Why You Shouldn’t Try Every Exercise You See on Social Media

Social media can encourage people to try things that may not be appropriate for the individual. These types of exercises often look appealing, fun, and “cool”, however it doesn’t necessarily mean that they should attempted by everyone. Here are some reasons why.

As you scroll through your feed perhaps maybe consider the fitness accounts you follow. Are they simply just the typical accounts with content that looks cool to entice you to try, or do they actually contain quality information for you to accomplish the workouts and exercises? Consider weeding out those accounts that may leave you feeling discouraged that some exercises are too difficult for you to try and follow the ones that give you the proper education and content to work your way up to certain exercises.

I’m not saying that it is necessarily a bad thing that these accounts exist; it’s good to see variety and get other inspiration to help keep us motivated. However, just keep in mind that social media is a highlight reel and you may not necessarily see all the hard work that it took those individuals to get to that point.

So if you want to try these exercises, where do you start?

Start with the basics! Basic movement patterns help build a base level strength foundation. We need to be able to squat, hinge, push, pull, press and carry things which are the foundations of a lot of movement patterns. A lot of exercises that are shown display strength versus actually educating people how to build that strength in order to complete the actual exercise safely and efficiently.

Trying to attempt some of these exercises before you may be ready can potentially lead to injury, frustration and less than enjoyable workouts. Sometimes it’s taking a step backwards to work on the basics that will help propel you forward.

Depending on what movement you are hoping to master, it may take months and even years to complete and that’s okay! Everyone’s fitness journey is different and is dependent on a number of factors. The biggest thing is to be patient! The more you work on the basics and building a solid foundation, the stronger and more equipped you will be at trying new exercises.

If you are unsure how or where to start, ask your Personal Trainer in the Weight Loss Clinic. We will start you at a point you’re comfortable and confident with and help you progress from there.