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A Timeless Truth Some truths seem apparent but fade with time. Some truth just refuses to fade. As long as pushing iron for strength has been recorded, dumbbells have been the preferred solution. The reasons are many. Having trained for several decades, I have used a wide range of barbells, machines, and dumbbells finding value in each. As my training progressed however, I found that my training continued to gravitate toward dumbbells. Research supports a broad preference for dumbbells in training. In his seminal volume Fitness: The Complete Guide, Frederick Hatfield made a compelling case for training with dumbbells: "In… read more

I lifted my first weights over 40 years ago.  Over that time, the magazines and books I've read on the subject of bodybuilding and strength training would fill a formidable library.  I've learned a lot of lessons.  The most powerful training principle I've embraced through it all - simplicity. Keeping it Simple Keep It Simple Stupid (KISS) is a design strategy found today in engineering, software design, military strategy, and many other ways. Edsger Wybe Dijkstra, a Dutch systems scientist, programmer, software engineer,  and science essayist, summarized both the value of simplicity and the challenge of implementing it: "Simplicity is a… read more

Ever hear what sounded like really good training advice, only to find it ineffective when you put it to use? Success is fun, but failure is a tough pill to swallow, especially when the same advice method worked for others. Listening to a world class bodybuilder recently, he described his secret to success in that he “trained five hours a day, every day, [...] read more

The fastest growing population group in the United States includes those people between age 65 and 70, with over 12 million people.  With the aging baby boomers, the population age 65 and higher is expected to continue growing rapidly. However, growth in the aged population has little to do with improved health habits.  The Center for Disease Control reports that more than one-third of older adults aged 65 and over were obese in 2007-2010 with obesity prevalence was higher among those aged 65‒74.  Studies regularly report that the aging population loses muscle, gains fat, and overall quality and quantity of… read more

The deadlift continues to be one of the best exercises for strength and conditioning because; (a) the deadlift allows you to lift heavier weights than any other exercise, (b) it is an effective tool for improving explosive strength performance, and (c) is one of the few exercises shown to have beneficial impacts to both testosterone and growth hormone. If you haven't been coached on how to perform the deadlift, it's highly likely you're making a mistake or two because proper form requires a disciplined approach. Two weeks ago, my enthusiasm got me in a bit of trouble during my last… read more

Recently, I was asked to provide an informed perspective on exercise and cancer treatment and recover.  Exercise has been broadly demonstrated to have positive impact on physical strength, capacity, recuperation, and mortality in cancer patients. Moreover, this positive impact takes place both during and after cancer treatment. This blog offers the reader summaries of credible research, and additional references to discuss with their medical professionals.  A summary of the key research used here follows; Summary of Findings Puetz (2012) reaches the conclusion that that exercise reduces cancer-related fatigue and “has a palliative effect in patients during treatment and a recuperative… read more

In a recent certification exam, when asked to explain the three energy, two exercises that utilize each pathway, and specific advice related to energy for marathon training, I gave the following response.  It is shared here as a resource to be put to use for others.  Should questions arise as you review the information, please contact me. Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP) provides the foundation for energy used in muscle contraction (Hatfield, Fitness: Complete Guide, p. 529). While critical for muscle contraction, a challenge arises in supply as the average individual possesses only 80-100 grams of ATP stored in their entire body,… read more