All About Fitness

Physical health can be relatively easy to address because issues like cuts, sprains or broken bones are easy to identify in order to start the healing process. Mental health, however, is a different story and because emotional trauma does not express itself the same way as physical trauma it can be a challenge to address in a timely manner. Professional athletes and members of the military are often young, fit, healthy and possess an extreme drive to succeed at the highest levels of human performance which means it can be a challenge to admit vulnerability, let alone discuss when life might become emotionally overwhelming. Both retired combat veterans and retired professional athletes deal with similar issues - how to stay focused and continue to move forward when your mission in life changes drastically and there is a real risk of suicide among both populations. Jay Glazer is a professional reporter who covers the NFL for Fox; he is also a retired martial arts competitor who started the Unbreakable studio to

Push. Pull. Hinge. Squat. Lunge. Rotate. Exercise is a function of movement and the human body is made to move; therefore, for the best results, exercise programs should be based on how the body is designed to move. Kettlebells have been used for exercise for more than a hundred years and are the perfect tool for strengthening muscles using movement-based exercises. Steve Cotter is a former martial artist, the founder of the International Kettlebell Fitness Federation, the star of numerous kettlebell workout videos and the author of Kettlebell Training, a book that will teach you what you need to know to get a great workout using only 1 piece of equipment! Steve explains how he got started with kettlebell training, the benefits of using kettlebells, why kettlebells can be the perfect training tool for athletes (or people who want to move like them) and how to get started with a kettlebell workout program. On this episode of the All About Fitness podcast, it's all about kettlebell training with author and inst

Currently in the United States, the average lifespan is approximately 78 years-old; scientists are studying the aging process, what can influence it and how we might able to extend our lifespan. Recently the Washington Post ran an article on Longevity that addresses many of the topics about aging that scientists are currently studying. This Quick Fit Tip is a review of that article which identifies what you could be doing to slow down how the passage of time effects your body. Read the Washington Post article HERE (note: it might be behind a paywall) Learn more about the science of aging and what you might be able to do to extend your lifespan; purchase a copy of Lifespan, Dr. David Sinclair's book HERE (this is an affiliate link, a commission will be earned) https://petemccallfitness.com Order a copy of Ageless Intensity: High Intensity Workouts to Slow the Aging Process:  https://amzn.to/3mH3HNf Order a copy of Smarter Workouts: The Science of Exercise Made Simple https://amzn.to/3fub1Yl (both of the

Muscles generate force to move the body and when used repeatedly, they can increase both size and force output (strength). It's generally accepted that resistance training is the most effective way to enhance size and improve strength, however there is an ongoing quest to find ways to speed up the process. It sounds dangerous and counter-intuitive but the practice of restricting blood flow out of working muscles while exercising with light weights has been shown to be extremely beneficial for promoting muscle growth. Dr. Jeremy Loenneke is an Associate Professor of Exercise Science at the University of Mississippi who studies muscle fiber physiology. As one of the leading researchers on the topic of blood flow restriction, Dr. Loenneke has conducted a number of studies on how blood flow restriction stimulates muscle growth; we discuss his findings and he offers his insights into how BFR can be implemented into your workout programs. On this episode of All About Fitness, it's all about the science of how blood

When was the last time that you put yourself first? No, not in a selfish, narcissistic, 'me-first' way but when was the last time that you allowed yourself to make your own personal needs a priority? Self-care is important; whether that's taking a few minutes a day for quiet meditation, going to the doctor for an annual visit or turning off your devices to enjoy some screen-free time with family or close friends. The first part of this Quick Fit Tip discusses the benefits of self-care and why it's important to make your health needs a priority. The second part of this Quick Fit Tip discusses the science of blood flow restriction training and how it could help accelerate the results from your strength training workouts. This Quick Fit Tip reviews a few simple ways to use exercise to enhance your quality of life. https://petemccallfitness.com Order a copy of Ageless Intensity: High Intensity Workouts to Slow the Aging Process: https://amzn.to/3mH3HNf Order a copy of Smarter Workouts: The Science of Exercise

