All About Fitness

The right coach can help you plan your work and work your plan in order to help you overcome any obstacle that might stand in your way. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Working with a coach can help you identify and overcome barriers to help you achieve any accomplishment you desire. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Talking about using exercise to manage and alleviate chronic pain with Corrective Exercise Specialist Anthony Carey. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Powerlifting is the sport of lifting the greatest amount of weight in three specific lifts: bench press, squat and deadlift. On this episode I discuss how to train for the sport with 'Silent' Mike Farr. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Gunnar Peterson is recognized as one of the top personal trainers in the country because he helps his clients get results; on this episode we talk about how he stays on top of his fitness game. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Personal trainer to the stars, Eric Fleishman AKA Eric the Trainer, shares his secrets for getting his clients camera ready. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How strength training and working with an online personal trainer can help you with your fitness program and enhance your life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A professional personal trainer is one who can help improve your quality of life through exercise. Today I talk with 2012 Personal Trainer of the Year Robert Linkul about how a personal trainer can enhance your life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Personal Trainers are service professionals who can help you identify the best fitness and exercise programs for your specific needs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Paul Chek is a holistic health practitioner and educator in Southern California; his unique approach to health and fitness transcends traditional exercise practices to focus on the entire body as a single system that can help you to live your healthiest life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

John Wolf is the CFO - Chief Fitness Officer for Onnit, a supplement and fitness equipment company based in Austin, Texas. Onnit promotes a unique line of fitness products and education programs that is changing how we exercise. On this episode of All About Fitness John and I discuss what you can be doing to enhance your workout program and getting the results you want. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Discussing the disruptive forces in the fitness industry and what that means for YOU - the exercise enthusiast and fitness consumer. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The past six Presidents of the United States, Barak Obama, George W. Bush, Bill Cinton, George HW Bush, Ronald Reagan and Jimmy Carter, have had one thing in common: each enjoyed exercise. The past number of White House residents were each shown participating in favorite fitness-based pastimes from jogging to basketball to weightlifting to mountain biking and from selecting Arnold Schwarzenegger for the President's Fitness Council (HW Bush) to hosting yoga on the White House lawn (Obama) each played an active role in setting a positive example for health and fitness. Both in and out of office President George W. Bush has set a positive example for an active lifestyle. On this episode of All About Fitness, Assistant Professor of American History and Co-host of the Past-Present podcast, Natalia Petrzela, and I discuss the role that Presidents have played in establishing promoting a healthy and fit lifestyle. This is based on the excellent article that Dr. Petrzela wrote for the Washington Post on President Trump and his well-known diet which is does more to expand the waist line than shrink it and is far from a positive example of healthy. President Reagan with Arnold Something-or-other The discussion specifically focuses on the role that the occupant of the Oval Office has played in helping set a positive focus on health and fitness. From Teddy Roosevelt boxing with his Secret Service protection to John F. Kennedy calling Americans 'soft,' over the years most Presidents have understood that they have an important role in promoting good health in our nation. If you are both a history and fitness buff you will really enjoy this discussion of Presidential fitness habits on All About Fitness. President Carter and his wife walked the 1 mile (or so) from Capitol Hill to the White House during their inauguration in 1977 Follow Dr. Petrzela on social media: Twitter: @NataliaPetrzela Listen to her Past-Present podcast. Questions/Comments/Book a guest: [email protected] Twitter: @PeteMc_Fitness Instagram: @PeteMcCall_fitness Please visit the sponsors of All About Fitness: ActivMotion Bar Terra Core by Vicore Fitness Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why would you hire a personal trainer? Would it be based on looks or knowledge? Just because a trainer looks great does not mean that he or she has the skills to help you optimize your level of health and fitness. It's important to remember that exercise is stress applied to the body; when done correctly you can achieve awesome results. If applied incorrectly exercise can cause injury or be fatal. When it comes to working with a personal trainer you want to make sure you select one who knows what the heck he or she is doing. On this episode of All About Fitness I interview Matt Berenc, the Director of the Equinox Fitness Training Institute (EFTI) about the education process required for ALL of their trainers. Matt Berenc giving a talk on how to optimize human performance. Equinox is widely for having one of the best, most comprehensive education programs in the fitness industry. The company knows that education is the best way to enhance the member experience while strengthening employee engagement and retention. If you've ever wondered why you should hire a personal trainer and how they could help you maximize the results from your workout program you will enjoy this insightful episode of All About Fitness. Matt using his favorite piece of exercise equipment. To find an Equinox in your area visit: www.equinox.com Follow Equinox: @equinox on both Twitter and Instagram To find a nationally certified personal trainer in your area visit one of the following fitness certification organizations: American Council on Exercise National Academy of Sports Medicine National Strength and Conditioning Association Contact me: [email protected] Instagram: @PeteMcCall_fitness Twitter: @PeteMc_fitness Visit the sponsors of All About Fitness: Terra Core by Vicore, Better Products for Better Results; use the code AAF to save 20% on the purchase of a Terra Core ActivMotion Bar - the first weighted bar with a dynamic, shifting mass, Let the resistance move YOU! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Not all health clubs are the same; many have similar types of equipment like treadmills, free weights and machines, but what really sets one health club apart from another is the environment, the education of the staff and how that creates a unique member experience. When was the last time someone from your health club or gym talked about understanding how exercise affects the human genome? David Harris is the Vice President of Health and Human Performance for Equinox, an upscale health club company with locations in the U.S., Canada and the United Kingdom. Among his other duties for the company David chairs the Health Advisory Panel for Equinox which includes neurologists and molecular biologists who study how exercise affects the human body down to the cellular level. David Harris, Vice President for Health and Human Performance, Equinox The purpose of All About Fitness is to introduce you to the thought leaders and companies who are making a difference in how fitness is delivered to you, the consumer. As a health club company Equinox provides a variety of programs and services beyond just being a place to sweat. On this episode David and I speak about the role that exercise plays in preventative health care and how Equinox is positioning itself to offer a variety of lifestyle solutions that will help members maintain optimal health. In addition, we talk about the core pillars that establish Equinox's unique brand of fitness, why they exist and how they can help you to enhance your overall quality of life. To learn more about Equinox or to find a location near you, visit: www.equinox.com To learn more about Equinox's unique brand of fitness, visit their blog: Furthermore Twitter: @equinox Instagram: @Equinox If you work for a health club or studio that is offering unique programs for members, contact me: [email protected] Please visit the sponsors of All About Fitness Terra Core by Vicore - Better Products for Better Results; use code AAF to save on the purchase of a Terra Core ActivMotion Bar - Let the Resistance Move YOU! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Did you know that currently ZERO states require personal trainers or fitness instructors to have a license? Did you know that you need a license to cut hair or do nails (non-living tissue) yet anyone can simply call his or herself a 'fitness expert' and begin dispensing advice that could potentially be deadly? On this Quick Fit Tip of All About Fitness I explain the fitness certification process and why you should only work with instructors that have earned an accredited certification or have a college degree. As someone who currently does freelance work for two of the largest fitness certification organizations and teaches personal training courses in college (ok, junior college, but still) I offer unique insight and background into the process and why you should only be working with certified fitness professionals. For 15 years I've been educating personal trainers and fitness instructors around the world to help them earn and maintain their professional certifications. Back in the early 2000s the fitness industry agreed to an accreditation standard for fitness certifications (the National Commission for Certifying Agencies - NCCA run by the Institute for Credentialing Excellence - ICE). Since then health clubs have been advised to hire personal trainers and instructors with a certification accredited by the NCCA but this is only a suggestion and NOT a legal requirement. Some health clubs have rigorous standards for hiring personal trainers and fitness instructors and offer extensive continuing education to ensure they are delivering the highest level of service possible. However at other health clubs trainers and instructors are often hired based purely on their appearance and are allowed to teach or train without having any existing credentials. Why does this matter? Exercise is physical stress applied to the body, when done correctly it can impose the desired adaptations such as weight loss, muscle growth or improved definition. However, if an exercise program is too intense or too technically challenging at best it could cause an injury and at worst it could be fatal. On this episode I explain the education and certification process and tell you what you should be looking for when seeking the services of a trainer or fitness instructor. As one of my favorite quotes says: 'Now you know and knowing is half the battle.'