By Fabio Comana Despite growing popularity and adoption of programs incorporating heart rate (HR) zone methodology, the fitness industry in general appears to lack a solid understanding of the scientific facts and limitations to this programming concept. The goal...
By BRYAN D. BURNSTEIN, MS, LAT, ATC, CSCS, NASM-CES, PES, FNS, USAW A successful sports performance program may be summarized by two primary outcomes; athlete availability and athlete durability. Therefore, it is the responsibility of the sports performance...
By John Berardi, PhD. Worried about Alzheimer’s disease and neurodegeneration? There are many things we can’t control when it comes to cognitive decline. But certain nutrition and lifestyle choices may help to lower our risk. Here’s how to stack the deck in your...
By John Berardi, PhD. Learning more about nutrition is one thing; turning that knowledge into results (and a thriving practice) is another. That’s why, in this article, I share seven proven business models from top health and fitness experts. Use them to grow your...
By Geoff Lecovin Adding nuts to your diet can boost your health! Nuts are a composite of a seed and dry fruit surrounded by a hard outer shell. They are a nutrient dense food rich in heart healthy fats, vegetable protein, soluble fibre, vitamins, minerals,...
By DAVID CRUZ, DC, CSCS, FMS, SFMA · Incidence of IT Band Syndrome The warm summer weather is the perfect setting for people to get outdoors and participate in the activities they enjoy. However, too much of a good thing can lead to overuse injuries. Iliotibial band...
By Wayne David Clark As fitness professionals we sometimes tend to neglect our own bodies in favour of helping others achieve their goals. We become so focussed on the needs of others that our own needs tend to be placed on the back burner. Having said that a lot of...
By JONI L. CRAMER ROH, EDD, LAT, ATC The interaction of the psychological, neurological, endocrine and immune function and the influence on health is known as psychoneuroimmunology and has been studied since the mid-1970’s (Langley Fonseca, & Iphofen, 2006)....
By Geoff Lecovin Adverse gastrointestinal (GI) complaints, such as cramps, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea are common problems faced by up to 90% of endurance athletes. Exercise-related gastrointestinal symptoms are inconvenient, can adversely affect performance and in...
By Brain Sutton MA, MS, CSCS, NASM-CPT, CES, PES A growing epidemic facing the next generation of Americans is childhood obesity. This epidemic will have lasting effects on health, wellbeing, and rising healthcare costs. In fact, childhood obesity has roughly tripled...
By Kyle Stull Foam rolling, a form of self-myofascial release (SMR), hit the mainstream almost 15 years ago and is continuing to increase in popularity. While there are several ways to measure these popularity trends, an interesting approach is to look at the...
By Jessica Cording That feeling of bloat is terrible; the rock in your belly, the pants that need to be unbuttoned, like, five minutes ago. Luckily, there are a few tips that help get rid of bloat once you have it—and prevent it from ever happening again: 1. Skip the...
By Jared Meacham Personal trainers must look at the concept of physical fitness results through many different lenses. What amounts to optimal fitness for one client may not necessarily be the bee’s knees of fitness achievement for another. This blog post is a basic...
By John Polley Blanket statements like this usually annoy me, but I really mean this one. I mean it because variety makes variety better and variety makes uniformity better too. Variety enhances mental, emotional, and physical outcomes and experiences, for all humans....
By Josh Elsesser A quick Google search for the topic of program design for weight loss provides well over 2 million results. Needless to say, there is a lot of information, and sometimes misinformation, on the “best” ways to lose weight. Known as the Law of...
By Geoff Lecovin This time of year many of us look to add a squeeze of lime to beverages and meals. See how this sour green fruit benefits health and some recipes that will add a tasty little tang on to your palate. Limes are a round green hybrid citrus fruit...
RUSSELL WYNTER Step away from the bunny and put down the chicks! We did the math, and you may be surprised to know what kind of calorie punch these basket staples have …and what you’ll need to do to burn them off. The calorie burn numbers below are estimated based on...
By STACEY PENNEY, MS, NASM-CPT, CES, PES, FNS How are those goals coming along? Setting a goal is about making changes, looking at what is — in the here and now — and what we want it to be. Creating and committing to the path to get there is what makes for the...
