Would you agree with Einstein’s definition of insanity, which is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results? If you have been following the same workout plan for longer than a couple of months and are still expecting a greater level of fitness, it is time to change. Your body adapts quickly and what initially challenged you is too easy now. It’s not just because you’re so awesome
Read MoreJust one more makes all the difference, but I know you still have a negative meme or two floating around in your head. Let’s take care of that right now and address some of the most common reasons…er, excuses.
Read MoreMy dad lived 81 very active years. Carpentry was his profession and he also spent his nights and weekends remodeling the homes we lived in when I was a boy. Later in life, the 14 acres he owned in East Tennessee required year-round maintenance and he took pride in doing it himself. His daily movement was the key to his good health. Despite the fact he ate too much of my mom’s cooking, an active lifestyle protected him from many of the ravages of time.
Read MorePoor sitting posture also shortens the hip flexors, such as the psoas (that’s pronounced “so as,” with an emphasis on the so, as in my hips are soooo tight). A tight psoas inhibits the glutes, which allows for more pressure on the lower spine. When you do move away from your computer screen, a tight psoas will inhibit the stability of the pelvis and lower spine, so twisting to grab a piece of paper from the edge of your desk may leave you in “sudden” low back pain.
Read MoreIf your glorious glutes are working like they should, they are prime movers when it comes to things like walking, running and squatting. However, if you sit a lot or don’t use good form when moving around, they will be inhibited. The result is that the hamstrings try to compensate for your lazy glutes and end up tight, tight, tight.
Read MoreThe benefits of lifelong fitness are many. Exercise will help you lose weight, feel better and more easily handle everyday tasks. Long term, a varied program of strength and aerobic training changes you at every physical level.
Read MoreIf you’re new to resistance training, it may take a few weeks to notice more muscle, but the results are most apparent within the first few months of training. Think of it like driving a car: if you accelerate from 0 to 60 (untrained to fit), it feels more dramatic than going from 60 to 75. Don’t worry, muscular changes after months and years of consistent training are still occurring.
Read MoreTry this cardio workout from my bestselling course AGELESS FITNESS on Udemy.com.
Read MoreThe important thing to remember is the site of the pain is rarely the source of the pain. Weakness or tightness in one area indicates something above or below the site of the muscular pain is probably not functioning like it should. Everything is connected and how you move influences your overall physical wellbeing.
Read MoreEverybody is different. You may have natural strength, or perhaps speed and quickness have always come naturally. Then again, power, flexibility or balance may be your strong suit. What is true of almost everyone is that few of us have optimized our strengths and minimized our weaknesses. Furthermore, no matter how consistently you train, the workout you used last year or even last week may not be the best approach today. Your needs and capabilities change due to age, nutrition, training or injury and your workout has to evolve!
Read MoreI understand many of the workouts you see in social media posts feature athletes and people you may consider more gifted than you. I mean, they must have been born that way, right? You either have a six-pack, ripped arms and a high-and-tight arse or you don’t. Ha! Not so fast, my friend! Everyone benefits from regular movement, you simply need to understand how your body is designed to work.
Read MoreWhy do you workout? If you’re like most of us, at least part of the reason is to look better…maybe like an athlete. Yet, all of the crunches, curls and calf raises in the world won’t give you anything more than greater strength in your abs, biceps and calves. When it comes to real fitness, single-joint, bodybuilding exercises are passe’. Athletic (read functional) conditioning is what’s now.
Read MoreTechnology is a wonderful servant, but a horrible master. Until the robot overlords compel us to serve them, step out of your comfort zone and walk around the block, hike in the woods or have dinner on the patio without your phone by your side. Your social media accounts are not going anywhere and you may find some of the joy and peace you remember from summers past.
Read MoreAerobic exercise involves the use of large muscles groups moving for long periods of time (but not as long as you think). Running, walking, swimming and biking are all aerobic activities, which increase the heart rate and the body’s usage of oxygen. This is important because the body uses oxygen in the energy-generating process (read: calorie burning).
Read MoreI predict it’ll be another multi-billion dollar year in the diet and fitness industry. The fact that most of the widgets, pills and diets will not be the answer you’ve been looking for won’t be remembered in a year. My aim with this article is to dispel a few myths before you start making 3 easy payments.
Read MoreResearch has confirmed that consistent exercise can add years to your life. More importantly, an active lifestyle lowers your biological age regardless of your chronological age. If you stay fit and healthy, you’ll never act your age.
Read MoreIf you had to get down in a squat right now without holding onto a chair or bending at the waist excessively, could you? I’m not talking about going to the gym and squatting with a bar on your back. I mean, can you squat down to pick up your phone from the floor without bending at the waist or hurting your feet, knees, hips or back?
Read MoreIn Sesame Street terms, “C is for chronic (back pain) or compression (of the spine). I know that’s not catchy, but poor posture may contribute to low back pain, in part because of the disc compression in the spine. Another factor is the weakening of our best friend, the gluteus maximus and a shortening of the hamstrings. In short, if you sit on your butt all day, it will be inactive and weak. The hamstrings shorten after long periods of time in a seated position and have to over-compensate for weak glutes (they extend the hips), which adds to their tightness. Some studies suggest tight hamstrings contribute to 80 percent of all low back pain.
Read MoreWhen the going gets tough…you know the rest…the tough get going. The thought is that harder work or some new approach is the solution to any challenge. Yet, what if the so-called problem is simply an opportunity to look at your life in a different way? What if doing less (or nothing at all) is the answer? Could an apparent roadblock be a welcome detour to an unexpected future?
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