Working Out With Social Media

Many of us feel similarly about exercise – it sucks. It’s a tedious chore that can more often yield soreness rather than desired results. But, one could argue that working out used to be a lot harder, or more inconvenient, than it is today.

Before the Instagram fitness niche burgeoned and before anyone could post any kind of video they pleased to YouTube, those wanting to ensure that their workouts were worthwhile would have to put in more effort than a few mouse clicks. One possibility of guaranteeing your fitness routine is legitimate would be buying multiple DVD exercise programs. These typically fell into general categories of interest, such as cardio or yoga, limiting you to one concentration at a time. Alternatively, you could hire a personal trainer (expensive) or opt to take a group class (inconvenient), or you could just go to the gym and wing it — an extremely daunting scenario. There’s nothing like the good ol’ fear of the unknown. If you’re not sure what you are doing you could run the risk of humiliating yourself by severely misusing gym equipment or possibly sustaining injuries by using the improper form. The nightmares are endless.

Nowadays, you don’t have to enter the gym with the uncertainty of what to do and how to do it. In the current age of social media, content that used to only be available from programs and trainers is more accessible. Virtually anyone with a smartphone and Wi-Fi can discover fitness content. And not just fitness content in general… You can find a workout routine that caters specifically to your preferences and needs.

All that’s necessary is a hashtag on Instagram or keywords in a YouTube search and your ideal content can be found. If you search one muscle group you will be flooded with a multitude of videos showing several different exercises that work that specific muscle group displayed at almost every possible angle. You no longer need to wonder which direction your toes should be facing or how many reps is the optimal amount. You can watch and re-watch how someone stronger and smarter than you does it – and then follow suit. Need to find simple workouts for lazy people? It’s out there. Home workouts for people who can’t make it to the gym? Easy. Want fun HIIT (high-intensity interval training) routines? Tips on increasing flexibility? Only focused on getting a six pack? You can find exactly what you want in just a few seconds. Say you’re interested in weight training and mastering yoga — you can follow two separate accounts that focus on each, allowing you to mix and match your personal exercise goals.

Almost everyone can discover the tips and secrets only gym rats used to know – because they are sharing them online.  Just open an app and find an exact routine to practice at the gym today. See the exercises that return the best results for others and try them for yourself. If you’re wary about trying a new exercise featured on Instagram or YouTube, simply take comfort in the fact that someone else did that exercise at their gym in front of others, filmed it, and uploaded it to the public. Constant access to an endless cache of fitness content at your fingertips will hopefully allow you to enter the gym with confidence.