Last Friday as I was finishing my workout another trainer who rents from the gym came in with three obese clients. She led them right past the MedX machines, past the barbells and dumbbells, had them pick up sledgehammers, then took them outside behind the building. One of the bay doors was open, so I…
Evidence-Based Resistance Training Recommendations: Part 4
The recent review by James Fisher, James Steele, Stewart Bruce-Low and Dave Smith should be on the “must read” list for everyone with an interest in exercise. In fact, you should download and read it before you read the rest of this post which is the fourth of several commentaries I will be writing on their review….
Evidence-Based Resistance Training Recommendations: Part 3
The recent review by James Fisher, James Steele, Stewart Bruce-Low and Dave Smith should be on the “must read” list for everyone with an interest in exercise. In fact, you should download and read it before you read the rest of this post which is the third of several commentaries I will be writing on their review….
Thoughts On Relative Volume Of Single And Multi-Set Workouts
The studio I train at rents to several other personal trainers, and while most of them are okay there are a few who have no idea what they’re doing. I usually ignore them, but last week during a session I overheard one start training her client on the overhead press behind me and was surprised…
Equipping Your New Personal Training Studio
How you train is far more important than the equipment you use. Proper training with very limited or basic equipment will produce better results, more quickly, more efficiently, and more safely than training incorrectly on the best equipment in the world. There is no specific piece of exercise equipment you must have, no specific exercises you must teach your…
Thoughts On Personal Training
If you’re thinking of becoming a personal trainer the most important thing to ask is whether it is something you really want to do, something you are passionate about. If not, find what that thing is and do it instead. You only live once and you shouldn’t waste years of your life in a job you…
Backwards Machines
To better understand the real objective of exercise and get into the proper mindset for high intensity training I’ve found it helps to think of barbells, dumbbells, or exercise machines as “backwards machines”. The purpose of most machines is to make some task easier, like lifting a heavy object, or moving some object more quickly or over a greater…
Intellect Versus Instinct
Many trainers and coaches recommend approaching your workouts with an adversarial mindset, often using phrases which invoke violent or war-like imagery like “going to battle” with or “attacking” the weights or entering the gym with a “siege mentality”. A workout is not a battle between you and the weights, though, it is a battle between your intellect and your…
Please Help The United Way Sandy Hook School Support Fund
To help the families affected by the recent tragedy at Sandy Hook School in CT for the rest of December I will give a one hour phone consultation to anyone who donates $50 or more to the United Way’s Sandy Hook School Support Fund. Donations to the fund can be made online at https://newtown.uwwesternct.org/ After…
Fat Gripz Review
Anyone who watches late night television or reads bodybuilding, fitness, or health related magazines knows there is a lot of gimmicky crap out there. A lot of exercise equipment and accessories are worthless either because they are meant to be used in ways that are a waste of time at best and harmful at worst,…
