I was simply going to make a Facebook post about this. But it kept getting longer and longer. So blog it is!

While purusing my usual fitness blogs and feed this morning I came accross this little gem of a video. I mean, I know it is Fox News and they are notorious for showing terribly inaccurate bullshit science, but I was still flabbergasted by this one.

Maybe not even so much at Fox News as I am blown away that a so called ‘professional’ physical therapist would actually go on national television and put his name behind such blatant scientifically inaccurate BULLSHIT.

Getting Rid of Cellulite.

Here is a link to the segment in question so you can see for yourself.

We have a cultural need to villify cellulite and call it ‘unsightly’, as the news host states in the video, or, as she goes on to mention, ‘even the most beautiful hollywood celebrities SUFFER from it,’ ‘it look’s like gravy.’ [emphasis added by me].  We tell young girls and women as they age that it makes them less attractive. This is great for people marketing products to get rid of cellulite.

The truth?

Creams, exercises, products, and special foods DO NOT GET RID OF CELLULITE.

Cellulite is simply the way your body stores body fat. Some people the fat is stored closer to the skin so you can see it, other people have fat stored deeper under the skin so you can’t see it. Period.

This is why you will see some obese people with perfectly smooth skin, while at the same time you will see professional models with barely any fat that have visible cellulite. If you don’t think that is true you don’t understand photo editing Trust me, I am a published photographer, I have seen this over and over again.

The only way then to get rid of cellulite is to decrease your overall body fat. The only way to do that is to eat well and exercise. Period.

But we are forced to listen to this stupid garbage from pseudo-professionals that are marketed directly at the uneducated consumer. I do not mean consumers are stupid – simply that most people watching this news segment are not formally educated in biology and physiology. That is OK! That is what professionals are supposed to do – interpret the science.

What has me so riled up from this news segment? Let’s see….

1. They state that cellulite is there because the muscle underneath is not active. 

False. I don’t really have much to say about this. Because it is simply not true or based on any science at all. Bullshit.

2. You must release muscles first before you can activate them. 

True-ish. Tight muscles can impair muscle function. Loosening restrictions in the muscle can improve it’s function. This, however, has NOTHING TO DO WITH CELLULITE.

The physical therapist then goes on to talk about the muscle being able to actively lengthen and shorten to work properly. Ok. True-ish. But again, THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH CELLULITE.

Stop throwing around science terms to attempt to legitimize the bullshit that you are spewing.

Want to hear the truth about cellulite? Click the picture to listen to my podacst Episode 12 – where I discuss cellulite!

3. Doing wide stance squats will get rid of cellulite. 

No. It won’t. The physical therapists referes to the squats in the clip as inner thigh squats. WTF is that. Wider stance recruits more glutes – that is science. The inner thigh muscles might work a little harder but they most certainly are NOT the primary muscles involved.

Oh – and when asked if you should add weight to these squats – ‘only every other day’ is his recommendation. Argh. Doing a ton of ‘inner thigh squats’ with bodyweight every day will NOT get rid of your inner thigh cellulite.

Go ahead. Try it. Let me know how that works out for you.

4. Push your knees outside your feet during a wide stance squat. 

This is just fucking stupid. This is everything that we tell our clients NOT to do in order to make sure that don’t ruin their knees.

Please, DO NOT push your knees outside of your feet during ANY sqauts and especially when you are in a wide stance position.

5. Tight hip flexors ‘shut down your abs, thighs, and glutes.’ 

Turns them off? How the fuck did you walk into the building to film this segment then? If all those muscles are turned off your spine would collapse and you wouldn’t be able to walk anywhere. Seriously.

What do I see during this segment?

A physical therapist willing to say whatever is necessary to get on TV. Maybe he is friends with Dr. Oz…..

I also find it funny that all of the areas just happen to be the ‘problem spots’ women are told they have. You know, abs, butt, thighs, back of the arms, and back of your legs. What a great way to appeal this segment to a large audience.

*slow clap*

Here is the facts. Cellulite is fat stored under your skin. If you don’t want cellulite you must decrease body fat. And for some people this will not matter because your body fat is stored very close to the surface of your skin.

No amount of foam rolling, muscle release, or muscle activation will do anything about any cellulite you might be able to see.

And finally, be very careful with what you see on TV. Go share this with anyone you know who just might be doing these things to decrease cellulite. And throw out their cellulite reduction cremes as well!!!

-Coach Taylor