When designing a training program, how much emphasis do you place on the workout parameters (load, frequency, reps, sets, volume, etc.) vs. your recovery between workouts? You may have heard that recovery is important, but you’re not quite sure how important or what that even means. In truth, recovery after a workout is just as …
Everyone has some concept of what pain is, but beneath the surface-level experience lies a complex process that we still don’t fully understand. Under normal conditions in healthy individuals, pain serves an important purpose. Sometimes, however, this system can go awry, leading to the development of long-term debilitating pain that is challenging to overcome. Whether …
I want to preface this post with a disclaimer that I am by no means an expert meditator. At best, I am a relative newbie with some practice and light research under my belt. Sometimes as a beginner, it’s nice to hear from someone who is closer to the same level rather than the experts …
Most people immediately think of running, lifting weights, or taking fitness classes when hoping to burn more calories. While these are all effective and important for burning calories and improving health, there is a simple strategy you can start leveraging every day to significantly increase your caloric expenditure. I’m talking about something called Non-Exercise Activity …
This will be a short post going over a breathing technique called box breathing. I’ll discuss where this practice came from, how to do it, and the effect it has in your body. If you have deeper questions about breathing, check out my previous post on the physiology of breathing and one highlighting the diaphragm …
The diaphragm is an under-appreciated muscle that influences many aspects of our physical and mental health. While the diaphragm’s main role is in respiration (breathing), it also plays a part in a wide range of body processes including nerve function, lower back health, stress vs. relaxation, digestion, and more. In this article, I’ll go over …
Maybe you’ve heard of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) before, maybe not. Either way, this subsection of your nervous system is playing an integral part in your everyday life. The autonomic nervous system is a part of your peripheral nervous system that controls a wide range of involuntary physiologic processes. These are things that we …