MBP: A Most Valuable Workout
That is not typo. This is not the MVP workout, but rather MBP (Movement Based Programming), which may be a valuable addition to your exercise routine. MBP is an exercise plan that at its core is based on the fundamentals of training for functionality. However, why everyone relates functional training with the ability to perform...
Take Five: Avoid These Exercise Injuries
Blame the squat for your back pain or the lunge for your knee ache. If you exercise, odd are you have experienced some kind gym injury. Sadly, most people play the blame game and never find out the real cause for their injury. Or they simple cross off the “bad” exercise from their workout list....
Don’t Resist Tubing Exercises
A few years ago, we thought nothing could beat machines to strengthen and tone muscles. Then we realized that with a set of dumbbells, barbell, and a few plates—the old school way—we could get ripped, stronger, and improve sports performance. Today, that colorful tubing that hangs on gym walls is the “new” muscle builder. Still,...
Make the Most of Gym Time
You grab some more water, chat with somebody, look at your watch (again), or simply sit on the bench press until you get enough mojo to lift the dumbbells for one more set. Then you finish one or two reps short of your usual number, or do your usual 10 and stop even if you...
Test Yourself: Fix These Common Moves
Some people have a love-hate relationship with mirrors. This is particularly evident at the gym. Some will make sure they always look at their best muscle feature while pumping iron, while others avoid their reflection at all costs. However, mirrors are important exercise tool as it brings more awareness to your movements. Have you looked...
Popular Fitness Advice—Debunked, Part 2
My previous post addressed some common fitness advice, what they really mean, and if you should ever follow it. Here is the second part of that subject where I examine the relationship between heavy weights and strength and the battle between treadmill and elliptical for burning the most calories. Advice: “ No need to lift...
Popular Fitness Advice—Debunked, Part 1
“Burn more than 1,000 calories by doing this group fitness class.” “Maximize fat burning with high intensity interval training.” “Yoga can cure almost everything!” We come across headlines like these everywhere from magazines to blogs to twitter. But should we heed to all this advice? Many popular fitness practices often come from studies and/or research...
What is Your Workout Missing?
If you eat the same food every day, even when healthy, you still may be missing important vitamins and minerals. The same is true when you stick with only one type of workout like strength training, running, spinning, or yoga. Your body soon will reach a plateau, which makes further improvement more difficult, and you...
Fitness Face Off
Which is better—the elliptical machine or the almighty treadmill? Does a boot camp class beat a cross fit session? Dumbbells or weight machines? Yoga or Pilates? Certainly, no exercise satisfies all your needs. Exercises come in different intensities, tackle diverse energy sources and movement patterns, and vary according to every individual’s goal, fitness level, overall...
Blast Away Belly Fat
How can I reduce belly fat? This is the most popular question asked to trainers and one of the most problematic one to answer. The answer though is simple: exercise and proper diet. However, the type of exercise is more complex. Experts do not have a conclusive answer on the best training to maximize belly...
Swap These Moves to Give Your Back a Break
Exercising has its risks even though the benefits often outweigh the risks. At times your daily training quota may give you some aches and pains—back, shoulder, neck, and so on. Some are due to the “too much-too soon” effect while others are blamed on overuse or risky exercises like the squat and deadlift, which place...
Get a Leg Up on H:Q (Hamstring/Quads) Ratio
The squat is the gold standard leg exercise either done with weights, no weights, tubing, and/or weighted balls. The benefits are many—from sports skills improvements to maximize caloric expenditure. However, if you don’t see muscular or well-defined legs after doing plenty of squats, or worse, have some knee and hamstrings aches, you may be over...