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First XV Coach Cast Episode 14- Fitfluencers vs. Real Coaching
5 Plays6 days ago
On this episode, I have a hard look at the rise of fitness influencers and the myths they sell. From fake lifestyles and photo filters to questionable product pushes. Also, how to separate inspiration from misinformation, and what it means for the real coaches in the industry.
Make sure you hit subscribe & share on your favorite podcast app and follow me on Instagram- JDykeFXV
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Transcript
Introduction to First 15 Coachcast
00:00:01
Jarrod Dyke
Hello again, everyone. Welcome back to the First 15 Coachcast. If you haven't figured it out already, my name is Jared Dyke. Those of you that are watching on YouTube and or on um my clip, ah much more comfortable setting for today because it is rather hot here in greater Boston. So I'm trying to just stay cool while also doing this.
00:00:21
Jarrod Dyke
Today going to be, um and i mean, it's a subject I could dive into for an hour plus easily. And I won't do that to you. But it'll be probably one of my longer episodes so far.
Impact of Fitfluencers on Exercise Habits
00:00:36
Jarrod Dyke
And um want to talk a little bit about fitfluencers and influencers and all those other folks that tend to make our coaching jobs a little harder.
00:00:47
Jarrod Dyke
And so let's start with this. The
00:00:54
Jarrod Dyke
the influencer that is being followed by you're you know your friend, your family member, whatever it is,
00:01:03
Jarrod Dyke
there There is a good to it. It might inspire them to get moving. And there's not enough people moving in and our society today. It's a lot of sedentary behavior and I'm just as guilty of it as the next. But I also recognize that I need to make sure I lift three days a week and I need to make sure that I get out for walks and so on and so forth.
00:01:20
Jarrod Dyke
So that's the difference here. um If it helps them get moving, okay, great. Now,
00:01:31
Jarrod Dyke
That's very, very little good for kind of a lot of not good. And we can there's a lot of things we can hit on. what i want to The first thing I want to point out is that there this person, whoever it is, likely isn't a super successful coach.
00:01:54
Jarrod Dyke
ah And they're probably not they're probably not making as much money as you think. And some of them might be because sometimes this stuff works and that's just how that's how the world works right now. And that's we have to live with it.
00:02:09
Jarrod Dyke
But many of them, know they they make a few bucks, yeah. But really their money is coming from there their partner or their family or someone that's not them. The income that we're seeing them, you know seeing the result of ah them having all these fun frivolous things.
00:02:28
Jarrod Dyke
is probably not their own. It's probably someone else's. And that's not, again, that's not everyone. Some of them, this stuff works and it works way too well, unfortunately. But there it for the most part, I would say these people are not looking at being able to support themselves for one reason or another.
00:02:48
Jarrod Dyke
So when you think, oh, they're just, there they have, the followers do not equal money. I mean, sometimes they do, but, uh, that That doesn't mean anything. If it's $1 per follow a month, you might be in good shape for some of them.
00:03:04
Jarrod Dyke
yeah Many of them, that's not the case. it's It's very much not out there. ah And the other thing, here's here's the really crappy thing about social
Misleading Social Media Fitness Posts
00:03:16
Jarrod Dyke
media.
00:03:16
Jarrod Dyke
And we as coaches will do it to a point where we're trying to demo an exercise or demo a movement that we're trying to um help people correct. But there's a line between that and what, unfortunately, what some of these folks are posting as, and someone made a really funny um meme and video about it and I wish I could give them credit because it was so funny.
00:03:41
Jarrod Dyke
um And short story is they this they were pretending to set up this super motivational ah post, and they did a total of one rep in,
00:03:55
Jarrod Dyke
um and ah for a workout and that was it and i was like yeah that's kind of how it is and really that's that's where that's the nutshell of it like these folks are they're I'm not saying they're not living the lifestyle but what you see and what actually happens for them is certainly a it's certainly a don't look behind the curtain type of thing there's less going on with them than you think, or there's a lot more depending on how you view it.
00:04:26
Jarrod Dyke
um there's still There's still quite a smokescreen that they're putting up. And that's what I think everyone needs to understand is they're they're doing it for the likes, they're doing it for the shares, they're doing it for ah the comments and the and the engagement.
00:04:45
Jarrod Dyke
They're not doing it because they're actually doing it or they're not doing it because they want you to see this cutaway cut out of actual things. And they're probably not doing it to educate you either. Honestly, ah I'd like to think that most of the people that I follow out here are out here to help people.
00:05:07
Jarrod Dyke
And i would, Yeah. And so that's those the that's why that's the difference between what we do and what someone that's a fitfluencer, we'll call them for now, would do.
00:05:19
Jarrod Dyke
I will, yes, I'm only going to do three to five reps of something that I'm trying to demonstrate for the sake of brevity on the video so I'm not sitting here and boring everyone to tears.
00:05:32
Jarrod Dyke
And also so I can make sure that I'm doing it correctly and I'm because I'm probably going to end up doing ah multiple movements on the, in one video or for one piece of content.
