Michael Johnson Did Everything Right
Among personal Trainers and Group Exercise Instructors there is a saying. "Sell them what they want (better abs, to lose weight, to fit into those pants etc) and give them for free what they need (lower risk of chronic conditions such as diabetes, obesity, heart attack and stroke)".
I have been hearing this said among trainers for years, if anybody knows the original of the knowledge please email me so I can properly give them credit.
After working with a trainer or instructor you may begin to notice things such as
- Increased Energy
- A Slimmer Figure
- Larger Muscles
You will not necessarily notice that you also have:
- Lowered Risk of Diabetes
- Lowered Risk of Stroke
- Lowered Risk of Heart Disease
In my practice I have always called these By Products of Fitness.
Michael Johnson
Growing up in the sport of Track and Field I was a huge fan/follower of Michael Johnson. One of the fastest men in history and a true legend of the sport.
After retiring from track and field Johnson continued to live a very clean and active life style. This made his stroke in 2018 that much more shocking.
This is a very good question and unfortunately there is not a clear answer. But we as trainers and you as those working out to achieve your goals, must not lost focus on the fact that regular exercise will still reduce your risk of chronic conditions.
Michael Johnson states, as reported by the American Heart Association:
Exercisers keep training and trainers keep education yourselves to most effectively help your clients.
You can follow Michael Johnson, his career and his current work on his twitter page @MJGold
-Mat CPT/ GFI