I told a friend a while back “I hated the fitfam before you even know it existed”. It’s still one of my favourite emails that I’ve ever written. Enjoy 🙂
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If you’ve heard of the #IrishFitFam then what I’m about to say makes perfect sense.
However, if the concept of the #IrishFitFam is new to you, it’s this thing on social media sites like instagram and facebook. A group of people, mostly late teens to mid 20s, who are interested in exercise, training and being in shape. They tag things as #FitFam so other members of the tribe can comment on their sick abs and fresh gear.
imagine a motorcycle gang. Except instead of riding bikes they ride benches and barbells (..and each other). And instead of long hair and beards they have eyebrows and tans which are “on fleek” (male and female). Replace leather jackets with wife beaters, and, instead of being a fearsome bunch of nomads, they’re much more like a douchebag bunch of trend followers.
You might think from that I’m anti-#FitFam. But there’s a lot more to it than that. I neatly summed it up yesterday on facebook with a post yesterday. I warn you now, it’s not for the faint of heart:
“Before you bitch about your least favourite ‪#‎irishfitfam‬ ‪#‎fitspo‬, stop and think about this – how many people has that guy or girl with 10, 20, 50 or even 100+k followers inspired to take up training?
How many people have YOU inspired with your 30 page ebooks, video series and high brow PT knowledge? Probably fuck all.
So who’s doing the greater good? The “fitspo”. I’m sorry to tell you that no matter how much you care about your content, unless other people care too -you. don’t. matter.
Remove your head from your ass and get off your high horse.
Know why my opinion matters and yours doesn’t? Because 10 years ago I was training in the cities only powerlifting gym. We’d platforms, squat racks and bumpers when no where else had them. The best equipped commercial gym then had 2/3 squat racks.
Know what we didn’t have? Girls lifting weights. The only 2 or 3 that did were female body builders. Real female body builders.
Not you fucks who train for 45 mins 3 days a week, diet for 6 weeks, slap on some tan and call your self a bikini competitor. Just book a holiday next time.
Piss and moan all you want but in 2016 we have better gyms. More people from every sector of the population looking after themselves. And a culture now where lifting weights is cool.
Don’t you see how amazing that is?
You’re probably wondering “why the ‪#‎flyefitliftselfie‬“? Mostly because if nothing else in this message has pissed you off – that will.
Happy motherfucking Sunday!”
So there ya go. I’m not anti #FitFam.
…but then again, I’m not pro #FitFam either.
It is what it is. And it’s good for a lot of people.