Browsing: trainer

While a sculpted midsection might be the goal for some, I want a strong core so I can do the activities I love longer without hurting my back. Since taking up Pilates, I’ve seen a huge difference in my core, so when LJ, a master trainer at London’s 1Rebel, shared a five-move Pilates-inspired core workout…

I go on and on to anyone who will listen about how important mobility routines are as you get older. Trust me, at 25, many people barely think about mobility; at 35, they consider it; at 55, they really need it; and at 75, they wish they’d started sooner.

If you haven’t heard of a weightlifting technique called time under tension, let me introduce it. This approach slows reps of an exercise, typically during the eccentric phase (like lowering into a squat), but sometimes during the concentric phase (like standing from a squat), too.

I’m someone with very tight ankles, as I explained during my 30-day “Fix Your Ankles” mobility challenge, which (sadly) limits my squat depth. Squats are one of the best compound exercises for building lower-body strength, and while they’re not exactly essential for every resistance routine, they’re certainly one of the most effective movements out there.

As we get older, strength training is the best way to slow down and reverse the physical effects of aging. Starting around age 30, adults start to lose between 3-8% of their muscle mass per decade — this is a process called sarcopenia, and it accelerates dramatically after age 60.

I meet with plenty of personal training clients over 60 who are embarking on a fitness routine for the first time, and truthfully, they’re some of my favorite clients to train. I wholeheartedly believe that exercise can be life-changing at any age, and it’s never too late to start.