00:05:44
Jarrod Dyke
I'd like to save some energy for myself cause I'm probably also working out that day. Uh, but you know, that's probably the short, one that's probably the shortest, the lowest end reason. There's the word I was looking for.
00:05:55
Jarrod Dyke
That's probably the bottom reason. But point being is we don't want to waste too much time and we want to make sure that we can get all the content we, get we can get it. We, we need to get in, ah within a reasonable amount of time and space. So, you know, the message gets across well.
00:06:11
Jarrod Dyke
Who really wants to sit there and watch me do a Bulgarian split squat for 10 reps on each side?
00:06:19
Jarrod Dyke
Anybody? I'm good. Yeah, I'll pass on that as well because Bulgarian split squats are also the bane of my existence, but that's not really the point. Everyone understands where I'm heading though.
00:06:32
Jarrod Dyke
So there's
Influencers and Diet Product Promotion
00:06:33
Jarrod Dyke
that. And then we also have You know I can tell you for a fact that I've seen ah few people that were promoting certain products and that they were on say, ah ah diet that the product was supposed to be a part of.
00:06:51
Jarrod Dyke
And that's when they were promoting it and they were, know, we can get into MLM crap, which makes me want to throw bricks at the wall. Yeah. But again, more than meets the eye. What you see is not always what you're getting.
00:07:06
Jarrod Dyke
Yeah, I'm doing this, that, this, the other thing is what they're saying. And unfortunately, they're a little two-faced and lying. and so And on the other end of it, there they're not. And that's how social media works. Unfortunately, if you're, there is a point where if you're honest about something like that and you're like, well, I'm not really doing this, but I'm doing it to a point.
00:07:28
Jarrod Dyke
to a point and you're honest about it, people just people just go nuts. and Like, oh, what i thought you were I thought you were a true believer. It's like, yeah you know, balance is okay, folks. Balance is okay.
00:07:41
Jarrod Dyke
So that that's one thing I want everyone to keep in mind, that if people are pushing products, they're pushing, you know, a certain eating habit and or diet and or product for your diet, all of which i would just Personally, I would just dump in the garbage unless it's creatine or protein, in which case we'll talk later.
00:08:01
Jarrod Dyke
ah
00:08:04
Jarrod Dyke
But there is... don't think I'm going say this.
00:08:10
Jarrod Dyke
There is little chance, or there is a chance, say that, there is a chance that they're not that they're
00:08:20
Jarrod Dyke
not really doing what they're saying they're doing with said product. you They probably got paid some money or given a free product. And happily, because this is how this lifestyle works, this is how this um these accounts work, is they're given ah piece of clothing, they're given a piece of... um They're given some sort of diet product, whatever it is.
00:08:44
Jarrod Dyke
and they're And they're just willing to just sell it out there to everyone like it's like it's gold. And that's that that is why these people can be
00:08:55
Jarrod Dyke
for lack of a better term, dangerous, because they promote these things and they say they're this, that, the other thing, and really there they're not.
Positive Influence vs. Authenticity in Fitness Content
00:09:05
Jarrod Dyke
And that these you know these things aren't goingnna these products aren't going to make you piss rainbows and you know so on and so forth.
00:09:13
Jarrod Dyke
So it's really something you have to just keep in mind with it. Again, if you know your family member, your friend, whatever it is, whoever it is, are following and really admire someone that is now running one of these types of accounts and it gets them to move and inspires them. All right, I want to go start working out and go to the gym.
00:09:36
Jarrod Dyke
Awesome. That is getting them from zero to one, which is the hardest part for so many people. And I've really found that. to be the case for a lot, for a lot where you can get from someone from zero to one.
00:09:50
Jarrod Dyke
Awesome. And then we can get them from one to, you know, five, six, seven. If we're using a scale of 10, uh, awesome. You know, get, we get them moving. Great. Whatever that was, but we need to get them from one to, you know, five, six, seven, eight, somewhere in that neighborhood.
00:10:08
Jarrod Dyke
So they can really, benefit from movement and find a consistent routine. And that's not going to happen for them, unfortunately, unfortunately, unfortunately, by just following some Bitfluencer.
00:10:22
Jarrod Dyke
um but It's plain and simple. And again, there's there's so much to just look at. And let's so I'll just go through a quick recap here. One,
00:10:33
Jarrod Dyke
they're not They're probably not doing everything that that that you think they're doing in terms of their workouts and their diet, whatever. They're probably just posting the highlights and not letting you in on the bad stuff. um and what little bat And what bad stuff they're letting it you in on ah may not be super truthful, honestly. And that's the sad.
00:10:54
Jarrod Dyke
I wish I was wrong on that, but it's probably a fact. ah Two. ah they're As successful as you may think these people are, the income that they appear to have is probably not theirs.
00:11:09
Jarrod Dyke
It's probably ah partner's or a family another family member or something. It's coming from somewhere else. It's not coming from what they do on this account.
00:11:21
Jarrod Dyke
Sad, but reality. And then three, yeah, they're... there their posts are to drive engagement and to get likes and interactions and, you know, truth, honesty, and facts be damned.