* Here are the largest (and most popular) certification organizations - in alphabetical order. Each one provides information on the certification process and has search engines to help you to find certified professionals in your area: American College of Sports Medicine American Council on Exercise National Academy of Sports Medicine National Strength and Conditioning Association REPS - Registry of Exercise Professionals - You can check here to see if your trainer or instructor has an accredited certification. *Tweet me the source of this quote and you could win a free All About Fitness T-shirt! Twitter: @PeteMc_fitness Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of All About Fitness my former colleague from the American Council on Exercise and wellness expert Jessica Matthews returns to discuss her book: Stretching to Stay Young. There are three components of a well-designed workout program: strength or resistance training to increase lean muscle (and improve definition), energy system development (often mistakenly called 'cardio') and flexibility - often overlooked in favor of the other two components. In our discussion today, Jessica and I address the role that flexibility plays as an integral component of well-designed exercise program and how the right types of stretching can help reduce pain, improve physical performance and stave off the effects of the biological aging process. It's always fun to catch up and hang out with Jessica when we're speaking at the same events Jessica is a college faculty, PhD candidate, content contributor to well-known fitness magazines, international speaker and now a book author. I have known Jessica for the better part of a decade, consider her a good friend and have a tremendous amount respect for her contributions to our industry so I always enjoy the opportunity to sit down, catch up and talk shop. Besides discussing the science of stretching our conversation covers common mistakes could keep you from reaching your fitness goals. Jessica in her happy place If you want to know how stretching can help you to stay young, then be sure to listen to this episode of All About Fitness. If you want to learn how to use foam rollers for myofascial release - a key component of flexibility and one that we mention in our discussion - check out my article for the American Council on Exercise HERE. Follow Jessica on social media: Instagram: @FitExpertJess Twitter: @FitexpertJess Contact me: [email protected] Please visit the sponsors of All About Fitness: Terra Core by Vicore Fitness - Better Products for Better Results! Use code AAF to save 20% on the purchase of a Terra Core! ActivMotion Bar - Let the Resistance Move YOU! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There are three primary components of any workout plan: strength or resistance training, energy system development (often mistakenly called 'cardio') and flexibility, or more appropriately, mobility training. Doing too much of any one of these components at the expense of the others could mean that your exercise program will not produce the results you want it to; additionally, if you want to how leaving a car in your backyard is relates to a proper, well-designed exercise program, tune in to the episode of All About Fitness. Exercise should be a balance between strength training to help develop lean muscles, mobility training so they function properly and energy system development to ensure they have the proper fuel for activity. Or this is just an opportunity to stick in a gratuitous Arnold pic. Strength training helps improve muscle force production. On the podcast I explain why cardio is a misnomer for how we exercise to improve aerobic capacity or anaerobic efficiency and flexibility is not exactly the most correct term to describe what is going on when we stretch. On this Quick Fit Tip I explain some of the proper terminology and why each component should be an important part of a successful workout plan. Quiz: True or False - this is the best way to stretch your muscles Muscle imbalances can occur from repeating the same movement too frequently or from lack of regular movement; movement-based mobility exercise programs can help eliminate muscle imbalances and ensure proper joint function. To learn more see my blog on the topic I wrote for the American Council on Exercise. There are two types of muscle tissue in the body: the contractile element responsible for generating force and the elastic component that distributes it around the body - to learn more about the difference and why we should be paying attention to our fascia read my article on the topic here Answer: False, moving upright through a variety of different movement patterns, like in a Tai Chi kata, can be the most effective way to stretch and lengthen both types of muscle tissue. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How many times have you seen an advertisement for a fitness product or exercise program and wondered, "Does that really work?" On this episode of All About Fitness I talk with Clifton Harski about how to identify fitness programs that work and how to determine which ones are complete nonsense. We also talk about awesomeness - I'm not sure about you, but I am always interested in how I could be doing things a little better and Clifton is one of the most awesome guys I know so we discuss strategies on how to be more awesome. Clifton is the Director of Fitness Programming for Fitwall - a unique studio training concept THAT WORKS, as well as an educator responsible for teaching kettlebell and Animal Flow workshops to personal trainers. Clifton is a hella smart guy who knows how to design exercise programs that deliver results so his advice can help you identify workout programs to meet your needs. Clifton is not only a cool guy, he's pretty freaking strong I've gotten to know Clifton through his social media posts and consider him to be one of the most creative guys in our business; he creates killer, science-based workout programs for Fitwall and his social media videos and pics always crack me up so if you're looking for ways to make your life a little more awesome, he's the right guy to help you identify how. This video clip of Clifton recreating an old-time barbell workout from the era of physical culture is only one of the things that make him AWESOME! This pic of Mr. Harski in his 4th of July workout gear shows him in ALL of his innate awesomeness; a little cheesy? Yes - but having the confidence to pull it off is what makes it great! Interested in what the heck a FitWall workout involves? Check out this video clip featuring Clifton and the FitWall team. Clifton is a Master Trainer, meaning he trains personal trainers, for both Kettlebell Athletics and Animal Flow. Here's the backstory on this interview: as I started the podcast one of the pieces of advice I read was to have a couple of interviews saved for when you need to post a podcast and didn't have anyone scheduled. We had this conversation after a killer kettlebell workout next to the beach in San Diego and I saved it until now - the reason I'm launching it now is that Clifton and his wife (standing on his back above) just introduced a new bundle of awesomeness to the world, congratulations guys - hope you survive the experience. Follow Clifton on Social media: Instagram: @Cliftonharski Twitter: @Cliftonharski My social media tags: Twitter: @PeteMc_fitness Instagram: @PeteMcCall_fitness www.petemccallfitness.com My blogs for the American Council on Exercise: https://www.acefitness.org/blogs/author/58/pete-mccall Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Adding muscle, improving definition or just simply looking better are popular reasons for starting a workout program. The past few episodes of All About Fitness have featured guests who specialize in a movement-based approach to exercise because, whether in sports or activities of daily living, moving better is the foundation for everything else from performance to appearance. Exercise programs that focus on movements like squats, lunges, pushes and pulls as well as multi-planar patterns are not only important for athletic performance but can also help produce a shredded physique. In an effort to discuss how the two approaches can merge to produce the results you want from your workouts I reached out to professional wrestler turned personal trainer and health coach: Giovanni Roselli. Giovanni aka Romeo Roselli doing his thing in the ring This was a fun interview for me because as a kid growing up in the 80s I was a huge (at the time) WWF fan. To me the wrestlers were real-life superheroes capable of amazing feats of strength and athleticism and were one of the inspirations for starting on my fitness journey in the first place. Giovanni and I met a few years ago and while I don't follow professional wrestling anymore I still have a tremendous amount of respect for the men and women who put it all on the line for their fans. It has been fun getting to know Gio and talking training, specifically how to balance the competing interests of training for performance AND physique. As a wrestler Giovanni competed in the WWE and other circuits under the name Romeo Roselli; he now works as a personal trainer and health coach to help other people learn how to practice healthy behaviors like exercise and getting a good night's sleep. Gio is not just a personal trainer, he is also a master trainer responsible for teaching workshops on how to use exercise equipment like the ViPR and Core-Tex as well as being an ambassador for Pt on the Net - the leading online education resource for personal trainers. If you're not familiar with the ViPR, a relatively new and unique strength training tool, check out this video of Gio with the Trevor and Shawn from Genesis Performance. As a trainer Gio created the Fully Loaded group fitness program for Equinox health clubs. On this episode of All About Fitness we talk about how he trained as a wrestler - a major challenge given the travel and appearance schedule and how he exercises now that he is working full time in the fitness industry. We also talk about the importance of exercise programs that can help you to both look good and improve your overall quality of life. Getting results from strength training requires more than just lifting heavy - it's also extremely important to know a few training strategies that can help ensure proper muscle adaptation. In this episode Gio and I discuss a number of exercise programs, including: Institute of Motion and the 4Q Model of Exercise Programming and Animal Flow Follow me on: Twitter: @PeteMc_fitness Instagram: @PeteMcCall_fitness www.petemccallfitness.com Please visit the sponsors of All About Fitness: ActivMotion Bar - let the resistance move you. Terra Core by Vicore Fitness - Better products for better results! Use code AAF to save on the order of a Terra Core. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How can we judge the best athletes in the world? On this Quick Fit Tip edition of All About Fitness I talk about what it takes to be the world’s best athlete and what that means for your personal exercise program. CrossFit positions itself as the sport of fitness. Ironman Triathlons and Ultradistance events challenge individuals to use their own energy to travel for more than 100 kilometers during a single competition. Endurance athletes, as well as CrossFit competitors, can be extremely fit and well conditioned, but these sports are based on cyclic, repetitive actions that don't require reacting to an opponent’s movements. Having the cognitive ability, speed, agility, strength, power and stamina to react to — or anticipate — an opponent’s movement can significantly elevate the demands of a competition. Extreme sport athletes like big wave surfers, free climbers and mountain bikers have incredible skills and risk their lives for the love of their sports but may not always have attributes of endurance, strength and power required to truly be considered the best in the world. My personal vote for the best athletes in the world may surprise you. Keep in mind that an extremely important component of athleticism is reaction - how do you react to a constantly changing environment or opponent? it’s one thing to be able to run an incredible distance or lift a tremendous amount of weight but in most of those competitions there is no reaction to the movements of an opponent trying to get the best of you. You can learn from some of the best athletes in the world how to make your workout program more comprehensive so that you not only improve your overall fitness but have more fun in the process. I'd love to hear your thoughts on who are the fittest athletes; Tweet your thoughts to me: @PeteMc_fitness Have a story idea or interview you'd like to pitch? Contact me: [email protected] Instagram: @PeteMcCall_fitness Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of All About Fitness I reach out to another connection from my DC days and talk about bodyweight strength training and how to make fitness more inclusive with an old friend: Jim Bathurst, currently the Master of the Training Universe for Nerdfitness.com His name is Bathurst, Jim Bathurst Jim and I met a number of years ago when we both were doing some work with Balance Gym (one of my favorite places to sweat - EVER). He always impressed me with his positive attitude, approachable demeanor and he could do some KILLER bodyweight exercises that are a true testament of strength. Over the years it's been fun to watch Jim evolve into a leader in the industry where he is now playing an important role for an important website working to make fitness more inclusive for people who might not normally be considered exercise junkies. Nerd Fitness.com is working to gamify fitness to make it more accessible for people who might prefer interfacing via computer as opposed to real life. Our discussion today talks about tips for bodyweight strength training and how we can make fitness more inclusive for everyone, especially those considered nerds (in the interest of full disclosure I consider myself a nerd of exercise science). Follow Jim: www.beastskills.com contact info: [email protected] Instagram: @Beastskills Jim is well known for his physical strength including 1 arm pull-ups and 1 arm handstands #impressive Please visit the sponsors of All About Fitness: Terra Core by Vicore Fitness - Better products for better results! Use code AAF to save on the order of a Terra Core. ActivMotion Bar: The first weighted bar with a shifting mass - let the resistance move YOU! My e-mail address is: [email protected] Twitter: @PeteMc_fitness Instagram: @PeteMcCall_fitness Youtube: All About Fitness Podcast (product reviews coming soon!) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of Quick Fit Tips I talk about how exercise and fitness should be inclusive for every single person, no matter what they look like or the size of his or her body. The point of exercise is to improve one's own health and wellness; not for how you look on a social media post or dating website. In my twenty years of working in the fitness business the only negative feedback I have is that we are an industry that is driven by image, not necessarily by message. Fitness is for every BODY - regardless of age, size or socio-economic background! Far too often companies will use images of fit, lean, muscular models (I'll hit this topic on the podcast) as a means of marketing a product or service. I get it - companies want to create the image that if you use their product or service then you will look like the models featured in the ad. Why is this important? Why are we in the fitness industry so driven by appearances? In my opinion fitness is having the physical ability (physical literacy +work capacity) to do what you want to do when you want to do it. That's it. In this Quick Fit Tip I talk about why inclusivity is so important and why we in the fitness industry have an obligation to be welcoming to every person regardless of existing physical condition or appearance. The next time you see a heavy or overweight person working out in a health club think to yourself: "we all started somewhere." A person in a health club is taking the right steps (often literally) on a journey towards self-improvement, we have an obligation to be supportive and encourage their efforts. Remember: We all have our 'why.' Yours may be different than mine, but we are all working on making ourselves better one day and one trip to the gym at a time. My good buddy Jamie Atlas, the owner of Bonza Bodies in Denver and the tallest Aussie I know, recently posted an important meme: for those reading on iTunes the meme says: "Making fun of a fat person at a health club is like making fun of a homeless person at a job fair. Don't make fun of people who are trying to better themselves." Whether it is in a health club, studio, indoor cycling room or outdoor workout at a park - What can you do to be more welcoming to the next newbie that you encounter? We are the lucky ones, we LIKE to sweat and enjoy the feeling of accomplishment at the end of workout; let's help others get to that same place. Here's the story about the former model who received probation for taking a picture of a woman changing in a health club locker room. SHAME on her (GoT reference): Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you have been a health club member for the past twenty years you may or may not have noticed a major shift in how fitness facilities are laid out and the type of equipment used for workouts. Up until the early 2000s gym culture was heavily influenced by bodybuilding culture, most of the equipment was designed for muscle isolation because that's what consumers wanted. Nowadays when you walk into a commercial gym you are likely to notice a lot of open space and a lot less equipment; my guest on episode 40 of All About Fitness is Juan Carlos Santana a gym owner, strength coach and educator who has had a major influence on this evolution in the modern fitness culture. Juan Carlos is the owner of the Institute of Human Performance, which has been named as one of the top gyms in the country by Mens Health, he is an international fitness educator, the star of numerous fitness videos and the author of many articles and books including Functional Training (which I highly recommend if you're looking for some ideas to kickstart your training program). Juan Carlos Santana Let's face it, training for a bodybuilding competition or even to look like a bodybuilder takes a tremendous amount of work and simply isn't relevant to how many people live. What happens is that often people will focus on their favorite muscles or the ones they think will most impress potential suitors and the result can be an overuse injury or muscle imbalances. Using one muscle group at a time is a great way to get a pump but just isn't that exciting or engaging for people who only have the ability to workout a few times a week. Someone's been skipping leg day! In the early 2000s Juan Carlos was one a number of fitness educators promoting the concept of functional training which can be described as training for a purpose. The principle of specificity tells us that our body will adapt to the specific forces imposed upon it; sit in a machine to isolate a muscle and only that muscle will get strong. Using your whole body to move in all three directions is a much more effective way to develop strength in many muscles at the same time. A big component of Juan Carlos' education was how to take the strength and conditioning techniques normally used by high performance athletes and apply them to the average adult population. This was ground breaking stuff in the early 2000s One of the most significant features of functional training is that it focused on training multiple muscle groups at the same time via using movement patterns as opposed to the bodybuilding approach of focusing on only one muscle group at a time. If you work with a trainer today, whether or not they know it, they have been influenced in some way by Juan Carlos. Juan Carlos was a major influence on my career; it was an honor to sit on a panel with him at the ASIA Fitness conference in Bangkok in 2015 I think I went to my first workshop with Juan Carlos back in '99 or '00 where he actually put me through something call the dumbbell matrix (I volunteered for it) which was a multi-directional circuit that got my heart rate cranking using only 25 pound dumbbells, that got me hooked. From then on I learned as much as I could about functional training and focused on helping my clients move better using equipment like stability balls, medicine balls and resistance tubing. My clients loved the fact that they were getting a great workout using their whole body instead of just sitting in a machine pushing a lever or lying on a bench struggling with a weight. In our discussion today on All About Fitness, Juan Carlos and I talk about recent fitness trends, the benefits of training like an athlete, the pitfalls of training like a Kardashian and, most importantly, how exercise can slow down the aging process; since IHP is located in Boca Raton, FL and Juan Carlos works with a lot of older adults - he kinda knows what he's talking about. If you're a regular listener of All About Fitness please take a moment and give us a rating on iTunes - you know the deal, the better the rating, the higher the standings, the more listeners and the better content we can bring you. Thank you! www.petemccallfitness.com Twitter: @PeteMc_fitness Instagram: @PeteMc_fitness Please visit the sponsors of All About Fitness use code AAF to save when ordering a Terra Core Use code PM30 to save 30% on your next order Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Once upon a time when you walked into a commercial health club you saw row after row of treadmills and strength training machines. The only constant is change (someone smart said that, but I'm not sure who), nowadays when you walk into many health clubs or fitness studios you see a lot of open space and very few, if any strength training machines. That was then: commercial fitness used to be machine driven The original health clubs and fitness facilities were influenced by the bodybuilding culture so the focus was on equipment for muscle isolation so users could get their swoll on and hit their GAINZ. Over the past fifteen years or so there has been a tremendous shift and while many commercial gyms still have some strength training equipment they have gotten rid of extraneous pieces to create open spaces for members to move. Episode 39 of All About Fitness talks about how this change came about, who influenced it and, most importantly, how it benefits YOUR fitness program! This is now: many modern facilities feature plenty of open space and lots of different types of free weight equipment to challenge ALL of the muscles in your body at the same time (This is from Mike Boyle Strength and Conditioning; Mike was a guest on episode 34 and his facility has repeatedly been voted one of the top gyms in the US by Mens Health) Thanks for tuning in! Twitter: @PeteMc_fitness Instagram: @PeteMcCall_fitness www.petemccallfitness.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From teaching group fitness to designing group fitness class formats to receiving an Emmy nomination for exercise programming as the VP of Programming for Daily Burn Lisa Wheeler is one of the backbones of the fitness industry. Today on this episode of All About Fitness we talk about how to identify the best fitness instructors for your needs and how a streaming service like Daily Burn can be a great resource for your fitness needs. Lisa doing what she does best: 'encouraging' people to sweat Whether you are looking for a way to start an exercise program or a total fitness junkie looking for killer instructor-led workouts you will get a lot of information from this episode on how you can reach YOUR fitness goals. Instagram: @PeteMcCall_fitness Twitter: @PeteMc_fitness www.petemccallfitness.com To see myself and other guests teach live workshops on fitness techniques visit us at a SCW Fitness conference; use the code McCall17 to save money on registration. Please visit the sponsors of All About Fitness:: SKLZ Performing products. Be ready! Use code PM30 to save 30% on your order. Terra Core by Vicore Fitness - Better products for better results! Use code AAF to save on the order of a Terra Core. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One interesting thing about the fitness industry is that media and non-industry friends are always asking about the newest, latest, great workout product or program. For some reason when it comes to the commercial fitness industry it seems like we're always on the lookout for the 'next big thing' whether it's a product like the TRX or branded program like CrossFit; as a result we often overlook what really works to establish a foundation of good health: consistent exercise and smart nutrition choices. Fitness is only part of the puzzle, other lifestyle habits like nutrition, amount of time spent sitting, sleep, hydration and total amount of daily physical activity all play important roles in helping to create optimal health. When it comes to which exercise program works the best, here's what ALL good, educated fitness professionals know: EVERYTHING works, if you do it the right way and you adopt healthy lifestyle behaviors at the same time. That said, it is fun trying to predict future trends. When I first picked up a kettlebell in 2003 I know it was going to become popular but I didn't think I'd be able to buy one at big box retailers. When I did my first CrossFit workout in 2005 I thought it was a fun, challenging workout to provide the benefits of high intensity training but I never thought that we would be watching CrossFit competitions on TV. The point is that I can sometimes tell when things are going to be a popular fitness trend but I underestimate how popular. 