I promise that someday I will do a top 10 list, or something like that, of terms, phrases and fads in fitness that drive me to drink.
I have one of the top ones for you today.
"Target area".
This is similar to the "spot reduction myth" which I talk in length a while back. CLICK HERE TO READ.
The difference is that in The Spot Reduction Myth I talk more about the process; the actual physicality of it all. Today I want to delve deeper into the mindset aspect.
A couple of years ago a lady come to our gym and did a workout. Yeah, one workout.
When I asked her about the experience she was disappointed. She said this, "I don't feel that it worked my target area".
After I got over my urge to jump up on the desk and rip my eyeballs out of my head I got on with my life.
Never saw this lady again.
The point is that she somehow felt that the workout was going to magically melt away her "target area". Or at least she would feel it there.
These are ridiculous expectations.
Many years ago I did one personal training session with a dude that played tennis. After the session he wondered out loud why we didn't do any tricep exercises.
I think he actually thought that the triceps muscles were responsible for swinging a tennis racquet.
I failed to work his target area. He never trained with me again.
To me it's about expectations. If you have a "target area" then you have an explanation that area will somehow change if you work it. If the work you do is going to focus on that area.
Sadly most people don't get results in their target area which invariably leads to quitting.
Read this blog every day. Do you see the themes? It's about lifestyle first. ALWAYS.
When it comes to exercise it's first about metabolic conditioning. ALWAYS.
When it comes to strengthen it's all about stability and strength is your core. When you work the body from the inside out you get results EVERYWHERE. When you have the mindset that you are working out to get magic results in one place it become a lose / lose situation.
When you focus on lifestyle and inside out fitness it's ALWAYS going to be win / win.
If you have a target area you need to stop right now with that bull shit. No more target areas. Your target area needs to become the 6 inches between your left eat and your right ear.
It's all about mindset. Focus on improvement each and every day; live the fit life.
You will be amazing how your target areas become less important to you as your fitness level goes up and up!