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There is no 'Always' or 'Never' in fitness
The only 'always' is that it 'always depends'
Why in Fitness There Are No Absolutes
“No matter what…”
“Stop doing this."
“Do this every day."
If you spend any time scrolling through fitness content on social media, you’ve likely seen these hooks. Sure, they’re convincing, they’re short, and they stick in your mind. But in reality, fitness doesn’t work in absolutes. There are no true “nevers” or “always.” The only 'always' that exists is that it always depends… and here’s why.
Social Media Is Too Convincing
Reels, TikToks, and short-form videos are designed to be quick, catchy, and shareable. They’re made to grab your attention in seconds - not to explain the complexity of human movement and training.
The people you follow, for sure, look and sound great. Plus that human approach makes it all the more convincing. Some of them have good value, so we’re not dismissing them completely! We’ll explain more below on how to know who to listen to.
A trainer saying, “Do this every day for better posture” or “Stop doing this exercise immediately” might sound like they’re giving you a golden rule. In reality, they’re often oversimplifying, because the format doesn’t allow for the long explanations fitness actually requires.
What’s missing? The context: your body’s history, your current health, your training goals, your limitations, and your experience level. Without that, a blanket statement can easily send the wrong message.
Why ‘Always’ Can Backfire
Training the same thing every day might sound like commitment - but it can also be a fast track to overuse injuries and plateaus.
Your body thrives on variety. It needs fresh challenges and different movement patterns to adapt, grow stronger, and stay resilient. If you “always” do the same workout, you risk not only boredom but also repetitive strain.
Here's just some examples that demonstrate how these issues can occur:
-Doing hundreds of crunches daily might build abdominal endurance, but it can also irritate your lower back and hip flexors.
-Performing heavy bench press sessions too often without balancing it with back and shoulder work can cause shoulder impingement or postural problems.
-Running every day can lead to shin splints, knee pain, or stress fractures because the same impact forces keep hitting the same tissues. If you do want to run every day, it needs to be accompanied with strength training and mobility based on your body’s needs. Whether that's more focus on your hips, knees or ankles, you can’t get that via a video.
Why ‘Never’ Is Just as Limiting
On the other hand, saying “never” to certain movements is equally limiting.
We twist, bend, reach, squat, and sometimes lift awkwardly in everyday life. Avoiding those positions entirely in training doesn’t protect you - it actually leaves you unprepared when real life demands them.
For example:
- You might have heard, “Never bend your back.” But you bend your back every time you tie your shoes or pick something up from the floor. The key is learning to bend it safely.
- Twisting your spine might sound dangerous, but you do it when turning to look behind you or reaching for something in the car.
In training, we prepare for these inevitable moments by building strength, mobility, and awareness gradually. The goal isn’t to avoid - it’s to prepare.
How To Know Which Influencers To Trust
Share their credentials or experience openly
So you know where their knowledge comes from. This might sound obvious but it's easily misleading: The way they look or their number of followers means nothing.
Share scientific studies
Thankfully, many influencers have taken to siting studies. Don’t just take their word for it because they look how you want to look, if they have the science to back it then it’s much more worth listening to than just seeing what they ‘apparently’ eat in a day.
They explain the “why” and acknowledge context behind an exercise, not just the “what.”
The video therefore, has to be longer than 15 seconds. If it’s short without these explanations, then who knows if it's right for you, or atall?
Show a variety of movements and training styles, rather than pushing the same one-size-fits-all routine.
Or if not, make sure to follow a range of coaches to compare information.
Don’t use fear-based language
Hooks are fine but not if the video has no explanation after.
Context is Everything
What’s safe, effective, and beneficial for one person can be totally different for another. This is why context matters more than quick tips.
Social media reels and catchy headlines don’t know your injury history, your goals, or your starting point. But a qualified professional does.
Do your research. Ask questions. Work with someone who will look at your unique needs - not just hand you a generic “always” or “never” rule. The best training plans are personalised, because your body is unique.
