Exercise

Let’s Get Pumped!

Most exercise and wellness goals require some type of strength training. People don’t like hearing this because, frankly, lacing up your sneakers and going for a walk or bike ride is just easier. It requires far less equipment (although body weight only workouts rock) and...

Making the Most of Treadmill Time

In Cardio, Planning and Programming • by Melissa, May 24, 2018 •

Let’s call a spade a spade… Cardiovascular training can be a huge time suck. Both in terms of the actual amount of time spent and in the tediousness of it. And this is coming from someone who doesn’t mind spending some QT with a treadmill....

Using Dimensions of Wellness to Set Goals

In Dimensions of Wellness, Planning and Programming • by Melissa, May 16, 2018 •

I have previously posted about Dimensions of Wellness and that I believe it is an important concept regarding whole person and whole life health. I want to talk a bit about using these Dimensions in goal setting. I pay a lot of lip service around...

Heart Rate Zone Training: A Moving Target

In Cardio, Planning and Programming • by Melissa, May 2, 2018 •

Heart rate, quite simply put, is the number of times your heart beats in one minute. This number is both a key indicator of cardiovascular health, and also an excellent tool for helping design your own exercise programs. Whether you choose to take your heart...

How to Palpate Heart Rate

In General Fitness, Planning and Programming • by Melissa, April 25, 2018 •

In the world of fitness trackers, you might be wondering why I am devoting a post to manually taking a heart rate. Two reasons: first, what happens when the battery inevitably dies during a workout? Second, fitness trackers are notoriously inaccurate. And, a bonus reason,...

The Lifter, The Spotter, and The Successful Work Out

In Safety, Strength Training • by Melissa, April 18, 2018 •

Strength training is a hugely important form of exercise. In fact, far too few people realize that and engage in this type exercise, but that’s a post for another day. One of the most important aspects of strength training is spotting. Spotting, if you are...

Five Steps for Effective Strength Training

In Safety, Strength Training • by Melissa, April 11, 2018 •

A story: several years ago (ok like, a decade at this point) I was strength training at my gym. You know, typical afternoon workout, headphones on, working my way through the free weights, minding my own business. I feel a tap on my shoulder, so...

Straight Up

In General Fitness, Safety • by Melissa, April 4, 2018 •

Confession… I like to people watch. It doesn’t come from any weird voyeuristic place; I am just genuinely interested in people. Given that part of my job entails me watching my clients to ensure proper form, I’m guessing that sometimes I just can’t shut it...

Body Composition Part II

In General Fitness • by Melissa, March 28, 2018 •

In Part I, I covered some background on body composition “measurements” and talked a bit about two common techniques used in gyms and by fitness pros. In this segment, I want to address two other measurements that are typically assessed with and lumped into the...

Body Composition, Part I

In General Fitness • by Melissa, March 23, 2018 •

I have found that there is one constant in the exercise world. Regardless of gender, age, goal, or training status, e’erbody wants to know their body composition. Like, seriously, everyone. I have worked in several gyms and it is common for personal trainers to offer...