Your Complete Step-By Step Guide to Doing Single Leg Squats

If you want to hammer your legs while sparing your low back, try single leg squats. Last time I gave you 10 fantastic benefits of this exercise, but I left you hanging. I didn’t explain how to get to the more advanced progressions. Well, today, it’s time to look at those progressions. Here is a step-by step guide to rocking a single leg squat.

23 Combo Exercises to Switch Up a Bored Client’s Routine

Need to spice up your training? Do you want to burn some fat or have a fun way to get some conditioning before the weather gets nice? If so, combination exercises may be just what you need. Combination exercises are done by picking two exercises and alternating back and forth between the two doing one rep at a time. The trick is pairing exercises that work well together. Recently, I teamed up with my friend and colleague Shane McLean (aka The Balance Guy) to write an article for the The PTDC (Personal Trainer Development Center) on combination exercises. This is your complete guide on combination exercises with instructions on how and when to use them as well as 23 examples (with videos) of combination exercises. Check out the full article and a link to download a PDF version HERE. 

Also, here is a video of me coaching a front/squat with L-sit chin-up combination.

Smarter Ways to Read: 7 Reading Habits That Can Boost Your Career

As I youngster, I knew I needed to read to learn about training and accelerate my career. I quickly found that while I didn't always like reading in school, training about training was fun and interesting. In those days, determining what to read was straight-forward. I just went to the local library or bookstore and picked one of the 4 books they had on strength training. However, fast-forward 20 years and we are know drowning in a sea information overload! How do you keep up with all the information out there? How do you decide what options are work your limited reading time? While I enjoy reading more than ever, I have had to figure out a way to read smarter and effectively filter information. Check out the latest article I wrote for the PTDC: Smarter Ways to Read: 7 Reading Habits That Can Boost Your Career. 

Best of the Blog 2016

Well, that wraps up another year! To finish up 2016, here is a list of the 10 most popular posts on my blog over this last year. Whether you missed one or want a quick refresher read, here you go!

6 Exercise Hacks for Superior Results

Are your workouts delivering everything you hoped they would? Are you are investing your valuable time in the weight room AND really getting the best possible return on your investment? In the same amount of time, you could have harder, more effective and safer training sessions by putting yourself into the best possible situations for success. Here are 6 lifting hacks that will take your training to the next level! 

12 Important Advances in Athletic Performance Training Over the Last Decade

A lot has changed in the last decade in the strength & conditioning industry. In my previous post I started to answer the question a former student and athlete of mine recently asked me: “what’s changed in the last decade?” Last time I looked at this question from a fitness industry standpoint. Now, let’s look at some of the most important changes and advances to athletic performance training over the last decade and what that means for you and your training. 

10 Important Advances in the Fitness Industry Over the Last Decade

A few months back, a former student and athlete of mine asked me one of the most loaded questions I’ve ever been asked – “What’s changed in the industry since I was a student?” Wow, great question! After much thought and reflection, I came up with a list of some of the most significant changes to the industry over the last decade. I’ve also included some of the mistakes I’ve made and how I’ve changed my mind over the last ten years so you can learn the easy way. I’ve also included a takeaway for each point that you can personally apply. Whether you are a trainer or you just love training, I believe that understanding these changes will help you with your training or professional journey.

The Future of Fitness

If you were around 80’s, the year 2015 is of special significance. Back in the 80’s Steven Spielberg released his blockbuster time travel trilogy Back to the Future. In the second movie Marty McFly journeys 30 years into future. The movie, set in 2015 depicts our 1985 prediction of what the future would be like (they totally missed the boat with cell phones). As Marty steps out of his De Lorean time machine, he is met with flying cars, talking clothes, automatic shoes and the iconic hover board. Looking back at the movie, we haven’t come as far as we thought we would have.

As I thought about this my mind naturally turned to fitness. How far have we come? Are people really fitter today than they were 30 or more years ago? Why are obesity rates rising? Why is there an increase in chronic diseases? Why is the military lowering their entrance fitness standards? Why are kids getting what used to be called “adult onset diabetes?” Is our industry really advancing? Is our application of effective training methods really improving? Where is our industry headed? How do we stay on track, improve the effectiveness of our training and look forward to a brighter fitness future? Read on to find out.

Photo Credit: http://www.denofgeek.com/movies/back-to-the-future/32091/looking-back-at-back-to-the-future-part-ii

How to Find and Grow Your Niche in the Fitness Industry

In today’s fitness industry, there are countless trainers and endless fitness blogs. So how to do you make a name for yourself? How do you get clients to train with you? How do you get people to your website? How to you make a comfortable living and still have time to take care of your personal health and fitness? While many different strategies have been tried, I believe the best way for both lasting success and the ability to impact the lives of many is to find and develop your niche.

Image courtesy of  cooldesign.at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Double vs Single Leg Squat – The Verdict Is In!

“You don’t play sports on 2 legs, so why should you train on 2 legs?” This argument is often used by those who are proponents of single leg training. For decades strength coaches have used the traditional bilateral (2 leg) squat to build strength and improve athletic performance. However the last several years, there have been coaches who have moved away from bilateral squats claiming the superiority of unilateral (1 leg at a time) training. Usually their augments were based on logic, observation and personal experience. However, now we have decent study to get to the bottom of this debate. It’s time to put opinions aside and look at what really matters – results.

6 More Program Design Tips for Faster Fat Loss

Effective fat loss training starts in the kitchen. However, when you get to the gym, you can accelerate your fat loss efforts if you do the right things in the gym. In part 1 of this post, I gave you 6 program design tips for faster fat loss. Here are 6 more ways to train if you want to burn fat faster - enjoy!

6 Program Design Tips for Faster Fat Loss

If you want to strip unwanted fat off your body, you need to look first to your diet. However, once that is taken care of, it is time to look at your training. I’m always looking for ways to make the valuable time you spend training more efficient and effective. If you want to speed up fat loss for yourself or your clients, here are some ways to improve your fat loss training programs.

A Simple Way to Focus Your Training for Better Results

A wise person once said, “The internet is both the best and the worst thing that has happened to the fitness industry.” When it comes to training, you now have too many options. While all these countless options might keep your workouts fun and entertaining, they can often pull you away from the very things that you need to get the best and fastest possible results. While it is nice to enjoy the training journey, let us not forget the purpose of the journey is to get you to where you want to go. Here is a simple exercise that will help you increase your training focus and help you get way better results.