14 years after picking up my 1st kettlebell and I'm still swinging away Whenever I’m at a large fitness event like the IHRSA trade show or IDEA World Conference I always ask colleagues and other attendees about any new equipment or trends that are catching their eye. As people tell me about the products or programs they’re noticing, or sharing their ideas for what the next fitness trend will be, one thing always occurs to me: rather than always looking for the next ‘best thing’ in fitness we should be focusing our efforts on doing the basics right. From Ashtanga yoga to indoor cycling to Zumba it seems as if the popularity of fitness is at an all-time high yet we seem to always be looking for the next trend. It can be tough to guess exactly what will happen in the future (if I could do that I’d be working on Wall Street or fleecing the casinos in Vegas) but here are my best educated guesses on the fitness trends we’ll be seeing over the next year or two. 1. In 2017 the online workout-video-on-demand category will expand as companies evolve from offering pre-recorded workouts to providing instructor-led workouts live-streamed from a popular studio in real-time as they’re happening. Popular video-on-demand service The Daily Burn is leading the way in this category allowing three friends in a living room in Decatur, Georgia to follow along with a live workout being taught in a studio in mid-town Manhattan. 2. What is old is new again. Thanks to products like the Mace from companies like Onnit one of the recent trends has been a return to ‘ancient’ strength training techniques used by the original generation of strongmen and militaries. Various militaries, like Germany in the 1700s, were the first to popularize group fitness as a means of preparing soldiers for battle. The Mace is a heavy tool used for hand-to-hand combat but it also creates an extremely effective way to train for total body rotational strength. Yes, my first glimpse into the future is all about new tech and this one is all about a return to ancient techniques; but when it comes to fitness there is no ‘one size fits all’ solution meaning different modes of exercise will be attractive to different types of people. The one arm press was made famous during the era of physical culture; Arthur Saxon could lift over 200 lbs. (95-ish kilos) with one arm. 3. Social media platforms like Snapchat, Instagram, Periscope and Facebook Live provide fitness professionals with the opportunity to promote their individual brands and connect with thousands of people around the world. Over the next year we will see more trainers use social media platforms to extend their ability to get people moving. In addition we will start seeing trainers and fitness models who have cultivated a strong social media presence (think tens of thousands of followers) leverage their extensive networks of followers to create revenue streams for themselves by promoting various fitness products. 4. Building community through health clubs. One reason why Starbucks has been so successful (besides selling legally addictive stimulants) is because it creates a third space that is neither work nor home but a location to hang out, spend some time catching up with a friend or a good book. Health clubs provide the same opportunity; they're not just a place to get sweaty but they create a community of like-minded individuals interested in exercise. Ok, I'm biased because I met my wife at a health club 5. In the coming years we will

When most people think of 'strength training' they no doubt think of bulky, overly-muscled men like Arnold Schwarzenegger from his nineteen-eighties, action-movie glory days; but here's a little known secret about strength training - the biggest muscles aren't always the strongest muscles. That's right; muscles may be large but that's not the primary determinant of strength. Muscular strength comes from numerous muscle fibers working together to generate tension; it is a function of the nervous system's ability to communicate with individual muscle fibers. The more fibers recruited to generate tension, the higher the levels of strength developed. If you're a fitness aficionado who wants to learn more about strength training you have a couple of choices: you could read the literature of the Russian Researchers or who could work with someone who has been trained by StrongFirst. Brett Jones, Chief Instructor, StrongFirst Strength is a technical skill; if your goal is to get strong then you will want to work with a coach who knows who to properly develop the skill of strength. On this episode of All About Fitness I interview Brett Jones, Chief Instructor, StrongFirst about the benefits of strength training and how kettlebells can be used as a tool to develop both strength and power. In our discussion we cover numerous benefits of strength and power training; including one of the most important: that it can help develop lean muscle mass, which can be a key component of looking younger! Find a StrongFirst educated trainer in your area with the StrongFirst Trainer Locator Or if you are interested in StrongFirst education then hit this link to: StrongFirst Education and Certification courses No matter what your personal fitness goal, improving strength will always be a key component of success! www.petemccallfitness.com Instagram: @PeteMcCall_fitness Twitter: @PeteMc_fitness Please visit the sponsors of All About Fitness: SKLZ: Performance training equipment - BE READY! Use code: PM30 to save on your next purchase! Terra Core by Vicore Fitness - the new workout platform that is changing the way people move. Vicore Fitness - better results from better products. Use code: AAF to save on the purchase of a Terra Core of your own! ActivMotion Bar - the first weighted bar with a dynamic resistance; let the resistance move you! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this edition of Quick Fit Tips I go into the most important benefit of strength training: It can slow down the normal biological aging process. Until someone invents the flux capacitor for time travel (80s movie reference) there is nothing that we can do to stop the progress of time; however getting older certainly does beat the alternative. Strength training increases the levels of specific hormones which can act as a literal fountain of youth helping to mitigate the aging process. Would you believe that he is 62 years old?* If you're in your 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s or even your 20s and are not currently exercising, you should think about starting. Not to lose weight or look a certain way, but to take control of the aging process; because regular physical activity combined with a number of other healthy lifestyle choices can help you maintain your youthful energy and appearance well into your later years. Here is my blog for the American Council on Exercise on the types of exercise to do in each decade of the human life cycle: https://www.acefitness.org/blog/6108/exercise-for-each-decade-of-the-adult-lifespan Twitter: @PeteMc_fitness Instagram: @PeteMcCall_fitness www.petemccallfitness.com Please visit the sponsors of All About Fitness: SKLZ: Fitness equipment for all of your training needs. Use PM30 for a discount on your next order. the Terra Core by Vicore Fitness: Use code AAF to save on the purchase of a Terra Core the ActivMotion Bar: Let the resistance move you! *Not really, but exercise can help you to look younger well into your later years Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Question: What can George Constanza teach us about exercise? To learn the answer you'll have to listen to strength coach Mike Boyle and I discuss the most effective ways you should be working out. When it comes to developing and coaching practical, effective fitness solutions Mike has over thirty years of experience helping both athletes and individuals to achieve extremely high levels of performance. On this episode of All About Fitness we discuss why the average person should be training like an athlete and how you can get started on a program to help you get fit at any age. If you have kids that play sports or coach youth sports yourself then you will want to pay CLOSE ATTENTION to the first part of our conversation where Mike and I discuss the many mistakes being made in youth sports that could impede athletic development or lead to a career-ending injury. When it comes to strength and conditioning Mike is a straight-shooter and one of the best in the business. He the author of New Functional Training for Sports and owns Mike Boyle Strength and Conditioning in Woburn, MA which has been recognized by Men's Health as one of the top gyms in the country. Throughout his career as a coach, educator and author Mike has had a tremendous impact on myself and thousands of other fitness professionals who are working to make the world a healthier place. Here are links to some of the things referenced in our discussion: Core Performance by Mark Verstegen - one of THE BEST books for learning the how's and why's of fitness. Mike Boyle's Fat-Loss for Adults workout program on exercise.com Mike Boyle's Strength Coach Blog www.petemccallfitness.com Twitter: @PeteMc_fitness Instagram: @PeteMcCall_fitness Please visit the sponsors of All About Fitness www.SKLZ.com Use code: PM30 to save on your next order. Vicore Fitness: the makers of the new Terra Core fitness platform - Better Products for Better Results! Use code AAF to save on the purchase of a Terra Core www.activmotionbar.com ActivMotion Bar - the first weighted bar with a shifting mass that can be 170% more effective than traditional weighted bars! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you exercise regularly, how do you decide which ones to do in your workouts? If you're like most fitness enthusiasts then you are most likely following a workout program featuring exercises that focus on individual muscle groups or bodyparts. This approach to fitness comes from bodybuilders who use muscle isolation exercises like biceps curls or leg extensions in an effort to promote the highest level of growth and definition. The ViPR was designed specifically to focus on movement-based workouts. Hypertrophy is the technical term for muscle growth; exercise programs where the goal is improving hypertrophy should focus on muscle isolation exercises because they can be the most effective way to initiate the metabolic or mechanical stimuli necessary to promote muscle growth. However, if you only have a limited time for exercise you are better off following an exercise program that focuses on using movement patterns as opposed to exercises designed to isolate a muscle. Here's some food for thought: The only time a muscle works in isolation is in a machine designed for muscle isolation. Any other time you move numerous muscles are working together to produce and control the forces necessary to perform specific movement patterns. Our brains are hard-wired to focus on learning the most effective movement patterns that can provide our daily needs for food, shelter, companionship or physical security. When creating a movement our brain and nervous system will engage a number of muscles simultaneously to execute the pattern. Performing a movement-based exercise program that focuses on using patterns instead of muscle isolation exercises can help improve overall levels of strength, reduce the risk of injury from overuse and increase caloric expenditure (allowing you to burn more calories in less time). Today's All About Fitness Quick Fit Tip focuses on the differences between isolation and movement training and why you should be doing the latter and skipping the former. The most important benefit is that anytime you engage more muscles in an activity you can increase the level of energy expenditure. Moving a weight through space is an effective way to increase total body strength. Blogs I've written about the benefits of movement-based exercise: ACE Blog: Training Movement, Not Muscles ACE Blog: Training Movement, Not Muscles, part II ACE article: Loaded Movement Training Thanks for tuning in; for the next few months All About Fitness will be holding a drawing from all people who fill out a review on iTunes (or other hosting services). Each month we will select one person from all of those who write a review to win a prize - either an All About Fitness t-shirt or a product from a sponsor. Please visit the sponsors of All About Fitness: SKLZ - exercise equipment for all phases of the workout; use code PM30 to save on your next order. ActivMhttps://activmotionbar.comotion Bar - the first weighted bar with a dynamic, moving mass that can be up to 170% MORE effective than using traditional weighted bars; let the resistance move you! The Terra Core by Vicore Fitness - The Terra Core is a unique new fitness platform that can be used as a bench, balance device or conditioning tool. Better products for better results; use code PM30 to save on the purchase of a Terra Core. (for more info on the Terra Core, read here) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We all know that nutrition plays a significant role in helping us reach or exceed our fitness goals. Between trendy diets, faddish flushes or dangerous detoxes there can be a tremendous amount of misinformation about the type of well-rounded, balanced, complete nutrition you need to be healthy. Frances Largeman-Roth is a RDN (Registered Dietitian Nutritionist) credentialed by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, author, frequent contributor to national TV talk shows and the former Director of Food and Nutrition at Health Magazine; she has a tremendous amount of experience in helping others learn how to eat right and make healthier decisions. Today on All About Fitness, Frances and I talk about fad diets and some simple strategies and steps that you can easily implement to help develop and maintain healthy nutrition habits. From understanding the role of elimination diets to strategies for getting your kids to eat their veggies you will learn a number of helpful tidbits to help you make healthier choices for you and your family. Frances has written 4 books: Eating in Color, The Carblovers Diet Cookbook, The Carblovers Diet and Feed the Belly: the Pregnant Mom's Healthy Eating Guide (written from experience as the mother of 3). You can also catch Frances sharing healthy recipes on her YouTube channel: The Milk&Honey Kitchen with Frances or through her social media handles: Instagram @franceslrothrd or Twitter @franceslrothrd More about Pete McCall, the host of All About Fitness If you want to learn more about fitness or nutrition, come to a SCW Mania Fitness Convention this year! Use the code PMcCall17 to save on your registration. Please visit the sponsors of All About Fitness: SKLZ Training and Performance Products: Be Ready! Use code PM30 to save on your next order The Terra Core by Vicore Fitness: Better Products for Better Results: use code AAF to save on the purchase of a Terra Core ActivMotion Bar: Let the Resistance Move YOU! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

No matter what your fitness goals are, nutrition is a key component of success. The sayings: "abs are made in the kitchen" and "you can't out-train a bad diet," are absolutely, one-hundred percent accurate. Nutrition does not need to be overly complicated nor does it need to be some sort of strict diet but it is important to know a few strategies that can help you make healthier decisions. On this episode of All About Fitness Quick Fit Tips I offer a couple of simple strategies that can help you with your approach to nutrition. A meal like this can be both nutritious and delicious! First, it's important to know a little science, but keep in mind these are general terms, each individual is different, but these examples can help you to develop a slightly better understanding of how your body uses energy. If you want to know more about how your body burns fat then listen to episode 26 of All About Fitness where Professor Fabio Comana explains the physiology of fat burning. Your body uses the food you eat for energy and to repair tissue. Protein is used to repair tissue while fats and carbohydrates are used to provide energy (among other things). The energy that is not used immediately will be saved as triglycerides in adipose tissue (body fat). Yes, most of the energy you use is to power your muscles for a variety of activities, but internal biological processes like digestion and tissue repair will also help burn calories. A calorie is a measure of unit of energy - it is the amount of energy needed to raise the temperature of one liter of water by one degree centigrade. There is some variance based on the amount of lean muscle mass, fat mass and overall fitness but in general the human body will burn approximately one hundred (100) calories to walk or run a mile. If you take 12 minutes to walk a mile it will take you about 30 minutes to burn the energy from a 20oz bottle of Coca-cola (240 calories - according to the label). If you run a 7 minute mile it will take you half the time to burn the same amount of energy. My advice to clients is that when looking at a food label or calories guide on a restaurant menu determine how much activity you will need to do to expend the energy provided by that food. If something you're about to eat has two hundred calories then you should be prepared to do the necessary activity to use the energy it will provide. Otherwise that extra energy that could be stored as fat to be used at a later time. Taking the time to prep fruit and veggies at the beginning of the week can help you be healthier all week long. If your goal is to lose weight then it is necessary to consume fewer calories than you expend - this creates a negative caloric balance. This doesn't mean starve yourself, it just means making smarter decisions about the quantity of food and your daily level of physical activity. A pound of body fat has approximately 3500 calories of energy; if you can reduce your caloric intake by 300-500 calories a day and increase your caloric expenditure by 300-500 calories (the equivalent of walking 3-5 miles; it sounds like a lot but that can be accumulated throughout the day) then you will be on track to lose 1-2 pounds a week. More importantly you will be developing the ability to make healthier decisions and practice healthier habits both of which are essential for long-term success. There are many different approaches to nutrition; it is important to identify what works for you and your specific needs. My recommendation is to find a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist through the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. A RDN has five years of formal education before earning the credential which is important for helping you identify the most effective nutrition plan for your needs. Pete McCall bio Please visit the sponsors of All About Fitness: SKLZ - Performance Training Products Use code PM30 to save on your next order. Terra Core by Vicore Fitness - use code AAF to save on the purchase of a Terra Core ActivMotion Bar - the first weight bar with a dynamic resistance. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Strength is the ability to generate muscular force against an external resistance. Strength training is more than just lifting heavier weights or adding more muscle; how you approach your workout program can provide a number of benefits not only for your physical health but for your overall outlook on life. On episode 30 of All About Fitness strength coach Dan John and I discuss a number of benefits of strength training. Besides being an expert on strength training and human performance, Dan teaches religion and philosophy so our discussion delves into a number of ways that getting stronger can improve your life both in and out of the weight room. Strength training is a good metaphor for life; you have to work to overcome challenges. If you work hard enough and take the right approach you can accomplish great things. Some days you’re going to have the strength to overcome the weight, while other days the weight might get the best of you. In life it’s not what happens to us but how we react to it. That's just a little preview of this episode of All About Fitness - enjoy! You can read some of Dan's articles on T-Nation or Breaking Muscle; you can also pick up one of his books through On Target Publishing. My personal approach to fitness is to have the ability to enjoy awesome activities like lifting heavy things and playing in the mud during a Spartan Race If you want to learn more about fitness, exercise and human performance you can visit me at a SCW Mania Fitness Conference this year - I'll be teaching workshops on Core Training, Kettlbell training and the anatomy of human performance; use code McCall17 to save on registration. Please visit the sponsors of All About Fitness: ActivMotion Bar - Let the Resistance Move YOU! SKLZ Performance products - use code PM30 to save on your next order. Terra Core by Vicore Fitness - use code AAF to save on the purchase of a Terra Core Instagram: @PeteMcCall_fitness Twitter: @PeteMc_fitness email: [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sled pulling, or in this case, car pulling is an excellent way to develop lower body strength. When most people hear the term, 'strength training' they get an image of oversized bodybuilders lifting free weights to increase the size of their muscles. Muscular strength is the ability of muscles to generate a force against an external resistance. Did you realize that there are different types of strength training that can produce different effects on the body? On episode 29 of All About Fitness it's another Quick Fit Tip discussing the different types of strength training. The text below outlines what I explain in the podcast, providing a little more detail with links to relevant blogs and articles I've written in the past. A motor unit is the connection between the nervous system and the muscles it controls; it is the motor neuron and the muscle fibers attached to it. When a motor unit is activated it will cause it's attached fibers to shorten and generate a force. To learn more about muscle motor units, read my blog here. Hypertrophy is the technical term for increasing muscle size. Training for hypertrophy requires lifting a weight for a set of ten-to-fifteen reps until the muscle fatigues and is not able to perform another rep. Performing a higher rep range to fatigue will cause metabolic overload, the result of a muscle using all of its available glycogen to fuel the contractions. A muscle adapts by storing more glycogen which holds on to water resulting in an increase in muscle volume. To read more about metabolic overload, read this blog, and to learn seven techniques for promoting muscle growth click this link. Strength training, lifting a moderate-to-heavy weight for up to eight reps, will increase the number of motor units recruited but not necessarily the size of the involved muscles. Have you ever felt your muscles shaking when moving a heavy weight? That is because heavier weights will activate more muscle motor units (and their attached fibers) increasing the electrical activity within that muscle creating the shaking sensation. To read about the different types of strength; check out this blog. Power training should be done with lighter loads to allow you to move at the fastest speed possible. Power training increases the speed at which motor units are recruited and muscle fibers shortened, the result is the ability to generate a high amount of force in a short period of time. To read more about power training, follow this link. Towing a heavy weight can improve strength; towing a light weight (less than 10% of bodyweight) can help improve speed and acceleration - there is a difference. Powerlifting is the sport where participants compete to see who can lift the most amount of weight in three lifts: bench press, squat and deadlift. Weightlifting, commonly called Olympic weightlifting, is the sport where athletes compete to see who can lift the most weight in the snatch and clean-and-jerk. Here's the paradox: Powerlifting is test of maximum strength - the ability to lift the highest weight possible regardless of velocity while weightlifting is a test of explosive power - the ability to accelerate a weight at a high rate of speed. To learn more about the the different types of strength training and how they affect your body, listen to episode 29 of All About Fitness. To see myself and other guests teach live workshops on fitness techniques visit us at a SCW Fitness conference; use the code McCall17 to save money on registration. Sponsors of All About Fitness: SKLZ Performing products. Be ready! Use code PM30 to save 30% on your order. ActivMotion Bar - let the resistance move you. Terra Core by Vicore Fitness - Better products for better results! Use code AAF to save on the order of a Terra Core. Twitter: @PeteMc_fitness Instagram: @PeteMcCall_fitness email: [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

No matter how old you are, strength training can help you get results! On this episode of All About Fitness I speak with Nick Tumminello about how strength training can help you reach a variety of your fitness goals. Nick is a personal trainer, strength coach and educator who was recognized as the Personal Trainer of the Year by the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA). Nick is an expert in strength training and is a frequent contributor to publications such as Men’s Health, T-Nation and Bodybuilding.com. In addition, he travels around the world to teach personal trainers how to be more successful. Our conversation today focuses on the benefits of strength training for weight loss, the subject of one of Nick’s books, we also talk about a variety of topics related to working out in general and strength training in particular. in a field where a number of self-professed ‘experts’ claim to have the secret to success or promote workouts with little-to-no scientific validity it’s good to know that there are professionals like Nick who take the time to do the research so that when they dispense advice it is based only on the known facts about how the body adapts to exercise. Nick and I have gotten to know one another at various fitness conferences and meetings, at one point in our conversation I refer to Nick’s approach to fitness as ‘basic’ and I mean that as a compliment. Workout programs do not need to be overly complicated or use a variety of exercises better suited for an acrobatic routine to be effective. Knowing how to design a progressively challenging workout that applies the appropriate amount of stimulus to the body and how to properly recover from the workout so the body experiences the desired adaptations are two of the most important components of any exercise program. If you enjoy pushing iron or want to know the most effective things you should be doing in the gym you’ll get a lot out of today’s episode. Nick's books: Strength Training for Fat Loss and Building Muscle and Performance are must-have's for anyone interested in getting results from strength training. Come see Nick, myself and other top fitness professionals at SCW Mania fitness conventions; use code McCall17 to save on your registration. ActivMotion Bar - the first weighted bar with dynamic resistance to help you strengthen both your muscle and connection tissues; Let the Resistance Move YOU! Terra Core by Vicore Fitness - Better Products for Better Results Use code AAF to save on your purchase of a Terra Core. SKLZ Performance Equipment: Be Ready! Use code PM30 to save 30% on your next order! [email protected] Twitter: @PeteMc_fitness Instagram: @PeteMcCall_fitness Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We know that exercise is important, but the type of exercise you do can make all of the difference in getting the results you want. There are three general types of exercise: strength training, cardio training and flexibility training. In short, cardio training is about improving the ability of your body to deliver oxygen to working muscles; flexibility training is improving the ability of your muscles and joints to move and strength training improves the ability to generate force with your muscles. Strength training is the process of using an external resistance to help the muscles become more effective at producing and using force. When a muscle shortens it generates a force to move the opposing mass. When a muscle lengthens it is slowing down, or decelerating, the movement caused by an opposing force. For example, when standing up from the bottom of a squat the thigh and glute muscles are shortening to generate the force required to move your body up against the downward pull of gravity. On the way back down to the bottom of a squat the thigh and glute muscles are lengthening to slow the downward force created by gravity. Because there is more surface tension between individual muscle fibers as they lengthen, a muscle can generate more force during this phase of muscle action which can help stimulate muscle growth and improve definition (this is the science behind super-slow lifting methods). Strength training can be done with a variety of equipment including machines designed to work on specific muscles, dumbbells, barbells, kettlebells and non-traditional implements like sandbags, kegs or heavy tires. No matter which equipment you use, the amount of weight lifted or the number of reps you do, the most important thing to stimulate muscle growth is to work to the point of momentary fatigue which ensures that ALL fibers in a particular muscle are being engaged. Can strength training help make you smarter? Listen to find out! On episode 27 of All About Fitness I review the benefits of strength training, some of which are well-known like improving strength or adding lean muscle mass, but I also address some of the lesser known benefits like boosting levels of fat-burning hormones or making you smarter. Listen for details. Finally, when it comes to strength training you'll get your best results by using different equipment and changing the exercises you do on a regular basis. When you change the type of equipment you use in your workouts, like switching from doing barbell bench press to dumbbell bench press, it can stimulate your nervous system to recruit different muscle fibers. Exercise physiology is not an exact science; research can help us predict how a certain type of exercise might effect your body, but there is no way to know for certain how your body will respond until you actually do the exercise. However, there is one thing that we do know: doing the same exercises with the same equipment for more than a few months at a time is a sure-fire way to become stuck on a plateau. If you want to learn how your body adapts to strength training stay tuned for future episodes where I discuss the topic with some of the top strength coaches in fitness. In the meantime here are some blogs that I've written about the benefits of strength training to help you understand why you should be picking up heavy stuff: Evidence based solutions for muscle growth - this was written for personal trainers but you should be able to understand it. Why you should be lifting heavy Strength training starts with engaging the right muscle fibers: slow twitch v fast twitch muscle fibers Seven different types of strength training Get STRONG with Strongman training! (written for personal trainers) One weight workout: the barbell If you want to catch one of my workshops this year, please come see me at the SCW Mania fitness conference series, I'll be at every one EXCEPT NYC; use code McCall17 for a discount Please visit the sponsors of All About Fitness: SKLZ: Be Ready - use code PM30 for a discount ActivMotion Bar - the first weighted bar with a dynamic, shifting mass Terra Core by Vicore Fitness - better results from better products - use code AAF for a discount Follow me: Instagram: @PeteMcCall_fitness Twitter: @PeteMc_fitness Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How are you doing with your weight loss goals so far this year? Have you lost the weight you wanted to? Have you been able to get rid of that extra fat hanging out on your body? Do you want some advice for what you could be doing better? Losing weight and getting rid of unwanted body fat are popular reasons for starting an exercise program. In order to reach those goals it helps to know a little of the science behind how your body stores and uses fat. For example, if you consume too many calories the excess energy that your body doesn't use could be stored as fat. There are reasons why even if you exercise everyday you could still be falling short of your weight loss goals. In this episode of All About Fitness I sit down with Fabio Comana, a Professor of Exercise and Nutrition Science at San Diego State University, to discuss how the body gains and loses weight and, most importantly, identify the types of activity you can be doing to help you reach your weight loss goals. Fabio and I speaking at Fitness Asia in 2010, come join us at an upcoming SCW Mania If you want to learn more about exercise or experience workouts with some of the most dynamic instructors in the fitness industry you can visit Fabio, myself and numerous other fitness educators at a www.scwfit.com conference near your this year, use code: McCall17 to save on your registration! Please visit the sponsors of All About Fitness: ActivMotion Bar - Let the Resistance Move YOU! SKLZ - Be Ready! Use code PM30 to save 30% on your next order Vicore Fitness - makers of the Terra Core exercise platform, use code AAF to save on a Terra Core of your own. Join me on: Instagram: @PeteMcCall_fitness Twitter: @PeteMc_fitness Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Here are some numbers for you: 3500 calories - the amount of energy from a pound of fat 100 calories - the amount of energy it takes to walk or run a mile 5 calories - the amount of energy the body burns to consume 1 liter of oxygen 1 calories = the amount of energy required to increase 1 liter of water 1 degree centigrade. A calorie is a measure of unit of energy. When we eat food we are absorbing nutrients that will ultimately end up in one of three places: in muscles to burn as energy, in our waste when we eliminate or in our adipose tissue where fat is stored to be used for energy at a later date. If we eat a piece of food with 500 calories then whatever energy we do not burn or eliminate will be stored for use at a later time. In the body fat is simply stored energy; if you are looking to lose weight and burn fat then it is necessary to get up and be more active. We use oxygen, along with fats and carbohydrates, to produce energy to fuel activity in the body. Anytime we use more muscle tissue or do more activity we will require more oxygen and therefore burn more calories. If you've been struggling to lose weight then adding more activity to your daily habits can be one way to increase your net energy expenditure. Studies show that people who move more throughout the day can burn up to 300 more calories - that's equivalent to a 3 mile run! In this Quick Fit Tip episode of All About Fitness I cover a few simple steps that you can take to burn more energy throughout your day. One big tip: When reading a label to identify the amount of calories in a food or drink - Ask yourself, can I burn the energy that this is going to add to my body? If you see that a certain snack like a piece of pumpkin loaf from your favorite Seattle-based coffee store is 380 calories then that means you need to be prepared to walk about 4 miles to burn off the energy it will provide. At the USMC Camp Pendleton 10K Mud Run - Burning off some of my extra energy! Please visit the sponsors of All About Fitness: ActivMotion Bar: Let the Resistance Move You! Vicore Fitness: The maker of the new Terra Core - use code AAF to save 20% on a Terra Core of your own! SKLZ - Fitness and Performance Products - use code PM30 to save 30% on your next order Please follow Pete McCall: Instagram: @PeteMcCall_fitness Twitter: @PeteMc_fitness Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episode 24 of All About Fitness features author and founder of Nutritious Movement, Katy