get back in shape after @kids@ I went to a trainer who claimed she specialized in just that. I explained my knee issues that I developed over years of dancing. She proceeded to give me exercises that were terrible for knees. I explained again and she insisted it was not a knee issue, it was a strength issue. That was contrary to what every ortho doc and physical therapist I’ve ever seen has said, I told her. Her approach was very one size fits all.

Same with adult ballet classes. The instructors are generally not trained to teach adults who have danced in a former life and progressed through injuries. They insist on forcing positions and turnout, even if your body isn’t going to do that anymore. I’ve left many a dance class because of this. I am not trying to dance professionally anymore! I’ve done that! I just love dancing and want to keep moving. I found one ballet teacher I love near home. She is like 80 and danced for ABT in her younger years. She’s fabulous and trusts that we will trust our own limits and either modify or step to the side if something isn’t feeling right that day. Her only corrections are true corrections if you are doing something that can cause damage to your body. Otherwise, it’s your class for you and you do your best.

I wish more people who taught adult fitness were like that ballet teacher.

Same, but with skating. It's the main reason I insisted on a coach that skated when they were young, stopped, and then started again as an adult. You can't exactly "modify" a skating move in the sense that if you're going to do a particular jump, your legs, feet, arms, and body have to be in a specific position, but it was important to me to have someone that would understand, for example, if my sit spin isn't at 90 degrees, it's not because I'm not trying, it's because I can't bend that much right now. Or that when you're in your 40s, sometimes you're just inexplicably sore.

[SusanBAnthony]

@@@@@

I'm sure there is still a long way to go but I've been pleasantly surprised that our school district now allows middle and high schoolers to pick "regular PE" or "fitness for life", which as far as I can tell involves a lot of walking around the park. Both my kids are thrilled about fitness for life because even the kid who's moderately sportsy hates PE sports.

On the adult side, still @@@@@@@@, my abs and crotchal region were destroyed by pregnancy and birth and luckily I could afford the time and $$$$ to do PT.

[StrawberryBlondie]

Apr 28, 2022 19:17:29 GMT -5 goldengirlz said:

formerlyak, you reminded me of a good point made in the article — there isn’t a lot of body diversity among fitness instructors. Most are young and thin themselves. Yoga seemed to have the most representation of different ages and body types of the classes I used to take (pre-covid), but in HIIT-type classes, there was very little.

Not to drone on about skating, but one thing I really appreciate about my club is that several of the coaches, both for the basic skills and the more elite levels, are plus size women. And they don't sit on the sides and coach, they're out in skates doing things and demonstrating, super hands on. We also have a couple coaches that are super tall.

I would be surprised if it's intentional, but it creates a really encouraging environment.

[basilosaurus]

Apr 29, 2022 12:24:02 GMT -5 sonrisa said:

Apr 29, 2022 9:46:38 GMT -5 wildrice said:

The point about how gym class taught us to associate physical fitness (or lack thereof) with shame was kind of a lightbulb for me. 

I was a skinny kid so it wasn't even about weight. We moved countries when I was a kid and all the sports changed - I didn't know the rules or basic moves for any of the PE activities. PE was an endless ritual of being shamed for my ignorance. Exercise in any sort of class or with a trainer is incredibly unappealing to me. I've found the occasional yoga teacher that works for me. other than that, if I'm exercising I don't want anyone giving me any sort of feedback, thank you very much. 

Yes to this!

I was a skinny kid, and the fitness tests constantly reminded me, my parents, my school that I was underweight and also didn't meet running standards. It led to a lifelong hatred of most exercise. And it's really coming back to hurt me now. I was even embarrassed when I had access to a private trainer.

My friend (in a related field) just posted about this exact thing. I wonder if he read the same article.

[basilosaurus]

Also, fuck yoga. Or, more specifically, fuck yoga instructors who insist on toxic positivity.

I will never forget when I was in a basic straddle pose, instructor insisted I could go wider, came over, grabbed my ankle to prove it, and I just spun when she tried to force my legs further apart. I wasn't lying about my limits!

[stemmie]

Apr 29, 2022 13:50:57 GMT -5 moreace01 said:

Anyway. As my parents get older, it's become extremely clear to me just how intimidating the gym is for people who aren't in shape. My dad keeps trying to get my mom to use his trainers (she really needs to do something - long story) but she won't do it and I am certain that part of it is not wanting to look weak/uncoordinated/unable/whatever else in front of other people - particularly those who make it look so easy. There is definitely an untapped market here.

She might enjoy "Silver Sneakers".

tools.silversneakers.com/

Often these are cheap and found at the Y or a hospital-based wellness center. You can also do them online. And sometimes Medicare or other insurance picks up any fees.

