“Don’t have $100 shoes and a 10 cents squat.”…… Louie Simmons
Modern culture requires us to consume more and more, livelihoods are built upon society’s never ending consumption and economies would fall like castles built on sand without it. The false promise of being rewarded with greater happiness, a greater life if only you buy this new product is consistently drip fed through the media. Your children could be as happy and as well behaved as the children in the commercial if only you bought them this toy, your partner would look at you as lovingly as the actor/actress in your Facebook feed if only you would buy this perfume for them and you’d look just as good as the photo shopped model in the fitness magazine if only you bought and drank the high sugar liquid dessert masquerading as a protein shake.
The fitness industry caught on early and is prolific for extracting your hard earned money for products that don’t work and you wouldn’t need even if they did. The martial arts industry is sadly catching up quickly.
Beware of commercial gyms with more vending machines then squat racks, the low price of entry intends to be recovered through the consumption of energy drinks and protein bars. It’s unlikely you’re training so hard and so frequently that you need to supplement a diet that prioritises quality protein sources at every meal. If your diet doesn’t already do that then start there before following the 20yr old personal trainer’s favourite protein smoothie recipe that they’ve posted on Instagram.
The newest pair of CrossFit sponsored trainers are unlikely to improve your back squat or Fran time. Training barefoot and connecting to the ground would but nobody can sell you the feet you already own so it’s rarely promoted, especially in “boxes” that sell trainers!
Consumerism provides no psychological satisfaction, as there are no natural limits for things we didn’t need in the first place. Hunger for food is satisfied by eating enough food to fill our stomachs, hunger for commercial products has no such natural limit. Enough is never too little!
The conscientious practitioner will invest in the required equipment for their chosen discipline and replace it when necessary, but they won’t use superfluous clothing or equipment as camouflage to hide perceived or actual training inadequacies. Consistency, hard work and a deliberate practise will look far better than the latest expensive Gi or loud gloves from Thailand.
Instead invest in and consume knowledge. Subscribe to quality podcasts, buy books and invest in additional training to improve your art. The sales façade for products rarely delivers and is likely to derail you from the path, learn to see through the pantomime and distance yourself from the herd. All the gear and no idea is never a good look.