“It’s an Art… Not a Science”: Father of Two With a Squat Record of 1,080 Lbs Shares a Startling Take On Why the Fitness Industry Is “So F***ed Up”

Fitness influencer Mark Bell has spent decades of his life learning about fitness. Bell has a long history of competing in powerlifting. He has squatted 1,080 lbs and posted a total of 2,628 lbs. Bell has also competed in bodybuilding and does endurance running regularly. However, after years of experience in different sports, the inventor of the bench press overloading tool Sling Shot has realized “why fitness is so f***ed up.”

Recently the fitness influencer with over 580,000 followers on Instagram spoke about a massive flaw in how people perceive fitness. In the video, the former amateur bodybuilding champion revealed why there is more to fitness than just science. 

The bodybuilding champion’s revelation on fitness

On March 22, 2023, Mark Bell uploaded a video on his Instagram page. In the video, Bell explains why people find the online fitness industry confusing. There are various conflicting takes on similar topics from different experts. However, in the caption, the former powerlifter wrote, “Every body is unique, there is often times disagreement and subjective interpretation amongst experts.”

Bell believes “the expression of our physicality can come in many forms: lifting, stretching, running, jumping, etc.” Hence, fitness is “creative.” Even two athletes playing the same sport can have different individual techniques for performing the same action. Hence, everyone’s approach to fitness should be different.

“I’m sick and tired of seeing people trying to science the body. It’s the biggest mistake anyone will ever make,” said the father of two in his Instagram video. According to the former powerlifter, if someone doesn’t treat their body correctly and tries to follow a generalized approach to fitness, their body won’t respond to training correctly. “It’s (fitness) an art and it’s not a science,” said Bell in his Instagram video. However, you may ask which is the correct approach. Mark Bell has you covered.

Push the limits but don’t exceed them

According to the inventor of the Sling Shot, the best approach to fitness for anyone is to listen to their body. Instead of following the current trends of the fitness industry and pushing the body beyond its limit, “you gotta be sweet and gentle to your body.” Bell also explained that it’s okay to slow down.

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“You got to know sometimes when you wave your flag to say hey, that was good for today, I was enough.” However, the key to fitness is being consistent. According to the bodybuilding champ, showing up consistently and pushing the limits as much as the body allows is the right mindset.

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What did you make of Mark Bell’s advice on fitness? What was your takeaway? Let us know in the comments.