Laura and I are already on season 6 for Game of Thrones. Hard to believe. We can just demolish a television series when given the chance. Not too hard though in reality. Just watch 1 and maybe 2 episodes in a night for 5 out of 7 nights. Another week and we will be all… [Read More]
45+ Year Old Beginner Workout: Improve Strength, Balance, and Flexibility
Last week I took you through the most awesome warmup ever in the history of the universe. And yes that is the most grammatically correct sentence I have ever typed with these sculpted fingers. Just in case you missed it…..you can check it out HERE. After being so epicly warmed up it only makes sense… [Read More]
Last Week to Register
***Last Week*** Friendly reminder that registration for our Week Test Drive at the studio ends on Sunday June 2th. If you are interested in resistance training but aren’t sure what to do or how to do it then this is a perfect opportunity for you. 6 weeks of customized programming backed with our nearly world… [Read More]
Should You Strengthen First or Stretch First?
Should I Strengthen First or Stretch First? A follow up to a post from the other day; Common Exercise Mistakes #1. Not addressing posture. During the prior video I mentioned that certain muscles are generally “tight” and need to be stretched while other muscles are “weak” and need to be strengthened to help with better… [Read More]
The 5 Why’s
Staying motivated can be tough. In today’s 2 minute and 28 second video I go through a simple trick I learned that helps me stay motivated. Hope you find it as useful as I have. The 5 Why’s [youtube height=”HEIGHT” width=”WIDTH”]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sxu_4Mhk9nM[/youtube]
Benefits of Resistance Bands
Every job has a tool. Today the tool in discussion is the resistance band. Hope you enjoy the 3 minute video on the benefits of resistance bands! What are the Benefits of Resistance Bands? [youtube height=”HEIGHT” width=”WIDTH”]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_rQ1aOCM0E[/youtube]
A Quick Story About Susie
Yes. Susie isn’t her real name, but you knew that already ;/) It’s just a sub-in name for what the typical gym goer experiences every year when they start up their brand new fitness journey. Hope you enjoy the morale of this 3 minute and 40 second story and can avoid Susie’s mistakes. A… [Read More]
Your Goals Don’t Matter Without This
I feel like the title of this post says it all. Check out this 6 minute video for why SO many people fail to reach their goals every single year. Your Goals Don’t Matter Without This [youtube height=”HEIGHT” width=”WIDTH”]https://youtu.be/kyakYgpqJKQ[/youtube]
Glenna Weatherly
As a new retiree, I just wanted to kick back, stay at home and not have a schedule. I wanted my son and husband to it buggin me about exercising. I was taking medication to ease pains from an auto accident an didn’t want to add more pain. Over the last year, Gabe’s patience,… [Read More]
Susannah
My name is Susannah. I am a fifty-eight year old retired teacher. I began working with Nathan in July of 2011. My back was aching, I was having degenerated disc problems, and my hands were starting to show signs of arthritis. Luckily for me, during the registration process, Nathan just happened to walk by and the salesperson stopped him… [Read More]
Merry Ann Southwell
I remember when I first walked into Stowe Training Systems. I wanted to improve my strength and stability – especially for my knees! I wasn’t sure if foam rolling would really help with this or if I would even enjoy weight training. Well it did! The team are very encouraging and keep working to get… [Read More]
Brooke
I started to work with Nate 3 months after lumbar spinal fusion surgery. I followed strict doctor orders for 12 weeks after surgery to not bend, lift, or twist at all! After that 12 week time period had passed the doctor gave me strict orders to start light physical therapy to engage my core and… [Read More]
Let’s Talk Paleo
I know, I know, I know. The title of this post is a little “click baity” ;/) Still, I thought you may wonder what my opinion is on Paleo. Like most things I would say “it depends”. Let’s Talk Paleo [youtube height=”HEIGHT” width=”WIDTH”]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1MPJK9ldihY[/youtube]
Holiday Fitness Tips
Happy Turkey Day everyone! Thought I would share a quick video of some immediately actionable tips you can do to not gain too much weight this holiday season ;/) Enjoy! HOLIDAY FITNESS TIPS [youtube height=”HEIGHT” width=”WIDTH”]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otMDYSV5UaI[/youtube]
Liz
“I’ve been working out with Nedu for about a year, but got serious about losing weight in November. he worked with me on not only lifting and aerobic exercising but my diet as well. My goal was to fit in a dress, which required losing about 10 pounds over the holidays. It was surprising and… [Read More]
Stuff You Should “Probably” Be Doing – Reverse Lunge into Single Leg RDL
Welcome back to Stowe Training Systems and thank you for being here. Today I would like to take you through some stuff that you “probably” should be doing. I say “probably” because I like to stay away from absolutes – The world is quite a large place and there just always seems to be… [Read More]
Stuff You “Probably” SHOULDN’T Be Doing – Stretching Your Lower Back
I get asked on a regular basis about stretches for the lower back. People seemed confounded when I tell them that this is “probably” a bad idea. [youtube height=”HEIGHT” width=”WIDTH”]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IG-2-7nyNzM[/youtube] What most folks fail to realize is that there are a TON of nerves running through the lumbar region and that these nerves… [Read More]
Stuff You “Probably” Should Be Doing – Band Horizontal Abduction With a Press
Welcome back to Stowe Training Systems and thank you for being here. Today I would like to take you through some stuff that you “probably” should be doing. I say “probably” because I like to stay away from absolutes – The world is quite a large place and there just always seems to… [Read More]
Stuff You “Probably” Should Be Doing – Field Goal Angel on Foam Roller
Mobility Monday – Field Goal Angel on a Foam Roller Welcome back to Mobility Monday at Stowe Training Systems. Mobility Monday is where every Monday I take you through some super awesome exercises that are easy to do and offer a very high risk vs. reward ratio. With proper mobility can we help alleviate… [Read More]
Stuff You “Probably” Should Be Doing – Band Alphabet
Hi there! Welcome back to Stowe Training Systems and Mobility Monday. I hope you have been enjoying the content so far. Today I wanted to introduce you to an exercise that produces a whole lot of bang for your buck. This Exercise Will Allow us to Simultaneously Work On: *Anti-Rotation – especially useful if you… [Read More]
Why Would I Hire a Personal Trainer?
