As we age many factors limit our ability to move as quickly as we used to including disease processes, medications, neurological changes, balance impairments, and importantly weakness. Age related weakness is a major contributor to falls, less independent living, and lower quality of life in older adults. Age related muscle loss begins for most adults...
High intensity interval training involves alternating between short duration bouts of vigorous and moderate intensities of exercise. The cumulative total of these interval minutes at a vigorous level is often more than an individual could sustain at a sustained vigorous intensity. Allowing the participant to obtain the health benefits of vigorous exercise without trying to...
Our brains can be our best or worst training partner. In our previous blogs we have written about how our brains stop our workouts or sets short to conserve energy. As part of our nervous system, our brains are actively involved in building strength with exercise. In fact, in the first 6 weeks of training...
Studies show that individuals can build strength and muscle mass with similar training protocols. A recent review examined the difference between the two and found that training at higher intensities with heavier weights (greater than 60% of a 1 repetition maximum) can be more effective at building strength, while muscle mass can be built with...
One of the top reasons participants start an exercise program is weight loss. This goal is achievable with exercise but is much harder to accomplish compared to improved mobility, strength, or balance. The difficulty of losing weight with exercise is also one of the leading reasons people quit their exercise programs after an initial 4-6...
Most psychology 101 courses cover the interesting question of nature vs. nurture. In short, how many of our current traits and abilities were we born with vs. influenced by the environment we were raised in by our families. This question is extremely difficult to answer with 100% certainty especially in the world of health and...
Strength training is an essential part of any weekly workout program. Priority should be given to aerobic exercise first, followed by strength training, before participants pursue other forms of exercise such as stretching. At our Boulder Physical Therapy and Lafayette Physical Therapy clinics strength training is an essential part of each patient’s recovery from disease,...
As Physical Therapists, we frequently work with patients on restoring lost function from pain, injury, surgery, or disease. Our brains have evolved over time to find and focus on the areas of our life that are missing, often at the expense of what is present. For example, the painful back or swollen knee prevents us...
One of our best measures of an individual’s fitness and overall physical health is the VO2 max. This measurement allows us to determine the body’s ability to bring in and utilize oxygen during activity. In our Boulder Physical Therapy and Lafayette Physical Therapy clinics we often use heart rate or ratings of perceived exertion to...
Time continues to be the most common barrier to participants beginning or continuing an exercise program. As adults look to balance work, family, and outside commitments exercise is often cut out of a weekly schedule. If their weeks are limited some participants, the weekend warriors, try to achieve their fitness goals through two longer or...