What’s going on with the Fitness Industry?

Wellbeing; a look behind the curtain.

This is almost a follow-up to my piece, ‘The New Gym’. https://budojourneyman.substack.com/p/the-new-gym

All martial artists feel a duty to invest further in their own physical fitness and wellbeing. We are often compelled to supplement our Dojo training by cardio, resistance work, weights, Pilates, Yoga etc. This can lead us into all kinds of strange places.

By a roundabout route I came across Rina Raphael’s sharp, witty and detailed book on the ‘Wellness’ industry, ‘The Gospel of Wellness: Gyms, Gurus, Goop and the False Promise of Self-Care’. Admittedly, her focus is on the American scene, which, as a journalist specialising on these themes, she knows well. But, so much of it applies to the world beyond the borders of the USA.

You wouldn’t have believed that things have gone so crazy; what with Box Gyms, boutique gyms/studios, elite groups and fitness-based technology taking over our lives (quote from Fight Club, “The things you own, end up owning you”.) Read on to see how extreme it can get.

A few basics to consider.

· Sedentary lifestyles lead to a disconnect from our own physicality, which, deep down, we know causes ill-health and disease.

· People have an urge, a yearning, to feel good about themselves; to take control of their own bodies.

· Social pressures, particularly when they relate to body image, have become such a big thing – supercharged by the Internet and social media.

In theory you can deal with all of this in a self-contained, autonomous way – what’s stopping you jogging in the park, hiking in the hills, etc? Answer… plenty. Because, either you lack the opportunity (time), or the willpower.

So perhaps you are willing to pay someone else to empower or motivate you? Someone you can put your life in their hands, become the taskmaster/tyrant that you know you’ve always wanted?

Monetising your angst.

Your weakness is another person’s business opportunity, and this is where Rina Raphael does a deep dive into how obsessive, or even toxic it can get.

I know that there is a kind of UK thing where traditionally we have looked down our condescending noses at our American cousins; their excesses and childlike over-the-topness boosts our sense of superiority. But, as we know to our cost, American culture has a drip drip drip effect on our engrained aloofness. And, before you know it we’ve got UK versions of ‘trick or treat’, ‘have a nice day’ and ‘movies’ instead of ‘films’ (when did that happen?).

So, American trends can often be the bellwether for cultural or business changes over here in the UK.

No pain, no gain.

The ‘business opportunities’ riding on the back of the wellness demand through physical exercise feature branded approaches meant to appeal our most masochistic urges. Rather than rewarding or pampering ourselves, we become penitents obsessed by the sanctity of self-flagellation. Just what are we punishing ourselves for? What crimes did we commit?

But, this has been around for a long time. ‘No pain no gain’ was a quote from Ben Franklin in 1758, but the first person to relate that to exercise was fitness queen and actor Jane Fonda in 1980.

It comes in all shapes and sizes.

Boot camps and prisons.

A favourite target for my cynicism is the Boot Camp phenomenon.

For example; isn’t it funny how many of these pseudo-military training experiences take place in public parks? Well, it’s no mystery, these are free spaces (‘free’ in the terms of the instructors not having to rent premises, a great ruse; zero overheads… the only inconvenience is when the weather doesn’t allow it).

The other point about Boot Camps is that they are not populated by whippet-thin fit teenagers hoping to cut-it in the military, rookie squaddies with the full awareness of the drop-out rate due to injury (be careful what you sign up for).

Instead, out-of-condition office workers, for who the heaviest thing they pick up in a day is a pencil. Rolling tractor tyres or lugging sandbags are not for you. (My physio says that these people keep him in work – so at least somebody is happy).

Rina Raphael tells us that the Americans have taken it one step further (naturally). She came across CONBODY, a prison-yard US penitentiary-style boutique gym staffed by ex-convicts. This is in New York City and boasts that it aims at “young professionals intrigued by prison”. The training regime is using mainly body weight exercises; the kind you might find yourself doing while being locked in solitary after taking out the king-pin drug lord in your cell block (who later becomes your best friend and ally) – you get the picture?

Gyms as church.

One thing that Rina Raphael’s book made very clear for me was how different us Brits are from the Americans.

In the US, religion is a mass-participation activity; while in the UK it’s something that most of us are almost too embarrassed to talk about. Americans find this hard to believe, but it would be a social faux pas to ask a Brit what church/religion he/she is part of.

Raphael points out that the community the Americans tend to seek in church fuels the idea of alternative communities based around the shared experience of the gym.

Personal note – my own gym:

Even though I have been a fairly recent frequenter of my local gym; as far as community goes; I don’t know any of the regular’s names, and just stick to a series of, (unspoken and probably highly uncomplimentary) nicknames I have tagged them with. I wonder what they call me? ‘Grumpy old git’ might be fair.

For the Americans, the gym class instructor can act as pastor, and even build up a cult following – which is not a healthy thing.

Horrible stories of egos gone mad and obsessive/possessive clients. Although, I must say, yoga does seem to hold the monopoly on insane, abusive rapey cult leaders (Disclaimer: fortunately, the vast amount of yoga classes are run by lovely people with no agenda). If you have the stomach to go down that rabbit hole: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2025/mar/09/the-disturbing-case-of-a-tantric-yoga-guru-and-his-followers

Language.

The vocab used in fitness training seems to be always punitive. Phrases like, ‘crushing it’, ‘smashing it’, ‘destroying your muscles’, ‘being ripped’ and ‘going for the burn’. This is supposed to inspire you, not fill you with dread. What sins are you paying for?

In Pilates, some of the equipment is not so very far removed from the ‘rack’ and other kit used by masked men to extract a confession out of you. I wonder if one day someone will discover that there are benefits from water boarding? (‘Deprival of oxygen combined with fear-induced adrenalin releases positive endorphins into the body’, I am not promoting it as an idea).

But, there is a lot of subtle psychology going on here.

Smoke and mirrors.

Many years ago, I went for a trial session at gym near where I worked. It was okay, but too many hidden costs. But one thing I did notice was that the changing room mirrors had something odd about them. First of all, these full-length mirrors made me look taller, then I spotted that I was actually appearing slimmer and trimmer. It was then that I realised that the mirror was subtly and sneakily distorting my reflection.

I mentioned this to one of my female friends. She said, “Oh yes, they do that all the time in clothes shop fitting rooms; makes you feel good about yourself and more inclined to buy”.

In conclusion; Rina Raphael’s book deals with more than physical fitness. She addresses weight loss, body image, junk cures, gimmicks, all supposed to make you feel better about yourself. But really, the only thing that loses weight is your wallet. Buyer beware.