AFPA Health and Fitness Blog

Total Body Conditioning

Over the past 25 years, ever since the introduction of Dr. Kenneth Cooperโ€™s book, Aerobics, many individuals have focused on walking, running, cycling and other types of aerobic activity as their only means of exercise. Unfortunately, this has led to many of us neglecting another key component of fitness –

Fitness Tips For Working with Breast Cancer Survivors

Did you know that every 3 minutes another woman is diagnosed with breast cancer? Breast cancer is the most common caner diagnosed in women. Due to improved detection and treatment, these women and men (men can get breast cancer to) are living longer and healthier lives. The treatment that they must undergo is grueling; physically and […]

Muscle Recovery After Ultra Marathon & Endurance Events

MUSCLE RECOVERY FROM EXTREME ENDURANCE EVENTS: THE โ€˜AWFUL AFTERSโ€™ COUNTING THE COST OF A 140-MILE TRANS-SAHARA FOOTRACE By: Dr. Bill Misner Ph.D.Eavesdroppingโ€ฆUltra heroes and heroines of the 15th Marathon de Sables murmured without shame, โ€œWhat have I done to myselfโ€โ€ฆ,โ€It is totally frickenโ€™ loony out thereโ€ฆ,โ€ โ€œI couldnโ€™t breathe, you have to live to race […]

Fitness Programs & Workplace Stress

By: Mark J. Occhipinti, M.S., Ph.D., N.D.c. “It is a laughable sight, to see those guilds of cobblers and tailors… when they march in procession.. stopping, round shouldered, limping men, swaying from side to side. They look as though they had all been carefully selected for an exhibition of their infirmities.”

Nutrition and the Central Fatigue Hypothesis

by Matt Samuels, RD Athletes are quite familiar with localized fatigue. This can be observed during any weight training session when an exercise is taken to failure or during an endurance event when one body part fatigues before others. This localized fatigue occurs within the muscle itself and can be caused

Secrets of Russian Sprint Training

Almost every coach is constantly looking for ways to increase the speed of their athletes whether it be for track and field events or organized team sports (Football, basketball, baseball, ice hockey, etc.). Many different methods of speed training are available today, with many of the newest innovations trickling down from our Olympic National Teams. I […]

Lean Muscle Mass Gain & Fat Mass Loss During Training

Interventions For Enhancing Lean Muscle Mass Gain and Fat Mass Loss During Strength and Speed Training Protocols Dr. Bill Misner Ph.D.* Ever wonder how, why, and where the flat stomach, thin thighs, and slim hips of your youth disappeared beneath a blanket of fat? There are a number of metabolic mechanisms known to influence body […]

Why Water Is The Most Important Nutrient For Endurance Athletes

By Mike Darnley, MS,RD Many people do not think of water as a nutrient, possibly due to its simplicity or maybe because there is no energy provided by water. Nevertheless, water is the most vital nutrient that we consume. Besides being a medium for cellular processes that occur in the body,

The Business of Being a Personal Trainer

You are entering the profession of personal fitness training at a time of growth and opportunity. Awareness of the benefits of personal training is expanding, as is the client market. This increased opportunity is accompanied by a huge influx of new personal trainers into the industry, which means increasedcompetition.

How to Create Your Own Fitness Boot Camp

By: Phil A. Lalli Just about every fitness center and gym seems to offer a version of the trendy boot camp workout these days. Some go with a pseudo-militaristic theme, complete with camouflage gear. Others refer to standard circuit classes as boot camps. Deciding what type of boot camp workout you want to