Visit Bay Area's A Runner's Mind for the Perfect Shoes

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Visit Bay Area's A Runner's Mind for the Perfect Shoes

Since 2019 I’ve been super impressed with the service and selection at A Runner’s Mind and have been lucky enough to work with the General Manager Eileen in San Francisco and Manager Cindy in Burlingame. Rather than just picking the shoe I think looks the best, they’ve taught me over the years what type of shoe my feet and body need to perform my best and keep me pain and injury free. They use sophisticated assessments to analyze the arches of your feet and video your gait to determine your support needs.

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Can I Exercise if I Get COVID?

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Can I Exercise if I Get COVID?

It’s definitely COVID and flu season. And despite all our best efforts some of us are going to get sick. A handful of my virtual clients and friends have come down with mild (thankfully) COVID cases already this month. Some feel crummier than others. In my universe no one has (knock on wood) had a super rough go of it. They describe it mostly as a general nuisance and a foil to their plans of being productive and active. Folks have asked me “can I still exercise?” I can’t answer that for anyone. There is no universal guidance on whether one can/should exercise with COVID. Obviously one should avoid the gym and other people so as not to spread their germs. I’ve dug around trying my best to get an answer and like so many things in the realm of health and wellness, “it depends”. 

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JJFit Video Tutorial: How to Perform a Kettlebell or Dumbbell Swing

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JJFit Video Tutorial: How to Perform a Kettlebell or Dumbbell Swing

I love me a good kettlebell swing. It’s a staple for many of my clients and on-demand classes. Swings are great for building total body strength and really hitting those glutes and hamstrings. But it’s a move you definitely need to know what you’re doing to execute safely. Here’s a quick lesson if you need some tips for getting the most out of your swing and protecting your lower back! Don’t have a kettle bell? No worries, a basic dumbbell works great too!

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Get More Mobile Ankles and Stronger Feet in 3 Minutes

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Get More Mobile Ankles and Stronger Feet in 3 Minutes

I’ve had multiple clients ask me this week how to take better care of their feet. Whether you have joint pain (foot, knee, hip or back) now or simply want to avoid it in the future, here’s my gameplay for healthy tootsies.

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15 Goal Ideas to Inspire More Movement and Joy

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15 Goal Ideas to Inspire More Movement and Joy

Traditionally a lot of people jump into the holidays with two feet (see what I did there?!) and the best of intentions for crushing big fitness and wellness goals starting in the new year. Trainers like me used to see spikes in new gym memberships and requests for strict meal plans (instead of spikes in Coronavirus variants and virtual training sessions). If you are struggling with motivation and finding a goal that resonates with you, here are 15 some of my peeps are going for in the coming months that will influence their weekly fitness routines.

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Dr. Mark and JJ Discuss and Demo the Latest Uses for BFR Training

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Dr. Mark and JJ Discuss and Demo the Latest Uses for BFR Training

I’ve written about BFR (“Blood Flow Restriction”) or “Occlusion” Training on and off since 2017. This modality of resistance training has been clinically proven as a way to effectively and safely “hypertrophy” muscle. So when I was recently visiting my AMAZING physical therapist Dr. Mark Bautista, I was surprised to see patients being treated with BFR cuffs. I asked Dr. Mark about it and I learned about the deluge of recent clinical studies that have broadened the usage of BFR to include injury-specific rehab/prehab, sports performance, endurance, strength as well as traditional hypertrophy.

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How To Protect Your Skin When Working Out

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How To Protect Your Skin When Working Out

Exercise means sweating and sweating can lead to skin-related issues like irritation, inflammation and breakouts. Fortunately, there are some simple steps you can follow to avoid these problems and protect your skin without sacrificing your fitness goals. I used to get terrible adult acne. And it really upset me. So I saw a dermatologist and esthetician and they gave me some great tips for keeping skin in great shape when working out.

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A Quick Guide to Choosing the Best Running Shoes for You

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A Quick Guide to Choosing the Best Running Shoes for You

About 50 million Americans participate in some form of running or jogging, according to a 2020 report from the Sports & Fitness Industry Association. This year, with running events like the San Francisco Marathon set to resume in September, it’s a great time to get in gear and start training.If you want to maximize the many benefits of running and prevent injury, you first have to get yourself some dedicated running shoes. Here’s a handy guide to help you find your perfect pair.

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How To Pick The Right Physical Therapist For Your Injury

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How To Pick The Right Physical Therapist For Your Injury

As a trainer, I often work together with my clients’ physical therapists to ensure the safest and most effective rehab program from an injury. If you think you may need a physical therapist, it's crucial to choose the right one for your injury. Don’t delay or assume that the issue will fix itself. You only have one body, and you should take the best care of it. Here are some important factors that will help you make your decision and questions you’ll want to ask.

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In the News: The Best Foam Rolling Exercises You Need for a Full-Body Release

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In the News: The Best Foam Rolling Exercises You Need for a Full-Body Release

I've been getting a lot of questions and requests for my best recommendations for foam rolling, stretching and mobility. As a trainer and a massage therapist I love helping clients and students with the best strategies for taking care of their fascia and muscles. Check out my collaboration with LiveStrong for the best foam rolling techniques for the whole body.

