Guru Laziness

[Chris Correia]

Originally Posted by Aoife

Truth doesn't tend to sell well in our current flashy times.

So . . . don't present truth, but flash?

Right is right, even if nobody is doing right.
Wrong is wrong even if everybody is doing wrong.

[Chrisatc]

Is this the same Jimmy as on the Fitcast? I think I remember there was a couple Jimmy Smiths.

[Aoife]

I didn't say I don't find the flash and lies absolutely disgusting. I'm just speaking as to what the current trend seems to be in fitness marketing on the interweb of tubez.

In reality, what one would hope for is truth presented in a decent way so that it has the broadest appeal. Know your audience is the first important step in any design or advertising project. Then, the ubertacky just make crap up, and the true professionals find the balance necessary between flash and depth of information.

Your soccer mom isn't interested in the science, just the results. So that's what she should be given. The fitness competitor is a different client, as is the athlete, the elderly lady, the full-time student, the obese family, etc.

But the ridiculous "act now" bamboozlement is tacky, and often a product of the times... a good designer can make that stuff work. But we're not talking about good designers/marketers, we're talking about DIY peeps trying to save a buck and make 3 more.

I perfectly understand the need of the bamboozle... I just think it can be carried out waaay better than it often is... and it would make people look so much less ... bad and tacky and classless.

[Lost Dog]

Originally Posted by GqArtguy

Which is more reason for him to be pissed about someone ripping off his stuff. That is, unless Craig let Jimmy the Smythe cut and paste from his own site which is also a douchebag thing to do and gives less credence to the gurus.

Right. I looked on the site and don't see the references. The links are going to 505 errors. Maybe someone brought down the hammer.

BTW, I don't really see a problem with someone who's a Fitness Professional selling someone else's program on his site.

Let's say I'm a trainer. I know a lot and can train people very well, but I just don't have what it takes to write a book or program that I feel comfortable selling to the general public. Turbulence Training would be a good product to resell, just like I might also resell The Guide to Flexible Dieting, Mag Mobility and Inside/Out. Reselling (directly or through affiliations) just needs to be handled correctly and with class.

[Isaac Wilkins]

Originally Posted by Lost Dog

Right. I looked on the site and don't see the references. The links are going to 505 errors. Maybe someone brought down the hammer.

BTW, I don't really see a problem with someone who's a Fitness Professional selling someone else's program on his site.

Let's say I'm a trainer. I know a lot and can train people very well, but I just don't have what it takes to write a book or program that I feel comfortable selling to the general public. Turbulence Training would be a good product to resell, just like I might also resell The Guide to Flexible Dieting, Mag Mobility and Inside/Out. Reselling (directly or through affiliations) just needs to be handled correctly and with class.

Sure. I absolutely agree. That's no different than JP selling the NROL through his amazon links. Just because JP sells Alwyn and Lou's book doesn't mean that I don't think he knows what he's talking about.

The difference is the cut and paste and outright thievery.

[Alan Aragon]

In the big scheme of things it really does boil down to the thread title. Jimmy was just being lazy & careless, it's not like he kidnapped someone's pet & raped it. Maybe he just got shitfaced after a Perform Better seminar & decided to build a website & his judgement was way off. Who knows. I've actually talked briefly with him on a conference call w/Lyle, Craig B, & others. Jimmy seemed to be a pretty lucid, sensible guy. Hopefully this incident will give him a swift lesson in integrity.

PS - from an "industry guy" perspective, this whole thing is just sort of a tragic comedy. But I can understand how it would piss off the buying public who at the very least expects some honesty.

[Isaac Wilkins]

Originally Posted by Alan Aragon

In the big scheme of things it really does boil down to the thread title. Jimmy was just being lazy & careless, it's not like he kidnapped someone's pet & raped it. Maybe he just got shitfaced after a Perform Better seminar & decided to build a website & his judgement was way off. Who knows. I've actually talked briefly with him on a conference call w/Lyle, Craig B, & others. Jimmy seemed to be a pretty lucid, sensible guy. Hopefully this incident will give him a swift lesson in integrity.

Hopefully. Everyone stumbles, although this is a hearty stumble. If nothing else maybe it'll force proof-reading!

[PowerManDL]

I still think Shaf's breakdown over on BR is more accurate.

At least it's funnier.

[Alan Aragon]

Originally Posted by Isaac Wilkins

Hopefully. Everyone stumbles, although this is a hearty stumble. If nothing else maybe it'll force proof-reading!

Oh yeah, make no mistake about it, this was a pretty solid face-plant. Being at a spot where I'm happy with my reputation in the fitness information business, it's actually a little painful to see a guy who's trying to build a rep do it the precisely wrong way. At least lessons learned the hard way are the ones that tend to stick.

[Alan Aragon]

Originally Posted by PowerManDL

I still think Shaf's breakdown over on BR is more accurate.

At least it's funnier.

That was harsh as hell. I didn't know Shaf had that in him.

[GqArtguy]

Originally Posted by Chrisatc

Is this the same Jimmy as on the Fitcast? I think I remember there was a couple Jimmy Smiths.

Same guy.

And reselling a product isnt bad, but cutting and pasting it as your own is just plagiarism and douchebaggery.

PS - from an "industry guy" perspective, this whole thing is just sort of a tragic comedy. But I can understand how it would piss off the buying public who at the very least expect some honesty.

What I think is more fucked up is that he and the crew prop him up to be this guru and the next badass in training when really just a 'lucid and sensible' guy who's too lazy to make his own site and rely on hyperbole and the good old boy network to further himself.

Hows this for irony:

“Jimmy Smith is one of those young strength coaches who is doing all the right things to build a great career. He’s worked with a wide range of clients. He’s learned his functional anatomy. He’s building his own philosophy, not just taking that of someone else. So while he may be young, he is already 10 steps ahead of most of the competition. Be on the lookout for Jimmy Smith in the future; guys like him are the ones that don’t just enter an industry, they revolutionize it!”

-Mike Robertson, M.S., C.S.C.S., U.S.A.W.

I actually like Mike and a lot of his stuff, but this friendship testimonial thing is going to make all of them fall further into ridicule.

[Isaac Wilkins]

Originally Posted by Alan Aragon

That was harsh as hell. I didn't know Shaf had that in him.

But hysterically funny.

[Alan Aragon]

Originally Posted by Isaac Wilkins

But hysterically funny.

It reminded me of Resevoir Dogs.

[Alan Aragon]

Originally Posted by GqArtguy

Same guy.

And reselling a product isnt bad, but cutting and pasting it as your own is just plagiarism and douchebaggery.

What I think is more fucked up is that he and the crew prop him up to be this guru and the next badass in training when really just a 'lucid and sensible' guy who's too lazy to make his own site and rely on hyperbole and the good old boy network to further himself.

Hows this for irony:



I actually like Mike and a lot of his stuff, but this friendship testimonial thing is going to make all of them fall further into ridicule.

Yeah, good points. I wonder if Jimmy's friends are going to advise him to address this or just let it blow over.

[Chrisatc]

I have heard of using anothers template for your site, posting it to the web with intentions of going back and making it your own, or forgettign to take it down after seeing what it would look like before editing....maybe that happened here? I don't know...

[Keith S.]

Link to the BR post?