The year 2020, also known as the year of the Covid-19 pandemic has shifted the fitness community to rethink fitness trends on how we can continue to do business and stay in business in 2021 and beyond. These fitness trends were collected from a survey that was conducted by the [...]
Body temperature is influenced by changes in the environment and physical exertion. Working hard or training outdoors on a hot day has the potential to lead to a dangerous condition called hyperthermia, a condition in which body temperature rises and may lead to injury when the body exceeds 102°F. To [...]
One of the most effective, researched and frequently used exercises in the world of fitness is the "squat". A fundamental movement pattern, the squat is the subject of much debate, from “proper” squat technique to its "effectiveness" in sport or clinical settings. When performing squats, consider these basic guidelines: •Select [...]
Children and adolescents need to participate regularly in physical activities that enhance and maintain cardiovascular and musculoskeletal health. While boys and girls have traditionally been encouraged to participate in aerobic training and strength building activities, a growing number of children and adolescents are experiencing the benefits of plyometric training. Plyometrics [...]
Despite the known benefits of physical activity to health and physical function in aging, the proportion of older adults meeting recommended physical activity guideline remains low (27%). One in four individuals ages 65 years and older falls in the United States every year, and falls are the leading cause of [...]
Differing from moderate-intensity aerobic exercise, high intensity interval training (HIIT) consists of alternating short periods of intense exercise with recovery periods of low to moderate-intensity movement. HIIT has long been an important training strategy for competitive athletes and is very effective at stimulating physiologic adaptations that lead to improved performance. [...]
It is unrealistic to expect to feel positive emotions all the time. After all, experiencing negative emotions from time to time is part of being human, and we experience a full range of emotions as our circumstances and situations change. However, if we look at negative emotions through the lens [...]
Dynamic Warm-up: A dynamic warm-up is a great way to prime the body for training. Lingering soreness can be alleviated by a dynamic warm-up by encouraging blood flow and movement through a large range of motion. A dynamic warm-up consists of a few minutes of an activity that will elevate [...]
“Functional training” a tremendous popular term we hear personal trainers throw around in any fitness setting, but just like “core training” the concept of functional training or functional fitness is nothing new. In fact, our early ancestors relied on physical endurance, agility, balance, core strength, proprioceptive awareness, neuromuscular coordination, and [...]
For the last 14 years, ACSM (American College of Sports Medicine) has circulated an electronic survey to thousands of fitness professionals around the world to determine health and fitness trends for the following year. This survey guides health and fitness programming and training efforts for 2020 and beyond, and as [...]