00:11:40
Jarrod Dyke
So you really have to take everything on that with a grain of salt. And I mean a big grain of salt. Okay. So just, it's one of those things and and it makes my job as a coach harder, but it also makes it, uh, I want to say more challenging, more,
00:12:00
Jarrod Dyke
engaging and it makes me, um it gives me credibility when it comes out on the other end that this person's not doing X, Y, Z. I
Coaching Expertise vs. Influencer Myths
00:12:09
Jarrod Dyke
just found out. So what should I be doing instead? Well, you should be doing this instead.
00:12:13
Jarrod Dyke
And that then I, now all of a sudden when people start to use their brains, folks like myself and the fine folks over that I work with over at Core Collective, they are all of a sudden, now people really understand who the experts are and who the, you know, who the fakes are.
00:12:30
Jarrod Dyke
And so ah again, small, a little another small good that comes out of folks that run these Fitfluencer's accounts. accounts ah You know, and here's the I don't want to throw this out there too hard, but the sad fact is if these folks that run these accounts, they look a certain way and they probably have also had had certain certain things done um surgically to make them look a certain way.
00:13:04
Jarrod Dyke
Now, that's another, that's a tip of another big iceberg. People that do that, there's goods and bads to it. um And I'm all for making yourself feel confident and feel comfortable in who you are. But obviously that has a line and it's a very dangerous one at that.
00:13:21
Jarrod Dyke
ah So just, that's yeah another thing to maybe keep in mind that, yeah. what you see and also hello, like Photoshop and AI editing and all that stuff, all the things that you can do now with a photo to change what it looks like in a video to change what it looks like.
00:13:40
Jarrod Dyke
It's terrifying. It's really terrifying. So keep that in mind as well, because while they may have not had anything done surgically, they may be altering their photos pretty heavily.
00:13:52
Jarrod Dyke
And don't be shocked if that's the case. So, um, there, that, and that's, again, it's a sad thing because it leaves us seek seeking a certain, um,
00:14:08
Jarrod Dyke
leaves folks wanting to achieve a certain level of fitness and wanting to achieve a certain look that isn't actually possible because the person that they're trying to compare themselves to is using, um,
00:14:20
Jarrod Dyke
compare themselves to is using
00:14:25
Jarrod Dyke
editing tools to make themselves look that way.
Promoting Realistic Role Models in Fitness
00:14:28
Jarrod Dyke
not Not letting things you know fly, which is let letting things go as is, you know which is why I love, for example, and obviously in my my chosen sport in the rugby world, I love Alona Maher. She is out there just saying, this is how it is. These things happen.
00:14:46
Jarrod Dyke
you know My body is this way for a reason. There's nothing wrong with it. And there isn't. So It's why I would just prefer if we're having people look up to certain accounts and especially young folks, I would prefer someone like an Alona Maher for people to aspire to be like, not be, but be like, as opposed to some random footfluencer that's peddling every product that lands in their lap.
00:15:15
Jarrod Dyke
And that's that's what that's just my vantage point, right or wrong, you know rinse me for it or praise me for it doesn't matter. let's That's where I'm out these days. i um and I'm getting to be one of those old heads. I'm not quite there, but getting to be one of those old heads. like i I have no time for the Fit Fluencer stuff. I don't. It's but where it's where I'm at at this stage of life. i don't I'm okay with, again, let me just make sure I reiterate this for probably the third time.
00:15:45
Jarrod Dyke
If it gets someone to start their movement routine, their start their fitness journey and gets them from ah on the couch to off the couch and moving. Wonderful.
00:15:56
Jarrod Dyke
Absolutely wonderful. We need as much help as we can get with that stuff because again, we're just, we're so sedentary in our lifestyles these days. Great. It gets them moving.
00:16:06
Jarrod Dyke
Okay. And there's a lot of things that'll get them moving. And if that's one of them, awesome. Hopefully what happens is we go from the person goes from zero to one and gets moving and then they find someone to help them go from one to beyond.
00:16:21
Jarrod Dyke
And that and hopefully it's someone that's not that account, whoever's running that account or if they are running that account and they're actually, you know, with it and smart and, you know, very, very helpful and can be educational and, you know, very, very much not just blowing smoke out their backside.
Seeking Proper Guidance After Initial Motivation
00:16:41
Jarrod Dyke
Awesome. But for the most part, I suspect we'll have to get people from zero to one. And if it's by that accounts, an account such as that, so be it. And then hopefully they can seek seek help or someone can help them to move beyond that for that first step.
00:16:57
Jarrod Dyke
So it's a lot and I could i could go on. I could just, and especially if I had someone else here bouncing ideas off of, ah geez, we could I could do this for three, four hours.
00:17:09
Jarrod Dyke
ah Not going to happen, but I do appreciate everyone that listens to this and hangs out and and you know and shares it. And so ah thank you all very much for listening to me today.
00:17:21
Jarrod Dyke
ah Hopefully I didn't bore you to tears too much. And hopefully did. Maybe I made you mad and maybe I didn't. I don't know. But in any case, I appreciate you all. ah Thank you very much. And I'll catch you next time. Have a good one, everyone.