Admitting Defeat
You know, I recently wrote an article over at The Goal Triangle about how you have to fail in order to succeed. Well, here’s a case in point: the new email format. I tried to make things easier for you and for myself, and improve the look of the emails you get, but I “failed”. It was harder for me to manage, and the html codes ended up triggering more spam filters (meaning many of you never got some really good articles – check your spam folders over the past few weeks to make sure). So, I’m back to the old format.
Poll Results
You may have noticed the poll taking place on the right side of worldfitnessnetwork. The previous poll asked what your top fitness goals were. After hundreds of votes, the top 2 were: #1: build muscle and #2 shed fat. Probably not surprising given the content I write about! Be sure to take the current poll (which will be changed to a new poll in February).
The Fight For Your Fitness Wallet
If you are signed up for other fitness sites, you may have noticed a huge increase in sales hype and email volume.
I’m here to give you the straight story about why they are doing this, and how you should respond.
Since most of those guys are sending me information about how I should promote their products, I see their strategy. Here’s what’s going on…
Why January?
They know that every January, more people start fitness programs than ever. So they email you repeatedly, knowing that you are likely to buy something, from someone.
Then there are the fitness clubs, with all the special promotions. Sadly, most people who join a club end up wasting their money by using it only a few times. But they keep paying their monthly fees because they don’t want to admit defeat; canceling their membership is just one step closer to saying “I’ll always be fat (or out of shape)”.
The logical part of your brain sees all the sales tactics used but your emotional brain sees that god-like physique you can achieve. In January, statistics show, you are more likely to be ruled by your emotional brain. Society has created an aura around the start of a new year as the time to get in shape. Is there any logic to that? No! You can get in shape ANY time and new year’s resolutions are usually futile.
Hey, on one level, I’m no different than the fitness sites/clubs I just criticized. Honest disclosure: this email itself, is a sales attempt by me. In fact, some of you probably predicted 4 paragraphs ago that I’d change the subject from “how other guys are trying to get you to buy their stuff” to “I’ve got stuff I want you to buy”!
Do I want to capitalize on your new year’s resolution to get into better shape? Sure!
But only if you are really committed. What I don’t want is for you to buy one of my routines like Hypertrofreak, and then hear that you never started it. Or that you started and stopped after two weeks. Seriously, don’t buy any of my stuff unless you are committed to at least seeing it through the ~3 months so that you actually get results. I don’t want your money if my products don’t actually help you.
For some of you, maybe you shouldn’t ever buy one of my routines.
Maybe LeanLifters is better. The advice you get there, especially through one-on-one time with me and all the premium articles, is probably more valuable than any of my programs anyway.
To be clear – many of the other fitness sites I was talking about are GREAT sites. In fact, I view Burn The Fat as a “bible” of muscle fitness. And Vince has some great stuff too. [I could put my links here for those products but that would be too ironic right? The links are in the blogroll section like always.]
But most of the other guys, sorry to say, have overpriced, mediocre products.
Maybe now is the best time to buy a fitness information product, ebook, or membership. Or maybe not. Do not rush it. Do not make an impulse purchase just because someone has put together a good sales letter. If you are going to spend money on fitness, find someone you trust and try their stuff. Then stick with it.
Just starting out with weightlifting? Want to get bigger muscles this winter?
Get my full-body lifting routine here: FullBodyAttack!
Related posts:
- 8.5 Fitness Mistakes People Make In A Down Economy
- Are Fitness Tips Valueable?
- Top 6 Lamest Annual Fitness Post Ideas
Tags: Goals
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January 7th, 2010 at 11:28 am
ok, so I already bought the hypertrofreak (just starting it) but I want to buy vince delmont’s new thing too – should I?
January 8th, 2010 at 6:44 am
@ tom_g: Here is my two cents’ worth.
Most trainers will tell you that NO routine is going to do much for you if you don’t stick to it. And, even a mediocre routine will give you decent results, if you DO stick to it. You are clearly a motivated, serious lifter – otherwise you’d have never purchased “hypertrofreak”! If you want to add another routine, go for it. BUT, stick with Hypertrofreak for three months (or whatever Darrin recommends) and then start your next routine and stick with it as well. Chances are you’ll get the best results that way.
Stay focused and check in again one of these days and tell us how you’re doing! Best of luck in your endeavors.
@ Darrin: Tom Venuto’s “Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle” is a good buy ANY time of year, not just at new years! When it comes to giving good, solid, balanced information on nutrition, his work certainly sets the standard. He’s the first one to admit that his program is simple, but NOT easy. It’s hard work, but it pays such high dividends that it is worth it.
For detailed advice on weight training/ cardio training, nothing beats WFN and Lean Lifters. It is a no-hype, sensible program with many variations and routines. I am either a “newbie” or just a beginning beginner, but I’m sure it has some ideas that will help anyone who is trying to add some lean mass!
January 8th, 2010 at 7:32 am
Thanks Gene – how much do I owe you? :) [fyi folks, I certainly do NOT pay gene for his supportive words - though as I mentioned his volume of commentary on the site and the forum won him the 6x6x6 routine for free]
@tom_g – I’ve not used Vince’s stuff but have read it. It’s good. But don’t flip around from program to program. If you are advanced, then you might need to change programs faster than newbies. But the only reason I’d say to buy Vince’s stuff right after purchasing someone else’s, is if a) you trust him as a person and as a professional and b) he’s offering some insane special deal so you can get it cheap and “save” it for a few months. “Hype” isn’t always bad – I personally do trust Vince even though his promotion style has much more hype than mine. He’s got good stuff. Disclosure: if you do order via my link http://budurl.com/wfnnononsense then I get a small % of the sale.