Elite Exercise Pro: Merge the Real World and the Lab

It is puzzling to me when coaches and exercise professionals say things like "I do not care about studies.  I am interested in the real world" or words to that effect.  I understand the perspective (I think) and many studies can seem pretty obscure, but it misses the point.

Exercise research is designed to lead to "real world" benefit.  The research may affirm something discovered by an exercise professional, or the research may help clarify a disputed issue. It also may offer a completely new idea not yet considered by exercise professionals. In any case, the research should advance... read more

Is the Barbell Bench Press a Bad Exercise Choice?

"Any workout is better than no workout"

"Just go the gym and get started! You will figure out what to do."

"Lifting weights is healthy."

While these statements certainly contain great bits of truth, they do not provide the entire picture about the dangers of inappropriate resistance training. 

A recent paper (Kolber 2010) highlighted the real risk of resistance training on the shoulder.  

Consider:

One study analyzing pectoral ruptures found 29/112 of the ruptures involved the bench press; The bench press has been associated with distal clavicle osteolysis (DCO). DCO is characterized by a/c joint... read more

The Safer, Healthier Female Knee

 

The knee is one area where gender really makes a difference when planning workouts.

 

Women tend to be dramatically stronger in the quadriceps (muscles in front of the upper legs) than in the hamstrings (muscles in back of the upper legs). This is called "quad dominance" and is problematic for knee health. While quad dominance is not the only factor involved in improving female knee health, it is one of the most controllable.

 

While men are stronger in the quads than in the hamstrings, the discrepancy is not nearly as dramatic as... read more

Squats are Bad for your Knees?

EVERYONE seemingly has a strong opinion on squats.

"Squats are bad for your knees!" scream "squat haters".

"ARE YOU KIDDING ME? Squats are the best exercise EVER....

SQUAT OR DIE! End of discussion!" squat-o-philes (aka "squat lovers") counter.



Are the squat haters correct, or is their opinion based on myth and misinformation?

Do the squat lovers have the facts on their side, or are they ignoring real health risks of the movement?

Maybe the answer is somewhere in the middle?

This post will analyze both sides of the squat debate.  I relied... read more