ARTICLES
The latest articles and news items

PLANNING TRAINING AROUND ONE’S OWN BIOLOGICAL CLOCK FOR PEAK PERFORMANCE
By DR. ALLISON BRAGER STAY UPDATED WITH NASM 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...

A NUTRITIOUS OBSESSION?: HOW ORTHOREXIA CHANGES OUR VIEW OF FOOD AND FUEL IN FITNESS
By DARLENE MARSHALL Healthy eating is an important staple of wellness, yet with fads centred around “clean eating” and the number of diets claiming their way is the best way, it can be a challenge to know what is healthy. Is it possible to take clean eating too...

BANDED CLAMSHELL WORKOUT
By Kinsey Mahaffey If you haven’t heard of the banded clamshell exercise, it may just become a regular in your warm-up routine once you try it. This simple exercise will help to fire up your glutes so that you’re ready for a run, a lifting session, or to move better...

MONITORING HYDRATION LEVELS
By NASM With the hot weather upon us in the northern hemisphere, this marks a time for many to get outdoors and enjoy the warm weather, but caution should always be exercised given the potential risks for dehydration. Fluid is perhaps the most important, but least...

Calf Workouts: How to Grow the Often-Stubborn Muscle Group
By Kinsey Mahaffey Anyone who has ever tried to get more muscle definition in their calves knows that it can sometimes be a tough task. Training your calves for muscle growth takes intentional effort, time, and a solid plan. To grow your calves, you want to choose the...

SIMPLE STRATEGIES FOR MANAGING SODIUM INTAKE
By Jacqueline Kaminski Sodium intake seems to be somewhat of an issue here in America. Even national dietary guidelines for Americans urge dietary habits that would inevitably decrease total intakes such as minimizing intake of processed meats and dairy products (1)....

7 Cool Down Exercises to do After a Group Fitness Class
By AFAA Here you are, at the end of another amazing class. You have given your participants your heart and soul over the last 50 minutes and can see the results in their tired smiles and accomplished looks. At this point, it would be easy to give high 5’s around the...

HOW HARD GAINERS CAN ADD SIZE AND WEIGHT
BY Nicole Golden There is little doubt that human bodies come in different shapes and sizes. Although all humans can stimulate muscle hypertrophy, genetic predisposition most certainly plays a role in how fast an individual gains muscle, how strong they can become,...

BODYBUILDING COMPETITION DIVISIONS FOR MEN AND WOMEN EXPLAINED
By Andre Adams If you are an active bodybuilding competitor, prep coach, or thinking about getting involved in the sport then this blog is for you! We recently introduced the many divisions in the world of bodybuilding and physique competition in a previous blog, and...

HOW MUCH DOES A PERSONAL TRAINER COST & SHOULD YOU HIRE ONE?
By Kinsey Mahaffey A NASM-Certified Personal Trainer is well-equipped to design an exercise program that will help you reach your health and fitness goals in a safe and efficient manner. Anyone who is considering hiring a personal trainer might wonder: “How much does...
SAGITTAL, FRONTAL AND TRANSVERSE BODY PLANES: EXERCISES & MOVEMENTS
By ANDREW PAYNE We live in a three-dimensional world. Our bodies need the ability to move in all three dimensions. Poor range of motion and instability in just a single joint can cause over compensation. These alternate movement patterns can lead to chronic pain and...

WHAT DOES A BODYBUILDING COACH DO?
By DR. GUILLERMO ESCALANTE It is common knowledge that successful bodybuilders have excellent muscularity, symmetry, proportion, and conditioning. In everyday terms, muscularity is defined as the sheer amount of muscle the athlete carries, symmetry is the balance...