What your saying Ricky seems to be a more sensible direction for Dr Darden to head in his later years than trying to show 15 year olds a way to build bigger triceps or HIT training . I had a nice talk with my 29 year old son who teaches middle school and high school and pretty much says younger folks are not that interested in building big muscles like many were in the old days . Fitness is more prevalent on their minds . They are not as impressed with massive triceps or any of the stuff I see on T Nation as they are just being fit and looking good . Times have changed. This HIT stuff is a very small niche of the general population . I also know exactly what you’re talking about with people who are turned off by some buff trainer bouncing around the gym magically doing push ups with one finger, ha ha! It annoys me too!
Scott
That is interesting. I’m kind of lukewarm on TSC. I have one exercise that I do regularly in that fashion - a hip thrust movement. I find that the TSC hip thrust is just an OK substitute for the Nautilus Glute Drive machine that I had access to pre-pandemic. I really would prefer to have feedback, rather than rely on subjective assessments of effort, especially the final segment.
I love the bodybuilding focused stuff! I love Extreme HIT and I’m kind of sad it’s the first Bodybuilding book we’ve gotten in like 14 years from Darden. He has such a wealth of bodybuilding wisdom, I could read read every routine and story he’s ever had. I sincerely hope he keeps making bodybuilding focused books, even if it had to be in ebook fashion
While I agree that Seniors are an important and under-served market, it might be a market that is difficult to reach via books. I suspect that most of Ricky’s clients see HIT as a service which they pay for. Why would they buy a book on exercise, when they are paying a professional $35 or $50 or $75 a session to tell them what to do? Maybe the right kind of book gets then in the door at a local studio? But I just don’t know how many seniors, particularly those who have never been motivated to train before, are going to get far with what they read in a book?
Dr. Darden’s books really are aimed at the do-it-yourself market, even if he tells the reader that supervised training is better. I’m guessing that most of us posting here don’t have supervised training sessions or a paid coach?
I agree with Scott that most young people don’t have any interest in professional body building, or being as big as Phil Health, or Ronnie Coleman, or Jay Cutler. But I suspect most guys wouldn’t mind looking like Chris Helmsworth as Thor, or Brad Pit in Troy.
There are a fair number of fit and attractive young people who make a living from stuff they post on YouTube and Instagram. It sure looks like there are a lot of people that are attracted to what a particular Instagram model looks like, and then try to emulate how that guy or gal trains, eats, or lives. A significant number will end up buying something, training advice, merchandise, or nutritional products from that role model.
Anyone ever heard of Michelle Lewin? She has 13,000,000 followers on Instagram. She sells branded fitness gear, diet advice, and exercise DVD’s.
This really isn’t any different than the business model Joe Weider had: sell magazines that feature guys with out of this world physiques, and then sell supplements and exercise gear to help the seeker to achieve the same. Only now, the magazine have been replaced by Youtube clips and Instagram photos, and the models have by passed the publisher and sell directly to the fans.
Yes focusing on people like Hemmsworth or other muscled up actors and movie stars is a good direction for him to go . What steroids did or didn’t Hemmsworth use? What are Hugh Jackman’s workouts really like ? Jason Stathum or Vin Diesels shoulder workout? I’d love to read about that stuff and so do younger folks.
Scott
Pros and cons to feedback. Worrying about how much or how many can negatively influence behaviour away from inroading. As per what dr Darden is expressing (IMO) in the recent book. Don’t think of lifting the weight but of challenging the musculature. It is hard to get one’s head around. Nice to see x weight going up and down.
I agree 100% with what you’re saying here. I’ve never met anyone who wants to look like a professional bodybuilder other than a professional bodybuilder. Lean and ripped has always been the ideal male physique among millennials. Good news? That’s achievable for most men, whereas Arnold, Mike, and Casey are all unattainable for the vast majority of us. I can take a gram/wk of synthetic hormones and come nowhere close to bodybuilding physique. And I wouldn’t want to. I don’t care about my arm measurements; I care if it’s defined or not.
And I think that’s what is so great about the last few books written by Dr. Darden represents. It’s average genetic people getting into great shape. Dr. Darden’s recent training innovations apply to MOST trainees… it’s hard to say that about the plethora of YouTube options out there. There isn’t much science behind the majority of it, and there is a lot of “self-selection” involved. It’s fun and entertaining, no doubt. But the majority of it is a waste of time for most of us. I’d rather KNOW that I’m getting 50 years of rock-solid experience behind today’s workout. I still think that matters to a lot of young people, and there is still a place for a well-written eBook.
Advertising and promoting is the challenge.