Enough Already “Fitness Gurus”
November 19, 2008 by Kelly Turner
Filed under Fitness
Holly left this comment on my Opposite Day post last week:
This might be a totally dumb question, but I always kind of thought you did “opposite” exercises on the same day (like I would do biceps and triceps/quads and hams), but Jillian Michael’s book said not to…..can I still do them on the same day? I think it’s kinda fun. :-)
Here’s my caveat: I have never read Jillian Michael’s book, so I’m sure some of this may be out of context. Maybe just for her plan, thats the way she prefers to have people work out, maybe she said it as a rule- that something bad will happen if you work out antagonist muscles on the same day. Whichever she meant, I stand by what I am about to say.
UGH. Give me a break.
I am a firm believer that you cannot know something you have never been taught. Up until 6th grade, I said “hippoMApotomus” because my parents never corrected me since they thought it was cute. It wasn’t so cute when, by some twist of fate, I had to do a report on them in front of the class.
I am also a firm believer that you can’t blame someone who has been taught wrong. If they have no frame of reference- how will they know?
So, no Holly, no dumb questions- just opportunities to learn and for me to start fights. So thank you.
Specifically in this situation, not working antagonist muscles on the same day is crap. If anything, its a BETTER idea, because you can ensure you are working them the same amount and building muscle balance to cut risk of injury, and for asthetic reasons. Either way- it doesn’t matter. I can’t even really argue with this point, because I can’t possibly imagine the rationale behind it (if anyone knows, please feel free to share.)
Professionals in the fitness field are trying to sell a product. They make up rules to make consumers feel like they don’t know enough about fitness and NEED their product in order to succeed. The audience for these products primarily does not know very much about fitness to begin with (otherwise they could do it on their own, right?) so taking that lack of basic knowledge and throwing do’s and don’ts on top of it confuses consumers into buying into it.
When my docotr tells me something- I believe him. He’s known me since I was little and has my best interests at heart. But, beyond that, he is the professional, he went to school for many years, so he’s proven himself. I don’t need to know everything he knows. I couldn’t point to my pancrease if he asked- and as a responsible professional he knows that. He’s not going to heap a ton of medical jargon and possible diseases and risks on top of me to confuse and scare the crap out of me: because I don’t need to know it. All I need to know is basically what is going on, and how to fix it.
Fitness is the same way. I know all of you are in different stages of your fitness goals, but, like I said, most fitness products are geared towards beginners because they are easily sold. All a beginner needs to know is eat less, eat better, move more. They don’t need to know about glycemic index and fat burning heart rate zones and aerbic and anaerobic thresholds. But that doesn’t make me money, and doesn’t get you to spend yours. A confused consumer is a consumer that spends money.
If something makes fitness sound confusing- its probably unneccessary information. You don’t even have to believe me (gasp!) if you don’t want to. I encourage you to disagree, or go find a second opinion, because I would rather you learn and become informed than blindly follow anything anyone has to say.
I can assure you, however, the only rules I can think of for fitness have been around for years and years: stretch after warming up, get atleast 30 mintues of cardio most days of the week, never strength train the same muscles on consective days (they need time to rest and rebuild) and when strength training make sure hit every major muscle group. It doesn’t matter how you mix these up, combine them, what order you do it. That’s the fun part: its up to you. Do whatever you want and don’t get sucked into the games.
grounded fitness, fitness, health, yoga, pilates, strength training, personal trainer, cardiovascular, cardio, exercise, wellness, weight loss, blog, blogging, fitness blog, weightloss blog, Jillian Michaels, antagonist muscles, guru
Correct me if I’m hippomapotomus wrong, but it feels with many of the exercises I do, I engage the opposite muscle even when I’m not trying to work it directly. For example, biceps curls seem to engage my tricep a little on the way down, esp. if I try to slow down my movements a lot. That’s why I liked the concept of opposite day. But to each her own!
I’m sure I’ve said it before and will likely say it again but I LOVE your attitude towards all of this.
Experimenting with fitness is great to figure out what works for people individually- it is good to try out lots of different things.
I’m always wary when people are trying to sell stuff…
Oh Kelly, I LOVED this post. You said what I thinking with such better words. :) Two of my favorite quotes here: “All a beginner needs to know is eat less, eat better, move more” and “If something makes fitness sound confusing- its probably unneccessary information” Both are SO simple and true, yet so hard to get people to understand sometimes.
Do you feel better after that post? Cause I do!!! :)
Thank you for this post! In the past I was such a sucker for all the new gimmics, until one day I realized that your eating less/eating better/moving more thing is the ONLY thing that works for everyone!
I think you are right in that the things that have been around a long time, those are the things that hold true. Don’t even get me started on an article in “Runner’s World” that basically said stretching isn’t as neccessary as we think (to prevent injuries). Guess what happened when I stopped stretching after runs?! Yep…I was down for the count.
I recently came across your blog and have been reading along. I thought I would leave my first comment. I don’t know what to say except that I have enjoyed reading. Nice blog. I will keep visiting this blog very often.
Sarah
http://www.thetreadmillguide.com
tfh- you’re right. That gets into eccentric and concentric contractions- which i think i will do a post on soon- but when you contract the bicep concentrically (it gets smaller) your elbow bends, ie bicep curl. When you lower the weight, you are eccentrically contracting the bicep (it is still contracting but lengthening at the same time against the force of the weight, which is actually when most muscle fiber tearage occurs) BUT when you lower the weight, the tricep is contracting concentrically (getting smaller) to straighten the elbow. They are antagonists, so when one bends, the other lengthens, and vice versa. Bravo for being so muscularly aware.
