We all experience injuries in life. Minor ones are usually no big deal—you make a few adjustments to your training, give it time, and things typically return to normal. Then there are the major injuries—the ones that require surgery, long rehabilitation, and a tremendous amount of effort just to get back to baseline, if at…
There are certain exercises that are simply too uncomfortable or seem to fatigue everything but the target muscle. Usually, you just stay away from them, but with some ingenuity, you can often find a solution to the problem. Here are five examples that are common in the gym: Front Squat Problem: Hard on wrists Solution:…
In strength training, it’s best to coax or nudge adaptation, or so we’re told. The body can only adapt at a certain rate and trying to force adaptation can invite trouble. Well, like many things in life, the greater the risk, the greater the reward! Most coaches will simply say, “Don’t force it,” but that…
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…
Did you know that simply shifting your grip on a dumbbell can change muscle activation? Using an offset grip—where you hold the dumbbell closer to one side—tips the balance and increases recruitment of specific muscle fibers. For example, in biceps curls, positioning your hand toward the outer edge of the dumbbell targets the short head…
Ever notice that women and endurance athletes can perform more reps at a given intensity than the average guy? That’s because they typically have a higher percentage of slow-twitch muscle fibers, making them more resistant to fatigue at submaximal loads. Research backs this up: Endurance Capacity of Untrained Males and Females (Maughan et al., 1986)…
Want to lift heavier? Try tricking your nervous system with these three advanced warm-up strategies: 1. Postactivation Potentiation (PAP) for Strength Gains Gradually ramp up your low-rep warm-up sets beyond your working weight. This primes your nervous system, making your work sets feel lighter and allowing you to lift more. 2. Chain-Loaded Warm-Ups for Speed…
Thanks to contributions from Louie Simmons and Dave Tate, two coaches renowned for producing world-class strength athletes, the concept of accommodating resistance utilizing bands and chains has been popularized over the past two decades. Since an ascending strength curve exists on exercises like the squat and bench press, these tools accommodate strength by offering more…
Today, more training tools are available to personal trainers than ever before. How do you decide what equipment is best? It depends on the situation. Take resistance training, for example. As far as I’m concerned, free weights reign supreme. Whenever I’m asked about a particular machine, my response is always the same: Get yourself a…
Staying up to date with scientific research can give health & fitness professionals an edge. Here are some recent findings to help you stay ahead of the pack: Short, Specific Warm-Ups Are Just as Effective A short warm-up is as effective as a long warm-up for intermediate performance… To increase efficiency of time for training…