Hunh?

 Watch this video - then, we can talk.

 Are you serious? Like, are you really serious?

   I have been in the industry now for a while - and I can honestly say that there have been times where I have made clients do exercises that have been "outside the box" but I have never put originality in place of safety. This has to be the absolute worst example of poor programming that I have ever seen. The worst part is that the clients have NO idea what they are doing, or if they are doing it correctly.. And that is because they shouldn't have to. It is the sole responsibility of the "trainer", or in this case, "the woman standing with her hands on her hips saying, "Good! Get it up there!" to know the exercises before she prescribes them, and knows how to execute them with safety.
   This video has been around for a couple of months now, and I wasn't going to blog about it, but the absolute shock that I felt while watching it got the best of me. The more people that I can educate on proper form and exercise selection, the better.
  Now, in no way is this an attack on Crossfit, I've heard trainers say things in commercial gyms that rival the  retardation of this video. It's the fact that these people are paying money to come in to this location, have agreed to be on video with what looks like little to no prior lifting experience, and with that, they should be taught how to do these lifts properly. Never have I seen anyone do any sort of clean with a switch grip. It doesn't work. And resting the bar on your stomach, while producing some of the worst hyper-extension on the lumbar spine I have ever seen, all while under a load.. These people should be stripped of their certificates and never be allowed to give any sort of fitness advice again.

  What if you saw a video on youtube of a doctor performing surgery on a patient. Then, midway through surgery to remove an appendix, he says to the nurse, "Hey, I'm just going to try using my left hand for some incisions. Pass me that scalpel..  Actually, I want you to cover my eyes while I do it." That doctor's license would be taken away. He put someone's life in danger. These idiots are doing the same thing. On a smaller scale of course. Injuries like these usually don't happen on the first attempt. It's repetitive strain.

  This is what worries me about my industry. With videos like these, no wonder people think we have cookie cutter certifications. In reality, it does only take a weekend to become a trainer. 1 weekend, 20-30 hours of studying and a practical exam. Now, I've sat in on a few of these practicals, and I've seen some things. Let me tell you, I've seen some things. This isn't making pancakes, people.. you can't just try, mess a batch up, then try again. These are human beings. If you see an exercise that you think will "wow" your clients, maybe do some research. With every exercise I put in programs for clients, I can tell you the benefit, the muscles worked and how to focus on those muscles to ensure proper activation.

    I promise, the next blog post will be in less than 2 months!