It’s that time of year again. Many coaches usually use a year-end blog to summarize some of the best work they’ve seen on the internet, or say what they have planned as goals for the coming year. Each year (starting in 2011), I make it a point to amass some nuggets of wisdom I either learned or reinforced over the course of the year, and compile it all into one article. But first, let’s take a look at the highlights for the year.
In the western world, we can’t avoid one truth: it’s hard to find someone who wouldn’t relish belonging to something special; something elite – a cut above the rest. It’s that very perception of importance that makes many say they’d prefer to drive a Benz over a Kia, given money wasn’t an issue.
Rude awakenings can happen for people in many forms. We always hope that for us, it’s in a form that doesn’t cause too much interruption to our incredibly self-important routines (if it happens at all).
Because of my job, when I think of the word “fitness”, it may take on a bit more specific a meaning than it would to the average Joe. The masses often think about fitness as a gateway to health, physical activity and maybe even eating well to support it.
As always, society finds a way to make an example of the hard time it has demonstrating modesty or balance. I’m not about to act like I’ve got the answers, but for a fitness professional, it brings up some alarming observations worth discussion.
Fitness and nutrition culture has missed the mark when it comes to the sensationalized ideas of body image, diet and even seeing results. In an article I wrote a while ago, I brought attention to extremism that exists within this community. If you’re not a strength guy, you’re a bodybuilder. If not that, you’re a powerlifter. Or a CrossFitter. Unfortunately there’s very little common ground to be found among the personalities of members of each of these camps, when there definitely should be.
