Flexibility training is an essential, yet often overlooked health-related component of fitness. Numerous studies support the short- and long-term benefits of various types of stretching, including static stretching, dynamic stretching, and proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF), just to name a few. Here are 10 reasons why you should be stretching on a regular basis. Decreased stress…
ACE Advocacy and Outreach  Spring is upon us, and the warm sun and blue skies create a perfect backdrop for outdoor workouts. There is a long list of health benefits associated with being outside, like boosting immunity, mental health and brain function. Performing outdoor workouts has even been shown to increase satisfaction with fitness programs, which…
Agility training isn’t just for athletes—it’s important for anyone who wants to move quickly and easily, and to improve their reflexes, focus, balance, coordination and/or neuromuscular awareness. Plus, it’s a really fun way to add some intensity to your workouts. To get the most out of agility drills, you want to push yourself, but also…
We know that performing crunches, which involves flexion of the spine, is one way to fire the rectus abdominis, but when designing abdominal sequences it is important to consider all segments of the abdominals and how they move or stabilize the spine. Here are five exercises that target all of the abdominal muscles by flexing,…
You make your health and fitness a priority. You schedule your week around your workouts or favorite fitness classes, and rarely does a day goes by that you don’t walk through the doors of a fitness facility. But here’s something you may not realize: The time you spend working out is only one part of…
I applaud every person who puts on workout gear and gets his or her butt to the gym! After all, with so many other obligations competing for our time, getting there is half the battle. Once you’re there, make sure you’re making the most of it by avoiding these all-too-common mistakes people make in the…
Have you ever seen the term MET on a piece of exercise equipment and wondered what it meant? MET stands for metabolic equivalent, which is one way that exercise physiologists estimate how many calories are burned during physical activity. Having a basic understanding of METs and how to use them can help you determine the…
When you hear the term “strong arms,” you probably think of lean, defined, muscular arms. However, hypertrophy (large muscles) and strength are not directly correlated. That is, bulky biceps (as a result of bicep curls) are truly “beach muscles, which means they do not necessarily serve a purpose other than aesthetics. And if that’s a…
ACE Advocacy and Outreach  The built environment is a term that we often take for granted, but what does it really mean? And how does it affect you, the exercise professional? Simply put, the built environment is anything that has been built by people. It’s the roads your car travels on, the railroad tracks…
How many exercises do you know? Dozens? Hundreds? Thousands? It’s a good thing you do, because most clients like variety in their workout routines. Sometimes it seems as if there couldn’t possibly be anything new to teach. Within each exercise, however, there are subtle changes you can make to prevent injury and enhance performance. For…