Creating Chaos - For Fitness & Sport Professionals

I'm just sat up in Cumbria enjoying a couple of days break at Jen's family home and though I'd put together a quick blog.

With it being Easter weekend, for many a time of indulgence and for others a time for reflection, I thought I'd indulge in a little reflection myself.

With today marking the end of lent, I guess for those having given something up, it's a junction point, do I revert back to where I was? It's a decision that has to come from within, certainly if we're going to stick to it as we live in a free society and have the fortunate circumstance allowing us to decide for ourselves.

It certainly appears this way on the face of things, but is it really the case?

Whilst I love working in an industry that I have a clear passion about, there are certain parts to the industry that I don't understand...and if truth be told, I feel are very shameful. Whilst health and fitness is a personal investment that everyone should prioritise, not everyone has the knowledge or expertise to support themselves and rightfully so, many seek guidance. This demand for guidance creates space for thought-leaders and role models to steer people in the right direction. The shameful truth is that many 'role models' create dependancy from their subscribers. Instead of aiming to empower followers, a stronger reliance is forged through clever marketing, material that only seems to answer only a handful of questions and a continuance in a buying and selling mentality.

Having been in the fitness industry now for nearly 5 years (is that all???), I'm still figuring things out and have a lot to learn but what is very evident is that (and this applies to trainers and consumers) there is often almost sectarian splits between ideas and what people believe and follow. Now If I'm not mistaken, everyone seems to be after the same thing, good health, reducing the risks of illness and enjoying a fit and able body. So why all the segregation?

Well, it's good to have many different routes, ways and paths, there is no right or wrong way to live. However, the negativity stems from the sometimes hostile division between paths that we choose.

No one person on the face of this planet knows the answer to every question or has the perfect plan for everyone yet some of the so called role models would have you believe this. Many modern plans discuss going back to basics and living like cavemen. Whilst there are some extremely positive principles in this idea, is it not hypocritical idealism in the sense that unless you actually fully adopt the life of a caveman, (no computers, no internet, hunting for food etc) it would be nonsensical. Life has evolved from this stage and surely this a good thing. Maybe the theory isn't actually the problem but the fact that many people take ideas or concepts to extremes and follow them as they may a religion. Almost placing role models on a pedastal giving them an iconic or unhumanly status. In my understanding, this is not a positive step as it changes the dynamics completely. What was previously sticking to a healthy plan has now become an approved way of life ruled by a grand figurehead. Fitness shouldn't be so serious. It shouldn't be judged or judgemental and should be open to change as the circumstances of life do. Keeping it fun, vibrant and explorative helps people stay enthused and excited about fitness.

An unwelcomed observation is that often those who are followed overtly display dismissal or disapproval towards unaligned thoughts? Why? Is it fear of the unknown? Surely approval would inspire a more empowered and confident approach; leaving followers much more able to explore, learn and be better placed to make informed decisions. After all, as professionals, this is what we want isn't it!!??






- Posted whilst adventurising using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Cumbria

Like most people in the industry, I decided to get involved in the fitness industry to pursue a passion. Something that I love and live by and certainly a way of life. Strangely though, for me it wasn't something that I've always wanted to do and naturally stepped towards through education. I studied something completely different at University and then spent 6 years in the armed forces as an Arabic Interpreter. However, I've always lived by the notion that to excel, you must live by and be a shining example of your profession.

As a fitness professional, your primary aim is to support people through positive change into adopting a healthy lifestyle. Effectively this is a leadership responsibility and if you want to lead people well then proving a good example is a good starting point. This doesn't mean that you have to be superfit, have rippling abs, a meditarranean tan or become an idol, it simply means that you practise what you preach. This really is a privileged position and so often abused.

One common habit that fitness professionals have to steer clients away from is compulsion of some description. Be it over eating, drinking or party lifestyles that leave peoples state of health very poor, helping people adopt a more balanced approach is often the biggest challenge. My question is, if this is situation that you're trying to pull a client away from, is living a party lifestyle yourself going to back your proposition with credibility?

Having spent a good few years now in the industry, delivering courses and training people to become personal trainers, I've seen a vast spectrum in how coaches and fitness professionals carry and present themselves. There is no one right or wrong way to be as a coach. The bottom line is, we all carry a different and unique message and therefore, it's not about following a set path. The golden rule is projecting your message. If you can look in the mirror (not just visually) and answer yes to that question then you're certainly doing something right.

