Halo Trainer Blog

Resistance Training Made Convenient  More

If you study the fitness industry as much as I do you will find that it re-invents itself frequently--well, actually it re-cycles itself.  Funny that a research study by Japanese researchers would create a wake over a decade later, although typically morphed into something it was never meant to be.  I'm pretty sure that I learned many of the Olympic lifts in high school during weightlifting class while trying to get buff so that girls would notice me.  It's odd to me that these exercises resurface as if there is some kind of new technology--it's a barbell people.  Let's be honest with each other.  A kettlebell is nothing new either.  I have an old indian club if somebody really wants to recycle a trend.  The common thread among these fitness systems is that they are effective...but not new! More

I recall not very long ago that it was common and customary to spend over an hour at the athletic club working out.  The old mantra of 3 sets of 10 with 30-45 seconds rest still seems to resonate in my memory banks.  The rest time was even longer for power lifting.  According to recent research, as long as you fatigue within 60-90 seconds, strength benefits are realized.  Another recent finding is that rest is not even as effective as performing active core exercises between upper or lower body strengthening. More

Did you know that many of the traditional exercises that are/were performed to strengthen the abdominals may not necessarily be the best exercises?  New research is finding that not only is the abdominal crunch or partial sit-up too compressive for your lower back, but that several other exercises utilize the abs even better than the crunch.  More