After decades of pain-free living, I was blindsided by lower back issues late last year. Everyday activities became a challenge, and squats and deadlifts were off the table. The turning point came from revisiting Dr. Stuart McGill’s literature, specifically Back Mechanic, Ultimate Back Fitness and Performance, and Gift of Injury. This deep dive inspired a…
Injury Prevention Strategies for Aging Athletes is a seminar that I’ve presented several times over the years to professional organizations like the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology (CSEP), canfitpro, Certified Professional Trainers Network (CPTN), and Ontario Society of Health and Fitness (OSHF). Eventually, that seminar became a webinar and now a book. The book is…
Training to do a one-arm chin-up involves a two-step process: a) Start with a mixed grip with your hands placed shoulder-width apart as I’m demonstrating in the video below. Each session increase the distance between your hands by one inch on each side. b) After six sessions, grab the bar with your right hand only…
Every seasoned weight lifter should incorporate bodywork into their restoration regimen. It’s a crucial element for staying strong, mobile, and injury-free. I personally work with five professionals on a regular basis for bodywork: I’ve created a five-part video series to give you a glimpse of what each of them does. Enjoy the behind-the-scenes look at…
You go to an accountant to do your taxes, a lawyer for legal work, and a mechanic to fix your car—so shouldn’t you approach a professional for your fitness needs? Why do so many people think they can do it on their own? Would you do a root canal on yourself? I didn’t think so!…
The Functional Movement Screen (FMS) is popular with many personal trainers—but not so much with researchers. A recent systematic review suggests the FMS isn’t a great tool for predicting injury: Do Functional Movement Screen (FMS) Composite Scores Predict Subsequent Injury? A Systematic Review with Meta-AnalysisAuthors: RW Moran, AG Schneiders, J Mason, SJ Sullivan Aim: To…
For years we’ve been told to avoid behind-the-neck pulldowns and pull-ups. They place tremendous stress on the shoulders when lifting a heavy load with the humeri abducted and in a position of maximum external rotation. It’s a problem waiting to happen. Furthermore, it’s not a natural movement. We’re not really meant to pull things behind…
Staying up to date with scientific research can give you a competitive edge as a personal trainer. Here are some recent findings that can enhance your knowledge and improve your clients’ results: A New RPE Scale for Resistance Training Ratings of perceived exertion are a valid method of estimating the intensity of a resistance training…
Three healthcare professionals I visit regularly for soft-tissue work are Dr. Mae Chan, Mary Tam, and Vlodek Kluczynski. It would be unusual for two weeks to pass without seeing at least one of them. Here’s why. Mae is a chiropractor, acupuncturist, and active release techniques (ART) provider—an extraordinary multitasker! During a single session, she might…
The standard side-lying dumbbell external rotation primarily overloads the middle of the range of motion. If you use a resistance tube, it shifts the overload to the end of the range. But what about the start of the range? That’s where these two variations come in. I learned the Buchberger External Rotation from renowned shoulder…