Did You Know?

I'm taking the ACE Certification Test a week from today, and I figured a good way to help me study (and provide some interesting information for everyone) would be for me to share some of the things I've been studying that I found interesting about exercise, the human body, etc. I can honestly say that the last 18 months of my life have been the most educational period I have ever had, both personally and professionally. I can only hope to continue to learn and grow in the same way as I progress in my career.

I hope you learn something fun! Did you know ....

ACSM (the American College of Sports Medicine) recommends that a person get 150 minutes of moderate-level exercise each week, combined with at least 2+ days of full-body resistance training? And that the number is even HIGHER for children aged 6-17, in an effort to fight childhood obesity?

That almost everyone who does a squat lifts the majority of the load with the quadriceps instead of the hamstrings, placing (very dangerous and harmful) shearing forces on the knee? Studies have shown this is one of the most common ways people injure their knees in a gym setting. Check this out for a great tip on how to maintain proper squat technique. REMEMBER - weight in heels, hips back first, knees never past the toe, you should be able to wiggle your toes at any point in the movement.

That proximal stability = distal mobility? Think of that as "my core must be strong before my appendages can be strong/mobile." One of the most fundamental principles your trainer should instill in you is that you MUST have strong balance, core musculature, posture and understanding of movement patterns before beginning a resistance training program. A very common error made by trainers is not breaking their clients of bad lifting habits, which exacerbates current injuries and puts their clients at risk for others.

That most people will actually start feeling better (not just performing better) after only 2-4 weeks of regular exercise? This happens primarily because of an increase in neurotransmitters and hormone levels - serotonin, endorphins, etc.

I could go on and on but I won't ... just a few things I found interesting. Test is Saturday, and then I promise I won't mention it here again (except to hopefully celebrate passing it).