Bowman. This was a first for All About Fitness, the interview was scheduled through a publicist; and to be completely honest, before receiving her book, Move Your DNA, I had not heard of Katy Bowman, but the concepts discussed in her writing were familiar to me as a fitness educator who teaches that exercise is a function of movement. In a cool synchronicity, I interviewed Jen Sinkler before I interviewed Katy; when I was editing our podcast I realized that Jen had made a specific reference to Katy’s work. Katy is a health and wellness educator who promotes the concept that rather than limiting ourselves to specific types of exercise that we should focus more on participating in all types of movement. We often think of physical activity as a construct of a specific activity like flexibility, cardio exercise or resistance training; through her blog, books and podcast - Katy Says, Katy helps people to focus on improving movement literacy by taking every opportunity to be as physically active as possible, which can greatly enhance the overall quality of life. A biomechanist by education, Katy uses scientific knowledge combined with real-world practicality to reshape the concept of physical activity into holistic, natural movements as opposed to a series of isolated, discrete joint motions. Katy’s books include: Move Your DNA, Whole Body Barefoot and the recently released Movement Matters. In our conversation today we focus on why it is important to think about enhancing movement through ALL types of physical activity. Research shows that people who move throughout the day are healthier than people who are stuck in the same position. You’ll hear Katy use the term Captive Humans - to describe how the shape of our body becomes dictated by the limited scope of movements we perform throughout our daily lives. On this episode you'll learn why it’s more important to focus on complete movement literacy, why the modern concept of exercise may actually be limiting how much we move and what you can do to be more physically active throughout your day. Please visit the sponsors of All About Fitness: ActivMotion Bar Here is an example of the ActivMotion Bar in action Terra Core by Vicore Fitness Use product code AAF to save 20% on the purchase of a Terra Core SKLZ Fitness Products Use product code PM30 to save 30% on your next purchase Check out SKLZ products in action HERE Connect with Pete McCall: Instagram: @PeteMcCall_fitness Twitter: @PeteMc_fitness [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this shorter episode of All About Fitness I discuss the basic components of fitness. We have a tendency to overcomplicate things, especially when it comes to exercise and working out, it's important to note that often the best experts in any field are those who do the basics extremely well. The basic components of fitness are: strength training, energy pathway training, mobility training, fueling, rest and recovery, community and financial fitness; I describe what each component is but don't take a deep dive on how to achieve it - those will be happening on future episodes of the podcast. If you want to understand how exercise slows down the aging process, here is an article I wrote a few years ago that covers the basic physiology. When it comes to exercise I'm a BIG proponent of a three-day-a-week split: Day 1: Force production - either strength or power training, the goal is to challenge your muscles to generate a high amount of force (strength) or to produce force at the fastest velocity possible (power) Day 2: Mobility training - technically flexibility is joint motion through a specific range of motion. Extensibility is the ability of tissue to lengthen and shorten. These two combined create mobility - the ability to control motion through a complete path of motion. Mobility training includes bodyweight exercises like gymnastics or TRX training, yoga, dance or martial arts. Mobility training will keep you moving but should not over stress the systems of the body. Day 3: Energy pathway training - there are three specific energy pathways in the body and training on this day should focus on one of those. We should do some high intensity interval training but no more than one or two days per week (three if we have really good recovery strategies). Day 4: Rest or go back to day 1; however it's a good idea to take at least one complete rest day a week where the most activity you do is go for a long walk or catch up on chores around the house. Following this three day split you do your higher intensity days on 1 and 3; if you do a high intensity day 3 of energy pathway training then take a rest day, if energy pathway training is lower intensity then you can jump right back into strength or power training on day 1. The other components of fitness: fueling, rest, community and financial will be covered in future episodes of the podcast but each individual component is important for creating a well-balanced, low stress, high quality of life. If you want to see me in person, I'm speaking at SCW Mania Fitness Conferences this year: www.scwfit.com use code McCall17 for a discount on your registration Please visit the sponsors of All About Fitness: Vicore Fitness the makers of the Terra Core use code AAF to save 20% on a Terra Core of your own SKLZ - the makers of products for all components of your workout, use code PM30 to save 30% on your order ActivMotion Bar - the first weighted bar with a dynamic, shifting resistance Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episode 22 of All About Fitness represents two firsts: it was the first time I interviewed a guest with whom I did not have an existing relationship, and it was the first time I used Skype to record a podcast. The former was extremely successful which makes up for a few tech glitches on the latter. David Dellanave is the founder and owner of the Movement Gym in Minneapolis, MN which has been recognized as one of the top gyms in the United States by Men's Health Magazine. David is recognized as a strength training expert and has developed a specific coaching model based on using biofeedback to determine the appropriate training intensity for each training day. David has written a book about deadlifting and is often cited by magazines for being an expert on using strength training to get results. On episode 20 of All About Fitness I interviewed David's wife, the awesome Jen Sinkler so I thought it was only fair to give him the mic on this edition of the podcast. Our conversation covers the best things you can be doing at home to support your work in the gym, so it's definitely worth a listen! Visit David's website: https://www.dellanave.com The Movement Minneapolis (David's gym): https://www.movementminneapolis.com My article on deadlifting - David was a contributing expert: If you like All About Fitness please take a moment to give us a rating on iTunes. If you have any feedback please send me an e-mail at [email protected] If you're interested in learning more about fitness please visit me at a SCW Mania fitness conference where I'll be teaching a number of workshops on the most effective ways to exercise. http://scwfit.com/mania/ use code McCall17 to save 10% on registration Thank you to the sponsors of All About Fitness www.vicorefitness.com The makers of the new Terra Core, use code AAF to save 20% when you purchase a Terra Core www.activmotionbar.com Let the Resistance Move YOU! www.SKLZ.com High performance training equipment. Use code PM30 to receive a discount off of your order! Follow me on social media: Instagram: @PeteMcCall_fitness Twitter: @PeteMc_fitness Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Starting this week All About Fitness is moving to a two-podcast-per-week model where one podcast will feature a full, complete interview with an expert from a various fitness-related field where the focus will be on what you can be doing to improve your fitness level during the aging process, or how you can use exercise to slow down the aging process. The second podcast will be short and sweet where I will feature a brief review of a piece of relevant research, discuss a new trend or talk about the benefits of using a specific fitness product. The interview podcast will be between 25-45 minutes long and the second podcast, a kind of verbal blog, will be less than ten minutes. Whenever I am first introduced to a new "expert" or authority in a particular field I am always interested about his or her background and why I should be investing my time listening to what he or she has to say. On this first short format of All About Fitness I provide a brief overview of my education and work experience in the fitness industry. No, I don't have a seven-figure following on social media, nor do I have six-pack abs or buns of steel (although my glutes are pretty well developed - thanks to kettlebell swings and deadlifts). But I have worked (and continue to work) for the two largest personal training certifications: the American Council on Exercise (ACE) and the National Academy of Sports Medicine. Talking about yourself is always tough, you want to provide some background about your legitimacy to be viewed as an expert but you don't want to appear to be what comedian Dane Cook refers to as 'too bragadocious.' (Not sure if that's a word, but I'm going for it). Episode 21 provides a brief overview of my knowledge, skills and abilities and why I'm doing this podcast. If you like All About Fitness please take a moment and review on iTunes. If you have any direct feedback or guests you would like to book, please contact [email protected] Please visit the sponsors of All About Fitness www.activmotionbar.com www.SKLZ.com www.vicorefitness.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to episode 20 of All About Fitness, first I’m pleased to announce a new sponsor - SKLZ, the maker of exercise products to help you reach your goals, listen to the spot for a code that can save you 30%. On episode 20 I’m thrilled to feature a conversation with a favorite member of my extended #FitFAM Jen Sinkler. Jen is a blogger, studio owner (along with her husband, the physically cultured David Dellanave - an upcoming guest on All About Fitness himself) and fitness personality who is helping to change how people exercise - you can read her extended bio here. Some highlights of her background are being a former member of the US Women’s National Rugby team, an editor for a fitness magazine, a frequent speaker at fitness conferences and, this is my favorite, she’s one of the few women who is a regular content (meaning workout) contributor to Men’s Health. During our conversation today we talk about living without a car (LOVE IT), the benefits of strength training and specifically how her workout program has changed as she’s gotten a little older. As I’m getting more into podcasting and listening to other podcasts I’m finding I do not like long intros, so I’m trying to keep the recorded introduction short and sweet but am adding some personal input and thoughts AFTER the interview, so please stay tuned. For more info about Jen, please visit her site: https://www.jensinkler.com Please visit the sponsors of All About Fitness: ActivMotion Bar Vicore Fitness - use code AAF for a 20% discount SKLZ - listen to the spot for a discount code for 30% Follow me on Social Media! Twitter: @PeteMc_fitness Instagram: @PeteMcCall_fitness Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you're a longtime fitness enthusiast then you no doubt know that exercise is only one component of what is required to achieve the results you want. Unlike many common gym myths, the phrases, "You can't out-train a bad diet," and "Abs are made in the kitchen" are two sayings that, unfortunately, are more reality than myth. Here to help provide some no-nonsense, evidence based ideas for how you can change your diet to change your body is Sohailla Digsby, a Registered Dietician who is the author of the books: Countdown to Your Best Body Success Journal and Best Body Cookbook and Menu Plan as well as the leader of the Best Body in 52 online nutrition coaching program. On this episode of All About Fitness we discuss nutrition, the difference between a nutritionist and Registered Dietician, how you can make healthier nutrition choices and 5 simple