“I’m the expert….”

Umm…no, that’s not me stating “I’m the expert and I know it all (in fitness, exercise and all matters related)”, rather that’s a strongly voiced, very often smug, statement that I encounter from individuals. Needless to say, by individuals I refer to people who are professionals and qualified in their respective fields; which just do not happen to be fitness or wellness related.

Those who use this phrase –
- The exercisers (could be for years, could also be just a couple of months); persons who have been exercising, in some form or the other, and as a result feel they know all there is to know about exercise.
It’s a different matter that most of that knowledge is based on tips they picked up from fellow-gymmers, or the internet, or magazines, or they could have actually even used the services of a ‘personal trainer’ for some months / weeks / sessions. About the fellow-gymmers; what works for him / her may not necessarily work for you. The internet and magazines can be good sources of information but do stop to consider they address a vast general population and what you need is information and programs specific to your needs and lifestyle.
Without going into how qualified the personal trainer may have been (you could refer to an earlier post - Some more of ‘You Say, I Say..’ ) do keep in mind that when you engage in a regular fitness program your fitness levels should improve, which means that your program and goals need to be reviewed and revised as you progress (or don’t). Well, you need a qualified expert for that.

Now, when you begin to consider yourself an expert on exercise and fitness, based on the fact that you’ve been now doing it for a certain amount of time, you effectively limit yourself to the same routine that you have been following all this time. This rules out all the new methods, techniques and exercises that have developed, need I add, as a result of on-going study and research into anatomy, physiology and the science of movement and exercise.

Of course, another reason why you may prefer to rely on your own expertise is because you may be unwilling to try the new, preferring the safety of the old. The old is something you have become good at and are familiar with. The new would test you and maybe even challenge you to work harder. The fact that you may have to initially drop the weight you lift or that you are seen trying a new group class where you have to learn new moves is something you’d rather avoid.
Why? When we engage in a fitness program we should be looking to wanting to challenge our bodies and minds. And, we should want to take advantage of all the advances made in this field. Getting stuck in the same program is only going to limit you, or worse have your body stop responding to the same exercises you have been going through all this time. Wonder why, though you have been working-out for such a long time, you are just not seeing the results?

- Then there are the non-exercisers who, nevertheless, know it all. These could be persons who do not like exercise and so, based on ‘research’ they have done come to the conclusion that exercise is not necessary. They put forth a variety of reasons such as - you only need to control your diet, exercising can lead to injuries, you put on weight when you stop etc. By controlling your diet you may lose weight but does that make you fit and strong? An exercise program under the guidance of an expert will minimize any risk of injuries, allowing you to achieve your goals in a safe systematic manner.

Even though I’ve been in this field a really long time I don’t say I know everything about fitness and exercise. How can I? The field of fitness is a constantly evolving science; some exercises and methods used a couple of decades ago have been found to be unsafe or worse, damaging to the body. At the same time we have newer, safer, more effective methods of exercise, fitness and rehabilitation that are being introduced and further developed. So how can even I possibly presume to say ‘I know it all’? Yes, it’s my field of work and I have the expertise in it that the layman will definitely not have but I know that as this science evolves so is my knowledge of the same.