Though the exact method remains somewhat unclear, dietary nitrate (a source of nitric oxide or NO) appears to improve the contractile properties of human muscle. Find…
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Category: Physiology
Inflammation: Hero or Villain? (Or Both?)
Trainers must be aware of, and address both the hero and villain aspects of post-exercise inflammation, which we refer to as exercise-induced muscle damage (EIMD).…
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Encouraging Exercise with Chronic Kidney Disease
The association between physical exercise and the overall health of patients with chronic renal failure shows great promise. As a trainer, could you recognize whether…
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Exercise and the Gastrointestinal System: How Digestion is Affected by Movement
Clients and athletes who experience diarrhea and/or other digestive problems after an intense training session often ask us the reason for this unpleasant intestinal interruption.…
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Beat the Heat! How the Body Handles High Temps
As heatwaves sweep across the US, marking the start of summer, I was kindly reminded by the 110+ degree weather outside (In SEATTLE, WA) that…
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Hormones and Fitness: How Sex Hormones Influence Exercise
The relationship between hormones and fitness is complex and oft-ignored which may impact personal training client motivation and performance. Understanding it may help break through…
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Grip Strength: The New Biomarker of Longevity and Quality of Life
Business professionals often equate a firm handshake with an individual’s level of confidence. Research now shows that a powerful grip also correlates to longevity. Learn…
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Igniting the Passion: Forging Fitness and Health Initiatives for Firefighters
Firefighters spend their days and nights carrying out one of the most vital of all community services: saving lives and saving the homes in which…
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Implications of Genetic Variants on Athletic Performance and Injury Risks
The quest to understand what makes an athlete excel lies at the heart of every competitive endeavor. Genetics, commonly thought of as the “blueprint of…
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Gene Doping in Sports: The Un-leveling of the Playing Field
Over the last million years or so, we humans have cultivated and finely tuned the instincts that have enabled us to survive and transmit our…
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AGEs and Glycation: How One Metabolic Process Can Impair Many Health Outcomes
The process of glycation (or, non-enzyme glycosylation) in the body may be an unfamiliar one to most fitness professionals, but one that impacts each of…
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How Toxins Can Cause Cellular Damage
Cellular energy is a must for athletic performance. Challenges to cellular energy include medications, work-every-day, and environmental toxins. Health depends on restoring cellular integrity and…
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