Obesity and exercise

Richard Cook2 said:Unfortunately, you've hit the nail on the head; very few trainers actually follow everything listed there, though I certainly don't claim to be one of them. Of course, I don't know everything—and I have no shame in admitting that—but when it comes to issues like scoliosis, lordosis, kyphosis, pelvic tilts, or X-patterns, I believe I have a very strong grasp on how to address and correct them. If I encounter something I don't understand, or if the structural deformities are too severe for me to safely tackle, I will decline to train that client, regardless of how much they might insist.

The trainers aren't solely to blame here; in America, we simply lack a culture of regular, systematic medical checkups—it seems people feel an annual inspection is mandatory for their car, yet they treat their own health with total indifference 😁.

Furthermore, everyone is chasing instant gratification and quick aesthetic changes. Nobody wants to put in the disciplined, systematic work, nor do they want to pay a trainer to undo years of poor posture and sedentary habits.

regarding interval training, I think you're operating under a misconception. Answer me this specifically: why wouldn't you perform interval training with someone who is overweight but has received medical clearance, maintains normal blood pressure, has no known heart issues, and has an elevated resting heart rate that is being constantly monitored during the session?

Technically, you can. However, there are no guarantees in this business. You've likely seen even lean, professional athletes drop dead on the field due to undiagnosed cardiac issues despite regular testing.

And what kind of medical clearance are we actually talking about? A standard EKG? What does that really tell us? An EKG shows things that even a layman could spot without professional equipment. I'd wager that not a single one of your clients has ever undergone a cardiac ultrasound.

But you are right on one point: if the medical results come back clear, you can apply the same training protocols whether the client is obese or thin.

urbanwalker72 said:I don't think you can really lay the blame on the coaches here. It’s more of a systemic issue—people in this country just don't have a culture of regular, preventative medical checkups. We’re the kind of society where we'll religiously take a car in for its mandatory state inspection to make sure every bolt is tightened, but when it comes to our own health? We just shrug our shoulders and figure it'll be fine. It’s like we prioritize the maintenance schedule on a Ford over our own vitals. 😁 )

It seems everyone is chasing that overnight success story—everyone wants a total body transformation by next week. But nobody actually wants to put in the systematic work. Nobody wants to shell out the money for a real trainer to go in and fix years of terrible posture and slouching at a desk.

Well, you certainly could. But let’s be honest—there are no guarantees in this life. You only have to look at those elite professional athletes; even with all their training and nutrition, you see them collapsing on the field every month due to sudden cardiac issues. It just goes to show that nothing is truly certain.

What kind of medical tests are we even talking about here? An EKG? What kind of diagnostic is that supposed to be? Honestly, anything an EKG can show, even a layman could spot without the machine. I’d bet my bottom dollar you haven't even had a single client come in for a cardiac ultrasound. I'm willing to wager not one of them.

You make a valid point there, and I think you're spot on. If your medical checkup comes back clean and everything looks good on paper, then whether you started out heavy or lean doesn't really change the fundamentals. You can essentially apply the exact same training regimen regardless of where your starting weight was.

I had two clients come in for cardiac ultrasounds recently. One was a lady just doing some routine health screenings on her own accord, and the other was one of my trainees. I have to say, that client is exactly the kind of person you want in your corner—honestly, if everyone were like him, my job would be a breeze! He truly values his health. Before we even thought about starting our training sessions, he made sure everything was cleared by his doctor for two very specific reasons: first, to ensure there were absolutely no contraindications to exercise, and second, to get a baseline on his vitals, like cholesterol, LDL levels, and blood sugar. It’s that level of foresight that makes all the difference.

Of course, there are no guarantees in this business, but I look at it this way: if I demand full medical clearance and all relevant health history from my clients, and then secure their explicit consent to train at their own risk—provided they’ve had a chance to review my training programs and specific methodologies—then my conscience is clear. At that point, I feel I have fully discharged my duty as a trainer to protect my clients' well-being. 🙂

It’s entirely possible for something catastrophic to happen to someone who is perfectly healthy—let alone someone who isn't even overweight. Honestly, life doesn't care about your fitness level. It can strike while you're just climbing a flight of stairs, mowing the lawn, or... well, during intimacy. Life is unpredictable like that. xD

I’ve always been one to prioritize doing things my way. To be honest, I’m a firm believer in never pushing past the 90% mark. In my own training sessions, I rarely ever go to total failure; I just don't think it's necessary for recreational athletes to hit that wall to see real progress. Whether we're talking about strength work, endurance, or metabolic conditioning, there's plenty of room to grow without completely redlining your system. 🙂

I truly believe I possess a solid foundation of knowledge and a sound professional philosophy. I go to great lengths to implement safety protocols, yet even with all those precautions, I can’t help but feel I might be overthinking things when dealing with high-risk clients. When I observe other trainers—not all of them, mind you, but many—they seem far more relaxed. They take risks, working with clients who have underlying health issues without even bothering to check a heart rate monitor or similar vitals. There was one particular day that left me feeling incredibly uneasy, almost as if I were personally responsible for a potential catastrophe. A young guy walked in for his shift wanting to learn how to deadlift. Since I couldn't take him on myself at that moment, I handed him off to a colleague, giving him clear instructions on what the client was looking to achieve. My colleague assured me it wouldn't be an issue. Fifteen minutes later, I returned to find the client mid-set during his break. He told me the trainer had already walked him through it. I said, "That’s great, let me just take a look." As soon as he started pulling that weight, my heart sank. His back was arched like a crescent moon. I thought to myself, *Maybe he's just doing it wrong, but surely my colleague showed him the right way.* Then, the arch got even worse. I felt paralyzed; I didn't want to undermine my colleague in front of the client, so I just called him over to "double-check" the form. It was an awkward situation, and I eventually pulled my colleague aside privately to explain my concerns. Unfortunately, you run into these types of "trainers" in this industry. The reality is, that guy now has three times as many personal training clients as I do because he presents a much more "impressive," high-energy image. It’s frustrating, but I suppose that’s just the state of the business.

