The “Afterburn Effect” & the Commercialization of Exercise Science

A deep dive into an old trend and how it was misused for financial gain

Things can exist while also being essentially useless. This right here is a story about that intersection.

In a larger sense, too much of the fitness industry, or my new favourite term, the wellness-industrial-complex, is built on that intersection.

We, consumers, are always looking for that new edge that will help us cruise toward our ambitious goals.

We want that new thing that will not only put our results into turbo mode but also explain our past “failures.”

Whenever that new thing comes around, it starts selling like hotcakes. Or like wheat-free, dairy-free & soy-free hotcakes to be more “on brand” in this context.

With all this in mind, today we will discuss the afterburn effect. I'm sure you've heard of this concept if you’ve been involved in r some time.

If you have heard of it, I’m also willing to bet it was sold to you as a revolutionary idea. As someone who was a trainer during its height, I for sure sold it to potential clients. I ask for forgiveness for this— I knew not what I was doing.