Research-backed methods to improve exercise efficiency — “I don’t have time to exercise.” This is a common complaint and a valid one. Work, family time, sleep, volunteer events, and other commitments pile up. Struggling to find time to exercise isn’t synonymous with laziness. There are many priorities in life and sometimes exercise takes a back seat. It’s…

Does the bro science rep range check out? — If the clock is your primary guide to determining your exercise dose then you are likely over or under-training. There is nothing special about an hour. Granted, I am a huge proponent of the physical activity guidelines, and they use time thresholds for exercise: 150 minutes of moderate or 75…

How much longer are we going to ignore decades of research? — The posture nonsense is getting out of control. While preparing for a residency lecture this week, I came across an article on posture written by a physician. It was hard to contain my frustration. “Sitting badly or standing in a slouched position stresses your lower back, weakening and damaging an…

There are some things resistance training doesn’t prepare you for — Why do you exercise? My answer to this question has changed over the past 10 years. It has included preparing for competition, adding muscle, losing fat, improving overall health, and building a relationship with my future wife (she was a big runner). The competition preparation has changed drastically. Ten years…

Training volume should be tailored to you — Let’s say you would like to add some muscle and build up your strength. You head to the gym, ready to pump iron and get swole. Now what? Having read previous research you understand a couple of key concepts for building muscle such as prioritizing compound lifts and pushing your…

Non-nutritive sweeteners can actually help with weight loss and maintenance — Recently, the World Health Organization (WHO) released a statement cautioning against the use of non-nutritive sweeteners (NNS) as a substitute for sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs). “Replacing free sugars with NNS does not help with weight control in the long term. People need to consider other ways to reduce free sugars intake…

The research pile against meniscectomies is getting large — Healthcare is a mess. Having been a physical therapist for nearly a decade, I have first-hand experience navigating an infuriating system that routinely lights money on fire. So many medical procedures are a waste of time and money. Chief among them are arthroscopic knee surgeries. I am not a surgeon…

Strategies for connecting with your audience — “While it is impossible to make a competent writer out of a bad writer, and while it is equally impossible to make a great writer out of a good one, it is possible, with lots of hard work, dedication, and timely help, to make a good writer out of a…

Exploring two recent studies on Omega 3 and Omega 6 — Fish routinely appear in studies examining healthy eating patterns. Why are beneficial for our health? They are packed full of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA). There are two PUFAs that get most of the attention, omega-3 and omega-6. Both are essential fatty acids, meaning the body can’t produce them and we…