FITNESS AND COACHING.

Currently, low-cost gyms are bringing many people into fitness and bodybuilding. However, without guidance, it's difficult to progress without injury or even progress at all. That's why many practitioners become "self-appointed coaches".

In every gym I've been to, there's always been that guy, a regular, who sometimes seems to have taken up residence there and is part of the furniture. He always has an opinion on everything and will explain to you how to work out. He has advice to spare... sometimes not very good advice, in fact. Everything he's ever read or heard about bodybuilding, he'll bring up to you. But if the gym instructor has given you a program or a diet, keep that in mind and refer to it instead.

If he knows you well, and if he's a good coach, he has given you a program tailored to your situation and goals! Remember, in bodybuilding, what works for others may not necessarily work for you and may not have the same effect. It's important to set both long-term and short-term goals. Equally important is having a program and diet that are aligned with your needs.

But in the end, bodybuilding is like fishing: you'll always find someone boasting about catching a 1-meter, 100 kg fish, or in the gym, someone claiming to have bench pressed 300 kg and seen and done it all. They may impress you with their words, but not necessarily with their actions. So, keep things in perspective. Focus on the facts; results come not from boasting but from patience and sacrifice.

A good coach also doesn't promise you the moon. There are countless methods in books, on TV, or on the internet that promise miracles. Let me stop you right there—THERE ARE NO MIRACLES!! There's simply willpower, perseverance, and consistency. These methods have been bombarding us on TV for years: "Lose weight easily with product XY." The real issue? Is it weight? No. The issue is wanting to look good in the mirror. It's not just about weight; it's about your silhouette. People who only focus on weight loss don't care about your silhouette. Even though the two can be related, they're not directly linked. Your weight mainly depends on your bones and muscles, which weigh much more than fat. And although your scale can be a tool to measure progress, it's not the primary one. The best tool to see if you've lost fat is calipers. They measure fat in multiple areas of your body to see if your local fat is decreasing.

Very often, internet coaches also chime in on every subject. Since information is now accessible to everyone, I often get asked about various products. I remember my early days in bodybuilding, when creatine was a hot topic and every month Muscle Mag or Muscle & Fitness would publish studies on it: I read them all. They ranged from claims that it worked to claims that it didn't, that it was good, that it was bad. Over the years, however, studies increasingly showed creatine's effectiveness. Now, everyone agrees that creatine works. It's the same with everything else. Wait a few years to make sure there have been enough studies before spending your money, or be among the pioneers without being sure of the result or believing enough to guarantee a placebo effect! In short, on the internet, you'll find everything and anything—both good and false.

How not to make a mistake then ?

I think a good coach aims to help you progress while caring for your health. Even if you're willing to risk your health, they should be able to say no and warn you about the consequences of a wrong approach. They also tell you the truth. If you don't have the genetics to become Mr. or Miss Olympia, they shouldn't promise miracles. You shouldn't expect miracles either. Sometimes, because I've trained a few champions, people come to me expecting to be prepared, and I can tell that if they haven't gained 10 kg of "miracle muscles" after a month, there's a sense of disappointment, even though I warn them from the start. Nothing is achieved without perseverance.

It's important not to forget that champions, when you're out with friends, are either recovering or training. Progression is their number one goal. They focus all their energy on one point. Even if they're pointed out for having tunnel vision, they disregard it and accept their difference. They're often seen as antisocial, but they're willing to pay whatever price is necessary to achieve their goal. At a family meal, they bring their own food... and you? Don't expect to become a champion one day if you're not willing to pay the same price as them!! However, nothing stops you from improving and advancing on the road to progress. You'll always be further along than if you had done nothing at all.

In short, if after training with a coach you've learned something about yourself, I think it was worth it. Otherwise... change!

Yves Bondroit coach for QNT