By STACEY PENNEY, MS, NASM-CPT, CES, PES, FNS Easy to implement strategies can make the workplace a nutritionally positive experience. Offering healthy food alternatives and involving employees can jump start healthy changes. Health care costs continue to rise for...
By Mike Bracko Stretching and flexibility training have undergone dramatic changes in the fitness and sports training realm. Over the last ten to fifteen years more research has been published and subsequently applied to fitness and conditioning programs. Previously,...
By AMANDA VOGEL, MA With January 1 more than a month behind us, you might be noticing that some clients are slipping in their devotion to pursue their New Year’s health and fitness goals. As a personal trainer, you’re already skilled at holding clients accountable and...
By Jeff Lecovin This supplement will make you Bigger, Leaner, Faster and Stronger! Or will it? Nutritional supplements are a multi-million dollar industry, and chances are you, or someone you know, is taking one or more supplements to get that competitive edge. This...
By Emily Bailey Hydration is a key to optimal performance and recovery, and that’s true regardless of the season. In fact, impaired performance can result from even a 2% loss of water weight (3 pounds for a 150-pound athlete). Hydration is about more than replacing...
By NASM Probably more widely debated than any other diet in scientific and consumer literature is the high-protein/low carbohydrate diet. These plans have been a part of diet lexicon since the mid-1800s, with William Banting’s Letter on Corpulence (2). Billed as the...
By NASM For fitness professionals who work with athletes, understanding the specific developmental needs of a given athlete is crucial to enhancing their overall athletic capabilities. One of the major components for improving this is the development of speed,...
By NASM The NASM Performance Enhancement Specialization (PES) has provided the pathway to career success for personal trainers working with clients at every level of athletic performance. PES gives you the knowledge and tools to build individualised, sport-specific...
By SEAN CRISTEA A powerful vertical jump is often considered the epitome of athleticism. Many sports, such as basketball, volleyball, and some track and field events, require the athlete to perform at high levels in this movement [1]. However, many athletes find...
By Emily Bailey In the month of December, we are faced with many challenges that disrupt our normal eating and exercise schedules and routines. Between holiday parties and family gatherings, it is quite easy to fall off-track. To help you stay on track and energised,...
By The National Academy of Sports Medicine The NASM Performance Enhancement Specialization (NASM-PES) was developed to teach fitness professionals how to elevate an athlete’s training to achieve noticeable results while also decreasing the chance for injury. When...
By Andrew Mills As fitness professionals and sports enthusiasts, we know how devastating an ACL injury can be for an athlete, both professional and recreational. Discover how the NASM Corrective Exercise Continuum can be used to help prevent this potentially career...
By National Acadamy of Sports Medicine As a Certified Personal Trainer (CPT), it’s important to realise that just about every client you work with could be susceptible to common injuries and ailments, ranging from low-back pain to ACL tears to shoulder pain. The...
When stress, anxiety and fatigue combine, the body reacts by tightly contracting the muscles. Eventually, bands or knots form in muscle tissue that will not release on their own. These painfully tight spots are called trigger points. Trigger points can refer pain to...
By NASM Fatigue might feel as if it begins in the body, but the mind plays a key role. Though we tend to blame our bodies for fatigue, the brain actually sets the pace of energy use and holds a little energy in reserve. Here are a few ways to help clients tap that...
Yes, they can — with proper training and some important caveats. By John Berardi, Ph.D. It’s a hot debate: Can personal trainers, health coaches, and other non-RD professionals give nutrition advice to their clients? You’ll be surprised (and relieved) to hear: Yes, to...
By Franziska Spritzler, RD, CDE Ketogenic diets have become incredibly popular. Early research suggests this high-fat, very low-carb diet may benefit several health conditions. Although some of the evidence is from case studies and animal research, results from human...
BY KENNETH MILLER, MS Got Power? Training for power has been underrepresented, or at least misrepresented, for its benefit and application in life. When we’re younger we take for granted our ability to sprint after a ball, jump over a fence, or evade the person who is...
