Exercise is an end in itself, but training has a goal. The mistake a lot of people make is choosing the wrong goal — aesthetics. Everyone wants to have visible abs, the bikini or beach body, etc., and there’s nothing wrong with that. But unless you’re a physique competitor of some sort, you should be […]
First, take a minute to check out the competitors in the photo above (I chose this pic at random from the approximately 17 million on the internet. It’s a standard Men’s Physique competition; hence the board shorts – legs aren’t judged). Just glancing at the photo – or if you saw these three dude-bros
This is the follow-up to Consider the Source (August 2021) that I forgot to write. Sorry for the delay. In that early post I admonished people looking to YouTube for training and nutrition advice to consider whether they are part of the audience being advised. In other words, even correct information can be wrong for
Consider the Source, Part 2 Read More »
Not long ago at my gym I saw a guy, probably my age or older, doing alternating barbell bench presses. He put a 25 lb. plate on the left end, did some reps with his left arm, turned the bar around, and did reps with his right. About a week later, I saw the same
Keep it Simple, Stupid Read More »
In previous posts, I briefly discussed high volume vs. high intensity workouts, and I came down on the side of higher volumes for most people, especially beginners. Here I want to talk about the advantages of a HIT routine. Truth be told, while I (almost) always push myself to positive failure in whatever I’m doing,
I belong to a few Facebook fitness groups: 50+ Fitness Fanatics, Health and Bodybuilding Over 40, etc. One of the most frequent comments is: I’m killing myself in the gym but not getting results. Help! The reason you’re not getting results is precisely because you’re killing yourself in the gym. This is another one of
It’s the Recovery, Stupid Read More »
I’ve written in other posts and in Fit by 50 that I don’t believe fitness should involve doing math homework every time you eat. But if you’ve never tracked your calories or macros – ever – I do highly recommend it, at least in the short term. Most people discover that their daily sugar/carbohydrate intake
A gym is a gym, right? Well, yes and no. And the one you choose can positively or negatively affect your progress and results. Multi-Purpose or Sport-Specific. It should be obvious that if you’re into a specific sport like boxing or martial arts, you should find a gym dedicated to that, especially if you’re into
Choosing the Right Gym Read More »
In my last post, I discussed why doing cardio alone is ineffective for long-term fat loss and briefly touched on the fact that resistance training is the way to go. Put simply, cardio burns calories when you do it, while muscle burns calories all the time. But what kind of resistance exercises are best? The
The Best Exercise for Fat Loss, pt. 2 Read More »
One of the most common questions personal trainers get is, “What’s the best exercise to lose weight?” There are three answers to this question: #3. Whatever Exercise You Like. The exercise you like is the exercise you’ll do. If you’ve been doing little or nothing for months or years, doing anything is a giant step
The Best Exercise for Fat Loss Read More »
