How do you train your core? Are you only focused on your abs that you can see? If you train your core and only focus on the abs, you are missing an opportunity to build stability with your torso. The lack of stability in your core will be your limiting factor for strength training, athletic performance, and overall moving and feeling better. So what is your core? The core is…
Everyday we are in a split stance at some point. For most people it’s just walking around, or they go for a run. That alone should tell you that we need to incorporate split stance squats into your routine. Split stance squats are more functional, meaning it will carry over to real world activities, in comparison to your traditional back squats. Your split stance strength is able to carry over…
YOUR HABITS DICTATE YOUR KIDS HABITS First thing I want to say here is, I am no expert about kids or behavior. I am a dad and a personal trainer who wants what is best for my kids, and other parents and their kids. I have some thoughts and I have shared them on my Instagram account, but I want to go a little deeper here. Your kids are watching…
Power development is not just for the athletes, everybody in some capacity displays power. To keep it simple, power is strength and speed, or to put in a physics equation, Force x Velocity. It is the ability to recruit a lot of motor units into movement, and being able to do it quickly. A great example of the display of power in everyday life is when you trip and instead…
Recovery matters more than you think when it comes to your training. The topic about recovery isn’t talked about as much, because it’s not a sexy topic. For real, it’s not as exciting as getting that new PR on a lift. Though it’s not exciting, it’s probably one of the most important aspects of your training that you are not focusing on. I once fell in this trap of working…
What is a squat safety bar (SSB)? Very simply, it is a bar that has two handles sticking out in the front and surrounded with padding for the upper back/ neck region and shoulders. The bar is also cambered, meaning the bar on the ends is lower than the middle. This helps move the center of gravity more forward compared to a straight barbell squat. You might be wondering why…
Do you have to use a barbell when deadlift? The quick answer is no, and you will probably be better off using a trapbar for your deadlifts. The trapbar, also known as hex bar, is a hexagonal shaped barbell, and you are inside this hexagon to perform an exercise like the deadlift. The barbell has become this fitness tool that has become almost essential for many lifters. The barbell has…
Hinging at the hip in another movement pattern that is essential to your health. Like the squat, it is a movement that we learned as little kids and overtime we lose the skill due to lack of practice and movement. The hip hinge is a movement in the hip while maintaining a neutral spine. This is an important skill to have because it can spare the low back from extra…
The ability to squat is a fundamental human movement that you have been capable of doing since you were toddler. It is much more than just an exercise, it is a skill that is necessary to perform certain activities. Losing the skill to squat will make life harder as you age. So what is a squat? Essentially, a squat is a movement where you sit down and stand back up.…
Your feet matter more than you realize. I will not go heavy with the anatomy but here are some numbers for you about the feet. There are 28 bones, 33 joints, 112 ligaments, 13 extrinsic muscles (superficial/surface) and 21 intrinsic muscles (deep muscles). The foot has a rigid structure for weight bearing and it has a flexible structure to conform to uneven surfaces. This makes sense when you look at…