Sneezin’ Season: Should You Exercise When Sick?

Have you been suffering too many colds this season? Is your “healthy” exercise program compromising your immune system? Or is exercising while you are under the weather sabotaging your workouts? Let’s face it: the gym can sometimes be a double-edged sword. For the most part, exercise will boost a client’s energy level as well as […]

Metabolism and Muscles: Is The Effect As Dramatic As We’d Like To Believe?

Chasing the ultimate caloric burn remains a top priority for many avid gym-goers. Personal trainers have long promoted muscle mass and definition as powerful tools in attaining this goal. Could we have been misleading our clients…and ourselves…about how much muscle really “raises” metabolism? Understanding Metabolism Metabolism encompasses every chemical process required by the body as […]

Spinning or Cycling: Are You “In” or “Out”?

The choice between indoor cycling classes and riding outdoors, on the road or weaving up and down rocky terrain, continues to strike a chord among fitness enthusiasts. While personal preference largely dictates one’s decision to either remain in the gym or experience the great outdoors, knowing some technical aspects of each may help clients select […]

Micro-HIIT: Exercise Efficiently On A Time Crunch

Maximizing results in the gym may seem all about how many grueling hours we exercise. However, new research indicates that we can train smarter instead of longer by changing up protocols and moves. In fact, short intense bouts such as micro-HIIT in or out of the gym, may prove even more beneficial for overall health […]

Pedal into the Peloton World

Technology is changing the way many Americans exercise today. From Smartwatches to virtual class experiences, and even intelligent home gyms, individuals are embracing ever more convenient ways to work out and track progress. The Peloton system is among these gadgets with unmistakable allure: “Technology can help engage people in exercise more,” says Dori E. Rosenberg, […]

Brain Fitness: How Athletics Can Hone Mental Skills

We seldom question the physical benefits that exercise has on our bodies, but the benefits to the brain and higher functioning are not as regularly touted. How does being active and playing sports really impact the brain? Can someone improve “brain fitness”? “No one would argue against the fact that sports lead to better physical […]

Good News for Runners: It’s Good for Your Knees

The sport of running has always carried with it the stereotype that it might damage one’s knees. New research aims to change that perception, suggesting recreational running as a panacea for middle-aged knee osteoarthritis. You might find you have clients in their 40’s-60’s often expressing a desire to increase their cardiovascular efforts. Many such individuals […]

Is Your Libido Losing to Your Workouts?

The majority of avid exercisers make the mistake of monitoring muscle soreness when deciding whether their bodies are ready for yet another tough workout. However, overtraining – or “under-recovering” — does not originate in the muscles, but rather has an impact on the nervous and endocrine system first…including the libido. A Real-Life Scenario On a […]

Helping Athletes Recover From Overtraining Syndrome

Personal trainers may occasionally work with clients who consistently push themselves too hard and too frequently. The ramifications of this habitual body-battering are far-reaching. An athlete or fitness client who does not allow for enough recovery time between workouts may suffer the effects of Overtraining Syndrome (OTS), and as their coach and fitness expert, spotting […]

Words Have Power: Enhance Trainer-Client Relationships With Better Word Choices

If we don’t stop and think about the words we speak or even write, we may inflict harm we don’t intend to, especially with regard to our clients’ bodies and self-image. Words have power, and we can wield them for the better or the worse in our fitness profession. The Problem With January Gym Challenges […]