steps that you can take to change your diet. Today. Don't let your nutrition choices hold you back from seeing the results you really want from your fitness program; this episode will help you understand the role of nutrition as well as help identify some simple changes that you can start making to your diet. As always, a big THANK YOU to the sponsors of All About Fitness: ActivMotion Bar - the FIRST weighted bar with a shifting mass that has been found to be 170% more effective than traditional weighted bars. www.activmotionbar.com Vicore Fitness - the makers of the Terra Core, a workout platform designed specific to help you enhance your fitness through the science of movement variability. www.vicorefitness.com/terra-core use the code AAF to save 20% on a Terra Core of your own! If you are interested in seeing fitness and nutrition educators like Sohailla and I in person we will be appearing at SCW MANIA Fitness conferences in 2017. You do NOT have to be a fitness professional to attend, in fact we love it when the general fitness enthusiast comes to the events. In 2017 I'll be teaching workshops on kettlebell training, core training, dynamic anatomy and the role of recovery in fitness www.scwfit.com Look for the link to the MANIA events to find one near you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As a fitness professional my primary focus is on enhancing physical performance through movement-based strength and conditioning programs. What that means in plain English is that I help people move better first before helping them to become stronger or more powerful. A well-known joke among fitness professionals is that the most common workout goals are to: "lose weight" and "tone up." If a personal trainer received $1 for every time he or she heard that phrase every single one of us would be a multi-millionaire. The fact is that most people start a workout program in order to look better, not move better. With that in mind I plan on regularly interviewing guests with a background in bodybuilding, whether as a competitor, researcher or coach. On episode 18 of All About Fitness I interview former professional bodybuilder Tamer ’The Razor' El-Guindy. Our conversation focuses on how setting exercise goals, especially the strict ones required for success as a bodybuilder, can help you prepare for success in your professional life. Let’s face it, if you can compete in bodybuilding then you are driven by setting and working towards challenging goals which is an important trait required for any type of professional success. Tamer is an excellent example of an individual who has turned the drive and determination that led to his success on the competitive stage towards a career working in the fitness industry. Tamer is a former IFBB 2-time Mr. USA who is now working for UFC Gym as the vice president of global franchising and the director of the UFC Gym University. My initial perception of UFC Gym was that it was going to be focused on the tribal-tatood, Ed Hardy t-shirt wearing crowd that frequent MMA events. However having met and done some work with both Tamer and the director of Fitness for UFC Gyms Rob McCullough, who I interviewed on episode 16 of All About Fitness, I have been impressed by the all-inclusive approach the company has towards it’s fitness programming. This is not an informercial for UFC Gym, however when I come across a company that I feel is doing fitness the right way, whether it is by manufacturing equipment or operating a health club, I want to share that it with you. If you’re like me than you may have a certain image of what working out in a UFC Gym looks like, but after listening to our conversation today you may realize it’s a place worth checking out. If you're looking for a new fitness facility for your workouts, then visit: https://ufcgym.com A big THANK YOU to the sponsors of All About Fitness: ActivMotion Bar - Let the Resistance MOVE YOU! www.activmotionbar.com Here is the ActivMotion Bar in action: https://youtu.be/pHEv-TeT6Ug Vicore Fitness - makers of the new Terra Core workout platform www.vicorefitness.com Check out the Terra Core in Action: https://youtu.be/Pcx4cMtDPq0 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's easy to stop working out if you're not having fun. If you're looking for a new way to challenge your body, or just want to make your workouts more interesting than consider training like an athlete! You don't have to be under contract to reap the benefits of training like top competitive athletes. On episode 17 of All About Fitness I speak with Michael Piercy, a former professional baseball player who uses his knowledge of what it takes to compete as a pro to help his clients experience extraordinary results. Michael Piercy is a NASM Certified Personal Trainer and Performance Enhancement Specialist (PES) as well as a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) with the National Strength and Conditioning Association who owns the LAB Performance Training Center in West Caldwell, NJ. Michael is a Master Instructor for TRX and the developer of the RedZone Workout Program for Men's Health. During our conversation today we talk about how pro athletes train and how training like a pro can help you reach your fitness goals; most importantly you'll learn how to make exercise more FUN again. http://www.thelabsports.com Please visit the sponsors of All About Fitness: ActivMotion Bar: www.activmotionbar.com Vicore Fitness: www.vicorefitness.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of All About Fitness I sit down with Rob McCullough, former professional kick boxer, WEC Lightweight Champion, and currently the Senior Director of MMA Programming for UFC Gyms. We discuss how Rob got started in professional fighting and how his approach to fitness and exercise has changed over the years. What is fascinating is that over the past twenty years MMA has evolved from an underground sport to a multi-billion dollar industry. The computer and tech industry evolved in San Jose, CA, finance and fashion were developed in New York City and the early days of MMA took place in Orange County, CA and Rob was there at the beginning. Rob talks about meeting and training with Tito Ortiz in high school and how his participation in the sport has grown from being a fighter to running the program for UFC Gyms, a rapidly growing chain of health clubs based out of Southern California. If you are interested in finding a UFC Gym near you please visit: https://ufcgym.com Please visit the sponsors of All About Fitness www.activmotionbar.com Makers of the ActivMotion Bar, the first weight bar with a dynamic and shifting mass. www.vicorefitness.com Makers of the Terra Core, a unique exercise platform that allows you to experience the benefits of movement variability. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episode 15 of All About Fitness is about the role that community plays in promoting a healthy and fitness lifestyle. People who don’t workout tend to find any excuse to avoid getting sweaty. Those of us who enjoy fitness are the opposite, we look forward to the physical challenge of a tough workout and often we look forward to seeing the friends we’ll be sweating with as we push ourselves to perform better. How many times have you thought about blowing off a workout or skipping an activity because you weren’t really in the mood? How many times did you suck it up and show up because you knew that others would be there waiting for you and, if nothing else, it was a chance to get out, see some friends and have a little fun? One of the best things about the fitness lifestyle is being a part of a community of like-minded individuals. As someone who has taught group fitness classes for the better part of 20 years I can attest to the fact that many friendships are made among people who sweat together. One of the coolest things is that many people who first meet in the gym end up becoming friends, which is especially important in this day of social media when it can be easier to connect virtually than in real life. The topic of today’s episode is how fitness can create a community and why that community can be an important part of a healthy lifestyle. You may have seen them in the park: a phalanx of women in form-fitting exercise clothes pushing strollers and stopping every so often to perform some workouts. The program is called Stroller Strides and it was created by Lisa Druxman, a fitness professional, who noticed there was a lack of exercise options for women who had just given birth. True to the phrase: necessity is the mother of invention, once Lisa decided to create a program that catered to new moms who didn’t want the let the new addition stand in the way of their exercise program. Once Lisa created the Stroller Strides workout she turned it into a franchise program so that other new moms could start their own companies promoting health and fitness. Over the years Stroller Strides has evolved to include programs called Fit4Baby - classes for pre-natal fitness, Body Back - conditioning classes for any stage of motherhood and has become the company Fit4Mom. Farel Hruska is the National Fitness Director responsible for educating new and existing franchise owners and instructors. Lisa and Farel have focused on helping women create a community of like-minded individuals who care about the health of both their families and themselves as individuals. In this episode of All About Fitness, Lisa, Farel and I discuss the evolution of Fit4Mom and the role that a community of like-minded individuals plays in helping you to pursue a healthy and fit lifestyle. Please visit the sponsors of All About Fitness: ActivMotion Bar www.activmotionbar.com Vicore Fitness www.vicorefitness.com Information on Fit4Mom: www.fit4mom.com Franchise information: http://fit4momfranchise.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A few things to know about exercise and pregnancy Okay, first things first, I’m a guy. Let me add a little more info, I’m a father with two young kids and someone who makes a living teaching exercise science so me writing or speaking about exercising during pregnancy comes from the point of view of having watched my wife go through it two times and having done the research to teach others how pregnancy changes a woman’s response to exercise. Here’s the thing: we know that a woman’s body changes during pregnancy and that the physiology will function differently but there is a scarcity of specific research on how hard or how long to exercise during pregnancy because: 1) no researcher wants to risk injuring a pregnant woman and 2) it’s only a limited time frame to collect data. This means that we have ideas about how a woman’s body adjusts to exercise during pregnancy but no definitive standards for how hard, how long or what type of exercise. If you’re female, enjoy working out and planning on getting pregnant here are a few things you should know about the benefits of exercise during pregnancy along with a few things to pay attention to as your pregnancy progresses. This information comes from the current scientific literature, my 18 years of experience of working with pregnant woman as private clients and in group classes, going through it two times with my wife and from my conversation with Aimee Nicotera, a fitness professional who continued to teach, train and compete during her pregnancy. In my All About Fitness podcast we discuss Aimee’s pregnancy and how she has adjusted her workouts over the development of her baby. Two important things to note: Aimee is a little older than many new mothers but that didn’t affect her and she went into labor and gave birth within hours of taping the podcast so I was lucky to catch her at the exact end of her pregnancy; so it’s worth a listen if you’re looking for some good, practical advice from a fitness expert with a master’s in health education. here is some more information about exercise during pregnancy American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) guidelines on exercise during pregnancy American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) Comment on exercise during pregnancy Please visit the sponsors of All About Fitness: www.activmotionbar.com www.vicorefitness.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices