Why I’m a Fitness Contrarian

A simple way to train in a world full of nonsense

Nov 29, 2025

What the fitness industry offers is overwhelming and expensive. Drawn out routines, unregulated supplements, gym memberships, influencers promising a six pack in six weeks, the lot. Most of it is irrelevant or downright harmful.

This is exactly why I’m a fitness contrarian. No more letting myself be herded into a gym, listening to snake oil salesmen or blindly following the advice of authorities (which often turn out to be fake or driven by ulterior profit motives). Instead of following the crowd, I question the norms (which comes easy to me, since I’m an anthropologist), ignore the hype (even if it comes with a PhD from Stanford or Harvard), and focus on what actually keeps my body stay healthy, mobile, and resilient. (The Instagram body should not be the aim of anyone’s training, though it might still happen as a welcome side effect.)

Being a fitness contrarian means thinking critically. Most advice is built on marketing, anecdote, poor science (if any) or vanity. So I read, dig things up from the past (sometimes a very distant past), experiment, and focus on what matters long term. I follow science where it makes sense, experience where it works, with my own body always being the final judge. I listen carefully, because I know what happens when I don’t.

My training reflects that. I don’t live in the gym. In fact, I don’t go anywhere near it. I don’t track every calorie or obsess over every rep (fun fact, I actually don’t do reps). My workouts are short, efficient, and flexible. Some days it’s 40 seconds worth of sprints or isometrics Bruce Lee style. Other days it’s a slow jog, a gentle walk, or mobility work.

The goal is consistency, not exhaustion. Strength you can still use tomorrow (I wrote an article on the subject and you can find it here). You should feel energized afterwards, not drained or hobbling around for three days.

So here is my contrarian creed:

1. Minimalism Is Powerful

Mainstream fitness loves long, drawn out workouts: an hour at the gym, endless cardio, exhausting circuits. But why? Putting bums in seats of exercise bikes helps their bottom line but your body doesn’t need to be punished to improve.

I follow a principle I call DSY: *Don’t Strain Yourself. It’s simple: train in a way that preserves and builds your health, mobility, and long term capability. Minimal time, maximum benefit, zero burnout.

I use no equipment and I break thinks down into manageable chunks - usually 3 minutes.

2. Avoid the Middle

I swing between extreme ends of the spectrum: light movement that keeps me mobile and intense bursts that stimulate strength, endurance, and cardiovascular health. The middle? I avoid it entirely. I explain it more in Why I Avoid Moderate Workouts Like the Plague.

I do extremely short bursts of high intensity like 20 second sprints or isometric holds combined with daily light activity such as slow jogging. The devil is in the details of course, so don’t treat this as a ready made template. This post is a manifesto, not an instruction manual.

3. Function Over Aesthetics

Chasing six pack abs, massive biceps, or perfect glutes is a fool’s errand and often comes at a cost. Time is part of the bill, but the body pays too if you’re not careful. Tendons get torn, joints abused, the joy of movement evaporates.

Being fit should mean that you are strong, capable, and resilient in your life. If you can move freely, carry groceries without a grimace, lift your kids or grand kids without throwing your back, and sprint to catch the bus without feeling like you might die, you’re winning in ways no mirror can measure. (Or internet troll comprehend, their lives are sad enough, so just let them be).

The Takeaway

Being a fitness contrarian isn’t about laziness or rebellion. It’s about smart, sustainable, realistic training. Minimal effort, adequate intensity, functional movement, small bite-sized chunks that leave you with no excuse not to do them and help build consistency. I train to add life to my years. It also feels amazing to ignore the overpriced noise and focus on what truly works.

*The original phrase has a four letter word in it that also starts with an S and rhymes with HIIT 😜.