In common usage, “mobility training” has come to mean what “flexibility training” once meant for many of our clients. Whatever we are calling it, it’s a good idea to examine two joints essential for movement.
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Monday, November 20 2017
Here’s a question every trainer receives on a regular basis: “How do I get a better butt?” The media is filled with answers, but sadly most of them claim you can get a “toned tush” with only two weeks of leg raises, or “chiseled cheeks” by completing a simple 30-day squat challenge, or a “fabulous fanny” by popping a weight-loss pill. Truly changing one’s body, however, requires hard work, dedication and some heavy lifting. Most people define “toning” as adding a bit of muscle and losing body fat. To achieve this, you must lift a challenging level of resistance while monitoring your energy balance—calories in vs. calories out. Friday, November 10 2017
Every personal trainer or fitness instructor has a story about something they wish a client or class participant would do differently—use deodorant, brush teeth, wear a more supportive bra… Monday, October 30 2017
While research indicates that prenatal exercise is not only ok; but it is also recommended, myths and misconceptions about physical activity and pregnancy persist in the minds of pregnant women, personal trainers and the general public. One of the biggest points of fear in the world of prenatal fitness is core strengthening exercises. From anxiety about hurting the baby to fear of damaging a pregnant woman’s core musculature to ignoring the core altogether because of the misconception that it is ineffective during pregnancy, many women don’t train the abdominals well or with function is mind. This is a big MISS in a prenatal fitness routine. Tuesday, October 17 2017
If you’re like most people, you are busier than ever, with little time to yourself. But here’s some good news: You can increase your strength and endurance, while also giving your health and overall well-being a boost, in as little as 10 minutes. The key is to choose a super-efficient workout like AMRAP—as many rounds as possible. Monday, October 02 2017
The biceps brachii and the brachialis are the two main muscles responsible for bending the elbow. When these muscles are strong, they allow you to easily pick up, pull and carry objects. They even help you lift up your own body weight, as in the case of performing chin-ups. Repeat this circuit two to three times to fully challenge the biceps. Friday, September 22 2017
The average American is inactive nearly eleven hours per day, independent of sleep, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Despite the human body being designed as a perpetual motion machine, modern life has allocated our daytime hours to sitting in cars, on couches and in front of computers, which has left many of us hunched over and in constant pain. You might be wondering, “How can doing NOTHING actually cause problems?” The human body is extremely efficient. The form and function of muscles adapt almost immediately to the demands placed on them. When you are perpetually active, your muscles improve their neuromuscular, biomechanical and metabolic machinery to accommodate your activity. Oxygen and glucose are transported to the cells more and more efficiently. Muscles contract and relax as they were designed to do. When you’re not active, however, your muscles adapt to inactivity. Metabolism of lipids slows down, oxygen and glucose transport to the cells becomes less robust and efficient. Sitting for hours at a time convinces your muscles to accommodate this “scrunched” position. Hip flexors shorten, the neck and upper spine protrude forward, and the glutes and hamstrings weaken. Over time, this creates tension, compression and other pain-inducing joint pathologies. Wednesday, September 13 2017
The hips and shoulders provide the most potential mobility in all three planes of movement and they form the point of connection between the extremities and the torso. As a result, successful movement is only possible with sufficient mobility in these two joints. An individual’s arm movement is only as good as the shoulders; likewise, leg movement is only as good as the hips. This article highlights two very common problems for each joint and presents a few exercises to work on a solution for each. The order of the exercises will follow a sequence of: SOFTEN >> LENGTHEN >> STRENGTHEN
Thursday, September 07 2017
There’s no question: Most people aren’t getting enough sleep. According to the American Sleep Association, 35.3% of Americans report sleeping less than seven hours a night (that’s more than one third of the population!). The sleeping sweet spot is closer to seven to nine hours per night all days of the week, and anything less can have a profoundly negative impact upon your health. In fact, chronic lack of sleep lowers immune-system functioning and increases one’s risk of high blood pressure and heart disease. Lack of sleep also negatively impacts cognition, impairing memory, judgment and concentration. Monday, August 28 2017
It’s safe to crunch again. Not too long ago, a good number of well-meaning, but misguided people stirred up enough fear around crunches that many people were scared to do them and were encouraged to do planks instead—and now the new world record for a static plank that is more than eight hours. That’s not a typo. Thursday, August 17 2017
The functional training cable machine is an incredibly versatile piece of equipment because the adjustable cable pulley allows the user to move in a variety of directions with resistance. Unfortunately, it’s often used for only a few exercises: triceps press-downs, chest flyes and some variation of standing or kneeling crunches. That means most people aren’t even coming close to utilizing the cable machine to it’s fullest potential. |
