Free-Tip Tuesday Volume LII: More Is Not Better, Better Is Better

First, a bit of a milestone today as with volume LII, you now have one tip for each week of the entire year to implement in order in improve your quality of life!

It's often human nature, especially with Americans, that if some is good; more is better. The following link illustrates the error and dangerous repercussions that can arise from this misguided way of thinking.

Free-Tip Tuesday Volume LI: Guard Your Goodies

While the possible negative side effects of cell-phone radiation are often discussed in terms of raising your risk of brain and other cancers, interestingly enough we often neglect to think of the negative impact those same emissions from our 'smart' devices can possibly have on other areas of the body they find themselves in close proximity to.

When we aren't talking on our phones, we can typically find them in our pockets; right next to..well I think you can see where this is going.

Having fertility issues?

Free-Tip Tuesday Volume L: Can The BPA (and cans)

BPA, or bisphenol-A, is a substance frequently used to harden plastics in such things as baby bottles, food storage containers, and water bottles. It is also found in the lining of many canned goods as an anti-corrosion agent.

So what's the big deal with BPA? Well, in just this year alone, BPA has been linked to the following:

Free-Tip Tuesday XLIV: What Gets Measured Gets Managed

Piggybacking off of last week's tip, 'Make it Better', the only way you can be certain you are - is to measure your progress. Progress in training. Progress with nutritional choices. Or simply progress in adherence to the plan you have set out for either.

So how do you go about this?

In terms of training, keep a training journal or log tracking your strength increases and volume on each of your exercises. We have so much going on in our lives we don't need anything else we have to remember right? Make it simple and write it down. It's hard to know where you are going if you don't know where you came from, not to mention the sense of accomplishment when you glance down and see how strong you have become over time!

Free-Tip Tuesday Volume XLVIII: Make It Better

Far too often, myself included, we get caught up in searching for 'perfect'. The perfect diet. The perfect workout. Etc. While this is admirable on one level, it also often produces paralysis by analysis and frustration on another.

Sometimes....we just need to 'make it better.'

Free-Tip Tuesday Volume XLVII: PLAY

How many of us can remember how easy it was to keep a healthy weight when we were kids? While many things have changed since then, one of the big ones is that we no longer PLAY. This week's tip provides a number of ways to reintroduce this simple, but highly effective practice back into you life no matter your situation.

Free-Tip Tuesday Volume XLVI: Nutrition On a Budget (Time)

Just as it is with training, 'lack of time' is often cited as a major barrier as to why people are unable to prepare their own meals and end up eating out so often where they are no longer under control of what they are putting in their bodies. Here are a few ways to make 'time' much less of an issue:

Free-Tip Tuesday Volume XLV: Training On a Budget (Time)

Not having enough time is a common excuse many use as to why they can't 'workout'. Here a few strategies to deal with this supposed barrier....

Free-Tip Tuesday Volume XLIV: Do The Opposite (In the kitchen)

Over 2/3's of the population is considered overweight or obese. Approximately 26 MILLION adults and CHILDREN currently have diabetes. By 2030, these numbers are expected to DOUBLE. Clearly, the methods being used to counteract these epidemics aren't working. If you want to experience true success, do the OPPOSITE of what the majority ...is doing.

Free-Tip Tuesday Volme XLIII: Do the Opposite

Free-Tip Tuesday Volume XLIII: Do The Opposite (In the Gym)

Over 2/3's of the population is considered overweight or obese. Approximately 26 MILLION adults and CHILDREN currently have diabetes. By 2030, these numbers are expected to DOUBLE. Clearly, the methods being used to counteract these epidemics aren't working. If you want to experience true success, do the OPPOSITE of what the majority is ...doing.

IF the majority of people spend all their time plodding along on treadmills, ellipticals, and other forms of 'cardio', try hill sprints, use battling ropes, or kettlebell swing intervals.

IF the majority completely shuns strength/resistance training, focus on getting strong in the four major movement patterns - hip-hinge, squat, upper-body push, upper-body pull.

IF the majority relies on Nautilus and weight stack machines isolating body-parts, utilize your own bodyweight, free-weights, and kettlebells to get strong in compound movements that challenge the entire body instead.

IF the majority does the same workouts, with the same weights, in the same order everyday, track your training to ensure you are making progressions in weight, reps, frequency, or some other variable.

IF the majority wonder around aimlessly performing exercises incorrectly and unsafely, obtain coaching from a QUALIFIED professional to prevent injury and ensure you get the most of your time investment.

When it comes to what you do in the gym, this is one case where the majority DOESN'T rule!

What other habits in the gym do the majority have that we would be best to avoid?

Free-Tip Tuesday Volume XLII: TRAINING vs. 'Working out'

The same exercises. In the same order. Using the same weights. Undergoing this practice, as so many do, should leave no wonder why body composition also remains the same. You get out what you put in.

