I would like to begin by telling you what you don't want to hear, and that is of course the truth. The truth is fitness is invisible. As much as we like to believe it resides in the biceps or the slimness of one's waist; as much as we may be looking for it in magazines, the silver screen or mirrors and despite our best efforts to chase it; it remains invisible to the naked eye.
I didn't always feel this way. I, like many people, at one time had made assumptions as to the athletic ability of people I met. Now it just so happens that in my line of work I do get to actually see people be athletic and so as I made my assumptions as new people entered my class and I would inevitably get to see how wrong I was. I had made my assumptions as most do, based purely on how they looked. You think I would have been immune to this obvious prejudice since I was certainly not a fan of being on the other end of it.
I began my career as a personal trainer working along side a veteran trainer that was nearly double my size and appeared to have exchanged the customary flesh and bone of average humans for carved marble. In addition to this remarkable feat he was also a horrible trainer that I would come to learn routinely gave horrible advice to his patrons and was even a strong advocate for wrapping his pudgier clients's midriff in plastic wrap to aid in the reduction of abdominal fat. In case it is not clear by my tone, laminating one's torso is only advisable if the client's goals include developing a heat rash and passing out from overheating; once revived the client will awaken to the same amount of belly fat present before the plastic wrapping. Nonetheless my advice and suggestions to gym goers were routinely overlooked in favor of Captain Marble's. It soon became clear to me that my coworker was undoubtedly either naturally genetically blessed, artificially hormonally enhanced or simply far better at training himself than other people. In any case I admittedly felt small next to him and ignored around him; not because I did not have anything worth contributing but because I did not look as if I had anything to contribute. It was a frosting experience but sadly being prejudged did little to make me less prejudice. Why?
Well not only is fitness invisible but it can also be confusing, so confusing in fact that it is in our nature to try to reduce and simplify it at every turn. There is comfort in the simple logic of connecting a physique to physical ability. Trainers are far from immune to this desperate logic since if they are properly trained, and not all are, then they are trained in how to improve health and fitness while the goals of their clients almost always favor the visible changes that may or may not accompany such improvements. Trainers, as a result, often struggle to fill in the gaps themselves and thus become part of the problem as I was. It took me some time of watching those with large muscles fail epically and those with extra girth succeed with ease before I stopped looking for fitness in all the wrong places.
In addition to my prejudgment I was also sexist. When newcomers to class would ask me for guidance in selecting a set of dumbbells, having learned not to make assumptions based on appearance, I still tried to simplify things with blanket statements. For example"men that are new to class should select this weight” and “women that are new to class should select that weight”. This weight was often at least two pounds heavier than that weight. Some would argue that two pounds is not a big difference in terms of strength expectations but sexism does not exist in degrees, it is either present or absent and in this case it was present. If I had the world's strongest man and woman in class than yes I would expect a differential in one rep max and consequently a difference in appropriate weight selection. But I did not have those people in attendance, I had the same people I always have, normal people that come in every shape, size and ability. After consistently seeing no consistency in the different abilities of men and women coming to class I have learned when any kind of weight is to be utilized in a group session to advise newcomers, men and women, to select a medium size weight that I specify depending on the intended workout. I always add the additional sentiment that they may always upgrade later on and that it will feel better to upgrade than need to reduce the weight.
Now you may think that perhaps that assumption is still alive and well in regards to age, but of course you would be wrong as I was. Although this is one of the lessons that I learned early in my career once I began teaching a class populated primarily with older adults. Let me tell you, if you think grandma and grandpa can't do burpees, you would be wrong. Given the appropriate progression age truly is just a number.
I still have eyes and of course I notice the people that come to my classes except now I am looking for different things. I am looking to see if they are properly dressed for class in appropriate athletic-ware. Wearing the wrong clothes can possibly be an indicator that the person is not prepared or not quite sure what they are in for. If someone is not aware that they are about to have a challenging workout than not only might they be wearing cut-off jeans and flip-flops for example but they may also not have eaten anything since lunch time which of course can present a problem if entering a 6:00 PM class. I notice if they brought a water bottle for the same reasons. I also look to see if they are favoring one side as that could be a sign of an injury (I always ask new people about any potential injuries or health concerns they have but from time to time people omit important information). I once had a student come to class regularly only to learn 5 months later that she had been pregnant the whole time. You don't have to tell your parents or even the father but if you are going to workout you should tell your trainer or class instructor so that they can suggest adjustments and precautions. I look for inwardly rotated shoulders and externally rotated feet. I look to see if they are already sweating upon entering class, which might indicate this is their second workout which is fine for some but a mistake for many. I look for kyphosis in the neck and lordosis in the back. I look for valgus or varus in the knees and elbows and webs between the toes. I am joking about the last one; I do not teach an aquatics class so don’t need to consider webbed toes. But once again I no longer look for fitness, rest assured everyone in class, including me, will feel it soon enough, or perhaps until then just it's absence.
