FITNESS ADVICE • WORKOUT ADVICE • TIPS TO KEEP YOUR MIND & BODY HEALTHY
ONE OF THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE HEALTH AND FITNESS BLOGS, WRITTEN BY PERSONAL TRAINER & BODYWORKER, ROB STEPHENSON
Spinal Bracing: Avoiding Rib Flare
Understanding how to isometrically brace the spine serves us a lot of good. If the core muscles aroud the spine can understand how to 'brace' then we can progress more confidently into the next stages of training- that is, integrating the extremities of the body....
Functional Training Advice: Part 4
The last and most important thing in deciphering whether or not your training is "functional" is to ask yourself, is it purposeful? Do you have a reason behind your training plan? Does what you do for that one hour each day promote wellness and health in your body? In...
Functional Training Advice: Part 3
The next "functional" must is to train yourself in an integrated manner. Meaning, get out of the sagittal plane, and work some frontal or horizontal plane exercises, move in every direction available to you. Mix isometrics in with motor-control movements, make time...
Functional Training Advice: Part 2
The second thing is that your spine health and joint health has got to precede everything else you're doing. If you centralize your training on the integrity of your spine, you will see exceptional progress everywhere else. If your joints, or your spine, cannot move...
Functional Training Advice: Part 1
The buzz is out everybody, functional training is in. But what is functional training? Everybody seems to have a gimmick, in a moment I'm going to share my gimmick, but seriously, wtf is functional training? A lot of times, programs and trainers are going to angle...
Glute Max: How To Load
Evolutionary Biology If you study anthropology, you'll learn that one of the ways that humans came to rise above other animal classes is that we stood up. Our jaws got smaller as our brains grew larger, and eventually this led to us picking up our heads, and so the...
What A New Body Takes
Having been in the health and exercise industry for over 12 years now I see the same trends new year after new year. People get back to hitting the gym hard. They exercise incessantly, and make elaborate plans to 'do big things' with their health. Whereas this type of...
Training Elasticity
A History Lesson Muscles have evolved to do more than move you through space or carry you through 'exercise'. As a matter of fact, the musculoskeletal system has evolved over time as the fist line of defense in keeping your body healthy. Thousands of years ago it...
Three Ways To Change Your Body
There are three ways to physically change your body in a way that promotes healthy growth. None of them are easy, but mindbody connection isn't an easy path. However, after years of practicing and bringing my awareness to it I can say that I think it is an enjoyable...
Kinesthetic Literacy Part 2: New Language
"Parlez-vous Français?" Learning a New Language Body mechanics (ie; flex, extend, bend) are a language, just like any other industry. As a trainer it becomes my job to teach you, the mover, how to understand this language through the application...
HOW CAN WE HELP YOU ACHIEVE FITNESS WITHOUT PAIN?
Ready to take the first step towards improving the way you feel and function? Take advantage of my offer for a free consultation. I offer personal training, sports massage and bodywork services in Santa Barbara, CA. Through a holistic approach to physical fitness and whole-body wellness, I can help you be your best self.