Sagan- everyone respinds to things differently. I, personally, can take maybe a few weeks and completely rip my arms. but my legs? Im still working at it. Other people are the opposite- it takes no work to get thier legs completely defined, but their upper body is the issue. everyones body responds to things differently and to tell someone something is right and wrong and one size fits all is just crap.
chandra- to broaden it even further, i would say thats almost all anyone needs to know. unless you are a body builder trying to achieve symmetry, or a weight lifter trying to gain mass and strength, or an athlete with sport specific needs, thats all anyone needs to do. Thats all i really do- watch what i eat and move a lot. in different ways. so i dont get bored.
FBG- BIG SIGH. yes, i feel better. but i would prefer to argue it with someone that didnt agree with me. where are my hecklers?? i long for the day i get a heckler…
Holly- its articles like that that are dangerous. human nature is to do as little as possible, so when someone does a peice that says you dont have to stretch as much as you think, everyone thinks they need to stretch different amounts, so that person that barely stretches at all goes to no stretching and gets hurt (not you, just in general.) As long as people are being safe, i say just let them be. If a client tells me they are taking vitamins all the time, i let them be because even though its unneccessary its not going to hurt them, and people really like their routines. but if they told me they were cutting carbs completely, or going on a fast, thats the time i would sit them down and ask them to try and change their way of thinking, because its dangerous. if someone isnt going to hurt themselves, theres no reason to confuse and make rules and tell them something wont work unless they do it a certain way.
sarah- thanks! and welcome! i love when people delurk!
ITS DELURK DAY, PEOPLE, LEAVE A COMMENT!
So true: eat less, eat better, move more. That’s all you really need to know. I loved this post, there are no easy way to lose weight and no gimmick is going to do it.
Kelly,
I was curious on your opinion on that article that was on Kaths website yesterday. you being a personal trainer and all
http://healthday.com/Article.asp?AID=620471
Seriously dude. I’ve seen very little of Jillian Michaels, but I really don’t think she has the same fitness philosophy as me.
Your viewpoint is so refreshing!
I agree with you 100%. Jillian needed to come up with a unique book to sell, and so she created her rules.
Because how many books are you really going to sell if you tell people “stretch after warming up, get atleast 30 mintues of cardio most days of the week, never strength train the same muscles on consective days (they need time to rest and rebuild) and when strength training make sure hit every major muscle group”….people usually don’t want to hear it can be that simple. Because if it was, wouldn’t they have been successful long ago?
PS- Havent forgotten about the video…I am going to put together something new, but I just haven’t decided what!
Angela from http://www.ohsheglows.com
Kelly, great post! I enjoying reading it. Here is an article that I read recently about stretching…
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/02/sports/playmagazine/112pewarm.html?em
Wow, apparently the way we’re stretching before is wrong. Go figure.
Kelly,
One more question. Im SO annoying. So my favorite instructor at my gym was recently let go. It was personal problems with the other trainers. Anyways. Its hard because she was the person I would take flex (strength training) classes with. and all the instructors do not come up to par with her. the classes are boring. so i was thinking about my options. Do i hire a personal trainer (spend a lot of money) or I have been thinking about doing work outs from magazines but are they efficient?
good advice ;)
Daisy Melo- Ill answer both your questions in 2 posts tomorrow. 2 posts! Youre making me work overtime!
runjess- me neither. yelling is something i hate. why do you feel the need to scream in someone’s face? I dont get it. you can motivate without spitting all over everyone and frightening them into a few more crunches.
oh she glows- i wish it were that easy to write a book like that. ill submit it to some publishers- see what happens.
wannabehealthy- thanks! and thanks for the link- ill have to read it later cause if i click away all my above responses will get deleted!
Daisy Melo- not annoying. I love questions!! everyone send questions! Ill have your answers tomorrow
Annette- thank you madam!
YES. Thank you. It’s annoying hearing all of the fitness and exercise “rules” that are out there. Half of them completely contradict each other and they could easily be a complete turn off to any inexperienced exerciser who wants to jump in and get started on some good, healthy activity. Geez, isn’t just getting your body off its rump a good start?
Dude, Kelly, you’re a badass… there’s no way I’m gonna heckle you! Hahaha
All the Best,
Andrew R
I’ve read Jillian’s book. And in my opinion it was based on some very old and not well-founded research. Your answer was very well put, Kelly!
I read Jillian’s book a long time ago (and follow her suggested routines once in a while because they’re fun) but I think the reason she sets these rules is for the same basic “rule” you mentioned: never strength train the same muscles on consective days (they need time to rest and rebuild). Her program has you life every single day so when you alternate those muscles, you are still able to recover and lift the very next day. I could be wrong though about her reasoning behind it… she could just making stuff up! :D
Elina- I agree you need to give your muscles a day of rest- but you can work antagonist muscles together and rest them the next day. Not working antagonist muscles on the same day doesnt make any sense- you can work whatever muscles you want as long as you give them a day of rest in between. its like saying dont work your shoulders and calves on the same day- as long as you let them rest the next day, it doesn;t matter
Right on!
I would not say I am a confused consumer- but one that always wants to know more and it sounds like Jillian is making stuff up. I also laughed my butt off when I heard G. Paltrow’s trainer say women should only lift 3 pound weights! Is that not BS?
Nice post Kelly. You have a fun writing style.
With regards to the content of the article, yeah, it doesn’t matter, for the most part, if you work opposing muscle groups.
For the general population, well, they just need to move ALL of their muscles! :)