By KINSEY MAHAFFEY Recovery is important for getting the most out of your fitness programming and an essential component of a personal training education. I spend a decent amount of time talking with my clients about proper recovery techniques to…
By DANA BENDER With covid-19 numbers rising exponentially across the country, many avid fitness center enthusiasts might be concerned that their local fitness center will close again due to safety precautions and local regulatory guidelines. These individuals might have just…
By LAURA QUAGLIO “My whole schtick when I opened in 2013 was to provide the fitness industry’s first one-on-one personal training that’s done in a group setting,” says Donny Day, NASM-CPT, owner of Peak Zone Fitness in Lake Highlands, Texas…
By ABBEY GRIFFITH As an eating disorder survivor, the holiday season can be scary. In early recovery days, my mental approach to the holidays looked something like this: First, it was Thanksgiving, a whole holiday about food, listening to people…
By Portia Page Since mid-March, most of the country has been dealing with social distancing rules, stay-at-home orders, business closures, overcrowded hospitals and limited health services. Consequently, many people are feeling isolated and lonely and may be hurting emotionally and…
By Nicole Golden Genetic factors play a role in response to exercise and body composition, as in most physiologic functions in the body. High levels of physical activity have been known to provide benefits beyond just weight loss, such as…
By Brad Dieter Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death worldwide, with more than half of all deaths each year being attributed to cardiovascular disease (1). Many factors contribute to cardiovascular disease, such as obesity, diabetes, high cholesterol, etc…
By Fabio Comana We all know a well-structured and consistent exercise program combined with a healthful diet can help all of us shed unwanted pounds and achieve our ideal body type. But do we need to push ourselves in the…
By Andrew mills In a previous article, Prehabilitation Through Corrective Exercise: A Guide for Trainers, we explored how Certified Personal Trainers (CPTs) could help prepare individuals for a procedure like total knee replacement surgery. This article will focus on rehabilitation…
By AMY ASHMORE, PHD Many exercisers and athletes prefer to train at the same time every day. They may suggest a variety of reasons for this: That’s when they feel most awake, least hungry, most focused or least stressed. They…
By Andrew Mills NASM Corrective Exercise Specialists (CES) can provide targeted help to improve their client’s baseline physical health before surgical intervention. The purpose of prehabilitation is to put the client into the best position possible for post-procedure recovery. Let’s…
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By Nicole Golden RESEARCH REVIEW Effects of Selected Rehabilitative Exercises on External Rotator Muscles and Trapezius Muscles of Masonry Workers STUDY AUTHOR Singh, G. K., Srivastava, S., Kumar, M., & Ratnakar, S. ORIGINAL CITATION Singh, G. K., Srivastava, S., Kumar,…
By CHRISTOPHER MOHR, PHD, RD How often do you hear questions like: “How much protein should I have?” “What do you think about intermittent fasting?” “Should I follow the [insert name of current popular diet] to lose weight?” It’s not surprising…
By Katrina Pilkinton We can teeter on using the term “fit” to refer to a family’s health and wellbeing, but that can all-too-often encompass a notion that a family’s goals are performative. Being WELL is the goal. What does that…
By Brad Dieter Gaining muscle is not quite as easy as going to the gym and lifting weights. That is just one part of the equation. In reality, gaining muscle requires two main things: a stimulus for growth and the…
By Fabio Comana Stress stimulates appetite, it increases abdominal fat, it increases risks for disease and it can even play a role in our intimate relationships. The list could keep going, but what exactly is stress and how is it…
By KAT BAREFIELD MS, RDN, NASM-CPT, CES, PES, ACSM-HFS In this post, we’re going to explore the health effects of getting insufficient micronutrients (vitamins and minerals). This article will also cover: The critical functions of various micronutrients The most common…
Don’t freak out, but your body is not symmetrical…and that’s totally normal! There are tiny differences between the left and right sides of your face, one of your legs is probably a little bit longer than the other, and maybe…
By Nicole Golden A skilled fitness professional should have the capacity to handle a variety of special populations. The needs and training goals of older adults and children differ greatly from those of teens or young and middle adults. Generally,…
By ANDREA CIRIGNANO Maria wants to lose weight. The 46-year-old mother of two never lost the “baby weight” she gained after having her second child 5 years ago, and the extra 40 pounds is compounding other challenges in her life. She’s…
By NASM As featured in our nutrition course – Navigating Diets – which is a detailed sampling of the overall CNC curriculum. To truly grasp the complexities of nutrition means learning what separates – and connects – the most common…
By SARAH SNYDER Youth exercise professionals are in a powerful position to positively influence eating behaviors. This is when independence begins to be established with regard to food and beverage choices and meal preparation. Coaches and trainers – even Youth…