My mom used to be really active but she became deconditioned around some cardiac issues. Her doc ordered her some cardiac reconditioning which was a nice segue into exercise at her 55+ community. They offer tai chi, seated yoga, and water aerobics. Previously her PCP ordered a balance training class for her as she's a fall risk. 

I'm older and limited by a knee that's on track for replacement. I don't feel like I "belong" at most gyms or classes except the yoga studio. I used to walk in the park, but now I do videos or use a stationary bike at home. 

[ESF]

OMG yes.

I know yoga is commonly referenced as the best starting point for people new to fitness, and I honestly have always wondered how it is that people can come to that conclusion. I frankly find yoga classes to be the worst place for beginners.  All the whole body up and downs? The positions that turn you away from the instructor? The fact that you aren't doing one movement repeatedly, but instead going from pose to pose in a sequence where only people who go repeatedly can follow?  The fact that the movements all have special names that anyone new to the class would never be able to understand.

Lots of other kinds of fitness have their own problems and challenges and difficulties for beginners, but yoga seems to have all of them all at once. I prefer mat pilates for beginners, since you are just laying on the floor and the repetive movements tend to not be particularly complex --- not always easy to do or keep up, but just that a leg lift while laying on your back is easier to know how to do correctly than a leg lift from a downward dog position. 

Ultimately though, it really comes down to finding a good instructor who is kind and patient.  There are toxic instructors in every kind of fitness class, and pilates is no exception, so YMMV.  My crossfit experience was positive because the main instructor was extremely good with super-beginners, but on days when there were other instructors, the experience was not good. 

Oddly enough, despite it's controverslal reputation, I think the crossfit class model actually has tremendous potential for being good for true beginners and people starting over because it's less of a class and more of a hybrid personal training session/class work out, and workouts are incredibly customizable around physical limitations.  The focus is on muscle building, not weight loss, and I generally felt more comfortable as a fat person in that room than any other gym or fitness studio. The philosophy at most (all?) of them is to be a mirror-free space, as the goal is to teach you to work from muscle memory, so you are focused on how you physically feel, not distracted by how you and others look.  The absense of the mirrors was amazing and so freeing.  But it requires competent and patient people doing running things, which is unfortunately is not going to be everyone's experience, which sucks.

[dontlook]

Gyms can be really terrifying. When I went, I’d only use the cardio equipment because I didn't want to look like an idiot at the weight stations.

The peloton app has been great. There are still some (many) difficult advanced moves but being at home has given me to ultimate freedom to modify. When I’m trying new moves I get my H to watch and give feedback or check my mirrors or even record myself and then critique. I love that I can pause a workout, practice the moves and then resume. I don’t feel like I have to do anything my body isn’t ready for. I don’t see myself ever returning to a gym.

[meganew]

My H has felt this. We joined a gym together a few years ago and you got a personal training class with a trainer when you signed up. It wound up being more like a small HIIT class, still cool but not what we were expecting. My H is thin and looks fit, but he has never ever worked out or been someone who exercises, so he is an absolute beginner and has no endurance. He told the trainer this, said he was hoping to just learn how to use some machines correctly, but because he looks fit and he’s young the guy was like “nah, let’s do jump squats! Push it! Higher weights, longer reps!” Etc. And then my H threw up and was so embarrassed he literally never stepped foot in the gym again.

[meganew]

I should add that he does now enjoy rock climbing/bouldering, and while that might not be the most thought of first step towards fitness (it’s HARD, I’m pretty fit and I’m absolutely terrible at it lol) it works for him because he’s lifting his own body weight, there’s no “form” really to worry about, no one cares if you make it to the top or not, and you just go at your own pace. It’s fun because it’s like being at a playground.

[expectantsteelerfan]

I don't know, I feel like this has a lot to do with the clientele as much as the trainers maybe. Before covid I went to a HIIT gym, and it had a really varied clientele. The classes were mostly weekdays during the day (well, I went during the day, they did offer early morning, a 4:30, and a 7:30 class, but I never went to those, I only went to the 8:30, 9:15, 10, or 10:45 classes ever). So it was a lot of stay at home/work at home moms, older women, and during the summer it was college age kids who were home for the summer. It was right next to a preschool, so a lot of moms dropped their kids off at the preschool and then came to class. And the fitness level really varied. There were some really intense people who were really in shape, some middle of the road people, and some people who modified almost everything.
The coaches were all mainly young and extremely fit, and while they did show how to modify every move and were happy to meet you where you were, they also sometimes didn't seem to understand just how inflexible an older body could be even if it looks like you SHOULD be able to do something. There was one coach though who was a middle aged woman who had lost 160 lbs and although she was very fit, she wasn't a stick like the other female trainers, and she was very open about how she still struggled with her weight. She was also a registered nutritionist and did nutrition coaching on the side. She was my absolute favorite because she was the only one who really seemed to get what a struggle it was for most of us, along with body image issues, self esteem, etc. and how all that was tied in. She ended up taking a different job during covid, and her no longer being there (along with one of the other 'bro' coaches posting some crazy anti-vac stuff) is a big part of why I chose not to rejoin.