Once upon a time 50 seemed like it was old; however once 50 happens it quickly becomes evident that it's just another number. While you still might feel strong and energetic, it is important to recognize, however, that your body will be going through some changes. Men over the age of 50 will experience andropause, lower testosterone production, and women over the age of 50 will experience menopause, the cessation of the ovulation cycle. The good news is that exercise can help reduce the effects of these age-related change in our bodies. Debra Atkinson is a former university professor who hosts the Flipping 50 podcast and runs online fitness programs for women who are experiencing menopause. On this episode of All About Fitness, Debra talks about the changes a woman will experience in both perimenopause and menopause, the types of exercise that could help manage those changes and provides important insights on how guys can be supportive during this stage in a woman's life. This episode is full of valuable info

Lifting weights, cardio, flexibility, mobility, high-intensity, low-intensity, interval or steady-state there are many different ways to exercise, and from enhancing your health to sculpting muscles to improving athletic performance each can provide specific benefits. It doesn’t matter what type of exercise you do, but if you want the benefits from your efforts, the two most important things are being consistent and exercising to the point of mild discomfort. The one common denominator from any type of exercise is that it will stimulate a response from your endocrine system which produces hormones, the chemicals that control how cells function. This Quick Fit Tip, straight from Smarter Workouts: The Science of Exercise Made Simple, will help you to understand more about the hormones that are responsible for controlling how your body functions.  Learn how to design your own exercise programs; purchase a copy of Smarter Workouts: The Science of Exercise Made Simple https://amzn.to/3ECwgSv https://petemccallf

Why do you exercise? Some are motivated to look better. Others may want to optimize their health. While still others may want to enjoy their favorite activities, including exercise itself. Why not do all 3? Yes, you can exercise to look better. Yes, exercise can improve your health. And, YES, exercise itself should be fun! Tony Horton knows how to achieve all three; famous for his passion for fitness and his highly successful (and very effective) workout programs that include P90X and the Ten Minute Trainer, Tony has now set his sights on helping you to improve your nutrition with his line of Power Life supplements. Tony credits his love of exercise, his mindful approach to nutrition and how he recovers from his workouts with helping him to maintain a high level of fitness throughout the aging process. Now in his 60s, Tony is still a ball of energy and loves pushing himself with a variety of challenging workouts that includes his new passion of crushing obstacle courses. On this episode of All About Fitness,

The modern fitness industry began in the early 1970s. The folks who have been working out consistently since exercise became popular are now in their 60s and 70s and have completely redefined the aging process. Kathy Smith has been a fitness icon ever since Ronald Reagan was President and MTV actually played music videos; she has promoted the benefits of an active lifestyle through books, exercise videos, TV shows and now a podcast. Now in her late 60s, Kathy is as active as ever and enjoys her favorite activities like running as well as learning new ones like surfing or uphill skiing (yes, that's a thing) thanks to the benefits of regular exercise like strength training and yoga. On this episode of All About Fitness, Kathy shares her insights for how she has used exercise to take control of the aging process, the workouts she credits with giving her the strength to maintain an active lifestyle (and look amazing while doing it) and how you too can use exercise to live your best life no matter your age. This

Aging is inevitable, it WILL happen, but HOW you age is up to you. Over the past 10 years of studying how exercise affects the aging process I have written blog posts and articles, delivered presentations at conferences all over the world and started this podcast to share what I have learned in an effort to help others learn how exercise can slow down the effects of time. My latest book, Ageless Intensity - High Intensity Exercise to Slow the Aging Process is the culmination of this work; in the book you will learn will how exercise slows down aging, and, more importantly, the types of exercise that you should be doing to add years of high-quality living to your life. This Quick Fit Tip is a preview of Ageless Intensity and how to use exercise to achieve successful aging while extending your lifespan. https://petemccallfitness.com Order a copy of Ageless Intensity: High Intensity Workouts to Slow the Aging Process: https://amzn.to/3mH3HNf Order a copy of Smarter Workouts: The Science of Exercise Made Simpl

