By PAMELA LIGHT, MA Personal trainers are no strangers to battling unseen barriers to fitness. For decades, we have helped our clients overcome scheduling issues, flagging motivation, less-than-supportive spouses, preexisting health conditions and more. But the words...
By PETE MCCALL No one is born knowing how to exercise. It is a subject that must be studied and understood correctly to do it properly. Earning the Certified Personal Trainer credential from the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) means that you can design...
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 avoid burnout and...
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...
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. Pre-pandemic, his workout...
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 talk about their diet...
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...
By Dana Bender There is a wide range of benefits of having multiple streams of income regardless of your field. In the fitness industry, taking advantage of various streams of income can include numerous options. Over the years, I have implemented this strategy in my...
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 decreased disease risk,...
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...
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 gym each day leaving buckets of sweat on 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...
By KINSEY MAHAFFEY COVID-19 forced gym closures, which in turn disrupted sessions for many personal training clients. As a trainer, here are some specific ways the NASM Optimum Performance Training™ model can ease their minds as they gradually resume their routines....
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...
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.,...
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. Nutrition and fitness...
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 look like or...
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 energy to grow tissue. Outside of significant hormonal...
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 connected to all these consequences?...
By SHIRLEY ARCHER, JD, MA · When Randy Hetrick “MacGyvered” the predecessor for today’s TRX® Suspension Trainer™ while serving as a Navy SEAL officer in 1997, he had no idea he was creating an entirely new fitness methodology—Suspension Training®. He sparked what...
By CHERILYN MCLESTER, PHD Exercise is often associated with physical exertion and adaptations such as weight loss, improved athletic performance, and increased strength. However, one thing that these variables all have in common is that they are not mindless. In other...
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 your shoes have always felt a little...
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, the most common...
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 overworked, tired and stressed,...
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 diets. This...
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 human...
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 older...
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 throw in a green juice when...
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 us with you, our Theragun...
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 and cleanse expert and the...
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...
By Sam Arnold Meeting new people can lead to many things in life. For personal trainers and behavior change specialists specifically, the situation can offer up opportunities to network, connect with someone in a new field or part of town, and potentially even gain a...
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 client named Jordan. She is...
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 weight...
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 – Learn how to make delicious...
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 there are many other equally...
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? Would I be able to train the client the “right” way?...
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 the head and neck, but it also plays...
By KATRINA PILKINGTON · MAY 15, 20200 Running is something that our bodies were built to do. An integral component of movement within the majority of most sports, running [efficiency], can dictate success for most athletes early on in their skill development....
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 can be overwhelming to take the first...
By Brad Dieter There has been a rise in the popularity of low-carbohydrate diets over the last decade, and they became one of the most popular diets of the previous five years. The increase in popularity was due to the idea that carbohydrates control your body fat,...
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 found out.Recently I made...
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 the screen with your head jutted...
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 class with their...
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 believe red wine in moderation can promote...
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 means you can actively manage a lot of your risk for...
By Laura Quaglio Can personal training and group exercise classes coexist peacefully? Yes, says Rick Richey, MS, DHSC, host of The NASM-CPT Podcast. In fact, he asserts that making friends with group ex instructors can really help personal trainers to gain and retain...
By Rick Richley There are several pathologies that get in the way of living our best and most active lifestyles. Serval orthopedic issues that hinder our activities of daily living (ADLs) are arthritis and osteoporosis. There are two forms of arthritis that we discuss...
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 the fitness...
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 destination, they sit down to eat and then watch...
By Mogan Shapiro With the start of the New Year, many of us have made resolutions to improve our health and fitness. While having specific health and fitness goals in mind is excellent, people often go to extremes to accomplish these goals. They try the newest fad...
By Pete McCall STRATEGIES TO KEEP CLIENTS ENGAGED A common misperception of fitness professionals is that we are merely rep counters, meaning that all we do is shuffle clients from one exercise to the next. Nothing could be further from the truth! The reality is that...
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 noticed he looked different but couldn’t quite pinpoint...
By Laura Quaglio As NASM Senior Fitness Specialists well know, older adults are a growing segment of the population—and a rewarding group to work with. Check out these amazing perks that your senior clients can enjoy, thanks to your work. A CLEARER MIND ALL DAY LONG A...
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 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 far from the only options on...
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 at UI conducted a...
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...
By Morgan Shapiro Rest days. Something all of us gym rats know we need to partake in, but often have a hard time doing. We are regularly exposed to phrases such as “no days off” or “no pain, no gain.” While working hard and pushing ourselves in the gym is excellent,...
By Justin Kompf Imagine that you had to think about which hand to pick a phone up with every time it rang, if you had to consciously deliberate on whether or not to brush your teeth in the morning, or put your seatbelt on when you got in the car, or to go when the...
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...
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 sensations of tightness...
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 less time exercising. HOLIDAY WEIGHT...
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 while still enjoying myself on...
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 recover. For sleep...
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 being overly successful. Depending on the...
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 exercise routine outside of the gym. We’re talking times,...
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 as...
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 doesn’t have to be. With a combination of cultivated...
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...
Finally, a data-driven guide to pricing your services, making more money, and leveling up as a coach. By Camille DePutter and M.J. Perrier, PhD “What should I charge?” At some point, every nutrition coach asks that question. You could be just starting out and have no...
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 it be fast or slow? Does having a slow metabolism make...
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 plan. Over the years, I have...
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...
By Alexandra Williams One hundred twenty adolescents in Saudi Arabia ages 15–18 were assessed by scientists who were curious to discover if a link exists between vitamin E intake, school performance and exercise. Told not to alter their eating or activity habits, 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 to meet...
By Alexandra Williams The news isn’t good regarding the influence of social media on the foods children prefer. In a study published in Pediatrics (2019; 143 [4]) of 176 children ages 9–11, doctoral candidate Anna Coates of the University of Liverpool found that the...
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 change her lifestyle. She’s late again. This is not...
By Brad Dieter High-fat diets have surged in popularity over the last several years, and many nutrition coaches have utilized them with clients for weight loss. Despite their recent popularity, they are not new diets. They have been used over the last century in...
By Cathie Ericson There are some things that most of your clients of any age can probably agree on. For example, burpees are unpleasant yet satisfying, and a playlist that includes Beyoncé can make just about any workout fly by. But you might find that your millennial...
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 of these discussions...
By Dana Bender Exercise adherence and commitment vary from individual to individual. Some people have an easy time making exercise a regular habit, while others struggle to stay consistent and need a behavioural change. Some struggle due to barriers in their life...
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...
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 healthy. But for some people, emotions can affect...
By Sohee Lee There has been a growing interest in personal fitness over the past few decades, and with high-speed access to information, images, and other people at our fingertips, this comes as no surprise. Since the dawn of the fitness industry in the 1970s, we’ve...
By NASM According to listener feedback and requests, a discussion on over- and underactive muscles was the most popular request. This is part 1 of 3 episodes where this topic will be discussed. This episode will cover two common movement compensations in the overhead...
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 on...
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 amount of information and...
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