Getting Away From It All Without Getting Off Your Diet

Guest post by Cole Millen

You have worked hard to lose weight and get fit in time for summer. However, you may find that the vacation you anticipated threatens to sabotage your efforts. Here are some principles to help you maintain a healthy eating plan:

Free-Tip Tuesday Volume XXXXI: Wanna lose weight?

Free-Tip Tuesday Volume XXXXI: Wanna lose weight?

No you don't.

Free-Tip Tuesday Volume XXXX: NOT So Good Health/Fitness Resources

Free-Tip Tuesday Volume XXXX: NOT So Good Health/Fitness Resources

Up first: mainstream media headlines/articles

Why?

As the following article states, "...the media oversimplified things; to the point of not even being accurate. And yes, that’s why most media headlines are not very trustworthy."

CARDIO VS. WEIGHTS

This can happen when the writer, having no formal education or experience in the area, simply glances over the abstract instead of reading the entire study. Additionally, sometimes the researchers themselves often misinterpret their own data - an occurrence that happens far more often than most people realize!

As a bonus, the article also explains why, despite popular opinion and practice, cardio is inferior to resistance/strength training when it comes to FAT loss and therefore lies at the BOTTOM of the fat-loss hierarchy we utilize with our clients here at Pittsburgh Kettlebells.

Have a health/fitness related question? Shoot us an email, or stop by and say hello during our Open House Saturday, April 27th from 1:00pm-5:00pm!

Free-Tip Tuesday Volume XXXVIV: Nutrition Resources

Last week we gave you some of our top strength training resources, this week we'll shift the focus to nutrition. Without further adieu:

Girth Control - Alan Aragon
 

Primal Blueprint - Mark Sisson


The Schwarzbein Principle - Diana Schwarzbein


While similar to last week's resources these 3 books may seem very different on the surface - in actuality the principles which guide them all are quite similar. Last week's strength training examples all championed using compound movements and the principle of progressive overload despite the 'tool' being used to accomplish it.

This week, despite the minor differences in application, the bottom line is all three authors advocate:

1. Eating Real Food and NOT "Food Products"
2. Ensuring Adequate Protein Intake
3. Combining #1's & 2 in order to create a REASONABLE caloric deficit

We understand there is a bunch of conflicting and confusing advice out there as it pertains to fitness and nutrition, and that's why at PGH KB it's our mission to teach and educate you how to sift through the BS and look for the similarities as opposed to trivial differences.

As the saying goes: METHODS are many, PRINCIPLES are few.

Free-Tip Tuesday Volume XXXVII: Guide to Not Becoming a P.I.T.A.

Whether it’s a bum knee, a wrecked back, or a cranky shoulder; as we’ve discussed all month long more and more people’s bodies are just falling apart.  Long-term daily aches and pains have become ‘normal’.  But it doesn’t have to be that way. Regardless of the site of your grief, make use of the following R.U.L.E.’s in order to prevent yourself from becoming - or developing - a PITA (or anywhere else!).

 

1.     Recover – Put as much effort into your recovery as you do your training. Focus on consistently getting enough sleep, managing stress, and eating well to fuel your efforts. These things are just as – if not more – important than the training itself.

 

2.      Utilize– Proper progressions and sound exercise programming.  Check your ego and take into account your mobility deficiencies, experience, and skill level when deciding which exercises to perform, how much, and how often to do them.

 

3.       Learn – Get coached up on HOW to perform said exercises. Learn neutral spine, vertical shin, packed shoulders, etc. Just as importantly, learn NOT to flare elbows or allow your ribs to flare out.

 

4.      Enhance – MOBILITY. Foam Rolling and massage combined with mobility drills to target your specific deficiencies well help ensure you are moving WELL before you move OFTEN.

Free-Tip Tuesday Volume XXXVI: Plantar Faciitis/-osis and Achilles Tendonitis/-osis

I’ve grouped these two painful conditions together because the both occur across the same joint – the ankle – and therefore the causes and treatments of each are very similar.

To begin, let’s first define a few terms. The suffix –ITIS simply refers to inflammation of the affected tissue. –OTIS on the other hand, refers to a situation where said inflammation has been allowed to propagate long enough that the condition has now become degenerative in nature. Yes, that is as bad as it sounds.

Free-Tip Tuesday Volume XXXV: Shoulder Pain

Continuing this week with the aches and pains we see on an all too regular basis - shoulder pain. Here are a few common causes of things like shoulder impingement, rotator cuff injuries, etc.

Free-Tip Tuesday Volume XXXIV: Knee Pain

Continuing with the pain theme this week as it's become ever increasingly common with more and more people that we work with, today we'll discuss common causes of knee pain.

Free-Tip Tuesday Volume XXXIII: Lower Back Pain

Some reports suggest that as much as 80% of the population will suffer from lower back pain at some point in their lives.

80%!!!

So what can you do to avoid becoming part of this statistic? Here are our top 5 tips for avoiding lower back pain: