When I published my post last week, I expected some backlash, but I can honestly say I did not expect the anger. I really don’t want to harp on this, but I did want to clarify a few points that I don’t think I expressed well last week, if at all:
- I took Core Fusion (and tried numerous other barre classes) regularly for about 10 months, from January, 2010 – November, 2010, at which point my hip injury was diagnosed. I was no longer able to do that type of workout. I’ve been taking Refine Method for about 14 months, from December 2010 – February, 2012, at which point I wrote last week’s post. I know it seems like I jumped from one bandwagon to the next, but I gave it more than a year to see if I could heal, see if I could reclaim my love with the barre. Ultimately, I couldn’t. And I felt that I should share — had a responsibility to share — my own personal reasoning since it was clear I switched, but it wasn’t clear why.
- One commenter mentioned I lack integrity for praising one method so passionately, and now praising another. Another called my reviews fallible. And while all reviews written by human beings are fallible to an extent, I think it is more a reflection on my personality than my integrity. When I love something, I want everyone else to love it too. Or at the very least, to try it for themselves in case they might realize they love it too! I also trust that people will read about my experience, and then make their own decisions on what they’d like to do with that knowledge I shared.
- On that note, all workouts have the potential to be dangerous. The founder of Refine Method (which, like any exercise program, carries that same potential, which is why it has a very small class size) has told me countless times that she doesn’t think running is safe and has seen many injuries from runners who take her classes. I listened to what she said, and I decided that while her points were valid, I still wanted to run a marathon — so I ran a marathon. If you read my blog to learn about fitness classes, I  hope that you can do the same. I’m sharing my experience, but what you  ultimately decide to do should be your own choice.
- I didn’t mean to imply that everyone who takes barre classes will get an injury. I got an injury. One I will have for the rest of my life. I know how I got it, but that doesn’t mean I think you will too. We all have different weaknesses, body types and susceptibilities. But that doesn’t mean that every word I wrote in every post about Core Fusion isn’t true — it is. I expressed my love for the class and how it made me feel at the time; how it got me through major life events; my progress and improvements; my successes and achievements. I captured an entire year of transformation. A year of my life through this exercise method! A couple of people demanded I take down my old content, but my blog is a progression through my life, and I can’t imagine removing so much information about my life just because my opinions have changed. We learn through experience, and I feel fortunate to have that experience archived here.
For a much more clear and eloquent post from someone who made the same switch in exercise methods as I did, please check out Cameo’s follow-up post to mine.
I didn’t want to write this post today. I wasn’t planning to. I was actually going to write, well, a class review actually, but once I started typing a quick note to acknowledge last week’s post it turned into this rambling. So here we are. I don’t think I need to defend myself and that was not my intent here.
I think I feel better now.
I used to like one thing and now I like another. Let’s move on to happier things, like picking a new winner of the ellasport giveaway - the original winner coincidentally just did a giveaway for the same brand on her own blog. Congratulations to j. at kissing-frogs.net! J. likes the yellow Gramercy Park workout tank. I hope she wears it well, it is a fabulous top.
Return to normalcy next week? Yes. See you then kids.
15 comments on A Follow-Up
2Pingbacks & Trackbacks on A Follow-Up
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[…] led me to stop taking Core Fusion and do Refine instead — particularly the insistence that I remove any old posts referencing liking Core Fusion. We’ll discuss the ethics behind this and other issues that […]
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[…] that is simply a part of the class, well, there’s just no going back.Update: Please see my follow-up to this post. Thank you! Related Posts:A Long Winded Explanation of My 2012 Workout GoalsNBC […]
j.
February 21, 2012 at 8:39 am (13 years ago)another eloquent post (although i’ve come to expect nothing less from you). as one of your readers (and a friend), i hate that you need to defend yourself. what people write in their personal blogs is not LAW, it’s about your life and how you feel and what exercises you decide to be best for your body. opinions can change – but that doesn’t mean you have to renege on all of the positive things you’ve said about core fusion in the past.
also, i am so pumped to be the winner of your giveaway! i’ve never won one before, happy birthday to me!
Cameo
February 21, 2012 at 8:42 am (13 years ago)I think you summed it up very nicely, Dori. I hope that your readers – even the ones who were not pleased with the previous post – can see your position, understand it and continue reading your blog as it progresses into the future. Your enthusiasm for loving what you do is a joy to read. You have such a wonderful blog here and it would be a shame to feel like you had to go back and edit any part of it. It is a journey. Plain and simple. PS. Thanks for the sweet pingback! xo
Karen
February 21, 2012 at 9:50 am (13 years ago)Well said. Reading blogs exposes you to many different exercise methods and ways of staying healthy. It’s up to the reader to decide if and how they want to incorporate what they learn into their lives. Everyone is responsible for themselves. And for anyone to complain or be angry because you changed your workout preference regardless of your reasons is absurd! Life is all about changing and evolving. Enjoy Refine, Dori!
SeeksBostonMarathon
February 21, 2012 at 10:42 am (13 years ago)I think people need to take a “Chillax” pill. That’s why I have a disclaimer now on my blog. That’s the whole point of a blog is to share your experiences and even opinions about whatever it is you write about. Don’t hold back (not saying you are) and keep writing. People…it’s a barre class opinion. Okay…I feel better.
MelissaNibbles
February 21, 2012 at 11:00 am (13 years ago)Great post. I like reading your reviews and hope this won’t keep you from reviewing other classes in the future.
