In lieu of recent world events it’s been a challenge not to be a bit more introspective and to not get lost in a deeper train of thought. Regardless of what side of the fence you reside on, I’m not here to judge. It’s hard not to be aware of and disappointed by the loud, often toxic rhetoric being spread in every direction possible.
THE FITNESS ZEITGEIST
I couldn’t help but notice some of the same parallels within health and fitness circles. People like to argue a lot. The vibe isn’t as dark and apocalyptic as the political world scene, but biases persist, people have preferences, and despite reason, science, or common sense, it can be hard to see the bigger picture or the middle ground.
Don’t be taken aback by the title. Zeitgeist isn’t as scary as it sounds. The words that follow aren’t meant to be ultra-serious.
In his book The God Delusion, Richard Dawkins discusses morality and how societies evolve. While politics and religion are touchy topics, he notes that almost every culture has its shifting consensus over time, a concept tied to the German word Zeitgeist. Zeitgeist means the spirit of the times—the dominant ideas that drive people in a given era.
To drive the point home, Dawkins points out that slavery, once taken for granted in many places, was abolished in many civilized countries in the 19th century. Women’s suffrage didn’t exist for a long time and, in the United States, wasn’t law until the 1920s. Today, those events would be seen as absurd by most. The point is that societies change and evolve. And, yes, I’m still puzzled by how skinny jeans have survived this long.
The health and fitness world mirrors this Zeitgeist phenomenon. Back in the early 20th century, guys like Eugene Sandow lifted whatever they could get their hands on—dumbbells, rocks, perhaps even more unconventional objects—and they were seen as odd. Lifting for pleasure or aesthetics was considered uncouth. Fast forward to the 1960s–80s, the golden age of bodybuilding, and nearly every teen had a poster of Arnold Schwarzenegger, Frank Zane, or Serge Nubret on their walls. Before the 1970s, running was mostly something you did only if you were clinically insane or being chased by a lion down Fifth Avenue. Then Jim Fixx’s bestseller The Complete Book of Running (1977) popularized jogging for heart health, and the craze was born. Now millions use running as a main form of exercise, and events and communities form around it.
Which begs the question: what other components of health and fitness have followed the same path? What has changed in the industry over the decades?
Here are some.
1) CROSSFIT
It started as a fad—intense workouts, bragging rights, and a certain bravado. CrossFit, however, can no longer be considered a fad. It has grown into a fitness powerhouse and a true cultural phenomenon. It’s still influential today, though not as dominant as in 2010. No single development in the past decade has sparked more people to train—particularly to lift a barbell—than CrossFit. For that, I’m grateful. CrossFit has been a powerful driver for people to train hard. Are there still issues I don’t agree with? Of course. Are there still safety concerns in some gyms? Absolutely. But those problems are relatively rare, and CrossFit is no longer the ocular train wreck it once was. Credit where it’s due: CrossFit is so ingrained in our culture that some people joke it invented lifting weights. That’s pretty impressive. The era of bashing CrossFit is over. Some criticisms are fair, but it’s time to give it the respect it has earned.
2) TRAINING FOR LIFE
Can we please stop assuming that if a woman lifts a barbell or anything heavier than a grocery bag she’s automatically “training for something specific”? My wife is often asked by both men and women what she’s training for, whether a competition, a show, or something secret. Her universal answer: “Life.” Women go to the gym to train for life, just as men do. It may sound facetious, but if we truly respect the Zeitgeist, we should accept that lifting weights is simply something many people do after work, not a special mission. It doesn’t have to be a big thing.
3) POST WORKOUT WINDOW – MEH
I bought into the anabolic window in the early 2000s—the idea that if you worked out and didn’t get nutrients within 30–60 minutes, none of it counted. That notion was overstated. What matters more is total calories over the entire day, not a strict post-workout timing window.
4) CARDIO WILL NOT STEAL YOUR GAINZ
There’s been a renaissance of cardio in recent years. For a long time, the idea was that cardio would automatically zap strength and muscle. The body is more resilient than that. A moderate amount of cardio can actually improve work capacity and performance in the weight room. Coaches like Alex Viada have helped popularize hybrid training—the goal is to work hard, but be smart about how you allocate effort. Focus on what truly matters for each type of training, and cut out the rest. There’s substantial evidence of the benefits of cardiovascular health, including better substrate use, improved lactate handling, and a stronger heart. When programmed correctly, cardio can enhance performance rather than diminish it.
THE END
Finding the middle ground. Evolving with new information and experiences. That’s the mindset of a true zeitgeist. I could be talking about any number of debates—Russia versus NATO, science versus misinformation, or political divides. Or lighter rivalries—Gryffindor versus Slytherin, Autobots versus Decepticons, GI Joe versus Cobra.
Preferably a shake with a 2:1 carb-to-protein ratio, made with solid protein powder and water.