By NASM The Paleolithic or “Paleo” diet derives from the superior cardiometabolic health and physical fitness of indigenous hunter-gatherer populations (Hills Jr & Erpenbeck, 2018). The Paleo diet is promoted across the world as a way of improving health of…
By RICH FAHMY, MS, NASM-CPT, CES, PES, MASTER INSTRUCTOR Training modifications and exercise programming for older adults are popular topics across health and fitness publications and conferences. There’s good reason for this: By 2050, the number of people 60 or…
By TheraGun You’re committed to your wellness routine and living the healthiest lifestyle possible. You dedicate a chunk of time during your week to either the gym or yoga or maybe even boxing and lifting weights. Hell, sometimes you even…
By Dr. Jason Welcome to Help and Wellness, a blog where we will share everything you need to know about Theragun Percussive Therapy, general health & wellness, and everything in between. We’ll also share stories that move us and connect…
With Elisa Goodman Elissa Goodman describes herself as a “type A Aries.” She lived a fast-paced life and might have continued that way if she had not been diagnosed with cancer at age 32. Today, Elissa is a Holistic Nutritionist…
By Dana Bender Overcoming exercise burnout is more important than ever for online personal trainers, fitness professionals and exercise enthusiasists alike! When fitness centers closed mid-March in response to COVID-19, many regular gym goers were tasked with converting gym routines…
By Alyssa Parten Learning how to coach an athlete is far more complicated than training general population clientele and, arguably, more fulfilling. There are many more factors, modalities, thinking, and planning strategies involved with coaching an athlete of any magnitude…
By Rick Richey As seen in our weight loss specialization course, you can effectively utilize the OPT™ model for weight loss clients. Within this article from the Spring 2020 Issue of American Fitness Magazine, you will learn how! Consider a…
By Nicole Golden Squat mechanics are very highly debated amongst fitness professionals and corrective exercise experts. Performing an internet search of “squat form” will turn up a plethora of results including focusing most on squat depth and lifting the most…
By NASM Even though your at-home life might seem a little bland right now, you can still count on some healthy, flavourful meals to provide a little spice. For a snack – Get a great protein shake recommendation. For breakfast…
By CHRISTOPHER & KARA MOHR It has often been said that nutrition is 90% of the game and training just 10%. The truth is, nutritionand training are equally important for various reasons, and it’s not just a 50/50 game because…
By RICK RICHEY, MS · I was sweating profusely before I trained my first client, and it wasn’t from a workout. I was a nervous wreck, continually second-guessing what I was supposed to do. Would I be worth the money?…
By NASM As discussed in our nutritional supplement course – Making Sense of Supplements – sometimes navigating the vitamin aisle can be a little tricky. Even for the most seasoned of certified nutrition coaches, the endless barrage of advertisements and…
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By DAVID A. TITCOMB · JUNE 4, 20200 Similar to other structures in the body, the cervical spine (CS) has a significant influence on body regions located above and below its location. Not only does CS musculature produce movement of…
By PETE MCCALL My career as a personal trainer began back when the years started with a one, 1998, to be exact. At that time, I never imagined that our cell phones would allow us to carry mini-computers in our…
By Pete Mccall Starting a new habit can be challenging, especially when it comes to exercise. From joining a fitness facility to showing up for the first appointment, there are so many steps for beginning a fitness program that it…
By Nino Magaddino Fit or not, pay attention to the warning signs your heart is giving you. Your life depends on it. Even as “fit” fitness professionals, we are not immune to heart disease. Here’s how this NASM Master Trainer…
By JUSTIN KOMPF One of the requirements for a coach to be “good” is their ability to relay information to a client so that they can correctly and comfortably execute strength training movements. The inability to do this contributes to…
By Ken Miller MS, NASM MASTER INSTRUCTOR, NASM-CPT, CES, PES, GFS If you’re like the millions of people who use electronic tools such as a cell phone, tablet, laptop or desk computer, you’ve probably spent hours upon hours looking at…
By Nicole Nichols As a Pilates instructor, I’ve worked with many women who wanted to regain strength and muscle tone after pregnancy. Some of them complained about abdominal pressure, pain or weakness even years after giving birth. Others returned to…
By Brian Sutton Is red wine healthy for our bodies? Many speculate red wine can help prevent heart disease and other chronic diseases; is this true? Let’s take a closer look at the science. RED WINE BASICS Many health experts…
By Brad Dieter The leading cause of death in the United States, and the rest of the world, is heart disease. While there is some genetic risk for developing heart disease, much of the risk is due to lifestyle, which…
By Lara Quaglio With so much of life happening at the front of the body (driving a car, typing on a computer and even doing many exercises, such as pushup and bench press), a lot of people have developed upper…
