Why We Need to Think Twice When Borrowing Exercises from Fitness Videos for Our Clients

Fitness professionals are becoming increasingly accessible due to the wonders of the internet and social media. It’s easier than ever to subscribe to our favorite fitness channel and check out a plethora of videos. Many of these videos are workout related; they show all manner of exercise done in varying forms. If the varying forms used to demonstrate exercises in these videos are questionable, the exercises themselves and the professionals who borrow them is a whole new story.

Let’s face it; we’re tired of the same old, same old. It’s frustrating finding new techniques for our clients especially when we’ve been there and done that. Even the seasoned trainer will get tired of watching burpees and squats; there has to be something else, something cool and exciting that will help the client achieve their results without boring them to death.

It’s no surprise that when we’re fresh out of ideas we’ll do something we call research. We search the internet and our social media feeds for programs and exercises we can use in our next session. It’s all to break up the monotony and build the body. It’s also a great idea to mix things up as the same techniques done repeatedly won’t reap the just rewards. So, we find the right video and we start watching. We correct the form ourselves if need be, but there’s something many of us don’t realize or think about.

We’re this close to borrowing that cool technique when we realize something is wrong. Our client can’t do it. We know our clients. We know their limits and their capabilities, we know what we give them on a regular basis is suited for them and safe, but this list of new techniques just won’t cut it. We hit play on the next video and we may find a few pieces here and there, but they’ll need modifying. Most of the techniques in these videos need modifying so who are they really for? Who does this stuff?

Some of the most elite athletes, seasoned gym goers, and a select portion of the population do these exercises, but they aren’t meant for the general population. While we may take inspiration from these videos and we’re all for modifications, it’s important to note exercise selection and intensity when we’re selecting new techniques.

Sometimes our clients see these videos and want to try these cool moves. We have a choice; we either indulge their curiosity or halt until we’re certain. The latter is better than the former because many of the videos don’t show adaptations; they don’t take the general public into consideration and it’s alarming that fitness professionals will forget this.

Sure, it’s all flashy and cool, but what about its use? What about modifying it so others can perform the technique? These are often left unsaid. What’s equally problematic is when fitness professionals suggest exercises as replacements for others and said exercise is more difficult or less suited for their viewers. Twice this week there have been videos on my timeline that suggest abdominal techniques to replace crunches that are more difficult and possibly more dangerous than the technique they’re replacing.

A concrete example is suggesting hanging leg raises; most of the population can’t do a hanging left raise and it requires substantial upper body strength to be able to hold the technique let alone benefit from it. So why is this technique being suggested and why isn’t there a technique that’s lower on the difficulty scale for non-avid gym goers and people trying to get fit? It’s because these videos don’t cater to our clients but more to us and the select few of the population.

As Fitness professionals we need to be more aware of the content in our videos and we absolutely need to become more sensitive to our audience and those viewing our content. Show the modifications and ways to adapt the exercises in the content or offer various options and express, however possible, the difficulty levels. We’re not the only ones out here trying to stay fit; there are millions who are easily misled because they don’t have the right guidance or the guide isn’t providing the right information.

Let’s not fall into this trap, let’s select the right exercises for the general public or for our specific clients. The only way is to learn more about the body and what can harm it. In our online NPI-Certified Resistance Training Professional™ program we cover popular exercises, modifications, intensity levels, and ways to modify the techniques so they’re safe for body alignment and posture. Each area of the body is given its due as we suggest a host of exercises from lowest to highest intensity.

Check out the program here >>