Why in Fitness There Are No Absolutes
“No matter what…”
“Stop doing this."
“Do this every day."
If you spend any time scrolling through fitness content on social media, you’ve likely seen these hooks. Sure, they’re convincing, they’re short, and they stick in your mind. But in reality, fitness doesn’t work in absolutes. There are no true “nevers” or “always.” The only 'always' that exists is that it always depends… and here’s why.
Social Media Is Too Convincing
Reels, TikToks, and short-form videos are designed to be quick, catchy, and shareable. They’re made to grab your attention in seconds - not to explain the complexity of human movement and training.
The people you follow, for sure, look and sound great. Plus that human approach makes it all the more convincing. Some of them have good value, so we’re not dismissing them completely! We’ll explain more below on how to know who to listen to.
A trainer saying, “Do this every day for better posture” or “Stop doing this exercise immediately” might sound like they’re giving you a golden rule. In reality, they’re often oversimplifying, because the format doesn’t allow for the long explanations fitness actually requires.
What’s missing? The context: your body’s history, your current health, your training goals, your limitations, and your experience level. Without that, a blanket statement can easily send the wrong message.
Why ‘Always’ Can Backfire
Training the same thing every day might sound like commitment - but it can also be a fast track to overuse injuries and plateaus.
Your body thrives on variety. It needs fresh challenges and different movement patterns to adapt, grow stronger, and stay resilient. If you “always” do the same workout, you risk not only boredom but also repetitive strain.
Here's just some examples that demonstrate how these issues can occur:
-Doing hundreds of crunches daily might build abdominal endurance, but it can also irritate your lower back and hip flexors.
-Performing heavy bench press sessions too often without balancing it with back and shoulder work can cause shoulder impingement or postural problems.
-Running every day can lead to shin splints, knee pain, or stress fractures because the same impact forces keep hitting the same tissues. If you do want to run every day, it needs to be accompanied with strength training and mobility based on your body’s needs. Whether that's more focus on your hips, knees or ankles, you can’t get that via a video.
Why ‘Never’ Is Just as Limiting
On the other hand, saying “never” to certain movements is equally limiting.
We twist, bend, reach, squat, and sometimes lift awkwardly in everyday life. Avoiding those positions entirely in training doesn’t protect you - it actually leaves you unprepared when real life demands them.
For example:
- You might have heard, “Never bend your back.” But you bend your back every time you tie your shoes or pick something up from the floor. The key is learning to bend it safely.
- Twisting your spine might sound dangerous, but you do it when turning to look behind you or reaching for something in the car.
In training, we prepare for these inevitable moments by building strength, mobility, and awareness gradually. The goal isn’t to avoid - it’s to prepare.
How To Know Which Influencers To Trust
Share their credentials or experience openly
So you know where their knowledge comes from. This might sound obvious but it's easily misleading: The way they look or their number of followers means nothing.
Share scientific studies
Thankfully, many influencers have taken to siting studies. Don’t just take their word for it because they look how you want to look, if they have the science to back it then it’s much more worth listening to than just seeing what they ‘apparently’ eat in a day.
They explain the “why” and acknowledge context behind an exercise, not just the “what.”
The video therefore, has to be longer than 15 seconds. If it’s short without these explanations, then who knows if it's right for you, or atall?
Show a variety of movements and training styles, rather than pushing the same one-size-fits-all routine.
Or if not, make sure to follow a range of coaches to compare information.
Don’t use fear-based language
Hooks are fine but not if the video has no explanation after.
Context is Everything
What’s safe, effective, and beneficial for one person can be totally different for another. This is why context matters more than quick tips.
Social media reels and catchy headlines don’t know your injury history, your goals, or your starting point. But a qualified professional does.
Do your research. Ask questions. Work with someone who will look at your unique needs - not just hand you a generic “always” or “never” rule. The best training plans are personalised, because your body is unique.