Lisa Myers said:I went to yoga classes for a while until I ended up feeling terrible because I was doing poses that were totally contraindicated for my spinal diagnosis. Did I warn the instructor about it? Of course I did. So who’s at fault? HER. In my opinion, based on my medical history, she should know what I can and can't do instead of just selling everyone the same generic "zen" routine.

The bottom line? Paying some idiot—no thanks.

Where were you going for yoga, though? Like, how big was the group and what was the monthly membership cost?

Setting aside this specific situation for a second, if you ask me, anyone dealing with a medical diagnosis (and let's be honest, almost everyone has *something* going on, right?) really needs to take ownership of their own health. You have to use your brain when picking activities or workout styles! You need to educate yourself on your condition, understand the contraindications, and all that. You shouldn't just pick a gym based solely on the price tag, how close it is to your house, or what time the class starts, and then expect magic to happen after a month. But hey, that's an unpopular opinion, I know.

One-on-one or small group training (up to three people) with someone who actually takes your diagnosis, posture, and overall physical picture into account—someone who truly knows what they're doing and why—simply costs more. It's just the reality of it. That's the only way a trainer can actually devote the proper attention to a client. Even groups of six or seven are lightyears better than those massive classes of ten or more, though even then, the participants have to be fully motivated and focused, otherwise, the whole thing can turn into a total mess. Generally, the people willing to pay a bit more are also willing to focus and put in the work (even if they don't always do it!), which is the only way a session makes sense. A trainer isn't an all-powerful being; they can't do the exercises *for* you. So, once again, it all starts with the person exercising.

On the flip side, these massive group classes you see on every street corner in every fitness center... I don't even know what to say, other than I'm starting to lose my appreciation for them. An instructor simply cannot control a huge crowd, even if they want to. Most participants aren't even interested; they treat the workout like a chore or a burden they're forced to do. They show up reluctantly, quit quickly, or just drift through the motions, focusing more on how they look in the mirror during the move rather than their actual technique. And then, despite all that, they think $180 $67 a month for eight sessions is too expensive, yet they still expect miracles.

As an instructor myself, what I deal with in those settings is honestly beyond words. I am highly motivated to make sure everyone performs correctly, and I try my best to account for their diagnoses and fitness levels by adding modifications (as much as I can, since some groups are huge and the info people give me about their health is often half-baked). Still, things can go sideways, and I find myself just praying to Bog that nobody gets injured.

But unfortunately, with these mass group classes, there's no other way right now. Not with how people currently view recreation and taking care of their bodies.
Luckily, I'll be able to step away from that soon and shift entirely toward small group training (up to 6 people) and one-on-one sessions, which will definitely give me more peace of mind. Until then, I design my workouts to minimize any chance of injury, just so those angry people who paid $67 for a 20-person class don't come bitching about my name. 😁

Eat right, go for walks, ride your bike, hit the pool—whatever works—until you’ve built up enough of a base to start running, playing pickup basketball, or getting into more intense sports. Honestly, don't even bother with all those fancy gadgets and high-tech gear right away; that stuff is really just for the pros out there competing in major leagues.

Personally, I am a huge advocate for taking it slow and steady. I'm all about making real, lasting progress by rebuilding your habits from the ground up and sticking to things that actually last. But that's the thing—people don't want to buy into that. Instead, they're chasing these "insanity" style transformations after just thirty days. They jump into these brutal, restrictive diets where they basically become slaves to their food and their kitchen scales... Meanwhile, things like proper form, protecting your joints, how nutrition affects your physical health, and even your mental well-being? People act like all of that is optional. And then, they act totally shocked when things start going wrong.

Look, I’m definitely no expert, but I dealt with being significantly overweight myself, so here are a few thoughts from my experience.

If you ask me, the top priority for anyone struggling with weight should be finding some kind of regular, sustainable physical activity. You really have to focus on minimizing injuries so there's actually a decent chance you can stick with it long-term. For me, I started out walking, and then moved on to cycling. Both worked pretty well because they didn't take up much extra time—I just built them into my daily routine, like my commute to work or running errands.

In general, it seems like the idea of "recreation" has shifted lately. It feels less about actual health and more about how you look. I don't mind if someone cares about aesthetics, I guess, as long as they don't push that onto others who might have much more important priorities to focus on.

For instance, my hips bother me enough that most of the stuff people obsess over at the local Planet Fitness doesn't really matter to me. Instead, I care about my resting heart rate, my blood pressure, and if I could find a way to accurately measure my VO2 max (I know there's that treadmill walk test, but from what I gather, it's a bit hit-or-miss).

For me, combining those activities—walking first, then biking—with some dietary changes totally fixed my blood pressure. I went from 155/105 down to 125/75, and my resting heart rate dropped from the 90s down to the low 60s. I couldn't track my VO2 max specifically, but I did undergo a cardiac stress test at the clinic. I don't know the exact numbers, but since my cardiologist mentioned I had the stamina of a lumberjack, I assume it wasn't too bad.😁 It all turned out to be something I could actually maintain, and I didn't deal with any major injuries along the way.

I'm not saying this is a magic formula for everyone. The right mix depends entirely on the individual, I suppose. But it's probably best to start with the right goals.