Samantha @ Health, Happiness and Skinny Jeans
February 21, 2012 at 11:20 am (13 years ago)Well can only imagine that some of the feedback has been difficult for you but look at this way; you are impacting people and that is something to be proud of. If people are this upset about an issue then you know that, in some way, you have created a meaningful space. Now, I am not saying I agree or disagree with them or you but simply that I think you should feel proud that you have sparked passion and conviction in others, even if it isn’t in line with your personal intention or sentiment. And, while criticism can be tough, it gives you the opportunity to grow as a blogger as well. Good job!
Amber
February 21, 2012 at 12:13 pm (13 years ago)I am glad you feel better now! I can’t wait to read next week’s review.
And I totally agree with Samantha’s comment above me. There is really power in the words you write. You should be proud.
Hannah
February 21, 2012 at 6:45 pm (13 years ago)I really liked your post last week! I thought what the commenters had to say was interesting, and while I didn’t agree with it all, I guess that’s part of being a writer – you sometimes get all sorts of criticism. Core Fusion alludes me, still, and I hesitate to try it again. When you said you took over a year off from it, though, you were still exercising and working that hip muscle, right? Do you think it has healed because you can do Refine without pain? I’m only asking because I have taken almost two years off of strength training and some pain is STILL there, but I’m sure if I still exercised I would have made the pain worse. For me, it feels like a lose-lose situation, unfortunately. I guess what I am asking is do you think your hip feels healed because your way of exercising is completely different now?
Sam @ Mom At The Barre
February 22, 2012 at 12:13 am (13 years ago)Dori-you don’t need to apologize at all. I think you were misunderstood and I think this post will clarify the issue with the commenters. Like Amber, I too can’t wait for your next review. You capture the elements of a class so perfectly and always answer any question I may have. I miss the bi-weekly NBC ones!
DD
February 22, 2012 at 8:29 am (13 years ago)Hi Dori–I appreciate your honesty. I started doing Core Fusion after reading your blog and seeing your results. I love it and have had great results. Do I do CF exclusively? No. I like a lot of different exercises and fitness activities. If Core Fusion caused me pain or injured me, would I stop? Most certainly. That’s the smart thing to do, and someone else’s experience or results don’t matter if a particular fitness class or activity doesn’t work or stops working for me and my body. If all of a sudden you just stopped talking about CF after being a dveotee, your readers would wonder why. You told us, and I, as well as many others, appreciate that. Thanks for sharing your journey. Look forward to your review next week.
Marie
February 23, 2012 at 8:03 am (13 years ago)Hey Dori! I was boggled too by the negative comments on that post. I was thinking about how if I was inspired to start running because I read a running blog, and then that runner got injured and quit, would that completely discredit the runner and the sport of running? No, because running is risky and it affects everyone’s bodies in a different way and it doesn’t necessarily mean that *I* am going to hurt myself by running just because someone else did.
And I liked what Rachel said on the last post too — it’s a big internet and people are free to do their own research, rather than acting on the recommendations found in a single source. Not that I don’t value your opinion, but if I were to only read books by one author, I would probably come out with a very skewed understanding on the subject.
Also, don’t you know things can change? Things’ll go your way, if you hold on for one more day…
XO
Lia
March 4, 2012 at 1:15 pm (13 years ago)Wow, I can’t believe you actually got negative comments for that, that’s terrible. It was clear you gave it a good long try and your reasons for liking it were perfectly understandable. No one can know what’s going to happen in the future, and no two people are the same. If someone is reading your reviews as gospel, thats their own naivete, not your problem. I’ve had the same problems with injuries as you, and while I can say that I would love to do some workout programs, classes, etc, I know that I personally can’t. That doesn’t mean that no one should. I means it doesn’t work for me. And that’s what a personal blog is about. I think your posts are great, even more so for posting more than a bland review. Its nice to hear other people in similar situations as me.
DeDe
April 2, 2016 at 2:35 pm (9 years ago)Thank you, thank you, thank you for writing these posts. I have been going to Figure Four at Pure Yoga since it started. At first, it was an excellent workout. However, after a year, I started experiencing hip and shoulder pain. Then my wrists began to ache. I spoke to several F4 instructors, and they said I need to work on my “form.” The funny thing is, during many of the classes I attended the first year, those same instructors would compliment my “perfect form,” their words not mine, during class. So I went to the doctor and was diagnosed with a labral tear in my hip and was at risk of developing carpal tunnel in both hands. FYI, the latter was caused by my super tight shoulders and upper back muscles (specifically knots that developed around my first rib from the endless free weight reps from class.) So I went to physical therapy, and they told me to continue going to barre. The therapist said, “it’s the best exercise program ever!” The PT also gave me a list of stretches to do that would “resolve” my issues. So I kept going to barre class until the pain became unbearable. I went back to the PT, and she said I should take a break for a month, and when I felt better to go back to the class, and she gave me five additional stretches to do at home. This pattern repeated for years. I kept going to class because I thought my physical issues would work themselves out EVENTUALLY. I kept thinking I AM DOING SOMETHING WRONG–it is not the class–it is me– I just need to fine-tune my form, or get weekly massages…Today after feeling great for two months, my hip starting to ache during barre class. I felt defeated. I GOOGLED when I got home and found your posts. Now I felt elated. It is not just me. I am never going back to barre again. I am going to try REFINE. Again THANK YOU.