Don't be judgemental

I’M GOING TO RANT …. AGAIN!!

Hold onto your hats people.

This one is about exercise snobbery. Yes! exercise snobbery. It does exist and it bloody winds me up.

How many of you can stand there and genuinely say you have not ridiculed or been derisive of an exercise orsport?

I’m holding my hand up here. I’m guilty of this and so are most of you

Many of the fitness fraternity have been involved with exercise in one form or another for most of our lives. But take a step back for a moment and see things from a new perspective.

Imagine you have been overweight and never exercised in your entire life and now look at yourself through fresh eyes. You’re a bit bloody awesome aren’t you?

You’re also a bit scary.

Many of the classes I teach can be proper hard core. I’m talking vomiting into the bin hard (I have done this by the way).

Any one who has joined me for an Advanced RPM class will know that it is a distinct possibility that you will see the contents of your stomach at some point.

I don’t turn dials up & I don’t force people to work beyond their limits. I take you on a journey. I shout,encourage (sometimes sing) and joke. I carry people with me through an intense workout that most would not be able to do by themselves.

This doesn’t mean I don’t cater for the unfit but most people who are new to exercise are frightened of these high energy style classes

Does this mean that I think hardcore classes are the only way to go? …. No

So from this point of view now look at the exercises you’re so quick to disparage.

I will use Zumba as an example, not because it’s any good but because most people have heard of it.

Those of you that know me are now going to say

“But you hate Zumba”

I know …..but I teach it any way. Why?

Well this is an interesting question. I really don’t approve of the marketing monster that Zumba has become. It’s an Unregulated, Fashion, fad driven monster but I teach it for one reason and one reason only.

It gets unfit people off their arses & moving.

I have lost track of how many overweight, unfit people with low self esteem and confidence that have come to my classes and thoroughly enjoyed them. I’m notblowing my own trumpet here. Any group exercise instructor worth their salt can claim this. What I am saying is that, if people who have previously never exercised in their lives, can enjoy a fitness class, it’s got to be a good thing. I’m not worried if they go home & reward themselves with a piece of cake. They probably would have done that anyway. What they are reallydoing is breaking bad habits. Zumba is an incrediblysocial group exercise class. Its fun and also, if done correctly, a good, low impact exercise. It doesn’t matter if I despise it and it doesn’t matter if it doesn’t build muscle, burn fat or burn calories to any large extent. What it does do, is get people into exercise. It’s a stepping stone and that’s all good

One lady in particular, will always stand out as a shining example of this for me. She was a size twenty two,mother of eight who had incredibly low self esteem and no confidence. Because of stepping stones, she was brave enough to step through the door and has never looked back.

She competed in her first natural bodybuilding competition last year and did bloody well. I am immensely proud of her

This is not because of me, I might add. This is because of having those stepping stones. The classes or exercises that you workout snobs disparage, can have a real effect on people.

I am proud to say many of the people who started their journey with me, using these stepping stones, are now doing more intense classes. Many of them are now using weights. Many of them are now hooked on exercise and eating properly for the first time in their lives. It’s an amazing thing to be a part of and makes me feel very humble.

So before you deride and judge, remember it’s not all about strength, calories, fat or muscle.

Sometimes it’s about changing the habit of a lifetime.