You're Not Broken and You Don't Need Fixing.

The fitness industry is a billion pound industry , and at its heart lies the personal trainer. These skilled professionals can be invaluable guides on your fitness journey, helping you reach your goals in a safe and effective way. However, a concerning trend has emerged in recent years: some trainers are adopting a "broken body" narrative, framing their services as the solution to all your physical woes.

This narrative hinges on the idea that our bodies are inherently flawed and in need of fixing. Trainers might point to perceived imbalances, weaknesses, or imperfections, often using jargon and technical terms to sound authoritative. They might promise to "correct" your posture, or address so called imbalances, identified by spurious visual or unnecessarily tactile physical assessments.

The problem with this approach is it's often inaccurate, technically incorrect and on top that incredibly denigrating . Many of the "problems" trainers identify are simply normal variations in human anatomy and movement patterns. What one person perceives as a "weakness or imbalance " may be another person's natural way of moving. If one of these types of trainers was to work with Usain Bolt they would not see one of the most gifted athletes but someone with “excessive lumber extension and an imbalance in their lumbo-pelvic rhythm”. Any correction of these perceived “faults” would not make Usain a faster sprinter and would most likely have detrimental effects on his performance.

Shifting the Focus: From Fixing to Flourishing

So, how can we move away from this harmful narrative and build a healthier relationship with our bodies and fitness? Here are a few key points to remember:

⁃ Your body is not broken.It's a complex and magnificent expression adapted over millions of years of evolution . It's capable of incredible feats and endowed with inherent resilience.

⁃ Focus on your strengths and celebrate your unique abilities. What are you good at? What do you enjoy doing? Highlight these aspects of your body and movement instead of dwelling on perceived flaws.

⁃ Move for joy, not just for a goal.Exercise should be an enjoyable experience, not a chore. Find activities you love and that make you feel good in your own skin.

⁃ Listen to your body.It's the best guide you have. Pay attention to its signals and adjust your workouts accordingly. Effort is fine pain is not.

Remember, you are not a project to be fixed. By shifting our focus from "fixing" to "flourishing," we can build a healthier and more sustainable approach to fitness, one that celebrates the incredible diversity and capacity of the human body.

I hope this article has been helpful. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to leave them below or get in contact with us.