I have presented at many different levels from virtually exercise professional kindergarten to well beyond PhD. Sometimes the level is above the audience, sometimes it’s below… or at least a few of them think it’s below them.
And over the past three decades of presenting nationally and internationally I can’t count how many times have I heard these things following one of my presentations:
“That was pretty basic. I already knew that. Good review though.”
And other times it’s:
“Well that stuff really doesn’t matter. It’s too much science, too much analysis stuff. You don’t really need to know that stuff.”
The first statements are evidence of intellectual immaturity, and so much so that they have missed the deeper layers and often the entire context of the presentation. These statements are severe ego responses.
The second set of statements are also evidence of dismissal of value of information… because it simply was not fully, or even partially understood. Blatantly severe ego responses.
Here are some things to consider:
1. The basics are the key to understanding the more advanced information. To putting it into practical perspective. Basic doesn’t mean “easy”! It doesn’t mean “below you”. It means foundational. Fundamental. VITAL! …as principles from which to put next level things into practical perspective! Vital to developing a thought process! Vital to learning to THINK!
2. The first sign of a intellectually immaturity is that one doesn’t appreciate… doesn’t really GET the basics!!
3. The intellectually immature think moment arm is some sciency thing that doesn’t really matter. They absolutely don’t get that it’s the key to understanding strength and resistance… to understanding EXERCISE on a professional level!!!! …to understanding that 100 pounds can be zero resistance or 1000s of pound-inches, (Torque is the key! weight is only 50% of the resistance!!)
4. The most intelligent people I know realize that principles… BASICS ARE THE KEY TO INTELLIGENCE!!!
5. The most intelligent people LOVE LEARNING! Life-long learning is the key to the process of mastery. Masters make things look simple and easy.
6. The most intelligent people LOVE “RE-VIEWING”! Not just reviewing, which is little more than glancing at something you’ve seen before. This is misleading to the perception of understanding. When we recognize we’ve seen those same words before, we assume we “know” it. Big mistake! Recognizing the words, remembering having seen them before has nothing to do with “knowing”.
7. “Re-view” is a way of writing and saying this word meant to mean “explore as if it was the first time”! In fact, for a truly intelligent individual, a “re-veiw” will be very even more enlightening than the first pass! Because the truly intelligent person will have become a different person in terms of experiences, information, and most importantly PERSPECTIVE since the first reading, viewing, observation!
8. And truly intelligent people LOVE PRACTICAL APPLICATION! “Book learning” is not remotely enough! Too many people can memorize and quote facts, but have ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA HOW TO APPLY IT!! No idea how to MAKE DECISIONS!
9. And finally, the intellectually immature think in terms of good or bad exercises. They want numbers. They can not make strategic, scenario-specific, progression oriented decisions (determined by a client’s current status, not end goal). They need protocols. They think assessment of someone they’ve never met begins with a 1RM!?!?!?! They are not yet, and may never have the ability or desire, to strive to function as a true Exercise Professional. They are only worthy of working with the currently fit and extremely tolerant (orthopedically, neurologically, systemically, etc.). Unfortunately they are the standard for today’s trainers, coaches and even physical therapists.