3 Ways to Maximize Your Strength Workouts

Maximize your workouts

I often hear people say they want to “maximize” their strength-training workouts. The translation of this statement is usually “my workouts aren’t giving me what I want.” If this is you, you’re smart to think you should be doing something differently to build muscle or lose fat. But what is that “something?” You can improve your workouts – and your body composition– by changing an almost endless array of variables. Here are just three ways to start seeing better progress immediately. Avoid Ineffective {Read More…}

Five Myths About Abs Training

Incline reverse crunch/hanging leg raise

Abs training might be one of the most misunderstood of all muscle groups. The myths are rampant, so today I do my best to dispel a few of them. It’s not hard to fall for these myths; popular media reinforces them steadfastly. My experience and education have shown me, however, that you can’t always believe what you hear, even if it’s repeated over and over. Myth #1 “Abs are made in the kitchen alone.” When pontificating about the best way {Read More…}

Crunches No More! Effective Core Training

IMG_3021ed3

I know people who hate crunches and sit ups, maybe as much as I hate overrated military-style exercises that make me struggle awkwardly (like burpees). The fact that some disciplines use them as a test of fitness certainly doesn’t help their reputation, so let’s look at how useful they really are. I don’t mind crunches myself. Once I get into a rhythm, staring at the ceiling in a trance, I actually kind of enjoy them. Crunches aren’t necessarily bad for {Read More…}

Commandments for Health & Injury Prevention

backseat

Whether you love being active or not, no one wants to end up with an injury. Inactive people get injured more frequently than active people. Those who don’t exercise become deconditioned, and a wrong step, a movement outside normal range of motion, repetitive movements, or carrying too much weight can lead to muscle and joint dysfunction. People who are out of shape and get surgery to fix muscle or joint issues usually are back in pain again in some way, {Read More…}

A Killer Full-Body Workout Using Only Your Body Weight

If we’ve connected on Twitter or Facebook you may have heard me talk recently about attending a workshop through the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM). I’m studying to be a certified personal trainer and fully acknowledge that I’m also turning into a certified Fitness Know-It-All. My family, who I was visiting during the class, can attest to this as I put them through fitness assessments and evaluated them relentlessly while there. In any case, I get such insane satisfaction {Read More…}

For Bad Ass Abs, Get Strong and Lean

Reverse crunches are my favorite for lower abs

People think about their abs a lot. We’re fueled by images of fit, lean models and athletes in the media and told this should be the almighty goal. I like seeing my abs just as much as the next person, but these days I focus more on how a strong core stabilizes and moves the torso and spine and prevents injury. Yes, I am talking about your “core” here, not just your abs. The term “core” is used in by {Read More…}