Should You Train Differently on GLP-1s? A Retired Strength Coach & Professor’s Take on Muscle, Missteps, and Mastery
As I’ve mentioned up to this point in this series on GLP-1 agonist medications and fitness, we’re in a new era of body recomposition. The GLP-1 revolution—led by medications like semaglutide and tirzepatide—has shifted the conversation from willpower to physiology. For the first time in decades, people struggling with obesity have access to pharmaceutical tools […]
Tapping Into the Flow State of Exercise and Movement
Imagine getting so caught up in an activity or pursuit that the rest of the world falls away as you perform effortlessly and in a highly successful manner. This flow state, identified by psychology professor Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, Ph.D., occurs when individuals find themselves fully immersed in the actions of the present moment. Csikszentmihalyi further describes […]
Pillars of Stability: Understanding the Importance of Foot Health
Most of us come into this world with two perfectly healthy feet. We count on these feet to support our bodies through every transition, from standing still to running, dancing, skipping, playing sports, and taking those all-important 10,000 steps each day. With proper care and attention, we can maintain healthy foot anatomy and function for […]
Adolescent Obesity: A Growing Epidemic of Poor Diet and Inactivity
Obesity has become a significantly increasing problem in teens and adolescents in recent years. Dietary habits and lifestyle has remarkably changed. After school, many adolescents rest near the television while doing homework or sit for hours in front of a computer, sustaining that activity with high-calorie junk foods.
Exercise and Depression: How Personal Trainers Can Make an Impact
Depression is the "common cold" of psychological disorders. The World Health Organization considers depression a high priority concern and most everyone has been depressed or knows someone who has been depressed at some time in life. Its symptoms include sleep disturbances, loss of appetite or overeating, and anhedonia (inability to experience pleasure). While it comes in different forms and intensities, some of its characteristics are enduring. Depressed people think in different ways from their non-depressed counterparts. Their neuro-chemistry is different. They have low self esteem. They are inactive.
Dorsalgia: Back Pain and the Personal Training Client
Personal trainers are bound to address back pain complaints or conditions when working with adult clients. Back problems affect a considerable number of adults each year, ranking as the second most common complaint to physicians. Nearly 16 million adults — 8% — experience persistent or chronic back pain, curtailing many everyday activities. Over 2 million adults suffer permanent pain/disability. As the sixth most expensive medical condition in the United States, direct and indirect back-related healthcare costs can run over $12 billion per year.
Dorsalgia, one of the most common skeletal muscle syndromes, refers to pain in the upper back and includes sciatic pain, but excludes discomfort relating to scoliosis or lordosis. This painful condition often develops with age, particularly affecting those with a variety of comorbid conditions.
Seasonal Affective Disorder: How Personal Trainers Can Help Clients See the Light
For those of us who are winter sports enthusiasts, the onset of colder weather signals the beginning of snow-related fun. Yet for others, the shorter days and colder temperatures trigger a cascade of symptoms that are anything but pleasant. Feelings of depression, anxiety, and moodiness are symptoms commonly associated with what scientists have termed Seasonal Affective Disorder, or quite aptly, SAD.
Is There a ‘Male Menopause’? Testosterone Decreases with Age
Is there a ‘Male Menopause’? The accurate answer to this question, of course, is no, as menopause refers to the cessation of menstruation in women. However once a man reaches the age of 30, the testosterone production in his body will decrease by an average rate of 1-2% per year.
EPOC: Maximizing the Body’s Oxygen Debt for Greater Weight Loss Results
While exercise recovery needn’t take an epoch, it does involve EPOC (Excess Post Exercise Oxygen Consumption).
Collateral Vascular Damage: A Good or Bad Thing For Building Muscle?
The term “collateral damage” is typically a military term, one that denotes unintended damage to an area around a target. But as it applies to resistance training, collateral damage can be a good thing.