Recovery Strategies
Tai Chi Is Good for Older Adults
Why tai chi? These Chinese movement patterns have been around for centuries. In recent years, study after study has proven their benefits—particularly for older exercisers—yet most fitness professionals seem to…
Self-Care Tips for Summer
The past couple years have been a long haul for you and your clients, and now is a great time to review some self-care tips. Enjoy the summer with these…
Exercise Recovery: Active vs. Nonactive
Fitness specialists need to understand the interrelationship of exercise recovery and training, including active and nonactive techniques.
Breathwork Practices Gaining Popularity
Breathing programs are entering the mainstream, as breathwork was named one of the top seven trends to influence wellness in 2021 and beyond.
How to Help Someone Who Is Grieving
Sooner or later, most of us lose someone we care about, and since the start of the pandemic, loss has visited more of us than ever. The pain can be…
MELT Method: The Missing Dimension in Wellness
MELT is a gentle self-treatment technique that uses a specially designed soft roller and treatment balls to rehydrate connective tissue and rebalance the nervous system.
Turn Up Mindful Exercise to Turn Down Stress
Research on coronavirus-related stress suggests a link between exercise and stress: those who keep movement up have better mental health outcomes.
Growth in Mind-Body Therapies During the Pandemic
Mindfulness meditation and yoga classes have seen explosive growth since the onset of the pandemic, according to a report from USC.
Yoga and a Good Night’s Sleep
Yoga effectively reduces chronic lower-back pain and associated sleep disturbances, lowering the need for sleep medications.
Bad Sleep, Bad Diet
Below-par sleep habits can trigger below-par food choices, and the two together can equal a higher risk for conditions like heart disease and obesity.
10-Minute Natural Stress Relief
Your clients may feel fairly stressed after being quarantined, so why not advocate for their overall health by encouraging them to be active in nature?
Alternate Exercise Recovery Methods
You may be used to speeding up your exercise recovery via methods such as myofascial release with foam rollers and good sleep hygiene. While these techniques are tried-and-true, the rising enthusiasm for hard-hitting exercise routines has spawned a growing interest in alternative recovery techniques. Pete McCall, MS, personal trainer, exercise physiologist and an adjunct faculty member in exercise science at both Mesa Community College and San Diego State University, outlines six options for you to consider.
Prebiotics for Better Sleep
Prebiotics are best known for supporting gut health, but they can also improve sleep and enhance stress resilience, according to a study published in Scientific Reports. Researchers from the University of Colorado Boulder say prebiotics—dietary fibers that nourish the gut’s microbiome—create a symbiotic relationship with the body that affects the brain.
The Best Way to Use Ice Baths
If repairing and building muscle is a primary goal, people may want to think twice about taking an ice bath after training. New research conducted at Maastricht University in the Netherlands shows that cold-water immersion during recovery from resistance-type exercise reduces muscles’ ability to take up protein for repair and to synthesize protein to muscle building.
Your Gut Microbiome and Its Connection to Sleep
The gut and sleep? There is more to it than munching too many chips while binge-watching a favorite show and then tossing and turning all night. Home to thousands of bacteria that make up the microbiome, the gut affects appetite, metabolism, weight management, and whether or not a sound sleep arrives at night. To understand how nutrition, the gut and sleep interact, take a closer look at the purpose and physiology of sleep. Then discover the intricate web that ties together food and drink, the gut, and the health benefits of sleep.
Using Periodization to Promote Optimal Recovery
High-intensity interval training and variably challenging, high-intensity workout programs continue to be popular because they produce the results that clients want. High-intensity exercises can be effective, but they place a lot of stress on the physiological systems of the body. Proper recovery is therefore important.
HELP! I Can’t Meditate… I’ve Tried
It’s easy to understand how some folks can believe that statement to be true. It’s a lot like how some say, “I can’t exercise. I’m uncoordinated.” Or, “I can’t do yoga. My muscles are too tight.” It makes sense that when you believe there is only one way to accomplish something, it’s easy to feel defeated.
3 Benefits of Dairy for Workout Recovery
When most people think of dairy foods, they think of building strong bones. However, there are many nutrients in dairy foods that help support exercise recovery, such as protein for muscle repair and rebuilding, carbohydrates (in the form of lactose) for replenishment of glycogen stores, and fluids and electrolytes for restoring hydration. Plus, current research suggests that dairy foods and dairy protein ingredients (like casein and whey) can help improve body composition, strength, aerobic fitness and exercise performance.
Mindful Movement May Reduce Stress and Anxiety
Encouraging clients to increase body awareness and pay attention to their surroundings when being physically active may reduce stress.
Use Stress to Fuel Peak Performance
You’ve been training for a 10K. You’re ready, but when you show up on race day, your heart is pounding and you feel panicked. What should you do to lower your stress? Some people might say, “Take a deep breath.” We all know that deep breathing to calm the nervous system is a go-to strategy for dealing with stress. But is it always the best strategy?