Okay, so this is sort of another rant but what the hell.....it's time.
What is it with fitness forums these days? How is it that the number of posts all of a sudden correlates with your fitness I.Q.? Most of you will know what I am talking about. You know, the car mechanic, computer programmer, realtor etc. who likes to workout and spends 4 hours per day online @ T-nation, Bodybuilding.com, or other fitness forums. I got no problem with you doing what you want in life but what on earth makes these folks feel that they are qualified to not only dispense training information but to JUDGE products and services put out by ACTUAL fitness experts?? Because you have 5,000+ posts?? Because you 'research' any and all things fitness on the internet?? FYI, I don't go down to UCLA and critique the treatment techniques of their cancer doctors nor would I go to McDonalds and tell the kid in the back how to shake the fries. What a joke. I think the funniest thing is that when an actual fitness expert, in an attempt to qualify themselves, states their experience and/or education these 'internet experts' are always quick to say things like "well, it's not about your formal education in exercise science" or "years of experience in the field is overrated" etc. Isn't it strange how those who poo-poo education and experience are the ones that don't have either??
Myself and many other conditioning specialists have gone through years and years of rigorous academics along with thousands of hours of hands-on, in the trenches WORK. You want to offend me? Just try to say that you are on the same training level due to your forum posts or god forbid your blog (whole different blog post that I will save for later). You want to offend me further? Critique my upcoming book when it comes out and tell me what's wrong with my programming.....what's wrong with my writing style.....what's wrong with my font size and margins. Yeah, getting crititqued by someone who hasn't the foggiest idea of not only what I do at work every day of my life but of the book editing and artistic design process....GOOD ONE.
I really have a love-hate attitude toward the internet. On one hand it is an unbelievable resource to learn, share, and even make a few bucks. On the other hand, it has spawned a couple of loathesome creatures....the internet "training guru" who doesn't really 'train' anyone and, for lack of a better term, the "forum bleacher bum". You know the guy that talks shit from the stands while the pros are doing their work. We all know that the bleacher bum would do this better or would have done that differently right?? Right.
If you want to read about real-world conditioning, discuss things on a regulated forum etc. come visit http://www.coachdos.com/ . See you there!