[wawa]

Apr 29, 2022 9:08:52 GMT -5 pixy0stix said:

I'm running into this in googling "beginner swim workouts". 100% of what I find are unattainable to me right now.

This thread might not be the place for this but I'm happy to point you at what worked for me on this. People who aren't around on the H&F board held my hand through the early stages. 😁

[Jalapeñomel]

I know I’m in the wrong place when I had to Google what a HIIT gym is…

[moreace01]

Apr 30, 2022 7:56:39 GMT -5 stemmie said:

Apr 29, 2022 13:50:57 GMT -5 moreace01 said:

Anyway. As my parents get older, it's become extremely clear to me just how intimidating the gym is for people who aren't in shape. My dad keeps trying to get my mom to use his trainers (she really needs to do something - long story) but she won't do it and I am certain that part of it is not wanting to look weak/uncoordinated/unable/whatever else in front of other people - particularly those who make it look so easy. There is definitely an untapped market here.

She might enjoy "Silver Sneakers".

tools.silversneakers.com/

Often these are cheap and found at the Y or a hospital-based wellness center. You can also do them online. And sometimes Medicare or other insurance picks up any fees.

My mom used to be really active but she became deconditioned around some cardiac issues. Her doc ordered her some cardiac reconditioning which was a nice segue into exercise at her 55+ community. They offer tai chi, seated yoga, and water aerobics. Previously her PCP ordered a balance training class for her as she's a fall risk. 

 

Oh wow. Thanks for this!! My mom used to be active too but after an aneurysm almost 30 years ago, she's not been very active. Her balance is really bad and she falls a lot. It's very frightening for the rest of the family but she's very obstinate and will not exercise or work on strength or balance at all. Makes every excuse possible. I think a good part of it is embarrassment.  This seems really easy and do-able for her. 

[wawa]

Apr 30, 2022 11:02:58 GMT -5 ESF said:

OMG yes.

I know yoga is commonly referenced as the best starting point for people new to fitness, and I honestly have always wondered how it is that people can come to that conclusion. I frankly find yoga classes to be the worst place for beginners.  All the whole body up and downs? The positions that turn you away from the instructor? The fact that you aren't doing one movement repeatedly, but instead going from pose to pose in a sequence where only people who go repeatedly can follow?  The fact that the movements all have special names that anyone new to the class would never be able to understand.

Lots of other kinds of fitness have their own problems and challenges and difficulties for beginners, but yoga seems to have all of them all at once. I prefer mat pilates for beginners, since you are just laying on the floor and the repetive movements tend to not be particularly complex --- not always easy to do or keep up, but just that a leg lift while laying on your back is easier to know how to do correctly than a leg lift from a downward dog position. 

Ultimately though, it really comes down to finding a good instructor who is kind and patient.  There are toxic instructors in every kind of fitness class, and pilates is no exception, so YMMV.  My crossfit experience was positive because the main instructor was extremely good with super-beginners, but on days when there were other instructors, the experience was not good. 

Oddly enough, despite it's controverslal reputation, I think the crossfit class model actually has tremendous potential for being good for true beginners and people starting over because it's less of a class and more of a hybrid personal training session/class work out, and workouts are incredibly customizable around physical limitations.  The focus is on muscle building, not weight loss, and I generally felt more comfortable as a fat person in that room than any other gym or fitness studio. The philosophy at most (all?) of them is to be a mirror-free space, as the goal is to teach you to work from muscle memory, so you are focused on how you physically feel, not distracted by how you and others look.  The absense of the mirrors was amazing and so freeing.  But it requires competent and patient people doing running things, which is unfortunately is not going to be everyone's experience, which sucks.

I agree with the bolded.  I have several friends who are into crossfit without being INTO crossfit (currently members at a non-branded gym of similar style that dropped out of the official branding when the last round of national level bullshit went down) and when you get lucky with a good gym with good staff it's a really empowering format that works well for modification.  "as many reps as possible' is personal by definition.  But it's also possible to be full of asshole bro's who don't actually know how to coach safe form and push people too hard.  So...yeah.  Only helpful to the extent that you know somebody already at a location who can vouch for the non-assholery of it. 

It's a huge problem all around though.  I think that was half my takeaway from this article - that the general assholery of the fitness industry is shooting itself in the foot. 
This line made me guffaw though.  Funny cuz it's true. 

