All Joking Aside! Fitness Trainers and Humor!

   It is often said that humor is a good thing to have in the workplace. Having a laugh can take the edge off of the tension. A lighthearted workplace can actually be an enjoyable place to work. A joyless workplace can be uninviting!  I have worked in places where my coworkers were always dead serious. I have worked in other places where joking around was common. I much prefer the latter environment. However, in the fitness business as in every workplace, the wrong type of humor at the wrong time can be a lit dynamite stick of grief. It could even get you fired! If you have your own Fitness Training business such trouble can harm your reputation and in the worst scenario can invite a harassment complaint.
   Working out can can be hard! Muscle fatigue and anaerobic intensity can cause brief discomfort. Some clients may be uptight about working out or they may feel uncomfortable around fit people. I want to make the workout experience enjoyable for my clients even if the workout is tough.  Enjoyment heightens the commitment.  However it is important to develop a knack for reading your client. Keep in mind the following points:

• Some people just don't have a sense of humor. They may feel that you are not a serious person if you joke around. They may even get annoyed. 
• Fitness trainers often deal with people that have poor body image and other issues. Something said in jest may unintentionally offend them.
•  Your client may not be used to your beer league hockey or rugby fest tradition of locker room irreverence. They may find it shocking and revolting.
• Someone nearby may overhear something that you say to your client. They may object.
• Beware of that rare person looking to make an example of someone by complaining. Don't put yourself in a position to be their target!

   I am not saying that a Fitness Trainer can't joke around.  I am saying know your client well! 

One of my long time clients was of a biblical religion historically older than mine. I would get him to the anaerobic pain threshold on the exercise bike. The usual quip was that I would lower the intensity if he converted. I knew this client well! With someone else such a joke could well have been a career breaker.

   Humor that offends may be labelled as 'inappropriate'. The problem is that some people are very easily offended. Minimize your chances of getting into trouble with such people. Unless you know your client well, avoid the following:

• Sexual humor.  Heed the Rolling Stones lyrics "Don't play with me, cause you're playing with fire!"  This path can get you burnt!
• Religious jokes. (Remember, I knew my long time client very well)
• Racial jokes. DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT! Archie Bunker is dead!
• Family members. Yours or your client's are off limits for jokes. 
• Politics. This topic can turn ugly quickly. I once lost a potential wealthy client by ribbing him the day after a federal election that went badly for his ideological voting choice.
• Jokes relating to your client's weight or shape. You are there to help them remedy that,  not poke fun at them.

   If you happen to slip up and say something that offends,.....apologize immediately!

Don't let it fester. Hope and pray that the client puts it in the past.
   In the blogging world, I can always proof read and double check my words before I press the publish icon. In the real world, once you open your mouth the words are out there. There is no second chance.  After that, there is only damage control!

   You want your client to keep coming to you for training. You also want them to tell their friends about you and help market you. You want the sessions to be an enjoyable experience rather than a physical torture session. Be smart. Always be ready to smile but if in doubt back off on the jokes!

   Now for a Canadian style- beer league hockey locker room joke. A baby seal walks into a club......

"Did you hear the one about !?**# ?"
If in doubt about the appropriateness of the humor, don't use it. 

Until next time,.......keep fit! 

Little Bobby Strong!

Can Running Put You in Danger?

     Is running an activity that can put you at risk?  I don't mean the risk that comes from strained muscles, sprained ligaments, overheating, dehydration, or cardiovascular emergencies. I am referring to the type of danger that comes from ominous external threats. The recent bombing at the Boston Marathon showed that runners can be targets for violence.
   Realistically, the chances of being present for a bombing are thankfully slim. However there are other potential threats out there such as:

