Let’s take a minute to think this one through…
The symbol ‘Rx’ comes from the medical practice where it is used to represent a ‘prescription’. It actually has latin origins in ‘recipe’, which is translated as ‘to take’.
“Where are you going with this Mass?”
Well, as we know Rx is used in fitness today, and like many words we use today in the world, its true essence and meaning has been diluted and misinterpreted over time.
Rx in fitness to most people is an ideal – a workout prescription or level of competition to aspire to, where anything else is ‘scaled’, ‘regressed’, or if you’re worthy/think you are ‘Rx+’. Herein lies the misinterpretation.
If we circle back to its medical use, Rx is a treatment prescribed to each individual as part of a prognosis, based on their unique history, and following the diagnosis of their current condition.
Back to fitness with that in mind: Should ‘Rx’ not be used to define the prescription of the next step of challenge for each individual client, based on their history, current condition and goals? Rather than a blanket ideal on a whiteboard? After all, not all patients with a headache are sent for brain surgery.
Re-ordering our thoughts in this way means that not only do our clients get exactly what they need from each session in order to solve their current movement problems and progress systematically, but they also experience more meaning and connection to the process…
They start to develop an understanding of their own process through exploration of their ‘Rx’d’ actions, as opposed to flying by the seat of their pants, eyes closed, to a one size fits all prescription that they can’t yet properly express.
This isn’t an anti whiteboard post, it’s an anti instructor/mindless coaching post.
My challenge to all coaches in a group setting: Hold the plan on the whiteboard lightly, and instead use it as the basis of your more individualised ‘Rx’s’ to each person in front of you on any given day + aim to shift the culture in your gym accordingly.
Then emulate the best in the game and coach and connect, don’t instruct and force.
WHO + Why + What = How [Rx]