The Write Spotters

When to Use Jargon (And When It Gets in the Way)

I'm not a big fan of jargon.

Most of the time, it's used when simpler words would work just fine. Writers swap "build muscle" for "hypertrophy" or "good form" for "movement mechanics," and then a simple idea sounds far more complicated than it needs to be.

The problem is that jargon often creates distance between you and your reader.

If you're writing for everyday gym-goers, clients, or people trying to improve their health, clarity should always win. Your reader shouldn't need a fitness dictionary to understand what they read. They should be able to read a sentence once and immediately know what you mean.

But jargon isn't always the enemy.

If you're writing for coaches, personal trainers, physical therapists, or experienced lifters, technical terms can actually make your writing more efficient. Sometimes "RPE," "periodization," or "hypertrophy" conveys an idea more quickly because your audience already understands the language. In those situations, jargon becomes a useful shortcut rather than a barrier.

The key is knowing who you're talking to.

Too many fitness writers use jargon to sound smart. The irony is that knowledgeable coaches are often the best at making complicated ideas sound simple.

A good test is this: if you were explaining the concept to a client after a workout, would you use that term? If the answer is no, consider replacing it. If the answer is yes, and your audience would understand it, then it probably belongs.

The goal isn't to impress people with vocabulary.

The goal is to communicate clearly enough that people understand, trust you, and take action.

What's one fitness term you use regularly that most clients don't understand? How would you explain it in plain English?

The Write Spotters Transforming Personal Trainers Into Fitness Writers

Don't Just Give Advice—Show People What to Do Next

One mistake fitness writers make is stopping too soon.

They explain the concept, and they share the science. They tell readers what they should do. Then the article ends.

The problem is that information alone doesn’t create action.

Take a common piece of advice like "Eat more protein." That's fine as far as it goes, but most readers are left wondering what that actually looks like in real life. How much protein? At which meals? Which foods should they choose? What's the easiest way to get started tomorrow?

Good fitness writing doesn't just tell people what to do. It shows them how to do it.

Think about how you coach clients. You don't tell someone to "improve their squat" and then walk away. You give cues and demonstrate. You break the process into manageable steps. You make the next action clear.

Your writing should do the same.

Whenever you finish explaining a concept, ask yourself one simple question: "What should the reader do next?" If the answer isn't crystal clear, keep writing.

The most valuable content isn't the article with the most information. It's the article that helps someone take action.

Look at your last article or social media post. Did you tell readers exactly how to apply your advice? If not, how could you make the next step clearer?

The Write Spotters Transforming Personal Trainers Into Fitness Writers

Good Writing Has One Job: Keep the Reader Moving

Another great lesson from On Writing Well is that good writing has momentum.

Every sentence should pull the reader into the next one.

That’s where a lot of fitness content falls apart. The writing gets choppy, and ideas feel disconnected. Paragraphs ramble. But before long, the reader checks out mentally, even if the information is good.

Clear writing flows because the writer knows exactly where they’re going.

Think about a good training session. There’s structure. One exercise leads into the next. Everything has a purpose. You’re not randomly bouncing between deadlifts, mobility drills, and calf raises for no reason.
Writing works the same way.

One idea should lead into the next, and your reader should never feel lost or forced to stop and reread something. Simple transitions, shorter paragraphs, and clear structure make a huge difference.
And sometimes the best thing you can do is slow down and ask yourself: “Does this sentence actually help move the point forward?”

Because good writing isn’t about packing in more information, it’s about guiding the reader smoothly from beginning to end.

Take a look at one of your older posts and check the flow. Does each paragraph naturally lead into the next?

My Latest On Muscle & Fitness

Your body likes to rotate. It's designed to rotate. When you don't move that way and then do something that requires rotation, the movement has to come from somewhere, and that's where we run into issues.

The thoracic (chest) region loves rotation, and these five moves will enhance or restore your vital ability for increased power and sexiness and reduced lower back issues.

Check it out below

https://www.muscleandfitness.com/workouts/full-body-exercises/thoracic-spine-mobility-drills-for-rotation-power-5-exercises-to-improve-athletic-performance/

Thanks for reading, and to Jeff Tomko for his editing skills.

Coach Shane McLean

Thoracic Spine Mobility Drills for Rotation Power: 5 Exercises to Improve Athletic Performance - Muscle & Fitness Unlock stronger rotation, better mobility, and more explosive power with these 5 thoracic spine exercises for athletes and lifters. Improve sports performance, reduce lower back strain, and build rotational strength with expert-approved T-spine mobility drills.

Write Like a Human Being

One of William Zinsser’s best lessons is that readers want to hear a real person on the page—not a robot trying to sound professional.

That matters more than ever in fitness writing.

A lot of trainers think they need to sound ultra-serious to be taken seriously, so the writing gets stiff, formal, and loaded with jargon and “industry language” nobody actually uses in real conversation.
The problem is, readers connect with people—not textbooks.

If you’re naturally funny, let a little humor show. If you’re straightforward and blunt, lean into it. If you coach with encouragement and energy, bring that to your writing, too.

Your voice is what sets you apart from the thousands of other trainers who talk about squats, protein, and fat loss.

Let’s be honest—none of these topics is new anymore. What makes your content different is how you explain it

The easiest way to sound more natural? Write the way you’d explain something to a client after a training session. Not perfectly polished. Just clear, honest, and human.

People remember writing that feels real.

