MAXCONDITION
The new book by Coach Jamie Hale, World Martial Arts Hall of Fame Member and friend of IronLife.


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Ever time you turn of the television or walk into a commercial gym you see a fitness expert. Infomercials must spend a great deal of time searching the world for these experts. Your gym probably posts ads nationwide searching for fitness gurus. After all, you know commercial gyms are the best place to learn about fitness. Most gyms have members that have been training for numerous years; thus making them experts. As you can probably tell by now I am joking. Before people working in the fitness industry will ever be respected as professionals by the general public, we have to stamp out these quackos that pollute the industry.

The big question is how do we get rid of or protect against the misinformation that is so prevalent. The only way I can imagine to protect the consumer is by educating them(refer to Fitness Quackery article at halesoptimumphysique.com for further details concerning quackos). I would have to write a novel to list all the possible scenarios where you could face The Fitness Expert. Below I have listed some common situations that you might encounter.



Gym Rat Expert

This individual spends 3-4 hours in the gym daily. Obviously, spending a great deal of time talking and nagging other members. The expert watches everyone and gives them advice on how to make their movement more effective. If someone happens to do a exercise that is foreign to the guru, he chuckles at the individual’s stupidity. This individual marvels clients with tales of past glories, such as 400lb benches and 500lb squats. Whatever routine the expert is using at the time is the one everyone should be using. This is a common scenario seen in gyms around the world. Keep in mind, when you are approached by this individual do not take it personal. He or she does this to everyone. These type individuals are easy to scare away. Ask them to explain their statements and you will probably get a reply like "Uh, because that’s the way we did it in high school" or "This is the way I do it." Try this trick and I guarantee the genius will stop bothering you. Just say "I am training for myofibril hypertrophy. Can you give me some advice?" Guess what, it is time for Einstein to go home and eat dinner. No more nagging from this character.

Head Personal Trainer

There is no way you can miss this guy. He walks around the gym making sure everyone sees his personal trainer badge. The first sentence he says to anyone he meets is "My name is Rob. I am a certified personal trainer." As I have stated before, being a certified personal trainer does not justify guru status. The next time you are in a large commercial gym count the personal trainers. I have counted twenty in the gym at any one time. Certification programs require you to take a single test that covers one book. If you have read one book that gives you an in depth look at physiology, endocrinology, kinesiology, neurology, sports medicine, and sports nutrition let me know. The point being, the field has many different aspects which require reading and studying of numerous texts. On top of all the reading, work experience and observation are also required. When I talk about reading and studying, I am not talking about popular magazines lined with fitness babes. I am speaking of scientific journals, articles and books written by authorities who have proven themselves as the fields leading authorities(ex: Staley, Siff, King, Zatsiorsky, Bompa, Simmons, etc). There are some knowledgeable trainers that work in commercial gyms, but they are the minority.


When screening the fitness wizard probe them with a variety of questions concerning fitness and nutrition. Do some studying before you walk into the gym. Below are some common statements that the guru might humor you with:

1. High reps shape muscles while low reps produce bulk.
2. Athletes should use machines and light weights.
3. If you want to get strong, you have to feel the pump.
4. If you are not sore after the workout you did not work hard enough.
5. When performing cardio work never go beyond 80% of your maximum heart rate.
6. Never use weight to train abs.
7. We use the sit and reach test to assess flexibility.
8. We guarantee a 4 inch waist loss in 1 month.
9. Aerobic classes are the maximum way to lose fat.
10. Keep your dietary fat consumption to 10% or less of total caloric intake.
11. We recommend that you do not eat past 6pm.
12. Women should not squat. It makes them huge.
13. These machines are developed specifically for women.
14. Train abdominals everyday for maximum definition.
15. If you have bad knees, use the leg extension and avoid any type of squat.

I am sure that everyone who has been in a gym has heard some of these statements.

Fitness Champion

This lady has just won the Hullsbury Fitness Championship. Yes, she looks great. Every female wants to look like her, while every male is mystified by her goddess like physique. She is always wearing matching outfits that are so tight you could light a match on them. She does very well with her training business due to her exceptional looks. While interviewing her potential clients she often remarks on how she achieved her physique. If you are a potential client, stop her at that point and ask her what she can do for you. I am sure her physique was developed far beyond the normal female’s before she ever began training.


Ask her what type of physique you can expect to achieve with her guidance. If she guarantees you will lose four inches off of your waist and look like her twin sister, it is time to interview another trainer. The answer she should give would be something along the line of "If you follow specific training, nutritional and supplemental guidelines you can expect a significant in your appearance. This will probably occur in a couple of months."

There are a large number of people in commercial gyms who look good, but this does not mean they have a clue how to train people. Keep your goals in perspective. Aim high but also be realistic with your expectations.

Infomercial Gurus

I am really disgusted at these ridiculous commercials that pollute the airways. Once in a while there is a product that comes along that carries some credibility. The other 99% of the time, we have to listen to these inspirational testimonials and scientific evidence of why the "Ab-Maximum" is the only truly effective machine on the market. You do not want to watch this trash thus you turn the channel. Unbelievably, on this channel is a machine that is even more effective than the "Ab-Maximum." It is called "EZ-Abs." This probably sound familiar to anyone who owns a television. These devices are developed to give people the false belief they too can become fitness models, world class sprinters, famous martial artists, etc. by simply picking up the phone and ordering. How many world class training facilities will you see that feature these magical devices? The answer is ZERO. Do you really think the Olympic Training Center would not be crawling with these machines if they were so outrageously effective?


There are some simple guidelines to follow when deciding if you want to purchase an infomercial device. Do Not Buy When:

1. The product promotes the easy way.
2. The product promised great results fast.
3. Pro athletes give the machine credit for their athletic success.
4. Promises ripped abs (what about nutrition?).
5. Testimonial "I have tried everything but this is the only thing that works."

Protecting the Consumer

How do we protect the consumer from fitness quackery? The ideal situation would be to have a group of professionals that go undercover and investigate these quackos. Everyone claiming to be a trainer or fitness authority would be subject to investigation. This type of regulation would be great, but is simply impossible. There is not enough time or money to investigate all of the fitness experts and it would be impossible to develop an objective standard to use for evaluation. The best way we can protect the consumer is by providing education and by asking the buyer to use common sense. An abundant amount of resources exist to educate the public, but they must choose to be educated. Until the consumer takes the time to do some research and studying, they will continue to be scammed.

Understanding that hard work, patience and realistic expectations are the keys to success in any endeavor. When you are promised something that is too good to be true, it usually is. By following the guidelines provided above, we can rid the earth of these vultures!

Copyright 2002 Jamie Hale