Planning and Programming

2-2-2 Format for Planning and Flexibility

In Planning and Programming • by Melissa, September 19, 2018 •

As anyone who has been around here will tell you, I like to take a whole life/whole person approach to exercise. While this approach allows for a lot of flexibility, it also breeds a heck of a lot of confusion. I use what I call...

Benefits of Strength Training

I gotta be real, I am actually a little surprised to need to be talking about why strength training is awesome, for everyone, in 2018. Seriously. When I started working as a personal trainer (possibly before some of you were born), this was a conversation...

Staying the Course

In General Fitness, Planning and Programming • by Melissa, July 18, 2018 •

Today’s post is going to be a shorter one. Hopefully leaving you more time to go and practice what I’m about to preach. I pay a lot of lip service to training goals, but anyone who knows me knows that no matter who I am...

Rest and Recovery

In Planning and Programming, Safety • by Melissa, June 21, 2018 •

I have previously written about getting the most out of both cardio and strength workouts. That’s a lot of work, pun intended. So, today, let’s switch gears and talk about rest.

Let’s Get Pumped!

In Planning and Programming, Strength Training • by Melissa, June 6, 2018 •

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,...

Goal Setting

In General Fitness, Planning and Programming • by Melissa, March 14, 2018 •

Goal setting is one of the least talked about, least thought about, least managed parts of most fitness or wellness endeavors. And, I know you’ll be shocked to read this, it is one of the most important.