How to Perform a Sumo Squat with Lateral Hip Rotation

When it comes to lower body development, the squat reigns supreme for hitting all the large muscles at once, and adding squat variations to your program will not only keep things interesting but will help to hit those big muscles from different angles and with varying intensities. This variation of a squat is not one […]

How to Perform a Goblet Squat

A Goblet Squat is a variation of a conventional squat that can be useful for most personal training clients, but especially those with certain limitations. While you can certainly skate by handing your client a pair of 20 lb dumbbells and telling her to perform three sets of 15 basic suitcase squats and just keep […]

To Weight Belt or NOT to Belt?

Are weight belts necessary or might they even be harmful? How should personal trainers advise their heavy lifting clients? As a former queen of “ab day”, having taught 30-minute abs-only classes and putting out a 30-minute video called “Ab Shredder”, I may have overestimated my abdominal muscles’ ability to adequately protect my spine on lifting […]

Intuitive Eating: The Anti-Diet

Perhaps the answer to our personal training clients’ difficult weight loss rests in not dieting at all and honing the skill of intuitive eating instead. Novel concept? No, not really. But you wouldn’t know it today with so many diet options overwhelming the conversation of weight loss. The human relationship with food is incredibly complex […]

Interpreting Signs of Overhead Squat Assessment: Lumbo Pelvic Hip Complex Dysfunction

Interpreting the noted signs of an Overhead Squat Assessment (OHSA) can help a persoal trainer identify muscle imbalances, such as which muscles are long and weak, or short and tight, or maybe even long and overactive. Interpreting the signs can help identify syndromes such as lumbo pelvic hip complex dysfunction (LPHCD), or the structures related […]

5 Calorie Hacks You’ll Never Notice Making

Who doesn’t love a good hack, especially when it can reduce the calorie tally of the fat loss client’s day? So often there are hidden culprits in a seemingly balanced diet that can be eliminated without any loss of food satisfaction, and it’s simply a matter of finding them! Here are five calorie hacks that […]

Ice or Heat for Pain?

As personal trainers, we have well-acquainted ourselves with the PRICE protocol; pressure and ice help to reduce the swelling associated with acute injuries. And when it comes to muscle tension, moist heat applications are recommended. However, as of late, there has been some conflicting research about how effective icing certain injuries really is, and also […]

Interpreting Signs of Overhead Squat Assessment: Upper Body Dysfunction

Upper body dysfunction (UBD) may appear upon observation as simple shoulder dysfunction, as has been suggested with models such Upper Crossed Syndrome. But the glenohumeral (GH) joint does not function independently, nor is upper body function and movement limited to this one joint. The Brookbush Institute has identified the signs of dysfunction associated with and […]

Kim Becknell Williams–NFPT Personal Trainer Spotlight

Meet Kim Becknell Williams, a certified NFPT trainer and blogger who has written for our own blog in the past and will be a regular contributor going forward! She’s proof that becoming a career fitness professional can happen at any age and successfully so! We’re excited to have her on board and also think you’ll […]

Can Arnica Assist With Muscle Soreness and Injury?

Everyone experiences at least minor aches, pains and bruising, if not outright injury or trauma at some point in their lifetime, making expeditious and complete healing a priority for many people, including our personal training clients. While there are the proper steps to take when an injury first occurs, such as icing and rest, there […]