What is the difference between different types of strength training? Why should your workouts focus on metabolic conditioning instead of cardio? Smarter Workouts was written expressly to help you learn the science of how your body adapts to exercise; currently this is an audiobook series going chapter-by-chapter to help you learn more about how exercise changes your body. This episode picks up on Chapter 2 and covers the benefits of core strength training and metabolic conditioning. In...

Continuing with the series, this episode transitions to Chapter 2 of Smarter Workouts: The Science of Exercise Made Simple and is titled, Movement and Intensity in Practice. Mobility, strength training and metabolic conditioning are the the 3 primary components of a well-designed exercise program. This episode addresses each of these components and why they are so essential for your workout program. Learn all about the essential components of a workout on this episode of All About...

Functional training is a popular fitness phrase that can mean different things to different people. Coach Mike Boyle describes functional training as training for a purpose, but in reality, functional training simply refers to an exercise program that is designed to help you move and perform better as opposed to simply looking better. The traditional approach to physical therapy is for a therapist to work on the joint or body part that is not working or in pain. Gary Gray is a physical...

This episode continues with chapter 1 from Smarter Workouts and addresses why it is important to include the different components of exercise: mobility, strength training and metabolic conditioning into a cohesive, effective exercise program. Any mode of exercise is better than nothing, however your body needs different types of movement at varying levels of intensity in order for exercise to produce the best results and this episode will help you to understand why. Listen and learn all about...

This episode continues with chapter 1 from Smarter Workouts that addresses how exercise changes your body. Your muscles use two different types of energy to produce movement: mechanical and metabolic; this episode covers the basics of energy metabolism and how your muscles convert the food you eat into the energy used to move your body. In addition, you'll be surprised at which part of your body is REALLY responsible for the changes that you experience as the result of your workout...

This episode of All About Fitness picks up in chapter 1 Smarter Workouts: The Science of Exercise Made Simple where you will learn how exercise influences change in your muscles. Chapter 1 covers how exercise changes the body; it's important understand that exercise is a physical stress imposed upon the body and that different types of stress cause different reactions in your muscles. There are two specific types of stress stimulus that cause muscle growth: metabolic and mechanical overload;...

Smarter Workouts: The Science of Exercise Made Simple was written to help you understand how exercise changes your body and the most effective exercise solutions to help enhance your quality of life. Chapter 1 of Smarter Workouts is titled, "How Exercise Changes Your Body" and organizes exercise into three main categories: force production (which includes the entire spectrum of endurance, strength and power), mobility and metabolic conditioning. Muscles control physical force in your body;...

Do you want to know how to design your own workout program? Do you want to learn the most effective exercises for your body? Do you want to understand the science of how exercise changes your body? All About Fitness is back from a brief hiatus with a little twist, before returning to our interview format, we’re going to do a book-on-tape; specifically my first book, Smarter Workouts: The Science of Exercise Made Simple.  In this series, I will be reading from the book and providing...

What are some tried and true techniques for getting stronger? Is there a difference between big muscle and strong muscle? Why can a shorter person lift more weight than a taller one? This special episode of All About Fitness attempts to answer these questions. while providing the origin story on how host, Pete McCall, started his career in fitness industry. Chris Hodson is a plumbing contractor in North County San Diego who has been a lifelong fan of the iron game; he knows a lot about the...

Do you love going to the gym but dread going to your job? Are you interested in making a career change to help people change their lives? Have you ever thought about becoming a personal trainer but didn't know how? If you answered yes to all of these questions, then this episode is for you! Dan Duran is a vice-president for the International Sports Sciences Association (ISSA) and he talks about how he went from a government job with a secure salary to working as a personal trainer, in his...

The human body is made to move, all of the joint structures and muscle attachments are aligned to allow our muscles to harness energy from gravity while walking. When 4 legged animals are born, they know how to walk almost immediately; when a human is born, it takes about a year to learn how to walk. When was the last time that you saw a baby doing crunches or biceps curls? The human body is programmed to move as an integrated system of many muscles working together so exercise programs that...

Sleep, it's something that we all do, but the fact is that we probably do not do enough of it. Sleep is the time when our body repairs itself and should be considered an essential component of a comprehensive fitness program. Dr. Craig Heller is a professor of biology at Stanford University and has been studying why we sleep and the ways that sleep can support physical performance. Learn all about how sleep supports your workouts as well as ways that you can improve your sleep hygiene to...

Got glutes? Because of its role in controlling human movement, and probably because it's one of the most visible muscles in the human body, people are always interested in learning how to develop a stronger gluteus maximus. Dr. Bret Contreras is a personal trainer who popularized the barbell hip thrust exercise. Not only did Dr. Contreras successfully use the exercise to help many of the female figure competitors he works with prepare for their competitions, BUT he also studied the benefits...

