Years ago I trained in a traditional, American martial arts school that emphasized a family style of Kung Fu that dated back over four hundred years. A typical class involved a period of meditation, calisthenics, stretching, forms work, and then application of fighting technique. I trained for a solid eight years before I decided to [...]
Metabolic syndrome is a primary driver of poor health throughout the developed world. Metabolic syndrome is defined as a group of health conditions that raise the risk of developing serious illness, such as cardiovascular disease, stroke, liver and kidney disease, and diabetes. These health conditions can include significant belly fat, high blood pressure, insulin resistance, [...]
Frailty Sarcopenia is the scourge of aging. It is the process of losing muscle mass and strength that begins some time around the age of 40. Sarcopenia can greatly impact your quality of life by reducing your ability to perform normal tasks such as carrying groceries and climbing stairs. If left unchecked, it [...]
Once you reach a certain age, it becomes critical that you start training your legs for strength and to build muscle. Strong legs are critical to maintaining a decent quality of life if you happen to live to an advanced age. Strong legs will help you avoid some falls in case you lose your balance [...]
If you are like me and prefer training at home rather than going to a gym, you'll need proper equipment. It's time to turn your basement or garage into your own gym. Below I discuss the equipment I have in my own very humble garage gym and some other recommendations. Before I get to that, [...]
I recently read that through the use of accelerometry analysis, it was estimated that less than 10% of the US population meets the 150 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity per week prescription recommended by the CDC. Some argue that the 10% figure is overly pessimistic, as there is another estimate as high as 47%. [...]
In a previous post, I discussed the Sick Aging Phenotype. The Sick Aging Phenotype is a person who is beset by a whole host of maladies, not the least of which is Metabolic Syndrome. So what is the best way to turn around the Sick Aging Phenotype, or better yet, avoid it altogether? Exercise. Exercise [...]
Phat Phil The discussion that follows is derived from my personal fitness bible, The Barbell Prescription, written by Dr. Jonathon Sullivan and Andy Baker. Sullivan runs a business known as Greysteel and he specializes in strength training for middle aged folks and the elderly. Andy Baker is a well known strength trainer. Be [...]
Regular meditation practice has been associated with a number of benefits backed by clinical research. I’ll dive into the primary benefits here and encourage you to conduct further research if you still have doubts. Stress Reduction The primary benefit derived from meditation is that it can help reduce stress. Stress reduction is critical to overall [...]
The squat is the best exercise for developing overall, general strength. There is simply no other exercise that is as effective. It is also an exercise that even experienced gym goers tend to avoid. The squat is often misunderstood and maligned by the personal training community. I've seen plenty of actual trainers on social media offer [...]