Talk to strangers about fitness

Training progress is boring to everyone except the person making it. A stranger who trains will actually care about the small win your friends have stopped hearing about, and they will tell you honestly whether your plan is sensible.

• What got you started and what keeps you going
• Current programme, split or training block
• Injuries, plateaus and coming back from both
• Diet, protein and the advice that is nonsense
• Home training against the gym

• “What got you into training?”Use this
• “A goal you are chasing right now?”Use this
• “Best advice for staying consistent?”Use this
• “Worst fitness advice you were ever given?”Use this
• “Morning or evening sessions?”Use this
• “What does your week look like right now?”Use this

• Ask what got them started. Most people have a turning point, whether a health scare, a breakup or a friend who dragged them along, and it gives the chat depth quickly.
• Talk about what they enjoy rather than what they lift or weigh. Enjoyment is universal; numbers can quietly turn into a competition.
• Ask about a goal they are working on right now. It gives you something to follow up on and encourage.

Unsolicited advice about diet or form is rarely welcome, and a stranger’s health is not something to diagnose. Avoid comments about bodies entirely, including compliments; they make people uncomfortable fast. Be wary of anyone selling supplements, coaching programmes or miracle plans.