By FABIO COMANA We see it, read it and perhaps even witness it – fasted cardio for weight loss. This approach is currently trending in many exercise circles, but does it really stand up to all the hype? Let’s examine this concept through a series of practices – say...
by GEOFF LECOVIN What is one of the best choices you can make to nourish, protect and boost brain power? A simple and easy to implement answer to this question is to eat more unprocessed whole foods, which are naturally full of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and...
DAVID CRUZ, DC, CSCS, FMS, SFMA The ability to perform a squat or partial squat is an essential primal movement in life we must all be able to do, whether you are 8 or 80 years old. When we think of a squat, most of us associate the move with weight training or a...
Spirulina is a very ancient microscopic single cell blue green algae that grows in fresh water all over the world, though it is mostly harvested for consumer usage in Australia, India, China, Africa and North America. Spirulina is one of the simplest life forms on...
BY ELLEN NORDBERG Running in deep water reduces impact, adds resistance, increases flexibility and improves circulation. With recent research demonstrating that the effect of training in water can equal the same level of effort on land, it’s no mystery why water...
By Fabio Comana. Despite research dating back over 30 years, several misconceptions surrounding lactic acid (lactate) still exist amongst fitness practitioners and the general public (1). Common misconceptions include that it was considered a primary cause of fatigue...
By DAVID CRUZ, DC, CSCS, FMS, SFMA The economic impact of low back pain (LBP) is greater than $100 billion per year and causes more disability globally than any other condition (1,2). It is the most common cause of activity limitation in adults aged 45 and younger and...
by EMILY BAILEY Can you be a vegetarian or vegan athlete and meet your protein needs? It is an outdated myth that it is difficult to meet protein requirements from plant sources. Choosing your individual approach to eating needs to fit your lifestyle, whether that’s...
By DAVID CRUZ, DC, CSCS, FMS, SFMA Ankle sprains are one of the most common injuries among physically active people accounting for an estimated 23,000 sprains — daily –that are attributed to athletic activity. (1) Basketball players suffer the highest incidence rate...
Louise Grant discusses how pre-habilitation can help clients about to undergo hip surgery. As chartered physiotherapist, I have a specific interest in hip patients and prehabilitation generally. Prehabilitation means analysing an individual’s posture, movement...
by Ian O’Dwyer | Date Released : 17 May 2016 I recently presented four days with Tom Myers of Anatomy Trains, in Sydney (AU) and Auckland (NZ). Our workshops were directed at 1) merging the power of “hands on” and movement, 2) identifying and enhancing...
[Infographic] Bonus: How to fix them with an elimination diet. By John Berardi, Ph.D. Lethargic, bloated, foggy-headed, uncomfortable… they’re all common symptoms that can keep people from their health and fitness goals for years. Sometimes, undetected food...
By LAUREL VAN DEN CLINE Sitting up tall is a hard habit to learn. If you tend to round forward, a variety of postural issues can affect your musculoskeletal system, as seen with upper crossed syndrome. Whether you are sitting at a desk, driving your car, or texting on...
By DAVID CRUZ, DC, CSCS, FMS, SFMA · APRIL 19, 2016 Plantar fasciitis is the most common cause of heel pain, responsible for approximately 2 million orthopaedic office visits annually and reported to affect between 10 and 20% of injured athletes. (1, 2) It affects...
By KYLE STULL Recovery often sounds like a “dirty” word. What are you recovering from? A night out with friends? Surgery? A day in the office? What is recovery, anyway? There are several myths and misunderstandings associated with recovery from exercise. To find out...
[Infographic] Part 1: By John Berardi Ph.D. and Helen Kollias Ph.D. Most people who count calories for weight loss or weight management assume it’s an exact science. It’s not. Here we outline 5 reasons calorie counting (i.e. logging your food to calculate intake) is...
Plus a clear recipe for turning ‘bad’ fitness goals into ‘good’ ones. By John Berardi, Ph.D. If you want to achieve your health and fitness goals, you need a powerful formula, something to organize your efforts. In this article we’ll help you get organized while...
By Fabio Comana. A fundamental attribute of fitness has always been our relentless pursuit of new ideas when it comes to programming. Whether evolutionary or incremental in nature; trend or fad, we appear to thrive on challenging the status quo in our quest for...
