The humble squash is a plant often featured in harvest time displays and scenes, but its real beauty may be more than rind deep Squashes are technically fruits, and are members of the cucurbitaceae family, which includes melons and cucumbers. As a family, the...
NFPT Staff Writer
NFPT Staff Writers contribute in various ways to the NFPT blog
Narrowing Attention May Benefit Some Forms of Exercise
There may be something to the advice to keep one's “eyes on the prize.” The results of a new study suggests that by remaining focused on a specific target ahead, participants perceived the distance to be shorter and walked faster. The study compared this technique to...
Make the Most Out of Your Workouts
Are you making the most of your exercise time? If the time you have for exercise is limited, you would probably like to get the maximum possible benefits from that time. The following questions will help you evaluate your exercise program and decide whether you would...
Preventing Back Muscle Imbalances
Most people have felt pain or stiffness in the lower back at some point. Many know the feeling of tension and tightness in the neck and trapezius muscles – muscles that are far apart and that exemplify how excess strain in one area can lead to problems in another...
Is a Mid-afternoon Snack a Good Idea for Your Clients?
Can eating a mid-afternoon snack help control appetite? It depends on what’s in the snack, a recent study suggests. Over the 30 years, there has been a marked increase in the amount of snacking, which has risen at the same time as obesity. In the United States, nearly...
Introducing Variety into Strength Training
For most people, it takes about a month for the body to begin adapting to a strength training program. In other words, training clients who began working out as part of a New Year's resolution to become more fit should be able to notice some of the benefits right...
Is it better to Hit the Elliptical – or Hit the Pavement?
Walking and using the elliptical machine are often both used as part of general fitness programs. While they are very alike in many respects, it’s important to realize that one might have an advantage over the other depending on a client’s state of health and fitness...
Weight Training Appears Good for Waist Size in Men
Resistance exercise isn’t just good for building and keeping lean mass. A new study shows that it also could be beneficial in keeping down increases in age-related abdominal fat in men. Previous findings on any relationship between resistance training and waist...
Using ‘GPS’ to Reach Fitness Destinations
The Global Position System is commonly used to help people reach their destination when traveling. But another type of GPS can help us get from setting a goal (point ‘A’) to achieving that goal (point ‘B’) – no orbital satellite needed! In this case, the GPS stands...
Get Your Personal Training Off to a Good Start in 2015
With a new year comes the prospect of working with new clients, people who may - or may not - have had recent experience with regular resistance exercise. An understandably common concern among fitness trainers is dealing with individuals who are essentially newcomers...
Connecting the Dots: The Emerging Role of Health Coaching, Pt. 1
The field of Personal Training is ever-expanding. Once the sole domain of weightlifters and bodybuilders, the industry is experiencing a shift in population demographics, and our client base certainly reflects this change. It is no longer unusual for many of us to...
Do the Math. Do the Work. Lose the Weight.
When the ounces don’t add up to pounds as fast as someone in a weight loss program might like (or expect), looking at calories consumed vs. calories used can offer some insight as to why. Reducing body fat isn't always easy. In fact, most people find it to be an...
Fitting Exercise into the Workday
Many people have long workdays – in many instances bookended by long commutes – making it a challenge to devote time just to exercising on some days. Fortunately, it’s possible to incorporate some physical activity into each day of the week, even as part of a person’s...
Exercising Outdoors in Cold Weather
Cold weather doesn't have to put the chill on your outdoor exercise plans this season. Sure, cooler temperatures and shorter daylight hours can sometimes dampen one’s enthusiasm to venture into the great outdoors this season, but they don’t necessarily have to put a...
Using Compound Movements
Compound exercises are multi-joint movements that work several muscles or muscle groups at a time. For a healthy athlete or anyone who is trying to get the most out of a training program, compound exercises are generally preferred and recommended. Why Use Compound...
Teaching your Personal Training Clients to Breathe Properly
Breathing. It’s something we all do, even though we rarely stop to think about it. In resistance exercise as in other forms of physical exertion, learning to breathe properly can make a tremendous difference in performance. The average person takes about 12,000...
Cardio Training Tips
Personal trainers need to be well-rounded and well versed in a variety of exercises. Every trainer should know how to train someone by means of aerobic (cardiovascular), anaerobic, flexibility and agility-based activities. And without further ado, here are some tips...
The Trainer as an Educator
Personal trainers not only guide clients through exercise movements, they play a major role in educating them about the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle and improving the overall quality of their lives. Many people who seek out the services of a personal...