Simple, Complicated and Complex Problems
While reading The Checklist Manifesto by Atul Gawand, I came across this part in the book that talks about Simple, Complicated and Complex problems. I just read the part and it sparked a light bulb in my head to write todays blog post. The one phrase that kept jumping out of my head is, "Trainers and clients both want Simple Solutions to Complex Problems.". Let me first try and define each type of problem and then discuss why trainers are not evolving the way they should.
Todays blog will start by talking about what each problem is and then I will try to relate it to fitness. For a simple problem the book uses the example of baking a cake. There is a recipe to follow and if you follow it, you will most likely get the desired result. In this case a simple problem gets a simple solution. For a complicated problem the book uses the example on sending a rocket to the moon. There are many steps and different groups of experts involved in this process. However, once the process is completed it can be duplicated. There would be no need to change the process unless an issue arises. Finally the book talked about complex problems. The example they used was raising a child. The book says, "Although raising one child may provide experience, it does not guarantee success with the next child.". Therefore, even if you followed the same exact steps from the child before, the outcome will still be different.
*Before you read this, please understand that it is more of a rant than a blog post. Sorry if the ideas are not complete and seem scattered.
This may seem like it has nothing to do with fitness, but I feel it has everything to do with our profession. Clients always ask questions like, how can I lose 10lbs from my belly area. When they ask this they are looking for a simple answer. Meanwhile this can require one of the most complex solutions ever to this question. Just because the diet you wrote for one person worked or the workout plan you wrote for one person worked, it does not mean the diet and training plan will work for everyone. There are just way to many variables. For example: genetic make up, mental health, family history, clients medical history, current medications they are taking, depression levels, daily stress levels, etc. It can take you months before you can put the pieces of the puzzle together. This is the reason magazines drive me crazy. They will publish a "Lose 10lbs in one1 Week" diet plan and people will feel like the article was written just for them. Meanwhile millions of people may read the same article. This again is trying to use Simple Solutions for Complex Problems. It has not worked so far and will never work. I don't care what any magazine says, the level of obesity is raising all the time so obviously the stuff they are publishing is NOT working.
Trainers and therapist are guilty of the same approach. They find one solution that worked for one case and than apply it to every case of its kind. I agree that if a certain process works, we should continue to use it as a Blueprint for other cases of its kind, but there must be room for changes along the way. No cookie cutter approach can be taken for Complex issues. I think we can all agree that the human body is one of the most complex systems ever! So why are we always looking for Simple answers to solve its problems. Understand that when I say Simple, I am referring to the process of taking a recipe from one client and just using it on everyone who walks in the door, not simple in the sense of the KISS principle. We can't continue to just try and create simple McDonalds approaches to our complex Human clients. I am not dissing the creation of some sort of system, I am in favor of that, what I am saying is that it can't be the end all be all of how we create programs for people.
I know what most people may be thinking right now, "So Mr. Smartty Pants, How do you suggest we solve these Complex issues?"
My honest answer:I don't know.
The only solutions I can think of is what I call the 3 E's. Education, Empowerment and Experience.
We must do a better job of continuing to educate ourselves and our clients. The days of the weekend certified trainer need to end. I think we should go back to apprenticeships. We must hold ourselves to a higher standard.
Empowerment is a broad term, so let me explain what I mean. Too many programs are written for trainers and are just a follow me format. They are not giving tools to trainers and giving them freedom to create something. There are to many step by step programs and instead of empowering people to be better, you are just creating followers who have no real opinions on anything. They just follow like sheep and go through the motions, rather than understand the process.
There is no substitute for experience. Why is everyone claiming a niche market when they haven't trained anyone yet? NO ONE wants to work for anything anymore. Earn your position. I can say that I work mostly with High School Athletes, because I worked with everyone else from 65 year old ladies to 8 year old kids. I have done it all and my niche found me. I earned the right to do what I do. I didn't get certified by a "High School Sports Cert". No offense to any certification people, but MMA certs are crazy. Martial Arts is a way of life and to Earn the right to train a true Martial Artist is a science and an art. You can not go away for a weekend and think you know how to train Anderson Silva. That is something that comes with many years for experience and all these invented certs have created short cuts for lazy people to hide behind plaques on a wall. "A true leader never wears medal on his chest, he wears scars on his back." Miles Monroe.
Whew! That felt good. I again want to apologize for getting off topic. As i have said before, the percentage of people who won't understand this is higher than the percentage that will. For anyone this offends I am sorry but if the shoe fits wear it and walk it off.
