Social media the ‘wild west’ for fitness content
Social media has become a dominant force in the world of marketing. Multinational corporations are leveraging social media stars to move their product, and regular people can become social media influencers overnight. The wellness industry has embraced this communication channel, and I’ll discuss the benefits/risks of following influencer advice in today’s column. Plus, I’ll share a cool stretch that can be performed anywhere and anytime, even while scrolling social media.
At the risk of sounding like an old man screaming at the clouds, I’ll point out that I am old enough to remember when mobile phones were attached to massive batteries the size (and weight) of a brick. So, I have seen quite an evolution in communication technology over the past 40 years. I’m not going to use this opportunity to use the “good old days” colloquialism – because there was nothing good about carrying around a brick to make a five-minute phone call that cost $20 to make.
There was also no social media back in the day, so economic advancement pretty much required that people either get “real jobs” or start their own businesses. These days, one viral post can generate hundreds of thousands of followers, translating into a very real income for the content owner. I think that’s cool because it opens opportunities for people to become successful.
Fitness has become a popular category for influencers, likely because good looking people can dance around for a few seconds, hold up a product and generate sales. It’s not all that different from television commercials in that sense, but commercial content is (to some degree) monitored for accuracy and requires certain disclaimers when making outrageous claims.
Social media is the “wild west” when it comes to fitness content. Anyone can say anything and a certain percentage of the population will believe them if they have a six-pack. There’s very little credibility required to gain followers; it’s more about the entertainment value of one’s content vs. any kind of education.
So, my advice is this. Verify before trusting. In the business world, the phrase “trust but verify” is often used to ensure due diligence is performed. But in this case, I believe it’s better to maintain a healthy skepticism when viewing fitness content on social media. I’m not saying the entire fitness influencer category is full of it, but there’s enough misinformation out there to be wary.
But any influencer could also show this week’s exercise and be completely accurate in their description. The Table Chest Stretch is a great way to keep the shoulders and chest flexible before, during or after an upper body workout.
1. Stand with your right shoulder next to a normal dining table or bar counter.
2. Your left shoulder should be facing away from the table.
3. Lean forward and place your right hand on the table with all fingers extended from the palm.
4. From here, continue leaning your torso forward until you feel a stretch in your right shoulder and chest muscles.
5. Hold for 10 seconds, then switch sides and repeat.
This exercise can be performed once per side, or a few times depending on how tight the chest and shoulders are feeling. And there may come a day when I start a social media channel to expand visibility of this kind of information. If that happens, you can bet that the content will be scientifically accurate, and I’ll be fully dressed. Until then, stay safe out there.