Mixed-martial arts (MMA) is one of the most physically demanding sports on the planet and the individuals who compete are some of the toughest and fittest people you could ever meet. MMA is associated with unreal levels of fitness, so the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), one of the first professional MMA leagues in the United States, partnered with fitness industry experts to start UFC Gyms. However, UFC Gyms are not just for MMA athletes, they have the resources to help anyone work...

From Jazzercise founder Judi Sheppard Misset to five-time CrossFit Champion, Tia-Clair Toomey, women have played a significant role in influencing and promoting popular fitness trends. In her book, Let's Get Physical: How Women Discovered Exercise and Reshaped the World, journalist Danielle Friedman reveals the fascinating history of women's fitness culture. Each chapter of Let's Get Physical reviews a different era of the fitness industry and identifies an important woman who influenced it;...

The proliferation of boutique fitness studios and multi-service health clubs all over the world combined with the popularity of Insta-famous social media fitness stars make it seem like fitness is a recent trend; however, humans have been exercising since the dawn of time. Part history, part biography, 'Sweat: A History of Exercise' by Bill Hayes is a journey through the years to understand why and how humans feel compelled to exercise. Bill is a gifted writer who creates an engaging...

The definition of insanity is doing the same thing and expecting different results. When was the last time that you changed your workout routine? There is a paradox with exercise: performing the same exercises at the same level of intensity for too long could result in a plateau and changing exercises too frequently does not provide enough stimulus for the results that you want. This Quick Fit Tip explains the benefits of changing your workouts on a regular basis and provides an easy...

Do you do your favorite activity to get in shape OR do you want to get in the proper shape so that you can enjoy your favorite activity? This is a question that I always ask cyclists or runners; because the fact is that many endurance athletes absolutely LOVE their sport but don't always train the proper way to achieve success or avoid injury. Resistance training can not only build strong, good looking muscles, it can also help to improve overall stamina AND stronger muscles are also more...

The days are getting a little warmer, the sun is going down a little later each evening and the first buds of spring are starting to bloom. If you've been training indoors all winter you are no doubt ready to get outside for your favorite activity, however, keep in mind that there is a BIG difference between running or cycling inside and doing it in the great outdoors. This Quick Fit Tip covers a few issues that you should be aware of so that you can make the successful transition from indoor...

Tom Brady. Drew Brees. LeBron James. Dana Torres. Nolan Ryan. What do all of these athletes have in common? They have each excelled at their chosen sport well into their later 30s and early 40s, ages when most normal individuals would have retired from elite or professional-level competition. Thanks to modern medical science we now know more about how to keep athletes injury-free as well as how to get them back on the field (or court) quickly after an injury happens. Dr. Kevin Stone is an...

Variety can be the spice of life, but did you know that certain spices could enhance your life or even extend your lifespan? Dr. Melina Jampolis is an internist and one of only a handful of board-certified physician nutritionists in the United States, she is also the hostess of the Practically Healthy podcast and the author of the book, Spice Up, Live Long: A Guide to Using Herbs and Spices To Live A Longer, Healthier and More Vibrant Life. Dr. Jampolis talks about how her experience as a...

Yes, it's now a new year, but what does that really mean in terms of your fitness and workout program? Do we have to wait for a new week, new month or new year to start a new, healthy behavior? This episode of All About Fitness features a return of co-host Aimee Nicotera to talk about all issues related to how to stay fit in our 40s; we talk about the right time to start a new workout program, how goals can help with motivation and what you can do to stay active, fit and healthy all year...

Dr. Chad Waterbury is a Los Angeles-based physical therapist and author of several books about exercise and fitness including Huge in a Hurry and Muscle Revolution; his latest book, Elite Physique, the Science of Building a Better Body, provides evidence-based solutions for how to change the way you look. On this episode of All About Fitness, enjoy an insightful and educational discussion about how to minimize the risk of injury when you exercise along with learning about how exercise can...

If you are in your 40s, or close to it, how do you maintain your fitness? Other than some guy playing quarterback down in Tampa, FL is it even possible to maintain a high level of athleticism once you pass the "big 4-O?" At the ripe young age of 48, Mike Simpson was still running missions in Afghanistan with U.S. Special Forces. How did he keep up? His fitness and his mindset were honed by three decades of Special Forces training, martial arts, and his own specialized knowledge as a doctor of...

How should our workouts change as we age? Can we do the same workouts in our 50s that we loved in our 20s? Jason Stella is the National Education Manager for LifeTime, a nationwide chain of premium health clubs, and a career fitness professional. On this episode, Jason and I talk about how the fitness industry has evolved over the course of our careers and where we think the industry is heading. We also talk training, how our personal workouts have evolved as we 'matured' through our 40s and...