WHY? This is a question that is not asked very often by
strength coaches, trainers and more importantly clients.
The Health and Fitness industry is booming, which is
excellent for people who are looking for help in reaching their goals.
WHY? Competition increases value for consumers in a given
market. Therefore, there are more
options and that industry has to continue to get better to retain and get
clients.
This can also be confusing for consumers; with a booming
industry, there are also people who jump in with empty promises, gimmicks and
high pressure marketing.
Next time you are at the gym, reading an article or getting
advice, ask yourself- WHY is this important for me? Will it help me in reaching
my goals?
If it doesn't help you
ignore it, focus on what is going to help you. If you are not sure, ask the
person giving the advice. Someone truly passionate, as well as knowledgeable,
will enjoy the discussion and will be able to tell you WHY it can help you
achieve your goals!
Ex. If your main goal is body composition, WHY would you be
focusing on Olympic Lifts to accomplish this? Olympic Lifts are excellent for
building power, but are not the most efficient way to improve body composition.
It takes a lot of time to learn the lifts and they provide less tension, which
is needed in increasing lean body mass.
Ex. If you are a hockey player and have poor range of motion
why would you be performing half squats? Most hockey players have a strength
imbalance between their quads and hamstrings. This imbalance leads to increased
chances of injuries and a loss in performance.
Guess what muscles half squats predominately work? The
quads. Leading to increased strength discrepancies between the quads and
hamstrings.
Asking WHY might put you outside your comfort zone, but it
will be worth it! The more you ask, the better you will get at it! Use the
advantages of a competitive market to help you reach your goals versus letting it lead you astray.
