By: Joel Luedke
This article can be very tongue in cheek for me as I used to
be fascinated by the latest gadget or gizmo that was presented to me and if
someone had armed me with a budget that I could do some damage with, boy would
I have. I’m writing this on my way to the 2017 NATA Convention and the Expo is
one of my favorite parts of it all. So
many new inventions and people selling as hard as they It’s a good think my current position does
not arm me with a big budget but enough of one I could cause trouble for
myself.
possibly can.
The reason for this article (and corresponding CP Short, out
6/28) is there is always “new and better” coming out on the market and often
times just as much money is put into the marketing of the product as the actual
development of the product. CharlesPoliquin once stated that “there is very little that is actually new in the
world of fitness. Everything is just
repackaged and put together to create the illusion of ‘new’.” That is the reason for writing this article
as we believe the basics work and when you find the systems that works for you,
that is where the magic happens. Not in
a fad or quick fix. Here are some ways
to keep yourself in check while looking at all the options.
Is it Backed by Science
This can be tricky if something is just coming to market as
it might not have been around long enough to have a ton of science done on
it. That being said if the producers
were very serious about it that is something they should have considered early
on in the process to show they had the evidence to back up the claims they are
putting out. There are different levels
of buyers and for me I am not the ‘early adopter’. I usually want a couple people to have tried
it out first in order to see how things go for them and also if any science
comes out in the corresponding years that have no ties to the company and have
little to no chance of being influenced.
This is often where you will get your most honest information and
answers and that can be a huge help in deciding if you want to go through with
a big purchase.
Reading the science isn’t always fun but it can be well
worth it in the long run.
Does it Hold Up to the ‘3 Why’s’ Test
I stole the ‘3 Why’s Test’ from a CEO of a huge company in
Brazil (found this through the Tim Ferriss Show) and when he cam in to redo the
entire company everything had to go through the ‘3 Why Test’. If you could answer Why three times when you
were defending or justifying something at the company you probably should keep
it around. If you couldn’t do that it
needed to go or studies much closer.
This can be applied to anything.
Buying fitness equipment, buying a program whether lifting or nutrition,
or as simple as looking at the food and/or supplements you want to take. Here are some examples.
-Why is
this the only option?
-Why would
I want to take this over something else similar or cheaper.
-Why is
this specific item going to make a difference compared to something else.
Be harsh with these and they should help keep you honest and
potentially save a pretty penny and some potential frustration along the way.
Is it Scalable for your Needs?
This idea applies a little bit more to running a gym, weight
room and/or studio but is important none the less. You may really want that one piece of
equipment but is it really going to be able to get utilized to the extent you
want it to? In a Sports Performance
Center I’m’ associated with there are a Not
quite and therefore we have refrained from purchasing the piece of equipment. There is no doubt it would get use but it
would not be near what we would like to do if we had 5 or 6 of them. So we added it to the wish-list. This is a very important and honest question
you have to ask yourself when looking at things. It can spark creativity because you have to
come up with an alternative but this saves you from having that piece of equipment
just hanging out in 10 years with no use and very few ways to get ride of it.
lot of things I would love to have
(i.e. curved treadmill) but does that allow me to do what I would want to
training 30-60 people at a time?
Be careful jumping all in on the latest gadget or technique
that might be thrown out in front of you.
Often times it can end up collecting dust in the back of a drawer or
cabinet. They also apparently have very
little resale value (who knew?). Be
diligent in your search, maximize your budget and keep up the good work.
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