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Barbell vs. Dumbbells – Which is better?

“Which is most effective to gain mass in my arms – the rod, the barbell, or the curly?”  This question was posted on Quora.com recently.  While there are many exercise and fitness questions that I choose to skip over, I decided to answer this one because I felt it highlighted a common misunderstanding in the fitness industry.  There is a notion out there that the results you get from exercise are somehow dependent on the tool (machine, free weight, cable, band, etc.) that is used while exercising.  And, if you use one tool versus another, that you will get better results (more muscle, less fat, increased strength, improved endurance, and so forth).

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By Charlie Cates, ago

Soreness With Exercise – 3 Considerations When Feeling Sore

Welcome back to this week’s edition of 2-Minute Tuesdays where we are talking about one exercise topic for two minutes and giving you three reasons why you should follow our advice.  Now this week, we are talking to those of you who love working out to the point where you are sore.  You wake up the next day and you feel achy and you love that feeling.  Why should you work out not to the point of soreness?


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By Team MAS, ago

Resistance Training – 3 Life Benefits From Doing It Consistently

Welcome back to this week’s edition of 2-Minute Tuesdays where we are talking about one exercise topic for two minutes and giving you three reasons why you should follow our advice.  Now, this week we are talking to those of you who are interested in resistance training but are not sure how it might impact your life.  What are some of the awesome benefits that you can see from resistance training if you start doing it on a consistent basis?

 

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By Team MAS, ago

Focus At The Gym – 3 Tips To Improve Your Exercise Efficiency

Welcome back to this week’s edition of 2-Minute Tuesdays where we are talking about one exercise topic for two minutes and giving you three reasons why you should follow our advice.  This week we are talking to those of you who seem to get distracted at the gym.  You go there, you have a goal, but all you seem to be doing is just dilly-dallying around.  How can you improve your focus at the gym so you are there, you get your workout done, and you get out of there.

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By Team MAS, ago

Client Testimonial – Laurie Dring

Check out this awesome testimonial from Charlie and Julie’s client, Laurie!  Laurie has been coming to Muscle Activation Schaumburg since the beginning of 2017 and has been participating in both Muscle Activation Techniques™ (MAT™) and customized personal training sessions.  While her initial concern was improving the function and strength of her shoulder, she has now progressed to maintaining her strength and mobility through infrequent but consistent muscle tune ups.  Laurie is now a consistent exerciser on her own and continues to utilize Muscle Activation Techniques™ to make sure her body is firing on all cylinders.  This ensures that she is able to get the most out of her workouts and progressively improve her health and physical function.

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By Team MAS, ago

Maximize Your HIIT With These 3 Tips

Welcome back to this week’s edition of 2-Minute Tuesdays where we are bringing you one exercise topic, talking about it for two minutes, and giving you three reasons why you should follow our advice. Now, this week we are talking to those of you who love HIIT – High-Intensity Interval Training. What things do you have to keep in mind if you are going to exercise in this manner?


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By Team MAS, ago

What should you know before you start working out?

When it comes to working out, there are a lot of misconceptions about how to get started and what to do.  As a personal trainer in Schaumburg, many of my daily conversations revolve around clearing up a lot of this misinformation with clients and on various online forums.  If you are going to start working out on a regular basis, there are three things you need to keep in mind before you begin exercising.  Each of these points goes against what is commonly thought to be the more important aspects of exercising, but, like I said, dispelling exercise and fitness myths is part of my job.

Three things to keep in mind for when you start working out:

1.Exercise should be used to build your body, not break it down. (more…)

By Charlie Cates, ago

Love playing sports? Make sure you are still respecting your body!

Welcome back to this week’s edition of 2-Minute Tuesdays where we are bringing you one exercise topic, talking about it for two minutes, and giving you three reasons why you should follow our advice.  Now, this week we are talking to those of you who love playing sports.  That’s your workout.  That’s the only way you exercise.  Recreational basketball, flag football leagues, softball games — whatever it is, you workout through playing sports.  What things do you need to keep in mind to make sure you are respecting your body while you keep playing sports?

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By Team MAS, ago

How often should you have a day off from working out?

You know you should be exercising, but how often should you take a day off from your workouts?  As a personal trainer in Schaumburg, this question comes up often with my clients.

As with most things health and fitness related, the only truthful answer is, “it depends”.  How often you take a day off from working out in part depends on:

  • What you are doing while you are at the gym
  • What your body is currently accustomed to
  • What your body is physically able to tolerate
  • How well you are recovering from your workouts (i.e. do you feel sore and lethargic or energized and strong in the hours and days following your workout?)
  • What your goals are (health vs. performance vs. changing body composition)
  • What the timeline is for your goals

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By Charlie Cates, ago