How should we train?
Social networks often act like a mirror and a magnifier for fitness culture. They chase aesthetics and originality, rewarding videos that grab attention with views and likes. For some digital creators, this dynamic makes it seem like the efficacy of a routine equals its viral appeal, echoing a constant tug of war between performance and popularity.
The quarantine period reshaped how people learn at home. Many users turned to educational videos to try workouts in their living rooms, sometimes slipping into a routine built on catchy slogans and quick fixes. As the competition grew, some influencers began to push unique exercises just to stand out. Over time, ideas grew wilder, and some content drifted into the realm of the sensational rather than the practical.
Three years on, the spotlight has shifted from mere novelty to effectiveness. Clips from gyms packed with machines, countless accessories, or ribbons and bands placed in supposedly strategic positions to boost perceived outcomes flood social feeds daily. Real results, however, are not guaranteed by novelty. Personal trainer and biomechanic specialist Alvaro Guzman, better known as @alvarotrainer on Instagram, dedicates his days to debunking questionable claims and clarifying what actually works in sports science.
One common misconception drives many online fitness videos. If workouts always stay in the same rhythm, some imagine muscles won’t grow. That view is not quite right. The idea of “surprising” the muscle persists in fitness lore, but it can be misleading unless understood correctly. Guzman emphasizes that muscle growth comes from progression and thoughtful variation rather than constant upheaval of routines. He notes that dramatic changes in every session often fail to provide the necessary stimulus and may even hinder progress.
Effective training programs are built to progress. They move gradually from point A to point B with incremental increases in repetitions, effort, or exercise density. The key is consistency: sticking with the same core movements long enough allows proper technique to develop, loads to rise, and the muscle to be stimulated appropriately. Constantly swapping exercises can confuse the muscle rather than strengthen it, a sentiment Guzman punctuates with a touch of humor.
The question remains: do Instagram and TikTok workouts deliver real results for those who keep at them for a while? The answer depends on the exercise, but some variations can add meaningful tension, while others amount to viral marketing with little training value. An approach worth adopting is to pause and analyze each move before attempting it, and to trust qualified professionals when access to the necessary knowledge is limited. The car analogy is apt: you would not expect to build a Formula 1 vehicle from a single ad-histories; similarly, a single video does not deliver a reliable training plan. Creating a routine from social content alone carries risk and is unlikely to yield consistent progress.
Practicality matters. If a move grabs attention but lacks biomechanical merit, it is often just entertainment rather than a productive exercise. Traditional exercises remain a highly recommended base because they tend to be safer and easier to perform correctly. While variations can be incorporated when biomechanical principles are respected, leaning on well-established movements usually yields better, more reliable results. Biomechanics, after all, studies how the human body moves and helps tailor training to each individual for optimal outcomes. When exercise modifications align with these principles, they can become valuable tools in a training plan.
Social networks have shaped fitness culture in striking ways, both positive and negative. They have accelerated the spread of knowledge but also amplified noise. The best approach for learners is to blend awareness with discernment, following reliable guidance and testing ideas against foundational biomechanical principles rather than chasing every trend. A thoughtful, progressive plan anchored in proven methods tends to deliver the strongest results over time.