Do what I say, not what I do

By what markers do you judge your trainer? Why do you trust them to tell you what to do in the gym, at home, in the kitchen, even on holiday? My best guess is that initially, it's going to be because they represent something that you either respect or would like to emulate. They're either fitter than you, leaner, stronger, more physically able or some other physical facet that encourages you to think, 'this person knows what they're talking about'. They're walking the talk. Or they're just good looking. Does this necessarily mean they're a good trainer?

In some ways, no. Their education may be sorely lacking. They may just be gifted with a high pain tolerance and good genes. They may simply be one dimensional morons with a basic knowledge of bodybuilding and an 'education' gleaned from the pages of tripe filling muscle and fitness magazines, their skills tempered and honed by 2 six week courses that rehash year 10 health science.
After all, do we rely on our true medical professionals, doctors and surgeons, to be paragons of perfect physical health? Far from it. These highly trained, highly educated individuals are in the same boat as your average corporate executive. Highly stressed, possibly enamoured of cigarettes, alcohol and the richer food that a financially rewarding position can bring, they often find themselves subject to the pharmaceutical and surgical skills they bring to bear on others.

Why then, are we not concerned if our heart surgeon is lean and muscular, but we scoff at trainers who look little better than average? Look at it this way: If your heart surgeon said, "I've read all about this heart surgery stuff, I've watched dozens of videos, it looks pretty straightforward", you'd probably be seeking a second opinion, possibly in another hospital. By the same token, if your trainer is overweight or unfit, or doesn't display any of the characteristics you'd like to achieve, then how would they know what it's like to strive for them? You can understand the physical principles of riding a motorbike, but until you've ridden one, you wouldn't instruct someone else on the necessary skills.

So in some ways, your trainer's appearance is definitely a marker of their quality. If they're not willing to put in the effort that they expect you to put in, how do they know if their prescription is actually effective? After all, the fitness industry is supported almost entirely by myth, hype and even outright lies, so if they can't demonstrate that it works, why bother listening to them?

Just read a Facebook page that Nathan found titled "Tragically Fit", written by a fellow who is hell bent on convincing us that he's a 20,000 year old caveman who was frozen into a block of ice while out for a sustenance discovery mission. Climbing an ice wall with ice hammers made from large fangs or something similar and a big storm caught him unawares. Happens to the best of us sometimes. Lucky for Lurg, he managed to thaw out and is now dedicated to living the cleanest, healthiest life he can. Along with his wife and kids. They're modern. He probably shaved.

Anyhoo, one of the questions Lurg posed was this: Am I a wuss for not going out on a trail run on the advice of a more experienced friend? Inclement weather was approaching and the trail was apparently quite difficult, so Lurg took the easy option of staying in bed. His subsequent dilemma (Lurg seems to be a caveman of many questions) was this: his body is naturally equipped with the ability to withstand the run, but it may have suffered discomfort and possibly injury (rolled ankles, blisters etc). So was he right to stay in bed?

Like all good answers, yes and no don't show their black and white faces. The analogy runs true in the gym as well. Without pushing boundaries, no progress is made. It's a question of proportion. If Lurg had done his groundwork, the weather may not have dissuaded him. In his case it was more training and better wet weather gear. Inside the gym, it's experimenting safely with weights and movements you've never attempted, in order to create a base of strength and movement that you can build on.

This can, of course, be extrapolated into a larger context whereby new movements and heavier weights become new sports and more dedication to physical and mental strength. Your saturday morning jog can become a saturday morning run in the wilderness, or better yet, your saturday morning sleep in can become anything at all! Follow Lurg's example (Lurg is actually a previously overweight middle aged guy from Nebraska) and make the commitment to developing your body into something that gives you joy, not something you have to fight in the mirror and on the scales.

Think of something that you've always wanted to do but thought would be too difficult. Make a plan (get help from someone who has a good idea what you'll be up for) and find a way to do it.
Right now.