In order to see long term results, movement fundamentals are crucial. So whilst it is tempting to choose fancy or advanced exercises as you enter the training world, it can also be detrimental. 

In a sea of fitness models and influencers, one thing is true – if you are not a world champion or a professional athlete with media coverage and sponsorships, you need to come up with something absolutely ridiculous for anyone to pay attention to you. 

Given there are only a handful of these champions in the fitness world, although there are a few in bodybuilding, powerlifting and crossfit, this leaves a lot of room for ‘influencers’ who need to self-promote their way to the public eye in order to get their piece of the fitness-follower-influencer pie. 

In a sea of information we know that ridiculous claims and click bait are what sells, and this is just as true in the fitness industry as there is a lot of money to be made here if you have the right physique.

The truth is, the basics work, but they don’t always sell, and they don’t stand out. If you follow those who are the best athletes, and by this I mean they actually compete in a fitness-related sport where they can be measured against others who also compete, you will notice one thing – their training is monotonous, repetitive, and boring. 

It would be hard to sell. 

If you hire any coach with credibility, long term social proof and a successful coaching business, you will notice that they only recommend foundational exercises. Their posts won’t click bait you. They might even bore you. 

The best programs are those that are built around creating strength in the posterior chain first, and other muscles are added later. This is how you know if a trainer knows what they are doing, or not. 

If you want to get strong, and you’re still on the path to this goal (and by this I mean you’re not an experienced athlete) then there will be no high intensity interval training, no box jumps. pistol squats, burpees, or sideways floating single leg glute thrusters. 

These exercises add no real value to the average woman’s physique or functional strength, and a good coach will know that something like a burpee is likely to lead to a back or knee injury before it makes you fitter or stronger. 

For more roadblocks when it comes to training, check out my article ‘5 Reasons You’re Not Seeing Results in the Gym‘, but for now let’s keep focussed on those movement fundamentals and foundational principles.

Good coaches aren’t’ fancy, they teach you: 

• How to pace yourself and master the basics. 
• To stick to a program for 8 weeks or more, so you can become good at each exercise.
• That the only way to succeed is to be consistent, and, 
• They won’t let you squat, deadlift or chin-up until you are ready. 

As a coach I risk losing clients at times because they are too impatient but despite this I hold my ground as I am the one who knows what is best for them in the long run. 

I am not saying that you shouldn’t follow influencers, I am saying you should decipher the difference between a professional athlete and/or influencer and a coach. 

Follow them for intrigue, awe and inspiration and to fuel the pursuit of your own personal best and athletic potential. Understand though if you’re wanting to build a strong body in yourself you should probably not take their advice unless they are a coach themselves. And group programming isn’t coaching, that’s cashing in. 

Influencers do what the algorithm likes as their goal is to gain followers and funnel those followers into their fitness ‘apps’ so they can make ‘passive’ income. Again not a criticism, it’s just a trap most women fall into which as a coach I am always correcting. 

Most often an influencer has an amazing physique, but you can’t assume it’s all natural or that they have done anything special to achieve it. You will have all seen what-I-eat-in-a-day vlogs by girls with amazing bodies, where they have avo toast for breakfast, a cappuccino, chicken salad for lunch and some steak for dinner. You could eat that too and not look anything like them, because your genetics are different.

I have had clients over the years with next to no nutritional discipline or physical strength, yet they walk around in a physique that looks much like bodybuilders. On the flip side I’ve had clients who follow everything to a tee, but they look like they hardly train at all. Their genetics aren’t as good, and this is one of the biggest determinants in diet and fitness results. 

I have the healthiest diet out of anyone I know, yet I don’t have a body that would sell online programs. That’s why I have to be a proper coach LOL. 

So, what do you do!? 

Hire a professional who will teach you movement fundamentals and help you build a physique that is strong and functional. This program should be challenging yet achievable, with a focus on progressive overload where you increase weight lifted over the course of the program. 

You should be training in a way that is tiring, but not exhausting, and where you enjoy your sessions with plenty of time to rest in between. If your training is fun, you will stick with it in the long run. 

STRENGTH TRAINING FOR WOMEN

For more on training as a woman and getting kick-ass results, check out my Female Training program – it’s been created from years of hands-on practice and will overhaul your training and movement in just a few short weeks.

See you in the next post!

Jen x