I recently hired a personal trainer as of December 2014. Most people find this extremely surprising….. They wonder why with all of my knowledge and experience of writing super effective programs I would want to spend my hard earned mula on someone else to train me. Well there are several reasons but I guess the… [Read More]
Stuff You “Probably” Should Be Doing – Hip Flexor Mobilization with Band Distraction
Hey there! Welcome back to “Mobility Monday” where I promise to continue bringing you the most cutting edge techniques that one can use to enhance their mobility. Last week I introduced you to the hip flexor mobilization with a resistance band. For those of you who missed it here is the video: [youtube height=”HEIGHT” width=”WIDTH”]… [Read More]
Why I Lift
I’ve been on a bit of a Bret Contreras kick lately. I love this post as it motivates me to want to go to the gym immediately. No matter who you are and no matter where you are starting from there are some compelling reasons to start LIFTING. – Nate Lifting weights is good for… [Read More]
Stuff You “Probably” Should Be Doing – Band Resisted Hip Flexor Mobilization
Today I thought it would be fun to start a “Mobility Monday”. Basically each Monday I will bring you a “Mobility” exercise of the week. Before we begin let’s 1st define exactly what mobility is. To me Mobility is a combination of Flexibility AND Stability. A lot of folks are very “flexible” and can touch… [Read More]
What Physical Therapists and Doctors Could Learn From BioMechanics
I ran across the article from Bret Contreras and it really resonated with me. I was thinking of one of my clients who was training with me after a major back surgery and how she was instructed to “not lift more than 50 lbs” and to “add 10lbs” to that total each month. Now; this seems like great… [Read More]
How Strong Do You Need to be for Life?
I get asked almost every single day “How strong do I NEED to get Nathan? I don’t want to play a sport, enter any competitions, or anything of the like. I just want to move, look, and feel good.” Well, as luck would have it today’s post from Dr. Scotty Butcher, PhD, PT does a… [Read More]
Is the Cost of Getting Lean Worth the Trade Off?
Well Precision Nutrition knocks the ball out of the proverbial park again…. This article is so awesome and easy to read that there are literally no “Notes from Nate” included. Hope you enjoy this post as much as I did! – Nate The cost of getting lean: Is it really worth the trade-off? By Ryan… [Read More]
Foam Rolling versus stretching
For any of you that have had the opportunity to train with me; you know that I am a huge proponent of “Foam Rolling”. I have personally witnessed a staggering amount of people get rid of chronic joint pain with this simple method over the years. However, it always begs the questions – why and… [Read More]
How Math can Help You Build Muscle
For those of you who want to know the “why” behind the “what” today’s post is for you. Don’t let the math part scare you; the lessons listed below really are quite simple. With that I’ll let author Greg Nuckols take over from here. Hope you enjoy! – Nate What you’re getting yourself into: ~3400… [Read More]
6 Things About Exercise the Magazines aren’t Telling You
Everyone wants a “magic pill” these days to help burn body fat and build muscle. Unfortunately, these don’t actually exist. Don’t fear though. If you follow the 6 tips below from James Clear you will eventually reach your health and fitness goals; no magic pill needed. Enjoy the read! – Nate 6 Truths About Exercise… [Read More]
Living with Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia is all too common and often very misunderstood. Today’s post from precisionnutrition.com does a great job of outlining the best strategies to cope with Fibromyalgia. Enjoy the read! -Nate How nutrition, exercise, and lifestyle strategies can help alleviate the pain. By Ryan Andrews Millions of people (including a staggering 3.4% of adult women) struggle with fibromyalgia,… [Read More]
Is it Safe to Exercise with Osteoporosis?
Osteoporosis is an all to common age-related issue that shouldn’t be. Our bone density can be increased with a progressive resistance training program. However, there are certain precautions that should be taken when starting your program. While today’s post from www.theptdc.com is geared towards personal trainers – I thought that it did an outstanding job… [Read More]
How do 80 Year Olds have 40-Year Old Muscle Mass
I found the following article to be very inspirational. I have 1st hand experience of helping clients in there mid 50’s – 60’s build more muscle and get into better shape than they had been at any point before in their life…. The important take away is that it is never too late to start…. [Read More]
Will Resistance Training help Increase Bone Density?
There are almost too many benefits from a proper, progressive resistance training program to count. One of the most important benefits that often gets over looked is the positive effects on bone density. This is unbelievable important for both females over the age of 50 as well as anyone who enjoys cycling (as this has… [Read More]
How To Get Long, Lean Muslces
I ran across the following article on www.BretContreras.com. While Bret references lengthening the muscle via pilates and yoga I thought that it was great tie-in to the mobilization drills that I presented on KXAN the other day. Basically – we aren’t trying to “lengthen” muscles. We are simply re-training them to achieve their full range… [Read More]
