January 9, 2012 by Will Brink

Death By Prowler!

I use the Prowler with tac teams I have worked with on their performance/fitness, myself, and various athletes from all walks, and nothing comes close as both a conditioning tool and a whole body strength tool.

It is without equal as a single piece of equipment one can own that covers the full spectrum of fitness. Vast majority use it as a GPP/conditioning tool, and it’s great for that. Very few use it as a true strength/power builder, and that’s a mistake. Pile some serious weight on it, and it’s killer for strength/power developer. I have posted many Prowler related vids here in the past. Just came back from the gym where I did an all Prowler leg workout with my buddy Big Lee Rosenberg. Death by Prowler!

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December 24, 2011 by Will Brink

Training After 40!

Training after 40 and beyond! I get asked all the time about training after 40; asked if I would do a vid or write an article on what, if any, differences people over 40 years old should focus on regarding their training. I cover the topic below in this latest vid.

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December 22, 2011 by Sumi Singh

Top 5 Excuses Moms Give to Avoid Exercise, and How To Fix It

SO YOU’RE A MOM. Maybe you’re a new one, or one with a toddler, or one or two (or more!) children around. Your life is busy. I know, I get it. And as a trainer, a mom, and a trainer TO moms, I’ve heard more than my fair share of excuses (some good, and some bad) of why some mommies just can’t take the time or make the effort to hit the weights, get to the gym, work out in the home, and exercise. Here’s what I’ve heard, and here’s how to fix it.

1. I have no time. BUSTED: Set your alarm clock earlier, cut out pointless behaviors (watching TV, surfing the internet), work out when baby naps, involve baby in your daily walks, take a mommy and me stroller class (or something similar), make exercise a priority, budget your time better, leave the dishes in the sink, or hire a housekeeper to free up some time. Seriously, if you can’t take 3 or 4 hours out of every week to dedicate to fitness and wellness, that’s saying something about how you value your own health.

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November 30, 2011 by Sumi Singh

The Strength Training Athlete and Dieter’s Guide to Surviving the Holidays

Lots of people ask about strategies for “surviving” the Holidays while dieting. Traditions and tempting treats abound, and everyone seems to be indulging. And you’ve heard the same advice over and over again, right? Like, bring a healthy dish to the party, drink water in between the wine, chew gum while cooking, stay away from the buffet table, and so on.

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November 23, 2011 by Will Brink

Vibration Training Review!

Vibration Training has potential uses to athletes, but won’t be replacing hard work in the gym any time soon. May have real value to some populations and as a rehab tool. I cover Vibration Training while stopping by Northeastern Chiropractic.

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September 28, 2011 by Monica

Fish Oil for Muscle Growth

Most supplements are used for one specific outcome, for example fat loss, muscle growth or general health promotion. However, there are a few exceptions. Fish oil is one of them.

We all know about the cardiovascular health benefits of fish oil, and in a previous article I covered the fat loss effect of fish oil. Now let’s take a look at the potential application of fish oil for those of us who are interested in muscle growth…

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September 9, 2011 by Monica

Fish Oil for Fat Loss

Written by Monica Mollica

Fish oil is well known for its beneficial cardiovascular and cardiac health effects. In 2004 FDA approved a prescription fish oil preparation for treatment of high blood triglycerides (hypertriglyceridemia) ¹. However, recently several studies have shown that fish oil also has other beneficial effects, which might appeal more to the younger population, and especially to fitness and bodybuilding enthusiasts. One of these effects is fat loss.

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August 27, 2011 by Monica

Successful Aging – it’s your choice!

Written by Monica Mollica

Everybody wants to stay young and vital throughout life. But aging is topic surrounded by many questions and myths; here we’ll get to the bottom of it.

Different types of Aging – Chronological Aging and Physiological Aging

Before we get started, I want to make a distinction of two types of aging; chronological and physiological (or biological).

Chronological age is based on time and is the same for everyone who is born on the same date. It refers to age in number of years.

Physiological age, also called biological age, is the result of many factors, many of which are under your control, and varies from person to person (even if they were born on the same date). It refers to age in terms of physical capacity.

Chronological aging refers to how long you have been alive, and is determined by a mathematical formula that is the same for everybody: current date minus date of birth. It is a function of time and cannot be slowed, stopped or accelerated (a side note: according to Einstein’s Theory of Relativity, chronological can be modified, since as one approaches the speed of light, time slows down, and thus so does chronological age. But this isn’t relevant for us earthbound folks).

Physiological aging, on the other hand, describes the state of your body. What’s interesting with physiological aging is that many of the factors that impact it are under your full control (e.g. exercise, nutrition, sleep etc). While chronological and physiological aging are related, the years of your life doesn’t necessarily have much to do with the years of your body. Many people don’t like to tell their (chronological) age; however, if you have taken care of yourself you should be proud of it!

Thus, chronological age and physiologic age do not always coincide, and physical appearance and health status often do not always correspond to what is typical at a particular chronological age. When talking about aging and anti-aging, it is the physiological age we’re referring to. Ok, now that we got that cleared out, let’s move on.

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August 3, 2011 by Sumi Singh

Rest: A Four-Letter Word in Fitness

Working with athletes (and athletes at heart!) is one of the joys of being a personal trainer. They are the client that works hard from start to finish, shows up on time with a great attitude, always up for a new challenge, enjoys setting PRs, improving their endurance, participating in the toughest of races (willingly!), and hardly ever complain.

Why laying back and chilling out helps you succeed in the long run.

But even elite athletes and bodybuilders take measured rest periods after hard training seasons, and you should too. That doesn’t just apply to training, either. Long term goals, like “I would like to lose 50 lbs in one year,” require a long-term, well-thought out plan with measurable goals. And just like the example of our hard training athlete, your long-term plan should include a scheduled diet break.

How do you know for how long, and when? Some people need breaks every 6 weeks, some 12 weeks, and some can go a little longer. As with your training, the more aggressive the program may be, the more probable it is that you will need to take a break sooner. Either way, your body will likely protest if you’ve been doing the same thing for too long. Your progress stalls, your strength or endurance may possibly decrease, you hit a plateau, the scale doesn’t budge, and you no longer feel the same level of motivation. And staying motivated is important when you’re committed to better health in the long run.

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July 25, 2011 by Will Brink