Sep 12
“Have you read anything about vitamin K2?” asked a client of mine at the end of a training session. She found an article written for endurance athletes about the nutrients that support bone health, and she wanted to know what I thought. The article made a good case. It walked through calcium, vitamin D, and …
Aug 15
Have you ever wondered what makes a personal trainer happy? It’s likely the first guesses would be watching a client lose ten pounds, add fifty pounds to their bench press, or cross the finish line of their first marathon. Those accomplishments are worth celebrating. However, the moments that warm a trainer’s heart the most are …
Jul 18
A walk through an airport terminal reveals the surprising truth that traveling is a strength and conditioning event. Suitcases are hoisted off luggage carousels, carry-on bags are pressed into overhead bins, backpacks are slung over shoulders, and rolling luggage is towed across long stretches of pavement. Before a single vacation photo is taken, the body …
Jul 10
An engaging and fun activity after a day of labor is playing a recreational sport. Golf, tennis, pickleball, running, and biking are some of the most popular sports among our personal training clients. Engaging in sports requires physical capabilities and athleticism, including the ability to endure long periods of potentially strenuous activity, consistent practice to …
Jul 03
“Imagine if your arms and legs magically disappeared from the armpits and hips. All the muscles in the region between the armpits and hips are your core.” These were the words of the fitness director who supervised me at a gym I worked at many moons ago. I was selected to teach a small-group fitness …
Jun 26
The ability to stand upright on two feet can be perceived as a normal activity that doesn’t need much appreciation. However, standing upright is an invaluable asset. An example of a pivotal moment in our everyday life is getting out of bed first thing in the morning. This might look like pushing oneself up from …
May 19
Somewhere between the ages of six and eighteen months, humans accomplish one of the most remarkable feats in our species’ physical development. We figure out how to crawl, and not long after, we push ourselves up onto two wobbly legs and begin walking. Becoming bipedal is one of the defining traits that make humans unique. …
May 02
Injuries, joint conditions, and pain-producing areas among our personal training clients commonly occur in the lower back, knees, and shoulders. In terms of which area of the body is most affected by pain, the lower back seems to be public enemy number one, followed by the knees as the second most compromised area, and in …
Apr 17
As members of the general population, we engage in a wide variety of physical activities. Some of us participate in a broad range of hobbies and chores that keep us active, such as walking our pets, gardening, or completing home improvement projects. For those of us who have children or grandchildren, our physical activities become …
Apr 16
What if getting stronger and preventing injuries wasn’t about doing more exercises, but about moving better? That’s the idea behind functional movement training. Functional movement training grew out of physical therapy, rehabilitation science, and strength and conditioning. Instead of isolating single muscles, it focuses on training fundamental movement patterns your body uses every day (e.g. …