By Sam Arnold WHY SHOULD ATHLETES TRUST THEIR PERSONAL TRAINER? Working with an athlete to achieve on-field success can be one of the most intimidating and complicated tasks for a young trainer to master. There are so many training methods…
By Kinsey Mahaffey The four words every client loves to hear: “It’s time for cardio!” (Cue the collective eye roll from clients around the globe.) As personal trainers, we know that cardiovascular training is undoubtedly an important part of our…
By Angie Miller Personal trainers are individuals who inspire, motivate, and guide others to achieve their fitness goals. It is a rewarding, highly-ranked career with immense job satisfaction (CNN Money, 2012). If you are ready to become more involved in…
By Shirley Archer It’s likely that many of your clients spend the majority of their time sitting at a desk, staring at a screen. They then sit in their cars for a long commute. When they arrive at their final…
By Kat Barfield I recently visited my optometrist for an annual exam. He has a pleasant bedside manner and happens to be among the 40% of the U.S. adult population who are obese. As I stepped into his office, I…
By STACEY PENNEY, MS, NASM-CPT, CES, PES, FNS New clients, or even those that you’ve been working with for some time, can all benefit from focusing some of their training on stabilization work. Without a strong structural base to move…
By Lisa Quigley Many are aware of the touted benefits of meditation: increased awareness, decreased anxiety, enhanced peace of mind and an improved connection with the present moment. In The Artist’s Way(Penguin Random House 2016), Julia Cameron describes it like…
By Krista Popowych The dawning of true winter—and holiday gifts of down-filled jackets and cozy snow gloves—may have clients eagerly anticipating a day on the slopes. For those who have yet to start schussing down the mountain, circling the ice…
By Scott Josephson American consumers today have a multitude of options when it comes to choosing low- or no-calorie sweeteners to cut down on sugar and carbs. For those who favor natural products over artificial ones, honey and agave are…
By Alexandra Williams Differences in taste perception may explain, in part, why people diagnosed with obesity tend to eat more than their counterparts with a lower body mass index, according to researchers at the University of Iowa. Recently, a team…
By Maria Luque Lack of physical activity and an increase in sedentary behaviors are leading an overall upward trend in obesity, but the effects on children and adolescents are especially alarming. Today, obesity-associated disorders previously found only in adults—high blood…
By Kyle Stull In the last decade, the use of foam rolling has become increasingly popular for athletes and average Joes alike. Foam rolling as a corrective exercise method makes sense – they feel “good,” seem to work well, have…
By Kyle Stull Corrective Exercises are a technique used by health & fitness professionals to address and fix movement compensations and imbalances. These exercises are commonly used by personal trainers, massage therapists and chiropractors, to help clients move and feel…
By Kyle Stull Effective and efficient rolling means identifying and targeting the muscles that need it – the muscles that are likely the root cause of less than optimal movement. In many cases, muscles become overactive and short, leading to…
By Brad Dieter The holiday season can be a stressful time to adhere to a regular diet schedule. There are holiday parties, travel, an abundance of holiday goodies lying around the house, and there is more time spent indoors and…
By Dana Bender I love to travel to new destinations and experience new cities, cultures, and cuisines. If you are similar to me and exercise is an ingrained daily habit, the question becomes, “how do I stay active and exercise…
By DR. Allison BRAGER The expression “training around the clock” has more scientific merit than many would expect. Typically, it’s used to refer to the daily grind of balancing training with work, meal preparation for training, and finding time to…
By Brad Dieter For many people, clients and coaches alike, the start of a new year means a fresh outlook and often, resolutions to change or improve certain areas of your life. Sadly, many New Year’s resolutions don’t end up…
By Justin Kompf Most personal trainers, at some point, will have a consultation with a client who has a weight loss goal. For a few weeks, I had one of my clients message me everything they ate along with their…
BY DR. ALLISON BRAGER As a result of advancing technologies in science and engineering, we can study the brain in real-time from many different angles. We can study the strength and intensity of connections between different brain areas as well…
By Trish Muse Chances are, at some point in your personal training career, you will work with clients who’ve had a knee replacement or are on track to get one. This can be a daunting prospect to consider, but it…
By Kyle Stull When we think of corrective exercise, we often picture the process of trying to correct a less than optimal movement pattern with rolling, lengthening, activation, and integration techniques. Improving movement quality requires an individual to inhibit and…
By NASM Periodization and programming are not necessarily the same thing. Periodization is the cycles of training that take place. Often, we talk about macro, meso, and micro cycles. In sports, the periodization may include those concepts, but change based…