The fact is that in the industry of selling your knowledge, expertise and experience, you are your brand and whilst it would be nice to think that people don't judge a book by it's cover, it does happen because this is often the very first impression people have to start getting to know you.



Here are my top 3 values that translate not just for guiding your clients towards making real step changes but also incorporating into your life:

1. Education - Constantly learning keeps your mind active, helps maintain focus and supports how well you stay committed to achieving. Education is a constant journey and no one on the face of this planet is in a position to say "right, I've learnt everything I need to know". Quite often, the daunting prospect seems to be that the more you learn, the more you realise how little you know but this is quite exciting don't you think??!!
2. Challenge - Whilst constantly being challenged could be quite exhausting and consuming, ongoing challenges, targets and achievement maintain a momemtum that keeps us moving forwards. A challenge is merely a simple question of "can I?". It is not about anyone else but oneself and it is only when asking this question that people realise just how much better the reality is than self perception would have us believe. There is big caveat on this though, positioning the standard too high or making the ideal almost unobtainable will only result in the polar opposite of the intended.
3. Enjoyment - This is so key and often in fitness, it's really lacking. Fortunately, for most of us, we don't have a daily battle for our own survival or our next meal. As professionals, this should be a priority. People make decisions based upon emotion and feeling. If you leave people with a smile on their face, above all else they will be much more likely to return and stay committed. This applies for us as trainers too. Quite often, I see trainers who work so hard on putting together fantastic programmes for clients, so hard that they neglect their own and the enjoyment factor of it. A costly mistake!

These three points done in concert will formulate a fantastic recipe that will keep clients coming back for more as well as achieving the results they set their heart on.

It's always nice to get some good feedback isn't it! Here's what Ben Jones, Strength & Conditioning Coach of Leeds Rhinos had to say about the time we spent with the academy:

"Phill and Jenny from Creating Chaos were asked to come and work with the Leeds Rhinos Academy Players to help improve functional movement patterns, through the use of the primal pattern training techniques. The primal pattern technique offered the players a new challenge, targeting all components of fitness required to be a successful rugby league player and all round athlete. The unique emphasis of
unilateral kinetic chain transfer, focused on improving the athletes functional strength and stability under fatigue.

I would recommend any professional strength and conditioning coach, athlete or fitness enthusiast to work with Creating Chaos. I am very grateful for the knowledge passed on by Phill and Jenny and I am looking forward to working with them in the near future and implementing their training techniques with athletes from different sports"

Ben also works as an Academy Coach within Leeds United too.

A few years back, a great personal training client of mine and someone who is now a very good friend made a sounding comment that's certainly had some prophetic influence. Mid-session and what was quite a challenging bodyweight series of movements, Mark made comment that the type of work we were doing would be excellent for rugby conditioning and he was certainly well placed to make sure a comment after almost playing at International level and having spent a number of years in the sports and fitness industry.



Personally, I'm not a rugby player and was very much a spectator to rugby as a child. I did actually get pulled into playing last minute in my younger years, immediately welcomed by being dump tackled by a boy twice my size. Since that day I've held a certain respect for rugby players. Football has remained my game of choice but I certainly respect rugby and it's players.

Whilst it had already started to manifest itself, our Primal Flow concept was more deliberately born when Mark made that comment and I honestly didn't think that a few years in, we'd be delivering it within the camps of one of the top rugby league teams. 

We've had some fantastic feedback with what we did which has been incredible but right from the start, as much as we put a lot of development into the anatomical rationale behind the flow movements, above everything else, it just makes sense. Whilst lifting heavy weights has to be a big component in preparation for rugby players and many athletes for that matter, being strong on your own 2 feet and with your body weight is a must. Exercise typically has been practised in controlled environments looking to isolate parts of the body to strengthen or done through repeating specific exercises. Whilst this does have a positive effect on the body, in a game situation, the likelihood of the exact situation occuring more than once is vary slim and the body will constantly need the ability to adapt to new situations, stresses and movements.

If sports clubs are open enough to sample new methods of training then this system will have an instrumental effect on the performance of athletes. The statement was never 'Survival of the Fittest' but 'Survival of the most adaptable' and that's how it's always been and is very much the backbone of the Primal Flow system...adaptability.

We're looking forward to sharing this system with more coaches, athletes, teams and those interested in fitness. The strange thing about it is that every time we run the course, we're learning as much from those taking part as they're learning about the system...possibly more.

I certainly need to say a thank you for the encouragement from Mark for the initial encouragement. I'll get some photo's up when we get them through.