While reading The Checklist Manifesto by Atul Gawand, I came across this part in the book that talks about Simple, Complicated and Complex problems. I just read the part and it sparked a light bulb in my head to write todays blog post. The one phrase that kept jumping out of my head is, "Trainers and clients both want Simple Solutions to Complex Problems.". Let me first try and define each type of problem and then discuss why trainers are not evolving the way they should.
Todays blog will start by talking about what each problem is and then I will try to relate it to fitness. For a simple problem the book uses the example of baking a cake. There is a recipe to follow and if you follow it, you will most likely get the desired result. In this case a simple problem gets a simple solution. For a complicated problem the book uses the example on sending a rocket to the moon. There are many steps and different groups of experts involved in this process. However, once the process is completed it can be duplicated. There would be no need to change the process unless an issue arises. Finally the book talked about complex problems. The example they used was raising a child. The book says, "Although raising one child may provide experience, it does not guarantee success with the next child.". Therefore, even if you followed the same exact steps from the child before, the outcome will still be different.
*Before you read this, please understand that it is more of a rant than a blog post. Sorry if the ideas are not complete and seem scattered.
This may seem like it has nothing to do with fitness, but I feel it has everything to do with our profession. Clients always ask questions like, how can I lose 10lbs from my belly area. When they ask this they are looking for a simple answer. Meanwhile this can require one of the most complex solutions ever to this question. Just because the diet you wrote for one person worked or the workout plan you wrote for one person worked, it does not mean the diet and training plan will work for everyone. There are just way to many variables. For example: genetic make up, mental health, family history, clients medical history, current medications they are taking, depression levels, daily stress levels, etc. It can take you months before you can put the pieces of the puzzle together. This is the reason magazines drive me crazy. They will publish a "Lose 10lbs in one1 Week" diet plan and people will feel like the article was written just for them. Meanwhile millions of people may read the same article. This again is trying to use Simple Solutions for Complex Problems. It has not worked so far and will never work. I don't care what any magazine says, the level of obesity is raising all the time so obviously the stuff they are publishing is NOT working.
Trainers and therapist are guilty of the same approach. They find one solution that worked for one case and than apply it to every case of its kind. I agree that if a certain process works, we should continue to use it as a Blueprint for other cases of its kind, but there must be room for changes along the way. No cookie cutter approach can be taken for Complex issues. I think we can all agree that the human body is one of the most complex systems ever! So why are we always looking for Simple answers to solve its problems. Understand that when I say Simple, I am referring to the process of taking a recipe from one client and just using it on everyone who walks in the door, not simple in the sense of the KISS principle. We can't continue to just try and create simple McDonalds approaches to our complex Human clients. I am not dissing the creation of some sort of system, I am in favor of that, what I am saying is that it can't be the end all be all of how we create programs for people.
I know what most people may be thinking right now, "So Mr. Smartty Pants, How do you suggest we solve these Complex issues?"
My honest answer:I don't know.
The only solutions I can think of is what I call the 3 E's. Education, Empowerment and Experience.
We must do a better job of continuing to educate ourselves and our clients. The days of the weekend certified trainer need to end. I think we should go back to apprenticeships. We must hold ourselves to a higher standard.
Empowerment is a broad term, so let me explain what I mean. Too many programs are written for trainers and are just a follow me format. They are not giving tools to trainers and giving them freedom to create something. There are to many step by step programs and instead of empowering people to be better, you are just creating followers who have no real opinions on anything. They just follow like sheep and go through the motions, rather than understand the process.
There is no substitute for experience. Why is everyone claiming a niche market when they haven't trained anyone yet? NO ONE wants to work for anything anymore. Earn your position. I can say that I work mostly with High School Athletes, because I worked with everyone else from 65 year old ladies to 8 year old kids. I have done it all and my niche found me. I earned the right to do what I do. I didn't get certified by a "High School Sports Cert". No offense to any certification people, but MMA certs are crazy. Martial Arts is a way of life and to Earn the right to train a true Martial Artist is a science and an art. You can not go away for a weekend and think you know how to train Anderson Silva. That is something that comes with many years for experience and all these invented certs have created short cuts for lazy people to hide behind plaques on a wall. "A true leader never wears medal on his chest, he wears scars on his back." Miles Monroe.
Whew! That felt good. I again want to apologize for getting off topic. As i have said before, the percentage of people who won't understand this is higher than the percentage that will. For anyone this offends I am sorry but if the shoe fits wear it and walk it off.
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