BBC's Truth about Exercise | Mark Goodwin: Personal Trainer

BBC?s Horizon presented a show called The Truth about Exercise probably a good 7 or 8 weeks ago now.

I?m still undecided as to whether this was good for the British public or not. The reason for my doubt is, that the programme reported two main things, (1) you can increase your health and fitness with just 3 minutes exercise per week (2) in some cases exercise just wont help you, depending on genetics.

You think I may well just shoot these theories down as a Personal Trainer who relies on people coming to me for training help and advice in order to earn a living . . . but quite honestly, I can?t. The theories as far as I could tell, were based on legitimate testing (ie. not funded by a business looking to sell you something) and the programme makers would appear to have no reason to lie about or manipulate results or testing. So surely, the reports are the real deal.?Well, yes. But then again, trainers who bother to stay educated have known this for ?a long time.

So, my indecision is down to this . . . Im pleased that the public are getting good information and are being made aware of exercise science and physiology ? but at the same time, a little information is a dangerous thing, and I believe that the programme will be interpreted wrongly by many many people.

Going back to an earlier paragraph, educated trainers have known about this ?breaking news? for a long time now. I suspect the reason we haven?t been shouting about it too hard is because it is a very dangerous card to play on different levels. It could easily encourage apathy and in cases where it doesn?t, there is extraordinarily high risk of heart attack.

Let?s take point number 1. You can improve your health and fitness through 3 minutes exercise per week.
So now we assume half the population are doing just that. It is pretty damn near certain, that the vast majority of these people are not working ANYWHERE NEAR hard enough in those 3 minutes to make it worth it. People?s perception of intense exercise is nearly always letting them down. We are capable of much more than we think we are, so we do not really ever hit the threshold that would be required in this particular form of training. Yet, we would be convinced we were. WE AREN?T!
Add to this people with weak hearts, there are a LOT of these people and thousands more who don?t even know it. Attempting to go straight off the bat into intense training is likely to kill them. I do not need to exaggerate because that?s the reality.
I believe only a small percentage of people in the UK will be able to genuinely ?train in this way effectively enough to get the rewards.

Now let?s take point number 2. In some cases exercise just wont help you, depending on genetics. How?s that for a ready made excuse to turn the under-active into the inactive. You can hear it already can?t you . . . ?oh well there?s no point in training, it doesn?t make a difference coz of my genetics? An absolute get out clause for the lazy and no doubt about it. But at the same time, it?s hard for me to argue with the results they produced. HOWVER, that one form of exercise is not the only string to the bow of health and fitness. People?s bodies will react slightly different to variables in training, so the key is to find alternative training methods. We must also eat a nutritious diet, get enough rest, drink enough water, reduce stress levels and avoid toxins.

Health and fitness is not just one or two issues. You must have as many things working in sync with each other as possible.
And don?t even get me started on them painting exercise as a boring and inconvenient chore, that would ideally be over and done with as soon as possible and preferably not at all . . . If you find exercise boring it?s because you are doing it wrong (most likely on a machine of some sort). Dancing, ice-skating, country walks, climbing trees, raft building and even sex is all exercise. Tell me you find them boring?!!! Just do more of it.

In summary, well done BBC for raising some awareness, spiking an interest in the subject and giving some educational food for thought. I can?t argue at all with what you said. But I hope it does not cause a backlash of apathy and excuses in the UK, even more than we already have which is difficult to imagine.
My advice.
Take from the show, that intensity counts more than duration. You should be able to get a decent workout done within 30 minutes, make sure you get out of your comfort zone and linger there for a while. If, you aren?t getting results you must change something (diet, training, recovery). Although proven to be possible to improve your health and fitness ?with just 3 minutes exercise per week. it does not mean it is a good idea.

That is all from the heart, no draft versions. Just my ponderings.

Mark Goodwin: Personal Trainer
Mesomorphia Fitness
Train Smart. Live Happy

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