When you strength train, you know exactly how much weight you are lifting. When you go for a run, you know exactly how far you travel. You use a thermostat to measure your temperature. A heart-rate monitor allows you to quantify how hard you are working when you exercise. Data lets us know exactly how our body is performing, but are you collecting the best data to ensure that your lifestyle habits are the right ones for your body's specific needs? InsideTracker is a company that tests specific biomarkers in your blood to provide you with data about how your healthy lifestyle is affecting your body. The company’s proprietary system is used by elite athletes to ensure that they are achieving the highest level of performance possible for their respective sports. You too can use the test to access to the same information on the best nutrition, exercise and lifestyle interventions for your body's needs. Dr. Gil Blander researches the biology of aging and, more importantly, applies his discoveries into new ways of

Football is the most popular spectator sport in the United States. From the time training camps start in the summer until the Lombardi trophy is hoisted by the victor of the Super Bowl in the depths of winter, Americans are consumed with following their favorite teams and players. While it looks easy on TV, playing football at the collegiate and professional level requires an amazing level of athleticism, conditioning and hours of off-field preparation for every 60 minute game. Not to mention the fact that from proper nutrition to tissue therapy to sleep, preparing for optimal performance on the field requires players to make significant investments of time and money so they can be physically prepared to perform their best.  DeMarcus Ware was a first round draft pick by the Dallas Cowboys who helped the Denver Broncos win Super Bowl 50. Since retiring from the NFL DeMarcus has earned a personal training certification and now runs 3 Volt, a fitness studio near Dallas, TX. On this episode of All About Fitness,

There are only 32 teams in the National Football League; each team maintains an active roster of 55 players with 14 more individuals on the practice squad for a total of 69. This means that of all of the athletes who have ever played football at the high school or college level there are only 2,208 positions available at the professional level. Earning a spot on a professional football team takes a tremendous amount of innate athletic ability, years of hard work and practice and finally, impressing decision makers at the annual scouting combine where coaches have an opportunity to meet with players and put them through a battery of mental and physical tests. College players who hope to matriculate to the professional level have to impress the scouts and coaches at the combine, and in order to prepare, many work with conditioning facilities like Exos to look their best for the opportunity. Exos is an organization that provides fitness solutions for all types of clients from corporate wellness centers to milit

Where do you get your exercise information from; do you train like a bodybuilder or an athlete? The human body was made to move and in order to get the best results, your workouts programs should feature different types of movement to engage ALL of your muscles, not just one or two at a time. This Quick Fit Tip uses the start of gridiron football season to review and discuss the benefits of training like an athlete and why you should add speed, agility, reactivity and quickness (SPARQ) exercises to your workout program. Read the blog on the benefits of Speed, Agility, Reactivity and Quickness (SPARQ) training for non-athletes and exercises that you should be adding to your workout program: https://www.acefitness.org/education-and-resources/lifestyle/blog/5041/benefits-of-agility-training-for-non-athletes/ Watch this video of Agility exercises that you can add to your workout program: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nje8SNvrOgQ Watch this video of Speed exercises that you can add to your workout program:

How does a young girl who starts out at 'Mommy and Me' gymnastics end up as a young woman with multiple All-American honors as a collegiate gymnast? Olivia Karas fell in love with gymnastics and pursued her passion to the point of earning a scholarship to the University of Michigan where she helped the team win multiple Big 10 championships. Her father, Jim Karas, is a personal trainer and best-selling author who works with an exclusive clientele in Chicago. Father and daughter collaborated to write Confessions of a Division 1 Athlete in order to share their stories about what it takes to ascend to the highest levels of a challenging and competitive sport which requires years of grueling practice to achieve success. On this episode of All About Fitness, Olivia and Jim share some of their insights on how to navigate the process from regional to elite competition, in addition, they provide valuable perspective on the role a parent should play when a child is motivated to compete. This is an engaging and dynamic