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In the News: The 5 Best Weight-Lifting Exercises for Better Posture

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In the News: The 5 Best Weight-Lifting Exercises for Better Posture

Super proud to have collaborated with @krgrundy for Livestrong to show off my favorite posture improving strength moves. If you want to improve your posture to reduce pain, improve performance or just to look your best these five moves are a must.

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Bay Club Outdoor Fitness Offers a Safe and Beautiful Option to Workout and Train

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Bay Club Outdoor Fitness Offers a Safe and Beautiful Option to Workout and Train

I couldn’t be more proud of my Bay Club family for building literally the most amazing and unprecedented outdoor fitness facility in San Francisco. Working closely with government agencies and officials they’ve built a completely compliant and safe option for working out safely outside with views of Coit Tower, the Bay Bridge and the Transamerica Building. At Bay Club SF on Greenwich Street members and clients can book space on our beautiful 12,000 square foot rooftop to lift weights, do cardio and to stretch/practice yoga.

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How to Release Tight Forearms and Hands

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How to Release Tight Forearms and Hands

Increased computer work and mobile devices leaves us with tight and painful hands, forearms and biceps. In this video Dr. Cruze shows us how to use an effective self-myofascial technique to release and mobilize hands and forearms to reduce pain while at home.

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E-Stim, Cupping, Compression and K-Tape for Pain Management

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E-Stim, Cupping, Compression and K-Tape for Pain Management

I suffer from occasional muscle spasms in my back, hip and leg due to an old injury. Years of mobility, strength and core training plus the care of some amazing chiropractors, physical therapists and CMTs have minimized my flare ups. As long as I’m careful and catch signs of trouble early I’m usually golden. But every once and a while I get a doozy of an attack and when I do, in addition to traditional chiropractic and massage, these four treatments help reduce my pain and get me back on my feet again.

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The Best 5 Minute Warm Up and 14 Other Running Tips

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The Best 5 Minute Warm Up and 14 Other Running Tips

If you follow me on Facebook or IG you know I caught the running bug this year. I finished my first half marathon in under two hours and managed to log 13-20 mile runs four weeks in a row without injury. This is a huge change for me. Before this year I’d never managed to get more than 5 miles without pain. I credit my improvement to working on my ankle mobility, having my gait analyzed and spending just five minutes prepping my body to run with this simple, effective warm up routine. Check it out along with 14 of my other best running tips.

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Four Advanced Moves for Building a Strong, Balanced Back

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Four Advanced Moves for Building a Strong, Balanced Back

Everyone loves a good chest workout, including yours truly, but you shouldn’t neglect your “posterior chain”. Ignoring back day can deteriorate your posture, lead to injuries and wreak havoc on your athletic performance. If your back program is in need of some inspiration, consider these programming tips and four advanced moves for adding functional strength and symmetry to your upper, mid and lower back. Oh, and they’ll help you look great in a tank top too.

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Don't Skip These Key Warm Ups (They Only Take About 5 Minutes)

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Don't Skip These Key Warm Ups (They Only Take About 5 Minutes)

If you're one of those people who struggles to find time to workout, much less time to warm up properly, I can relate. One of the biggest complaints I hear from clients, especially those who have gone through physical therapy to recover from an injury, is that their list of warm up exercises would take them 30-45+ minutes to finish and they just don't have the time to get them all done. So they skip their warm up alltogether even though they know it will likely lead to more pain and injury. So, if you are short on time and can only muster a few minutes to warm up before your run, bike ride or any other form of cardio, here are the most important things NOT to skip. 

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Here’s Where You’ll Be Hurting After Starting to Work Out Again

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Here’s Where You’ll Be Hurting After Starting to Work Out Again

Thanks to my pal Andrew Fiouzi for including me in this feature in MEL Magazine on how you can avoid unnecessary pain from your workouts. It’s a new year and perhaps you’re like the millions of other people around the world dedicated to finally getting, like, totally ripped, brah. What this means in practical terms is that if you haven’t worked out since fourth-grade gym class, you’re going to be hurting in a lot of new and interesting places this month. But what kind of pain does your journey to You 2.0 (or 1.1) have in store? Jonathan Jordan, an award-winning trainer, explains how each type of workout will hurt, and how to heal more quickly.

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Why Returning to the Gym Is So Tough After a Long Break

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Why Returning to the Gym Is So Tough After a Long Break

If you're making it back to the gym after an August hiatus (or longer), you may be in for an uncomfortable reacclimation period. If you've been on a break, don't expect to jump right back in where you left off. You may need to cull it back a bit and be prepared for some soreness and possible nausea or dizziness. My pal and writer Ian Lecklitner chronicled his return to the #fitfam life in his MEL Magazine story You’ll Feel Like Crap for at Least Two Weeks After You Start Working Out Again. Check it out for tips from me on what you can expect and how you can minimize your pain. 

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Why Your Devices May Be Ruining Your Health (and What To Do About It)

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Why Your Devices May Be Ruining Your Health (and What To Do About It)

As a personal trainer in the heart of San Francisco's financial district, I've worked with hundreds of stressed out, A-type technology junkies (and I love them all!). Every day I see firsthand the negative impact computers, cell phones and other devices is having on our mental and physical health. Whether you are reading a scathing email from your boss or scrolling through funny cat videos on Facebook, the impact on the body and central nervous system can be damaging.  But there are some simple inventions/lifestyle adjustments you can do to help mitigate these effects without going completely off grid.

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