The process of muscle contraction is central to all fitness, strength and sports training, yet there are many aspects of this apparently well-known phenomenon that are not adequately understood even at a more popular level. For a start, even though muscles are stated to lengthen during eccentric conditions, muscles can only “contract” or “relax.” I have intentionally placed the term “contract” within parentheses, because scientists to day consider that it is far more appropriate to refer to muscle action rather than muscle contraction. One of the reasons given for this preference is that the a ..read more

Spare tire, breadbasket, muffin top, Jello pudding pack, and love handles are all terms synonymous with abdominal (belly) fat. “What should I eat to get rid of this muffin top?” “I heard that XYZ workout program will melt away all of my gut, is that true?” “How do I turn my belly fat into muscle?” These are all questions that are commonplace in our work as fitness professionals. Many certified personal trainers would agree that they often have clients hire them intending to eliminate belly fat and love handles. Ultimately, it all comes down to the goal of body fat reducti ..read more

mposter syndrome is a common internal experience that can occur to anyone even in the fitness world. The good news is that individuals who might experience Imposter Syndrome can work on these tendencies and slowly chip away and overcome these thoughts and feelings. WHAT IS IMPOSTER SYNDROME? Imposter Syndrome is when an individual believes that the good fortune or positive opportunities, they have experienced is a result of luck, and not their hard work or skill. Often, individuals who experience this do so despite past moments of success or accomplishment. Due to this fact, feelings of Impost ..read more

Functional training has been a popular training term for decades, and you’ve likely seen the term used recently in gym advertisements, fitness magazines, and social media videos. Unfortunately, sometimes in the fitness industry, a term meant to describe a type of workout becomes trendy and used a little bit too broadly. HIIT training workouts and functional training are good examples of these. These are more than just marketing terms, though. When it comes to practical training, it’s a legitimate type of training that can be beneficial for you if you want to move better, improve your fitn ..read more

October 25, 2021 09:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time   GILBERT, Ariz.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Today the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM®), a world leader in fitness certifications, announced the launch of its newest program, Certified Sports Nutrition Coach (NASM-CSNC). This comprehensive online program equips health and nutrition coaches and fitness professionals with the skills, tools, and strategies to help optimize sports performance for clients across the entire spectrum of athletes, from amateurs to elite performers. “Success for athletes is more than just physical ..read more

Learning how to coach an athlete through strength and conditioning is far more complicated than training general population clientele and, arguably, more fulfilling. There are many more factors, modalities, thinking, and planning strategies involved with coaching an athlete of any magnitude – young, adult, novice, or elite. Here are the 8 reasons why you, as a sports performance professional, should train athletes: Grow More Observant in Initial Meetings and Assessments Understand Sports-Specificity Learn ‘Big Picture’ Training Gain the Opportunity to Learn How to Optimize Programs Through Pe ..read more

There is nothing quite like the disappointment of excitedly starting an exercise program, preparing for a new season of your favorite sport, or attempting a personal record (PR) only to find yourself injured and on the sidelines. It can also be very frustrating when that dull ache or pain becomes more bothersome as you continue your favorite activities. Sports injuries are extremely common and will affect approximately 21 percent of active adults (Bueno et al., 2018). In the case of youth athletes, approximately 44 percent will suffer an injury at some point in their athletic careers (Prieto-G ..read more

As times change, so do new ways of thinking. With that, many new philosophies surrounding food and diet culture emerge. One of those beliefs used to be that a high-fat diet was the cause of many diet-related diseases such as heart disease. However, fats are a really important component of a healthy diet. Fats are generally separated into two groups: saturated fat and unsaturated fat. Saturated fats are those that are solid at room temperatures such as butter, most dairy products, and marbling you see in red meats. Unsaturated fats are those that are liquid at room temperatures such as olive ..read more

Exercise should not be stressful. I repeat exercise should not be stressful. Exercise should alleviate stress. Before I get into the biological explanation as to why exercise should and ought to alleviate stress, let’s briefly discuss how different types of exercise alleviate different kinds of stress. THE DIFFERENT KINDS OF STRESS First, yes there are different kinds of stress. Stress can be: • Physiological – This is the lesser-known kind of stress but the one that can largely predict overall health and wellness. Physiological stress is manifest through hyper-activation of the ..read more