By Brad Dieter We often hear people say, “I have a slow metabolism” or “they just have a fast metabolism,” and we all nod our head in agreement. But do we understand what that means? What is your metabolism? Can…
By Dana Bender Feelings of stress can manifest in different ways for different people. In some cases, internal tension emerges because situations in our lives do not match our internal expectations, or because things do not go as per our…
By Adam Annaccone Knee pain is common in physically active males and females. According to a new clinical guideline in the Journal of Sports Physical Therapy examining patellofemoral pain, approximately 25% of individuals will suffer from idiopathic (no specific onset)…
Periodization and programming are not necessarily the same thing. Periodization is the cycles of training that take place. Often, we talk about macro, meso, and micro cycles. In sports, the periodization may include those concepts, but change based on the…
By Alexandra Williams Avocados may be one solution to manage hunger and aid in metabolic control, according to findings from the Center for Nutrition at Illinois Institute of Technology. In a crossover clinical trial with 31 adults classified as overweight/obese,…
By Kyle Stull Getting the most out of each workout requires more than just following a great training program. Consistent performance also requires an optimal balance between training and recovery. Mention the subject to most clients, though, and you’re likely…
By Joy Keller It’s an hour before your session starts, and you get a text from your client Kelly, a 33-year-old mom of two who is 50 pounds overweight, has just been diagnosed as being prediabetic, and is trying to…
By Andrea Cirignana Your clients hire you to help them reach a goal, and you commit just as much time and effort as (if not more than) they do. However, sometimes even the most dedicated clients are completely clueless when…
By Brad Dieter Over the last 10-15 years, there has been a lot of discussion about the role that fructose plays in many of our chronic health issues, including obesity, diabetes, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, and many others. However, most…
By Alexandra Williams As a fitness professional, you’re likely familiar with exercise-induced asthma (EIA) or exercise-induced bronchoconstriction (EIB), which can cause symptoms like wheezing, coughing, shortness of breath or a tightness in the chest—particularly in cold, dry air. This type…
By Angie Miller MS In the gym, we expect to use our body’s full range of motion. In life, we’re entitled to a full range of emotions, too. Provided we’re able to express and manage our emotions appropriately, this is…
By Laura Quaglio BUILD NECK STRENGTH TO LOWER CONCUSSION RISK In recent news published in the Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy, researchers who examined previous studies on concussion concluded that increasing neck strength “could substantially reduce risk or…
By Brad Dieter One of the most important things regarding “healthy eating” is to understand that what we eat is tied into our habits. A habit is defined as: “a settled or regular tendency or practice, especially one that is…
By Tony Nunez This is part 3 of a 3 part Q&A series that answers: What does current research tell us about aerobic fitness and metformin, strength training recovery times, and obesity intervention methods? Part 1: Can metformin have a negative impact…
By Angie Miller I became an NASM Certified Personal Trainer in 2005, after more than a decade of experience teaching group fitness. My inspiration came from my participants, my trusted community of followers, who convinced me that it was time…
By Brad Dieter In an era of catchy blogs, celebrity diets, and access to all of the world’s information at your fingertips, managing a client’s expectations for safe and healthy weight loss can be a challenge. Despite these challenges, the…
By Tony Nunez This is part 1 of a 3 part Q&A series that answers: What does current research tell us about aerobic fitness and metformin, strength training recovery times, and obesity intervention methods? Cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), as measured by…
By Dana Bender With the growing utilization of technology in both personal and professional life, there seems to be less time to “just be” without a plethora of stimuli around us. Between computer use at work, smartphone use in our…
By Kat Barefield Lifespan, Healthspan and Playspan Humans are living longer than ever before with the help of modern medicine, science, technology, and access to adequate nutrition. Although the human lifespan can now extend past the century mark, healthspan, which…
By Fabio Comana Mention the term ‘metabolism’ and it captures attention given how obsessed many of us have become over calories. As a certified personal trainer, this is a topic you may get asked about from time to time. To the…
By Kyle Stull Proper assessment and training of the foot musculature are vital to optimal health. Given that the feet are our foundation and interact with our environment daily, it affects the whole body if they hurt. The American Orthopaedic…
By Brad Dieter PROTEIN AND WEIGHT LOSS: HOW MUCH PROTEIN SHOULD YOU EAT TO LOSE WEIGHT? Decades of scientific research on weight loss has uncovered a few key pieces of information on what helps people successfully lose weight. First, we…