Perhaps unsurprisingly, building physical instruction around a national inferiority complex instead of childhood well-being has had some consequences

I'm also cracking up at this bit: 

The YMCA’s network of nonprofit facilities has offered popular, low-cost exercise activities and sports instruction for people across a wide range of ages and abilities for decades. Richard Simmons became a superstar in the 1980s and ’90s because there was real demand for his kinder, gentler approach and broadly accessible moves, even among people who wanted to exercise for weight loss. More recently, the gym chain Planet Fitness has become enormously successful with its beginner-friendly, no-shame, low-cost pitch to the general public. Couch to 5k, an app-based running program, has become an extraordinarily popular entry point for true beginners who want to start jogging.

My sister and i loved sweating to the oldies when we were kids. we had a vhs tape of it that we'd do when we were bored and it was cold or rainy. I am currently a Y member, have been a planet fitness member in the past, and I did Couch to 5k when I wanted to try running. (took me two tries)
So...YEP to alla that.

What are people seeing locally in terms of funding for rec centers and community pools and so forth as mentioned at the end of the article? Is there talk of increasing those services?

My county is REALLY well serviced for that sort of thing. The 3 county rec centers are super affordable compared to a private gym, and I think offer membership reductions for those who qualify? They're also cheaper for kids and 50+ folks. We also have a pretty robust YMCA network (there's 4 of them all in the same network (i.e. one membership fee) within a reasonable driving distance of my house) and the town just next to mine has a crazy number of public pools (and a huge network of trails/paths for easy walking/biking/jogging/whatevering that are HUGELY used by pretty much every segment of the population, and community gyms that are relatively affordable if you live in the town boundary) But I think this sort of stuff is unusual? At least I assume so since it's the kind of stuff that sends us near the top of some of those "most livable places in the US" lists on a regular basis. County exec just dropped 2 million in next year's CIP for a pool expansion at the county rec closest to me. This past year they broke ground on a new 50+ center. But it's also not cheap to live here. So...there's that.

[Deleted]

[mention]wawa [/mention] there is a huge plot of land a few miles away that has recently been turned back over to the county (I think it was leased by the DoD and that lease ran out). Our community is BEGGING for some kind of community recreation center with fitness facilities, ball fields, on-site childcare, etc. What are we getting? An industrial park. The county wants something that will bring in tax revenue and provide higher-paying jobs (while being an eyesore and messing up our traffic patterns) instead of something that will cost the county money (while benefiting the well-being of our entire community).

So one of the largest employers, who happens to be right next to this plot of land, is buying part of it from the county and is building a community recreation center. Almost all of its employees live in our community and will benefit, as well as the rest of our area. It’s a HUGE win.

[wambam]

Apr 29, 2022 22:35:08 GMT -5 basilosaurus said:

Also, fuck yoga. Or, more specifically, fuck yoga instructors who insist on toxic positivity.

I will never forget when I was in a basic straddle pose, instructor insisted I could go wider, came over, grabbed my ankle to prove it, and I just spun when she tried to force my legs further apart. I wasn't lying about my limits!

I am so sorry that happened to you.

In my teacher training, we were taught to get verbal consent to touch a student for any reason.

[wanderingback]

May 2, 2022 13:29:54 GMT -5 wambam said:

Apr 29, 2022 22:35:08 GMT -5 basilosaurus said:

Also, fuck yoga. Or, more specifically, fuck yoga instructors who insist on toxic positivity.

I will never forget when I was in a basic straddle pose, instructor insisted I could go wider, came over, grabbed my ankle to prove it, and I just spun when she tried to force my legs further apart. I wasn't lying about my limits!

I am so sorry that happened to you.

In my teacher training, we were taught to get verbal consent to touch a student for any reason.

In the studio I used to go to before covid at the beginning of class where they'd have everyone in either child's pose (or whatever comfortable position) or on your back with your eyes closed with breathing, they would ask anyone who didn't want to be touched to put 1 finger out and that you could always change your mind and put 1 finger out later in the classes. I liked that approach so that it didn't lead to the awkward in middle of class "can I assist/touch" and no one else had to know. 

[wambam]

May 2, 2022 15:28:40 GMT -5 wanderingback said:

May 2, 2022 13:29:54 GMT -5 wambam said:

I am so sorry that happened to you.

In my teacher training, we were taught to get verbal consent to touch a student for any reason.

In the studio I used to go to before covid at the beginning of class where they'd have everyone in either child's pose (or whatever comfortable position) or on your back with your eyes closed with breathing, they would ask anyone who didn't want to be touched to put 1 finger out and that you could always change your mind and put 1 finger out later in the classes. I liked that approach so that it didn't lead to the awkward in middle of class "can I assist/touch" and no one else had to know. 

Before COVID, we had a chip system where you could put a red chip at the top of your mat to indicate you do not want to be touched. Even then, we are still required at my studio to ask permission.