In part one I talked about The Training Program, on the part 2 I discussed about Pre-Training Food, and now it's time to address Pre-Workout Supplements   In general, when talking about pre-training supplements, you have two main options. The supplements that are meant to increase neural drive and focus, ...

A recent study demonstrates omega-3 fatty acids increase blood flow to regions of the brain associated with cognition Guest Blog by Designs For Health   According to a recent study published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, by using neuroimaging, researchers were able to demonstrate increased blood flow in regions ...

How to Prepare for a Great Training Session - Pre-Training Food   In the first part of these series, I talked about the training program, planning and measuring. On the second part of this article, I will address the subject of pre-training food.   The subject of food is a little ...

A guest Blog by Designs for Health Zinc is where it's at! Zinc has a long history known as the mineral of the immune system. New research from Oregon State University demonstrated that it appears to affect how the immune system responds to inflammation. A zinc deficiency may play a role ...

How to Prepare for a Great Training Session - The Training Program   This is a multi-series article, and in every post, I’ll address a different point on how to prepare for a great training session.   Winston Churchill is credited with the expression “who fails to plan is planning ...

Guest Blog by Designs for Health New study demonstrates how gut bacteria causes obesity According to a new study published in Nature, a research team from Yale has identified the mechanism in which gut dysbiosis leads to obesity. Scientists have already understood that the gut microbiome is associated with metabolic ...

The Russian Squat System   Soviets were well known for producing impressive results on Weightlifting, and their performance at the Olympic games was absolutely outstanding. They were also well known for their devotion to strength training research with a large number of publications on different subjects, including the implementation of ...

A Guest Blog by Designs for Health Fish Oil and Vitamin D - The Serotonin Power Team Many studies have demonstrated that fish oils and vitamin D help improve cognitive function, but what exactly is the mechanism of action? In an article just published in FASEB Journal, serotonin is described as ...

Guest blog by Designs for Health High-carbohydrate foods are rewarding to the mouth Biting into a glazed donut, with the subtle crunch of the sugar coating giving way to soft, pillowy dough underneath, can instantly transform a mind-numbing work meeting into a temporary visit to one’s proverbial “happy place.” (That ...

Guest Blog by Designs for Health Previously we discussed the importance of moving an individual’s paradigm away from calorie quantity and toward calorie quality in the battle against obesity. Re-educating individuals about the metabolic differences between protein fat and carbohydrates in regards to obesity will give them confidence to abandon ...

A guest blog by Designs for Health There is more to weight management than just "Calories In, Calories Out" “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.” Though highly debatable, the general premise of this well-known and oft quoted cliché is that it is hard to break old habits and ...

It is easier to win the day if you make the right choices for breakfast. As my mentor used to say, “The first thing you put in your mouth in the morning… provided it is food… dictates all neurotransmitters for the whole day.” When working with clients ranging from world ...

We’ve always been told that we are what we eat. But if you go a bit further, you’ll understand that we are actually what we absorb. Nowadays we have much less nutrients inside our cells than our grandparents. Modern agricultural systems and lower stomach acid levels (HCl) are two of ...

Part of my philosophy on training, and other aspects of life, is to keep eyes and mind wide opened, and be willing to try new findings, and that includes Sarcoplasm Stimulating Training for hypertrophy and muscle pump. Because of this, I found a training program in the Journal Frontiers of ...

What is warm-up? Warm-up is extremely simple. Stay away from people who overcomplicate things … the typical wannabe coach will prescribe moronic routines consisting of 10 minutes of carioca drills supersetted with humping a foam roller for hours on end. This set-up is more likely to earn you a restraining ...

The vertical jump is one of the hallmarks of athleticism. It is used to test an athlete’s ability and discriminate those with great potential from those with… not so much potential. So, it comes as no surprise that much energy and thought has been given on ways to improve it. ...

Of all the lifts, the overhead press and its many variants have to be the most misunderstood and, sadly, underutilized. Yet, it is a very powerful tool to use in your arsenal for shoulder, traps and triceps hypertrophy, athletic performance and, believe it or not, shoulder health. Back in the ...

Anyone with even a passing interest in nutrition knows that any number of topics can stir up emotions. One of the worst offenders is cholesterol. Although pretty much every one knows of cholesterol, few actually know what cholesterol is and what role it plays in the body. It’s high time ...

Decide what to focus on. Save time. Make your efforts count. Use the strength deficit formula. Who is it for? It applies both for athletes and bodybuilders. Bodybuilders will know whether they should focus on strength or size at this point of their training. Athletes need this information to periodize ...

Metabolic conditioning is all the rage right now, from Crossfit to more ancient, traditional methods of fat loss. This is nothing new, as many athletes have used different methods ranging from bodyweight exercises to exercises using kettlebells, dumbbells, barbells and other tools to improve their conditioning and body composition. The ...

A 2012 study found that 52% of Americans felt that doing their taxes was easier than figuring out how to eat healthy. This begs the question: is it that hard to eat healthy? Well, the environment definitely makes it harder! Healthy food is expensive. Plus unhealthy food is ubiquitous. It ...