Blog
The Biggest Assessment Mistakes Personal Trainers Make
After 30 years in the fitness industry, I’ve seen the same assessment mistakes repeated again and again. Many personal trainers overcomplicate the process with endless screens and diagnostics. In this article, I explain the most common assessment mistakes and how trainers can simplify their approach while still gathering the information they need.
My First Go Around With Dr. Eric Serrano (Part 2)
Milk vs. Other Dairy: What’s the Difference? JP: You’re not a fan of milk, but you’re okay with other dairy products like cottage cheese and
My First Go Around With Dr. Eric Serrano (Part 1)
Many people don’t know that Dr. Eric Serrano and I correspond almost daily. He’s a wealth of knowledge—always sharing insights, answering my questions, and sending
The “Advanced” Variable Recovery Training System
For those who have read my article The Variable Recovery Training System, an advanced version exists. The routine is exactly the same as outlined in
How to Stop a Case of the Runs
Many moons ago, when my wife and I only had one toddler running around, we took a trip to Cuba for a week. We had
An Update on My Progress with Chin-Ups
You may recall from a recent post that my benchmark for complete recovery from distal biceps surgery was the ability to do chin-ups. For my
Beef Bolognese Sauce Over Zoodles
Guest Blog by Mary Catanzaro In my never-ending quest to prepare healthy and tasty dinners, I decided to try the zucchini noodle dish I’ve been
A Blessing In Disguise
These days, my two girls practically live at the dance studio preparing for their upcoming competitions. Often, they’re not around for dinner, so it’s just
Do Not Ice After Resistance Training
If you think the anti-ice movement is gaining steam, you’re right! Here’s a recent study on the topic: Does Regular Post-exercise Cold Application Attenuate Trained
The Best of Both Worlds
Here are two common questions in the strength world: You’ll find experts on both sides of the debate, but the truth is that any stimulus
My Eldest Client
My eldest client is 87 years young, and I’ve had the privilege of training her twice a week since 1998. When we first met, she
Getting in Shape After the Age of 50
Recent research has shown that strength, rather than endurance, is the key to maintaining functional capacity in aging adults. One of the biggest concerns for
Strength Training And Muscle Fiber Distribution
Dutch exercise physiologist Dr. Jan Voss was one of the early researchers of muscle fiber types. As part of his research, Voss performed numerous muscle
The Growing Rate of Childhood Obesity (Part 2)
I remember as a kid playing street hockey almost every night after school until it was so dark outside, you couldn’t see the ball anymore.
The Growing Rate of Childhood Obesity (Part 1)
We have a real problem on our hands. More and more children are becoming obese, and the numbers keep rising. Something needs to be done
Offset-Grip Dumbbell Lateral Raise
An offset grip, sometimes referred to as an “off-center” grip, is often used during arm curls to increase activation of the short (medial) head of
A Leap of Faith or A Calculated One?
Before you read on, watch this video: Now, you may be asking yourself—what’s the big deal? A few chin-ups, so what? Well, those few chin-ups
My Top 5 Nutrition Resources
It’s been said over and over: “Abs are made in the kitchen, not in the gym!” If you want to get in shape, most experts
Wave-Like Loading For Athletes
For volume training with intermediate and advanced athletes, legendary strength and conditioning coach Al Vermeil recommends wave-like loading when performing squats and presses. Too much
Heal Like Wolverine (Part 5)
An Ounce of Prevention is Worth a Pound of Cure The best way to deal with an injury is to prevent one from happening in
Heal Like Wolverine (Part 4)
The Inevitable Truth Whether it’s during competition or training, injuries are bound to happen. It’s part of the game. If you play with any form