There's a pattern I've been thinking a lot about lately, one that a board-certified orthopedic surgeon named Dr. Howard Luks describes after 30 years of watching it happen to his patients. He calls it the slow shrinking of what your body allows you to do; or more...
You've probably heard me mention this in class: if you've been using the same five-pound dumbbells since the day you joined, your muscles have quietly slipped into cruise control. It's not laziness, it's biology. Our bodies are remarkably efficient, and once they've...
When you work out on a hot day, you might feel more wiped out than usual. Sometimes that's not fatigue; it's dehydration creeping up quietly. And the answer isn't always just to reach for your water bottle. We grew up hearing "drink eight glasses of water a day."...
Working in the garden might seem like a gentle way to spend a few hours, but it can actually be pretty rough on your body. Believe me, I know (and so does Charles)! Trouble is, many of us just grab the gloves and get right into it -- twisting our spines and gripping...
You’ve probably felt this; I know I have. You're using your foam roller, maybe on your glutes or quads, and: OUCH! You hit a really tender area that takes your breath away. I call these “hot spots.” But what exactly are they and why do we experience them? Think of...
It’s a common phenomenon you might even notice in yourself: you’re tackling a new complicated move in BodySculpt, or holding a tricky balance pose, and your face becomes a study in concentration. Maybe you furrow your brow, or bite your lip, or even stick out your...
It’s easy to think that if a muscle feels tight, the solution is to stretch until it lets go. For a lot of people, a quick stretch is the "go-to" move for any kind of stiffness. But there’s a fundamental difference between passive flexibility and true Mobility. ...
A lot of people think a strong core means having a visible six-pack, or doing hundreds of sit-ups. But having a strong core is less about looking good in a swimsuit and more about building a sturdy, functional cylinder of muscle that wraps around our middle. This...
Let’s have a heart-to-heart about where we get our health information these days. As a certified fitness professional, it’s a topic close to my heart. Before social media, if you wanted fitness advice you sought out a trainer like me at the local gym, or spoke with a...