How do you get fired up? What inspires you to perform your best? Where do you find the motivation to achieve a challenging goal? Todd Durkin is a strength coach, fitness studio owner, author, podcast host and motivational speaker who wrote his latest book, Get Your Mind Right, to share his principles for how to find the motivation to reach your goals. Todd has helped numerous athletes, including Drew Brees, perform at the highest level of competition and he can help you to pursue your dreams. This was meant to be a Quick Fit Tip but it turned into an engaging conversation on how a leading coach finds his own motivation and inspiration. Get ready to achieve great things after you listen to this episode with Todd Durkin. Get Your Mind Right: pick up a copy of Todd's latest motivational book here: https://amzn.to/2Tsg6rU Get motivated and stay inspired, listen to the Todd Durkin Impact Show: https://open.spotify.com/show/26AtJO5r0mWpS0K1tqnRrO?si=rRJwxGR7Sd6DvhcWliSWOA&dl_branch=1 https://petemccallfitness.c

How do you respond when life becomes difficult? Challenge, stress and change are all a part of life, it would be naive to think otherwise; do you have the skill and ability to overcome adversity? Have you developed strategies that allow you to successfully navigate stressful situations? Thom Shea is a retired Navy SEAL who served more than 20 years and retired with distinguished valor. Mr. Shea wrote two books about the lessons he learned while serving in the military and how those lessons can help you overcome any obstacles that life might put in your way. In addition, Thom started the Unbreakable Leadership seminars to help others develop the tools to succeed in stressful situations. On this episode of All About Fitness, retired Navy SEAL Thom Shea shares insights on how military special operators prepare to overcome challenges and shares his thoughts on how to become a more effective leader. This is a thought-provoking and inspirational conversation with one of our nations elite service members. To learn

Whether it's dealing with a structure fire, responding to a multi-vehicle car crash or fighting an explosive wildfire, the men and women of the fire services are athletes who must be physically prepared to operate at a high-level of performance for a wide variety of unpredictable situations. Depending on whether they work in an urban, suburban or rural environment, every fire department will respond to different types of scenes, but one factor remains constant, the men and women need to be in peak physical and mental condition in order to be able to perform their best. Aaron Quinn is a career firefighter with the Oakland, CA Fire Department who is responsible for developing the fitness programs for new recruits to his department. On this episode of All About Fitness, Aaron discusses the unique fitness needs of firefighters, provides his insights on the best workout programs for firefighters and what he does to ensure that the men and women of the Oakland Fire Department are ready and prepared to serve when du

Tearing the achilles tendon that connects the large calf muscle to the heel bone is a major injury that could derail your fitness efforts for up to a full year (depending on the severity of the injury and the healing period). Two recent guests of All About Fitness, Tony Gentilcore and Dr. Jay Dawes, experienced calf injuries and achilles tears that took months to recover from. These are two intelligent, well-respected fitness professionals who each experienced the same debilitating injury that is very common among active adults. Here's the thing, if you listen to this podcast, you ARE NOT allowed to have this kind of injury. My job is to inform you how to remain injury free so that you can exercise and train to enjoy all of your favorite activities. This Quick Fit Tip covers the mechanism of injury for calf tears, it's one of the most common injuries for active adults and, more importantly, discusses strategies that you can follow to reduce the risk of having this type of injury. On this Quick Fit Tip it's

Fire fighters, law enforcement, first responders and military have something in common with professional athletes: they rely on their bodies to be able to perform their jobs and should have a high level of fitness to operate at their highest level of ability. The term 'tactical athlete' refers to those professions who have to use their bodies while serving others; some days tactical athletes may be required to operate a high pressure hose, while on others they may be required to remove a 300 pound person from a car wreck and on other they may have to scramble up hills to create a defensive fire break. Over the past number of years an entire field of study has developed around helping tactical athletes prepare for the ever-changing demands of their jobs. Dr. Jay Dawes is an Assistant Professor at Oklahoma State University who conducts research on and consults with law enforcement and first responders. On this episode of All About Fitness, Dr. Dawes talks about how the field of strength and conditioning has evo