Fitness Training
Keto and the Danger of Fad Diets
Former American President Benjamin Franklin famously stated that: In this world, nothing is certain but death and taxes. We could safely add ‘…and the proliferation of fad diets’ to this quote! As long as we have a problem with overweight and obesity, we’ll have an abundance of fad diets. This is certainly the case in…
Read MoreTo Help Others, It Pays to Be Open-Minded
Looking at the picture of health in New Zealand, you can’t help but be concerned. Almost 70% of the adult population classify as overweight or obese. In relation to longevity, the ‘Foresight’ report from the UK Government [ref 1] estimates that: For men, up to 13 years and for women, up to 8 years of…
Read MoreWeight Training: Exercise Selection and Progression
At the core of every resistance programme are the exercises within it. This is why exercise selection is one of the most important considerations we make when designing programmes for ourselves or others. With so many options available, finding the perfect mix of exercises can seem a near impossible task – especially for new trainers.…
Read MoreExercise Avoidance: A Fitness Fanatic’s Guide to Kicking an Exercise Habit
I lost my motivation for exercise a while back. Once super fit and active, I had become lethargic, and disinterested with exercise. I was on a slippery slope to exercise avoidance. Don’t get me wrong. It’s not like I woke up one day and decided exercise is a farce. I always knew the good that…
Read MoreBoxing Training: Why PT Clients Love a Bit of Biff
I had done a little bit of boxing training before I fought my first competitive bout… THWACK! Thwack, THWACK, THWACK! Thud! As I came to, and back from the darkness, I realised that competing in the boxing ring is not for me. Helped off the canvas and hobbling back to my corner it became clear.…
Read MoreStretching – Why is it So Important?
Why is it that regular Yoga participants (‘yogi’) always look so relaxed and pain-free? Is it because they’ve achieved a zen state of cosmic, inner calmness? Or could it be that their muscles aren’t locked in semi-permanent contraction, pulling joints out of place, and creating a myriad of aches and pains? My money is on…
Read MoreExercise Intensity and Adherence – What’s Best for Beginners?
Physical inactivity is one of the most challenging health problems in industrialised countries. Over 20 years ago the WHO warned that a sedentary lifestyle was a leading cause of death and disability. Unfortunately, these warnings haven’t resulted in us becoming more physically active. The 2020/21 New Zealand Health Survey tells us that: 47% of adults…
Read MoreKettlebell Workouts for Beginners (and the Broken)
I’m pretty new to kettlebell training but I’m slowly seeing why kettlebell workouts are so popular. You see, I’m a bit old school. A bit resistant to change, I like to do things my way and when I find something I like, I stick to it. It took me a while to realise, but once…
Read MoreProblem Solving for Fitness Professionals
If you think that fitness professionals just train clients and design exercise programmes, then I’ve got some news for you. There’s much more to it than that! When your job revolves around helping people, then Problem Solving is a fundamental component of your work. Because every client is unique, the exercise programmes we design and…
Read MoreUsing ‘Stimulus Control’ to Increase Physical Activity and Improve Diet
Stimulus control is a behavioural technique that can be used to help improve people’s diet and physical activity levels. The challenge is that it’s a technique not taught to most health and fitness practitioners. So, in this article we’ll explain: What Stimulus Control is Why it’s important for health and fitness professionals How to use…
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