Fun, Sweat, and Complete Exhaustion Doesn't equal Fit

I am posed with questions all the time regarding working out and my opinions on numerous methods of working out. I wish I could be as humble as others and withhold my thoughts at times, but I guess Im just not there yet in life. Maybe I will mature one day. So lets tackle a few things..... Group Fitness AKA ZUMBA, Body Pump, KIck Boxing(Non Contact), BOdy step, etc........ Bottom Line Jazzercise went out a long time ago because the name sucks and it doesn't work. So other great marketing rip off artists decided to repackage it and spice it up with a little fun. THere is even a new class that has people hitting drumsticks on stability balls to music and labeled as a great workout.

So here comes the defense mechanism...." But Danny I have so much fun in these classes and I sweat sooo much and am completely exhausted when I'm done". My Response.. OK..... tossing the ball to my dog's at the dog park watching them run while sitting in the Arizona sun on a hot day is fun, makes me sweat, and feel completely heat exhausted. SHould I package that up and sell it as a workout. if this is the case why don't gyms just start putting televisions playing comedy shows in the steam room. I should probably stop before I give someone an Idea. That is how ridiculous this society and industry has become.

Many people will tell me that their group fitness instructor is so fit. The truth is most of these instructors are also training in the weight room as well, and NOT just doing classes. All of these different programs train one aspect. Aerobic and muscular endurance. Excessive endurance training decreases muscle strength, decreases Testosterone levels which lead to muscular growth, and can cause a less than favorable body composition. Yes, Even body pump that poses itself as a strength class trains muscular endurance. If you can do 50 reps consistently it is not strength training.

Yes I am coming off as a hater... and Im OK with it. I have had clients that actually do these programs as supplemental training to their strength training routines and that is fine. But to think that these classes hold the answers to all fitness is misleading and wrong, and I want to be the other voice. I love kettlebell training but I have scene kettlebell programs advertised that are no different than any of the above programs. The difference is how are you using these tools and that is what programming is about.


What is the Answer???

Train. Don't workout. Have a purpose and train for it, it is amazing how it works. If you can lift a weight consistently for 15-20 reps and do that more than once don't think that you are working to get stronger. We have a few different Energy systems when we train. We can train for muscular strength, Muscular Endurance, as well as Aerobically , and Anaerobically. If you don't know the difference between all of this stay tuned...... There will be more to come.....