Our population is getting older, and we’re living longer, so why shouldn’t we be able to really enjoy life when we retire? After all, it’s the quality of life in our later years that’s most important, not how long we can be kept alive. If you are a personal trainer, or thinking of becoming one, your future is very bright indeed!

Whether it’s the 4th quarter, bottom of the ninth inning, last boxing or MMA round or final weight lifting attempt, speed, strength, and top conditioning separate the winners. If you’re a certified strength coach, the sky can be the limit for your ticket to success.

We all know the obesity epidemic is everywhere we look, but few people realize just how powerful their words, actions, and examples can be on the lives of others. Dr Sal Arria discuss here on the power of your words and actions and how you can make an impact on the lives of those around you…

Over 40 million people (just in the USA) are suffering with a condition that, for many of them, can be easily prevented if they would follow a few simple rules. Can the power of exercise and nutrition really make all the difference?

Think about your last leg workout – how many quad dominant exercises did you do? How many hip extensor dominant exercises did you do? Was there a balance between the two? Do you even know the difference?

Two of the most frequently asked questions about children and strength training are; “Is it safe for kids to lift weights?” And “At what age can kids start lifting weights?” The sad truth is, many doubts surround the safety and validity of weight training for children. Many would even have you believe that kids have no place at all in the weight room.

There are hundreds, perhaps thousands of nutritional products and schemes on the market promising the uninformed consumer faster and easier fat loss. The truth is, the vast majority of these products burn nothing but your money. The few products that actually aid in fat burning or weight reduction can be quite dangerous, even deadly! Nonetheless, most people do not take the time to research the efficacy and safety of a product before they jump on the quick-fix bandwagon.

One category of dietary supplements that continues to experience controversy is the so-called prohormones or testosterone precursors. For purported muscle building enhancement these products typically contain DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone) and Andro (androstenedione). Controversy aside, both Andro and DHEA are actually hormones made by the body. They are also the precursors of testosterone and estrogens.

Welcome back for this third installment of the article series. If you have read up on the previous topics and applied what you have learned, you should notice a few results already starting. Your clients should be much more aware of their posture, their weaknesses should be improving, and if your new found expertise has caught on, you have a few new clients who are impressed with your knowledge.

Welcome back for the second installment of my three-part series on muscular imbalance and its effects on performance. I hope you took the opportunity to read the first part of this article and perform the assignment. Did you take a look at the postural alignment of your clients? Did you notice the faults that I had mentioned? See anything common amongst them?

At some point in their careers, most powerlifters will experience some form of shoulder pain or injury. Most lifters think of shoulder pain and injury as a normal part of the lifting experience. Still more self-diagnose pain as being a rotator cuff strain and try to work through the discomfort and pain. However, there are several possible reasons for shoulder pain, and very often the rotator cuffs aren’t the only key.

What is Muscle Balance? This concept, unfortunately, is the most underemphasized aspect of many fitness programs everywhere. What is muscle balance really? How do you test it? What the heck does it have to do with stability and performance? Well, let’s take a moment to explain why this concept is important.