For years only a finite number of dedicated fitness enthusiasts practiced a sure-fire method of achieving results from exercise: weightlifting with the heaviest loads possible. Most common gym routines are derived from the bodybuilding world and focus on moderate-to-high repetition ranges, usually eight to 15 reps, to increase the size of a muscle. Serious strength-training…
Squatting is a foundational movement that most of us perform every single day. All over the world, people are squatting while doing everything from household chores to sitting down in a chair. Even so, the squat can pose a challenge to many people. Starting with various squatting patterns and progressing to more challenging moves can…
When working with beginning exercisers, sticking to basic strength-training principles is a good approach to help them begin adapting to a new stimulus. Getting comfortable in a workout routine and paying attention to technique and execution is key to these clients seeing and feeling gains in strength, endurance and body awareness. But over time, the…
Foundational motor abilities (FMAs) provide a foundational building block for the development of nearly every physical skill. A key component of this foundation is perceptual motor skills, which enable children to explore their physical environment with their senses and provide motor output. Base functional strength and power, as well as postural stability and mobility, are…
You can’t escape burpees these days. It’s become the go-to move for high-intensity exercise because it uses a lot of muscle and moves your body mass up and down. This is also why burpees are an exercise that many people love to hate. For some people, rapidly shifting the head up and down creates dizziness….
If you live near a lake, river or oceanfront, you’ve undoubtedly seen increasing numbers of people on stand-up paddleboards (SUP). This popular activity is super fun and provides a great workout. You can make the experience even more rewarding, however, by using your off-the-board workout time to strengthen those SUP-specific muscles. “Intelligent fitness training will…
The Bulgarian Bag is a unique and versatile piece of equipment that allows for a wide range of movements. Here are three great exercises that will challenge the whole body, particularly the muscles of the core.
The push-up has long been an exercise that many use to measure their fitness. Even the U.S. military uses this move as a part of the PT testing service members engage in during training. So why is this move so essential and how can you improve it? The push-up, like other pushing movements, is part…
“How many pull-ups can you do?” If you’re a health and fitness professional, you’ve probably been asked this a few times by a client, friend or a random person who notices your healthy lifestyle. But what does the ability to do an unassisted pull-up have to do with fitness? Because performing the pull-up involves moving…
As a Gen-Xer growing up in the 1980s, I was motivated to start working out by the action heroes in the summer blockbuster flicks. Larger-than-life movie stars like Arnold, Stallone and Van Damme had big muscles, always beat the bad guys and ended up getting the girl. Who wouldn’t want to emulate that? When I…