We all want a quick fix. Whether we’re feeling pain or wanting some physical change. We want it to happen NOW and we want to put the least amount of effort possible into it. We want the change to be immediate and with minimal cost. This mentality seems to run rampant in our society and is definitely the case when it comes to losing weight and gaining muscle. We want the changes to happen right now. We want those bigger biceps and we want them yesterday. We want to rock that s

I had a great teacher once tell me that if someone says that they know the true and only way...RUN! This is the thought that comes to mind when I think of fitness, training and nutrition these days. It is the modern day religion. I find it so fascinating that people will advocate polar extremes and completely discredit others. “Veganism is the way to go, it is the healthiest diet for the planet and for people.” No...no...no… “Paleo is the way to go. Grains and starchy vegetab

It’s pretty clear that keeping the body flexible is important but it seems we don’t place as much importance on keeping the mind flexible. I believe this is because for most of us the application is not clear. The mind appears to be less tangible than the body. You can’t physically touch it or move it. However, we can manipulate and mold it. As does the body so does the mind. When your body is so tight you can’t move your mind begins to take on those same patterns. This beg

Research has shown that the average kid spends just over four hours a week playing outside. Their parents, by contrast, averaged over 8 hours a week when they were children. Screen time for 8-18 year old's has gone up 2.5 hours in the last 10 years. The Department of Human and Health Services claims children spend on average more than 7.5 hours a day in front of a screen and that nearly one third of all high school age kids play video games for 3+ hours on an average school d

I don’t think there is anything more daunting than getting your finances together. It’s something most of us prefer to put off until you're forced to deal with it. Probably because it's confusing, takes discipline and dedication. My wife and I are in the process of forging our financial plan for retirement and our children's education. Luckily we've had some help! What I’ve discovered along this journey is that the principles that cultivate success in finances are similar to

Let’s begin with a story...vacationing in a big city... New York City was my home for 10 years. It’s a big City. Often when people would visit I would ask them where would they like to go or what would they like to see. Often they would respond, “lets just go into the City” (I lived in Brooklyn and Astoria Queens). New York is a big City. “Going into the City” can mean almost anything. The end result is you take in some sites but exhaust yourself walking around not seeing as

I tend to be a little high strung, tense and stubborn. In many ways this has helped me in my life. It has helped me push past obstacles and drive towards goals. It’s helped me to challenge myself in certain endeavors and stay strong in trying situations That being said, it had also kept me from being present, especially with those I love. It has often caused me to push beyond my limits in an unhealthy way, burning the candle at both ends. This has led to overuse injuries and

You’ve work your body hard, you’re sore...maybe you can’t move!? How do you get your body to work again?...Foam roll... Foam rolling is a form of self massage that breaks up the muscle and fascia (the layer of connective tissue encasing the body). It is crucial if you’ve had an intense workout and need to recover as it loosens up these areas, gets the blood flowing and helps restore your normal range of motion. Like everything else in health and fitness, the key is consistenc

How much do I need to push it? Should I go to failure? What is the appropriate amount of intensity? These are questions I wrestle with often. One of the principles of exercise science is progressive overload. Basically put, you have to progressively overload the body to continue to get results. Makes sense right? If you want to get stronger today than you were yesterday you have to lift a heavier weight. If you want to be able to run longer than you did yesterday you have to

There is so much emphasis placed on seeking, doing and achieving these days. It used to only be on infomercials on late night TV, but now it is on Facebook ads and pretty much anywhere else you turn. We are bombarded with all of the “things you should be doing” or the “things you’re not doing.” All the courses you should be taking to make you the person you’re supposed to be...It’s enough to make your head spin. Look, I think seeking, setting and working towards a goal is gre

Do you chase the “pump”? Do you go for the pump in the gym and then try to maintain that pump? I did, especially in my late teens and early twenties. I liked that tense, pumped feeling in my body. It made me feel strong and manly! This lasted for a few years until the tension in my body coupled with a lot of pattern overload (doing the same or similar exercise over and over) began to wreak havoc on my body. By the time I was in my early 20’s I had pain in my shoulder that wou

Do you have expensive rims on a Pinto? As a kid my friends and I would laugh at the idea of putting rims on a Pinto (if you remember those) when we would see cheap cars with what appeared to be expensive accessories, like rims. We’d get the biggest kick out of this. Approaches to nutrition and diet can often be this way, layering certain “accessories” on a poor foundation or unhealthy habits. For example, intermittent fasting while eating junk for most meals or taking all kin

Starting your day with a workout is just as good as coffee. (Ok, maybe not Kona coffee!) Seriously, it stimulates the production of numerous hormones like cortisol, adrenaline and testosterone that get you going https://www.acefitness.org/blog/5593/8-hormones-involved-in-exercise#top It will get your body fired up, prepped to begin whatever endeavor you’re about to perform. If you’re limited on time one of my favorite things to do is a quick core workout. I’ll often start my

Google it and you’ll find all kinds of definitions ranging from “the ability to exert force” to “the quality of being strong.” Some of these definitions are great but some fall short. A good quality definition should hold up under any circumstances. For example, “the ability to exert force” seems to work fine when referring to people, animals or machines performing a physical action but doesn’t really make sense when speaking of a structure or human emotions. If I’m going to

I’m a huge fan of Tai Chi and Chi Gung! I’ve had the honor and privilege of studying with several Tai Chi Masters and high level teachers, most notably Grandmaster William CC Chen who is a living legend in the Tai Chi world. One of the most profound things I’ve taken from tai chi is how it cultivates greater awareness of how you move and handle resistance. Most of us pay so little attention to how we move throughout the day. We just throw or drag our body around until we get