• Dogs! Bony legs and moving human bodies can often bring out the beast in even the most peaceful pooch. 
• Other wildlife! I have run into bears while running on mountain trails. Fortunately the bear always took off one way while I ran the other way. Cougars, although elusive, can be especially dangerous predators. Coyotes used to be bashful around humans. In Eastern Canada they have been breeding with dogs and the offspring are larger and more aggressive. Hikers have been attacked and even killed! Take precautions in the wilderness. Think about carrying bells, pepper spray or doing your running in a group!
• Idiot drivers! These fools like to yell obscenities at distance runners. Usually this is the extent of the threat but in extreme cases they will throw projectiles, such as beer cans, at the runners. There is also the danger of the car veering towards the runner -often on purpose.
• Drunk and impaired drivers!  Run defensively and steer clear. Never assume your right of way is sacred when crossing intersections.
• Sexual predators! For women runners especially, this is a threat that is always hauntingly present. One of my track coaches would not let his women athletes run the trails or roads alone under his watch. It shouldn't be this way but it is better to play it on the safe side. 
• Drunks and hooligans! Fortunately, this is a rare occurrence but the potential is there for runners to come across these types of trouble making thugs in downtown areas or even in public parks. Usually you can outrun them if they are drunk or stoned but they are best steered well clear of. I used to go running at night through the cheating side of town just for the adrenaline rush. I called it the riffraff run!  In retrospect, with age and wisdom, it doesn't seem like a very smart idea.

   What are some ways of keeping the risks minimal?

•  Run with a group. Groups provide a certain amount of safety.
• Be aware of your surroundings. I have never been a fan of running with ear pods for listening to music. It takes the crucial sense of hearing out of the equation.
• Avoid risky surroundings such as dark alleys, secluded trails, or any areas far from help.
• Trust your instincts! If your spider sense are tingling, change your route.
• There is always the option to carry bells, or defensive sprays to deter animals or thugs.
• Carry a cell phone if you are running in areas of concern,
• Develop an extra running gear, just in case.

   The implications for Fitness Trainers are obvious. Don't send a client out on a run alone under your watch! Send them out with a group. Run or bike along with them. If those options aren't possible, use a treadmill and keep them inside. The client is under your care for that allotted period of time!
If something happens, the Fitness Trainer could be liable!    

Other than the bear encounters, I have had few bad experiences while out running. Chances are, you will not either. Runners rarely carry purses or wallets with them so robbers will usually get a paltry haul. I suppose state of the art shoes or a designer running suit could be coveted by undesirables. Just being a runner can sometimes make you a target for some brainless neanderthal oafs.  However, always think safety first. Be smart! Don't put yourself in a position where physical harm can happen to you!

Be smart! Be Alert! Be cautious!
Running through a dark alley in a bad part of town - not recommended!
(Especially with a pink t-shirt and tights.)

Until next time,....keep fit!

Little Bobby Strong

schwabe27.uwmfatloss.hop.clickbank.net

Wild animals can be problematic.
Pepper spray and bells won't help in this situation!
Don't neglect your speed intervals!

Say It Ain't So Lance!

   Were you really that surprised! You thought that Lance Armstrong and those other pro bicyclists
actually cycled up those mountains at that speed fuelled only by granola bars and Gatorade. I suppose you think that those monstrously gargantuan bodybuilders in the Mr. Olympia contest owe it all to pumping iron and protein powder. Yes, and those NFL football lineman snorting and frothing at the mouth like Brahma bulls are just caught up in the heat of the moment. Of course those female shot putters from eastern block countries with no necks and the five o'clock shadows are just husky tomboys! Pro wrestlers are just rowdy, rambunctious good old boys with hearty appetites that help them grow such cartoonish muscles!
 
   Now there are stories circulating that elite mountaineers tackling Mount Everest are relying on steroids to assist them in the brutal ascents and descent! I would also assume that blood enriching compounds just might be beneficial for people trudging up frozen rock faces at extreme altitude. There are no doping test facilities at Base Camp and no officials waiting for a urine sample.

   Before Lance, there was the BALCO scandal. That's as in Bay Area Laboratory Cooperative, a 'supplement' company that got caught in a sting operation and implicated numerous baseball stars. The ensuing BALCO fallout brought down the world's fastest man Tim Montgomery. It also led to the loss of an Olympic title and a jail term for lying under oath to Olympic sprint queen Marion Jones.
Going even further back there was Canada's Olympic 100 meter sprint champion Ben Johnson. 'Big Ben' went from the gold medal podium to the annals of sporting shame with a failed drug test.
   Performance enhancing drugs have been with us for some time. Steroids and human growth hormone can build muscle and strength and aid recovery. Blood boosters such as EPO (erythropoietin) can increase stamina for endurance sports. Amphetamines have been used as picker-uppers by athletes for decades.  Many of these drugs were developed to treat symptoms of aging and certain muscle and tissue wasting diseases such as cancer. They have been adopted by athletes and bodybuilders.Keep in mind that these substances:

• Can build muscle with intense weight training
• Can improve athletic performance with proper training
• Can aid in recuperation from intense exercise
• Can enhance endurance
• May aid energy levels during an athletic event 
• Are banned in most sports
• Are legally controlled substances
• Can have side effects and health consequences both physical and possibly mental

   As a Fitness Trainer, the day may come when someone will ask you about using such substances. It may be a naive but curious potential client that you can set straight with common sense.  There is also the possibility that it may be a short - cut seeking muscle man or athlete wannabe who might be best turned down cold and avoided.
   If you train out of a hard-core style gym, you may actually know such a monger of muscle enhancers.
Don't even think of steering the inquisitive soul towards such a purveyor of pumped up products.
Why not, you might ask? There are a few good reasons.

1. You DO NOT want to be associated with that part of the business if you want to have a respected and conventional Fitness Training career. Remember, image is important and word spreads like wildfire in a gym setting.
2. It IS against the law! Sure, it is an unlikely scenario, but you don't want to be the go-between in a narc sting. I used to moonlight as a bouncer at a nightclub on the cheating side of town. A waitress there once steered an undercover cop to the neighbourhood, sleazebag drug dealer. She got arrested along with the sleazebag. Don't be the fitness club version of Wicked Wanda, the witless waitress!
3. Some, but not all, sources of performance enhancing drugs may be connected to organized crime rings. That is all the more reason to steer clear!  Cement overshoes are not an ideal method to develop your quad muscles.

   There may be a legitimate situation in which you have a client with hormonal issues such as low testosterone levels. In such a case you should refer the client to a medical doctor. 
If you have reason to believe that one of your clients may be dabbling in the sorcerer's supplements, refer them to a physician. Do not fool around with this! Things could get out of hand.  

Obviously you do not supply steroids to make up for the client's testosterone shortfall. Nor do you

approach the gym musclehead supplier with the biker connections.

   Hopefully you're not thinking of doing this but I'll comment just in case you are. Why not tap into that niche? Why couldn't you become the Fitness/Strength Consultant and go-to guide for substances for the elite/ pro athletes? Some of them can pay big time. I'll give you 3 reasons or more specifically 3 names:

1. Kirk R. : Kirk was the Fitness Trainer and steroid guru for a number of professional pro baseball players. The FBI busted him and he wound up turning evidence against a number of his clients.
2. Brian M. : Brian was the Fitness/ Strength Consultant for a controversial baseball pitching sensation.  He was also outed and testified against his client. He was counter-sued and his reputation was dragged through the mud.
3. Greg A. : Greg was the Fitness Trainer and alleged drug guru for baseball's controversial new home run king. He was busted but refused to testify against his high profile client. He spent much time in and out of the slammer for contempt of court as a result.

   These three trainers only allegedly supplied to clients that were willing. They supposedly obtained the substances from supplement companies or steroid friendly doctors, not from organized criminal gangs. However, all three made the decision to step over a certain line .Their reputations are tarnished. They have paid legally and financially.

Their careers as legitimate Fitness Trainers are finished!
This path is a risky one.

    It is not even advisable to suggest that a client take certain supplements. There have been instances of a person taking a suggested supplement, having a bad reaction, and suing their Fitness Trainer. Stick to advising your clients to eat sensibly. If you feel your client has some sort of food deficiency refer them to a nutritionist or a medical practitioner
   One more thing on this topic of performance enhancing substances. There is something that all Canadians know deep down in our souls. Big Ben was framed!!!!
That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Until next time,.............keep fit

Little Bobby Strong

schwabe27.uwmfatloss.hop.clickbank.net

Using performance enhancing substances can be risky business !

Here are some interesting references on this topic:

Steroid Nation    Shaun Assael 2007 ESPN Books

Bases Loaded     Kirk Radomski 2009 Hudson Street Press

The Dirtiest Race in History  Richard Moore 2012  Bloomsbury Publishing

Edmonton Police Services Report on East End Narcotics Sting Based on 1995 plea bargaining testimony of  Wicked Wanda the Witless Waitress at Hard Shots Sports Lounge