3Wave tackles Spot Reduction & Target Training - clickbait or truth?

WaveTalks: Fitness for Humans!

Oh dear. How does one write a description for such a clickbaity topic without becoming part of the clickbait? Well, by being as forthright as possible, I guess.

This podcast is all about spot reduction (aka: target training). And we're discussing this from the wider cultural standard definition that states that you can do a bunch of exercises in an area of the body to burn away the fat and reveal the muscle underneath...

There is a massive market for this throughout North America that preys upon the desire to look better because you are not good enough as you are now. The "if you don't get this thing you won't fix the problem you didn't know you had until we revealed it to you just now" marketing trope that was especially pervasive through the former decades leading up to now. We all were exposed in media to the notion that even the have-nots were always attractive in rags-to-riches or ugly duckling stories - and when they did that first reveal of the new, hotter, better version of the protagonist or character it solves all of their problems.

We live in a world of problems. We all have a bunch of problems. And for some of us these types of beauty standards become a way to solve, but then ultimately add to our list of problems and prey on our deeper psychological insecurities. So let's discuss that a little bit.

Then let's pivot to what aesthetic goals are in the wider context of fitness goals and how we can repurpose this to become less performative or extrinsic and become part of your self-care plan.

How is this possible without being totally hypocritical? Well here's where a lot of the modern-day fitness pioneers dive deep into the idea that you can use targeted training of an area for things other than just trying to look a certain way. You can use target training to rehabilitate, train for a sport, alleviate pain or discomfort, etc. This has to be within the wider context of a balanced training regime, and an understanding of the technique as a part of a whole range of techniques at the disposal of your training professional or your own volition.

And finally, it wouldn't be a 3Wave podcast without looping back into the idea of self-care and making sure that you're taking care of yourself, because you deserve to be happy and find your way that works for you on this journey!

You can always reach out to us at 3wavefitness.com or info at that website!

Enjoy!