In order to understand how movement, physical activity, and specific exercises improve bone density, it is important to understand the anatomy of bone. Bone is tissue that responds to physical stress in the same way muscles and tendons respond to physical stress. Physical exercise, specifically strength training or resistance training exercise builds muscle, increases tendon […]
A personal trainer sent me an email a few months ago asking for clarification on accumulation and intensification, and how they relate to general physical preparation and specific physical preparation. For those without a significant strength training background, these are terms used within periodization of training. Periodization in personal training is the pre-planning model used […]
Awhile back, a personal trainer from a small town in upstate New York sent me an email asking me about what Preacher curl (Scott curl) bench I liked best and why. His question came in two parts: what brand to buy; whether to purchase a seated Preacher curl, or a standing one. For my money, […]
A while ago, a client of mine asked about the reason for leg curls in his program. He’d been doing some of his own research, and come up with an article about deadlifting as a superior methodology for strengthening the hamstrings. From the article, authored by Eric Cressey: Strengthening the posterior chain with closed chain […]
The understanding of when – and by how much – to increase a weight in a given personal training session is one of the most basic concepts in weight training. It is an important skill to master early on, and one that is very misunderstood, even by most personal trainers. This skill is one of […]
Cardiovascular training is a single type of energy system training whose mode requires the body to produce energy using the cardiovascular, or aerobic, system. Referring to energy system work as “cardio” or “cardiovascular training” is like calling facial tissues Kleenex. It is far too general a term to describe the three distinct biochemical processes of […]