You need to know that there is a lot of well-meant but dumb fitness advice out there. And it is up to you to screen it out… not follow it. Or you can wreck your back… make a mess of this and that. There are no rules or tests for how you become a Fitness Instructor. Or a Spin Class leader or a Yoga teacher. Most seem to have some training; almost all are true believers and very earnest (and self-assured). But some otherwise terrific leaders are often dopes about back issues. Dopes!

It drives me frantic to have some instructor whom I love urging us all to do the full “Army” sit up (as opposed to the healthy, four inch crunch). I know and I hope you know (from The YNY Exercise Book or our splendid BACKFOREVER back videos) that they are seriously dangerous. (We have a section condemning ‘em in the upcoming YNY Back Book due out in August).  I have generally given up trying to change the instructors; they don’t welcome it. You have to look out for yourself and Don’t Do Them. In the same vein, don’t ever “Bend, lift and twist”. (Get the videos). I’ve concluded that we cannot change the world of instructors…we have to look out for ourselves. So do it. Chris