Today in the "online fitness community"
I don't think I need to tell anyone here just how backwards, contrived, ridiculous etc etc the "online fitness community" is. Rather, I think I stand to learn a lot about this from people on this forum. However, today I found this gem floating around through the channels. Someone liked a post that shared this video and it showed up on my Facebook feed. Ladies and gentlemen, it gets more excessive every day:
Link removed: We are not in the habit of feeding page views to the members of the "online fitness community."
This is apparently called a "barbell rolling squat". You perform this squat variation by placing the plates on the bar against a wall behind you and then squatting down without having the plates lose contact with the wall. The idea is to "get jacked quads" and you'd perform this movement if you "don't feel regular squats a TON in their quads" (direct quotes from the FB post). Of course, to keep the plates touching the wall behind you and still get depth with this narrow stance (narrower than shoulder width and toes pointed forward), you have to place your feet out in front of you. In short, this is a squat you see performed in the smith machine, but without the smith machine.
Yes, you heard that right. Fitness gurus and "online coaches" (as coach Niki put it in the recent podcast) have found a way to peddle squatting in the smith machine to audiences that mostly steer clear of smith machines. According to Mr. Gentilcore, the person who recommended this squat variation to him is none other than Greg Nuckols; a person many believe to be a strong and knowledgeable fitness guru. The FB post by both Nuckols and Mr. Gentilcore have, of course, received nothing but support. In this way, we have come full circle. Making fun of the smith machine and the people who use it is still a laudible pastime, but the "rolling squat" and those who perform it receive nothing but praise and admiration, regardless of the fact that they've literally reinvented the smith machine.
Other than my short diatribe above, I'm speechless. I know I shouldn't expect better-and I'm not saying I'm only now disappointed-but they find new ways to make themselves look stupid every day, it seems, and it baffles me every time.
Not entirely unrelated as a question: why is it people find it more reasonable to tack on multiple squat variations to "fix premature rising of the hips in the squat" instead of just lowering the weight and using good form? Because it's easier if they don't have to work hard and variation in lifts performed is fun?