Updates from NASM’s research partners at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill If you see knee valgus collapse (hip adduction and internal rotation along with knee adduction and internal rotation) while assessing a client, you likely think of hip abductor,...
By David Cruz, DC, CSCS, FMS, SFMA DAVID CRUZ, DC, CSCS, FMS, SFMA The economic impact of low back pain (LBP) is greater than $100 billion per year and causes more disability globally than any other condition (1,2). It is the most common cause of activity limitation...
EMILY BAILEY · FEBRUARY 16, 2016 National Eating Disorder Awareness Week (NEDAwareness Week) is February 21-27, 2016. This year’s theme is 3 Minutes Can Save a Life. Get Screened. Get Help. Get Healthy. The focus is on early detection. The earlier someone suffering...
Short-sightedness is reaching epidemic proportions. Some scientists think they have found a reason why. By: Elie Dolgin The southern city of Guangzhou has long held the largest eye hospital in China. But about five years ago, it became clear that the Zhongshan...
By Josh Trent With a surge of new fitness apps, wearable devices, and wellness technologies, trainers are beginning to enter the next level of smart coaching with the potential to garner more money from clients that are getting better results. This January, at the...
By National Academy of Sports Medicine Increase your heart smarts with info on how exercise impacts your heart, how to measure fitness via heart rate, and top cardio concerns fitness pros should know. How it Works Your heart weighs only about 10 ounces and is roughly...
NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SPORTS MEDICINE Discomfort from too much sitting? Inactive glutes? Buttock and leg pain? Though small in size, the piriformis could have a big impact on keeping the human movement system moving smoothly. Addressing an overactive piriformis may be...
By: Susane Pata WARMING UP BY ROLLING OUT TRIGGERPOINT NOVEMBER 4, 2015 FOAM ROLLING NO COMMENTS Foam Rolling Isn’t Just recovery- It’s a Warm Up! TriggerPoint is extremely proud to feature one of our Master Trainer’s excellent article on how to warm up by rolling...
By Gray Cook One of the secrets behind core training and functional exercise is in understanding the importance of foot position. I have spent a tremendous amount of time, over the past 10 years, reviewing research on core stabilisation and functional movement. In...
Shoulder pain and shoulder injuries related to the rotator cuff are common issues within the general population and among athletes. This article will provide you with background knowledge and practical suggestions on how to prevent or improve conditions of this muscle...
We’ve highlighted seven end-of-year client challenges and provided solutions to keep them on track. Early planning and preparation can help you and your clients continue to succeed into the New Year. Though the weight gain during the six weeks of the end-of-year...
Foam rolling is a self-myofascial release (SMR) stretching technique that has been embraced throughout the fitness industry. This effective and simple to do technique delivers positive, feel good results. Foam rollers have become easily accessible, either shared at...
By Fabio Comana Type 1 Diabetes is caused by factors that include our own autoimmune destruction of the insulin-producing (beta-) cells within the pancreas, or due to some genetic variant or inherited gene, and accounts for approximately 5 – 10% of all diagnosed cases...
Shoulder pain and shoulder injuries are among the most common conditions within the general population and among athletes. Approximately 75 to 80% of these are caused by conditions related to the rotator cuff (1). The rotator cuff consists of four muscles, including...
Roughly two-thirds of your clients will experience neck pain at some point in their lifetime. Here’s how two NASM Corrective Exercise Specialists say you can help clients protect that vital segment of the spine. BY LAURA QUAGLIO Your neck is a complex structure that...
By JENA WALTHER, MS Don’t be afraid of that man wearing the mask on the treadmill next to you. Even though he looks like a cross between a burglar and Hannibal Lecter, he probably means you no harm. He’s wearing what’s known as an “altitude mask,” and despite your...
Looking for an easy way to assess your client’s current level of cardio and aerobic efficiency? Using the talk test to identify their ventilatory threshold can help do just that. Plus, learning to apply this information gives you the details needed to design their...
By FABIO COMANA Cardio programs continue to evolve given the changing needs and desires of exercisers. Driven in part by time constraints, but also by emerging research, it is the shorter, more-intense, yet time-efficient programs that are perhaps the most popular...
By Justin Price The role of the personal trainer is changing. Traditionally, fitness professionals have helped clients reach their health and fitness goals by designing effective exercise programs, educating them about nutritional choices and motivating them to adhere...
