As mentioned in an earlier post I’m in the midst of completely revamping my workout routine. For me, this is a big undertaking because I’ve been practicing my current routine for the past 7 years.
My new workout is entirely different. It contains different exercises, sets/reps, equipment, protocols, movements and goals. As I’m putting it together, I find myself drawing upon resources I’ve developed over the course of years of working out. I watched videos and read books by the experts who taught me about functional training and kettlebells back in the late 2000s. I ordered high-quality equipment from niche vendors I bought from before. I know who to trust, what I need and how to find it.
It turns out that I know what I’m doing. I’m by no means a professional, but by the same token, I’m also not an amateur.
It’s comforting. And fun. And exhilarating.
There’s much more information readily available online today than the last time I did this 10 years ago. As I dig into the information, I clearly see what’s behind the videos and blog posts. I recognize clickbait and generic AI content that can be immediately ignored. It’s easy for me to recognize when a resource is valuable vs when it’s slop.
There’s a plethora of scams: hucksters pitching “miracle” solutions, microdosing with magical elixirs, overpriced vitamins, infused waters and the ever-present “one simple program that guarantees results”. The names and products have changed. The BS is still the same.
As much as I like learning new things, I also like being an expert. There are no bonus points for doing everything the hard way all the time.