Improving Stepping Movement Patterns with RNT

Stepping movement patterns are an integral part of daily activities. A compromise to the stepping function can result in a decrease in efficiency which can ultimately affect performance and can even lead to injury due to the compensations that result. Including RNT exercises in exercise programs serves to improve functional stability and enhance motor-control skills....

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Is Not Engaging the Core Hindering Your Performance?

Many individuals who perform resistance training exercises unfortunately are not performing them in a biomechanically sound manner. As a result, they are often not challenging the muscle appropriately and / or are increasing the risk for injury. A strength coach I worked with would say in jest when observing this, “Well, they are working something.” But what good is “working something” if that is not what is intended or if it can potentially lead to harm. While there are many basic principles that are often violated, one common violation is not engaging the core properly prior to beginning movement. While it sounds easy enough, activating the core isn’t necessarily a simple task, especially after routine neglect. Often thought of as a low back exercise, the Quadraplex is a great exercise to work on spine stabilization through core activation as shown in this video. The main goal is to maintain the optimal position of the spine and pelvis during basic movement....

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Metabolic Training to Maximize Caloric Burn

Performing a series of resistance training exercise with limited to no rest to improve the ability to perform anaerobic work can help maximize caloric burn. Plus, as seen in this video, these combined exercises replicate many required job demands....

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Keep Up the Good Workouts!

Can you believe it is already here? The time of the year that I can’t seem to catch my breath. It seems that I am always on a quest for more time, but between my daughter’s birthday in November, friends’ birthdays in December, Thanksgiving, Christmas, the New Year and all that goes along with each of them, more than ever, time is what I DO NOT have enough of (and therefore the reason that I cannot breathe!). Is it just me or do you feel the same way too? Unfortunately, in the face of all of this, it is not...

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Healthy Eating Tips for Turkey Day!

It’s only one week away! That day of extreme gluttony and couch cruising that kicks off a season of calorie imbalance. Unfortunately, the resulting extra calories get stored as body fat and add to the extra pounds that catalyze many New Year’s resolutions. But this year can be different – starting with today! No, we are not going to be the food police and tell you to eat only salad and drink water on Thanksgiving. Still, be mindful that a typical turkey dinner with all the trimmings can be more than 3,000 calories. Add to that the pre-meal snacks and late evening leftover refrigerator...

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Healthy Halloween Habits!

Halloween has finally arrived! I think my son started asking me in the spring when it was going to be time to dress up again. He had his costume picked out two months ago! Actually, he got to wear one costume for school today and has another one to go around in on Halloween night. He is so excited! For him, I don’t think it is the candy (since he doesn’t eat that much of it anyway), but the thrill of running door to door to see if someone is home and will answer the door. For weeks he has...

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Nutrition to Maintain Your Muscle Mass!

An unfortunate effect of aging is a decline in many of our functional capabilities. One such decline is a loss of muscle mass and strength. This decline not only affects our ability to function physically in everyday life, but is also a major risk for falls and subsequent disability. The good news is that while this decline is inevitable, we can slow the rate of decline. The best approach (as mentioned in a previous blog)—exercise (surprise, surprise), with resistance training being most effective. There are other factors that affect the rate of muscle loss such as nutrition, genetics, trauma...

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Maintain Your Muscles at Every Age!

We lose both muscle mass and strength as we age. In fact, adults begin losing muscle mass in their mid-30s.  By the time they reach 75 years of age, they will have lost ~50% of their total muscle mass.3 This age-related decline in muscle mass is called sarcopenia. As muscle mass decreases, seniors lose strength, which not only affects their ability to perform activities of daily living but also increases the risk of falls.2 Scientists have shown that one of the most effective ways to increase muscle mass and strength is through intense resistance training. However, little is known about how mu...

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Say Goodbye to Barriers!

It’s that time of year again. Summer is winding down and the new school year is starting. I know for many parents this time is met with mixed emotions. On the one hand they think, how can another year have passed? How can my little (or not so little anymore) one be hitting yet another one of life’s milestones? How can the lazy days of summer be over? But at the same time they feel excited for the new experiences that they are in store for. They look forward to the more structured days and to be honest, getting the kids out of the house. But feelings aside, the reality is this time of year brin...

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Bicep Curl Challenges Increase Stability, Strength, and Balance

Whether it’s for your own workout or a client’s, your toolbox should include a number of time-efficient corrective exercise progressions that target core stability, structural alignment, and balance. This video demonstrates a great exercise to prevent many lower extremity and back injuries associated with poor muscular strength and balance....

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Beat the Heat and Stay Active!

Summer is upon us. And here in Texas, that means you stay indoors – a lot. This can be a problem because when you hide inside you’re closer to the fridge and the Laz-E-Boy. Calorie balance can get really out of whack during the summer with vacations, patriotic holidays, and longer daylight hours. Here are ways you can get up and/or get out during the hot months. Remember, when it’s hot outside, your body needs more water. Make sure you stay well-hydrated whether you choose to move indoors or outdoors. Indoor at Home Pop in a favorite physical activity video or DVD and start moving. Get a coup...

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Metabolic Resistance Training

You may have heard about performing cardiovascular interval training to improve lactate threshold and maximize calorie burn but did you know that some of the same principles can be applied to resistance training as well? Sometimes called metabolic training or metabolic resistance training, performing a series of resistance exercises with limited rest can improve anaerobic glycolysis therefore improving the ability to perform anaerobic work, not to mention it provides a break from traditional resistance training programming—changing it up so to speak. And then of course there is the addition of increased calorie burn. There are a variety of ways in which this can be done but one is through the use of complexes....

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