By Jenna Walther Trained athletes and clients alike are monitoring their intakes and percentages of critical fuels – carbohydrates, fats, and protein – but are potentially falling short on their micronutrient needs. These trace players in the diet can have a...
BY: DEWAYNE SMITH DeWayne A. Smith, holds a Master’s of Science in Exercise Science and Health Promotion with an emphasis in Sport Psychology from the California University of Pennsylvania, and a Bachelors of Science in Athletic Training and Sports Medicine from...
Introduction When individuals think about sports-related injuries, many of the injuries are associated with football, baseball, and basketball and usually to the regions of the ankle, knee, back, or shoulder. However, due to their professional and recreational...
by Neil J Feldman, DPM. As we learned last month, foot pain doesn’t just start in the feet- it’s all about the hips! Neil Feldman, DPM explains how pelvic dysfunction can lead to foot pain, and how establishing proper posture can lead to better movement. What does...
by Neil J Feldman, DPM. As we learned last month, foot pain doesn’t just start in the feet- it’s all about the hips! Neil Feldman, DPM explains how pelvic dysfunction can lead to foot pain, and how establishing proper posture can lead to better movement. ...
Here are the tips of the day from NASM experts for Fitness Week! Enjoy and let us know what your tips are in the comments! Monday’s Tip: Lift more to stay trim. Lifting weights might be the best way to control belly fat as you age. Data from healthy men culled over 12...
Learning the finer points of self-myofascial release could help you train harder and look better while also reducing injury. by Brynne Elliott, MSc If you are still of a mind that foam rollers are for everyone else, then you are missing out on one of the most...
Follow the OPT™ model and your snow-sport-loving clients’ last run can be as fresh as their first, all season long. By Selene Yeager, NASM’s The Training Edge Five years ago, Liz Littman, now 34, was perched atop Bogus Basin, a ski area in Boise, Idaho, for her first...
BY ERIN KELLY There are few things every runner agrees on. The best running shoe, the most accurateGPS watch, and whether KT tape really works are all up for debate in running communities. One thing all runners can all agree? Shin splints (pain along either or both of...
By Stacey Penney, MS, NASM-CPT, CES, PES, FNS Foam rolling is a self-myofascial release (SMR) stretching technique that has been embraced throughout the fitness industry. This effective and simple to do technique delivers positive, feel good results. Foam rollers have...
By Claudia Friedlander, DMus, NASM-CPT As a voice teacher, I was drawn to fitness to develop a sports-specific training protocol for singers. Corrective exercise techniques are often just as important as vocalises for helping my students to become the best singers...
By Dr. Joel Kahn October 29, 2014 8:16 AM EDT As a student of health promotion, I know there are redundant systems in our bodies that promote artery function (think optimal heart, brain, and sexual performance) which make me just shake my head in appreciation and...
By Fabio Comana, MA, MS, NASM-CPT, CES & PES; ACE CPT & HC, CSCS, HFS, CISSN We all speak of it and experience it, but what is stress? It is defined as a non-specific response by the body to any demand (stressor) that overcomes, or threatens to overcome, the...
By Geoff Lecovin, MS, DC, ND, NASM- CPT, CES, PES, FNS, WLS Introduction Vitamin D, also known as the “sunshine vitamin” was identified in the 17th century by Dr. Daniel Whistler and Professor Francis Glisson when they discovered the causative factors of rickets....
By Geoff Lecovin, MS, DC, ND, L.Ac, NASM–CPT, CES, PES, FNS, WLS In the field of sports nutrition, supplement companies proudly promote their products, claiming that they have the “magic bullet” for weight loss, weight gain and/or performance enhancement. Many of...
Discomfort from too much sitting? Inactive glutes? Buttock and leg pain? Though small in size, the piriformis could have a big impact on keeping the human movement system moving smoothly. Addressing an overactive piriformis may be part of the solution. The piriformis...
Have we fallen in love with convenient, processed foods? With busy schedules, fast-food restaurants on every corner, and an abundance of comfort foods available (even at the local Starbucks), it’s no wonder we opt for all those fatty, salty and sweet foods. It just...
