The gift of existing in the world as bipedal organisms puts the human race at the top of the hierarchy in the animal kingdom. With a set of hands with opposable thumbs and the ability to walk, our body’s engineering makes us one of the most sophisticated and successful species on earth. While the skeletal …
Category: Strength and Conditioning Napa
Jan 23
Avoiding Exercises That Hurt
“How’d you feel after the last workout?” I asked Thor, one of our long-time personal training clients, before beginning his first of two weekly training sessions. “I feel pretty good except for some knee pain I’m experiencing.” I looked at Thor with a gaze of concern as he continued sharing how his body reacted from …
Jan 09
Venturing into 2025 with skillful dietary decisions
We’ve arrived at the quarter century successfully. Starting the new year on a high note is on many people’s minds. Managing finances, learning a new skill, or working toward the bucket list of visiting highly sought-after wonders of the world are a few examples of the monumental achievements people might be motivated to work toward …
Dec 26
Resistance Training and Osteoporosis Management
The six hundred and two bones comprising the human skeleton are sophisticated structures of living tissue. Our bones are key components that allow us to interact with the physically active environments in which we participate in our normal daily lives. Starting from the cellular level, bones are made up of a dense concentration of osteons, …
Dec 14
Slower Exercise to Recover and Keep Going
“I’m not sure I should come in for my training session today. I might have lifted something the wrong way when I was bending down to prune my roses. Now, I have some tightness and pain in my lower back and right side of my hip. What do you recommend?” read one of the emails …
Nov 27
Sciatica Exercise Intervention
Physical pain triggered by overuse injuries, deconditioned or weak muscles, or traumatic events substantially impacts the general population’s everyday life. Normal functional activities, including running errands, conducting general home-based chores, or simply getting in and out of bed, can become significantly hindered by a chronic injury that inflicts pain on an area of the body. …
Nov 11
Staying fit throughout the end of the year
November brings chilly days with less sunlight than we’re used to in the summer months. Adjusting our clocks back one hour sets the tone for the official start of stepping foot into the winter months. Driving home from work, embracing a naturally lit street powered by the sun is now replaced by the glow of …
Nov 06
Getting Into an Exercise Ritual
Regular exercise adherence improves our overall quality of life in an almost immeasurable way. Keeping our bodies fit assists in losing weight, decreasing the risk of cardiovascular or metabolic disease, and contributes to beneficial stress management to our psycho-emotional well-being. Exercise continues to be a panacea for healing symptoms that threaten physical, emotional, psychological, and …
Nov 01
Building Resilient Hips for Everyday Life Functionality
Humans perform upper and lower extremity actions daily without thinking too much about it. Starting from getting out of bed, the upper and lower body are involved in morning rituals as simple as walking to the kitchen to start a cup of coffee. More sophisticated and physically demanding actions requiring coordination and dexterity, including walking …
Oct 23
Optimal Posture While Sitting
Imagine living without tables, desks, or work benches. Throw in the twist of removing an automobile that we sit down in to take us to our desired location in minutes. Just for fun, put yourself in a fantasy world where the revolution of cell phones never crossed the mind of the brilliant inventors who created …