Read your last post out loud. Does it sound like you—or like someone trying too hard to sound smart?

My Latest On Muscle & Fitness

Many skip the lift setup, as if they were missing the warm-up. They want to get to the good stuff as soon as possible.

But the setup is often the missing link for improved lift performance.

The JM Press is most likely the best triceps exercise, but as a hybrid lift, you need to get the details right. Here are the details to get right to blow up your triceps.

https://www.muscleandfitness.com/workouts/arm-exercises/the-jm-press-checklist-build-bigger-stronger-triceps-the-correct-way/

Thanks for reading, and to Jeff Tomko for his time and talents.

Coach Shane McLean

The JM Press Checklist: Build Bigger & Stronger Triceps the Correct Way - Muscle & Fitness The JM press is one of the best exercises for building bigger triceps and improving bench press lockout strength—but most lifters do it wrong. Learn the perfect JM press setup, elbow position, bar path, and common mistakes to maximize muscle growth and pressing power.

Clutter Is the Enemy of Good Writing

One of the biggest lessons from On Writing Well is simple: most writing is too cluttered.

Not because people lack good ideas—but because they bury those ideas under unnecessary words.

Fitness writers do this all the time. They say things like, “It is important to note that adequate hydration levels should be maintained during exercise.” But what they really mean is: “Drink water during your workout.”

Same message. Half the words. Way easier to read.

Good writing isn’t about sounding impressive. It’s about making your point clear without exhausting the reader. Every extra word creates friction, and every bloated sentence makes people work harder than they should.

And online? People don’t have patience for that.

Think about how you coach. You don’t give a client a five-minute speech when a quick cue does the job. You say, “Brace harder.” “Slow down.” “Drive through your heels.” Clear. Direct. Effective.

Your writing should work the same way.

Before you publish, look for clutter. Cut words that don’t carry weight. Tighten sentences that wander. Most writing improves when you remove things, not add them.

Take one paragraph from your last post and cut it by 25%. Chances are, it’ll read better.

When to Use Jargon

I’m not a big fan of jargon.

Most of the time, it’s coaches trying to sound smart. Trainers start throwing around words like “hypertrophy,” “periodization,” and “sagittal plane,” and suddenly the reader feels like they accidentally walked into a college lecture instead of a fitness article.

Good writing is supposed to clarify things, not make people feel like they need a translator.

That said, jargon does have a time and place.

If you’re writing for general clients, simpler language wins. Saying “build muscle” works better than “maximize hypertrophy.” Saying “good form” lands better than “optimize movement mechanics.” Clear writing builds trust because people instantly understand what you mean.

But if you’re writing for coaches, experienced lifters, or other fitness professionals, some jargon will help. Specialized terms become shorthand. They speed things up because your audience already understands the language. In the right context, jargon creates precision.

The problem arises when writers use technical language to sound smarter rather than communicate better. That’s usually easy to spot because the writing becomes heavy, stiff, and exhausting to read. You can almost hear the writer trying too hard.

A good rule? Write as you coach.

If you wouldn’t say “We need to optimize your posterior chain recruitment patterns” to a client standing in front of you, don’t write it that way either. You’d probably say, “We need to get your glutes working better.”

Same meaning. Better communication.

At the end of the day, the goal isn’t to impress people with vocabulary. The goal is to help them understand, trust you, and take action.

And clear always beats clever.

What’s one fitness term you think gets overused or overcomplicated? Drop it below.

My Latest On Muscle & Fitness

In the age of the new, sometimes the old never goes out of style.

Bruce Lee came up with the dragon flag, and it's an old-school exercise that tests not only core strength but also full-body strength. Those are the best core exercises.

Find out all about the Dragon Flag, and why it's the best exercise you are not doing.

https://www.muscleandfitness.com/workouts/abs-and-core-exercises/bruce-lees-dragon-flag-is-still-one-of-the-hardest-core-exercises-ever/

Thanks for reading, and to Jeff Tomko for his time and talents.

Coach Shane McLean

Bruce Lee’s Dragon Flag Is Still One of the Hardest Core Exercises Ever - Muscle & Fitness The Dragon Flag made famous by Bruce Lee is one of the best exercises for building core strength, abs, stability, and total-body control. Learn how to do Dragon Flags correctly, avoid common mistakes, and unlock elite athletic performance.

Don't write for everybody.

Know your audience, but write to one specific person. #writingtips #fitnessprofessionals Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

One of the Best Editing Tricks? Leave Your Draft Alone.

Many writers finish a draft and immediately start editing it.

Don’t do that.

When you’ve been staring at the same piece for an hour, your brain stops seeing what’s there. You read what you meant to say, not what’s on the page. That’s why awkward sentences, repeated words, and confusing ideas sneak through.

Distance fixes that.

One of the best things you can do after finishing a first draft is walk away from it for a while. A few hours is good. Overnight is even better. Train. Walk the dog. Watch a terrible action movie. Just give your brain time to reset.

Because when you come back with fresh eyes, everything changes.

Suddenly, you notice the intro that drags. The paragraph is trying to do too much. The sentence sounded smart yesterday, but it now reads like alphabet soup. You start cutting fluff, tightening ideas, and making the piece clearer—not because you became a better writer overnight, but because you finally have perspective.

The first draft is where you get the ideas out. The edit is where the writing actually improves.

And good editing requires space.

Next time you finish a draft, don’t touch it for a few hours. Then come back and tell us what jumped out immediately.