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

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)

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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Unlock Your Ankle's Potential: Drills for Better Mobility

Unlock Your Ankle's Potential: Drills for Better Mobility

The ankle is one of our most important and often overlooked joints. Poor movement patterns and pain "up the chain" (i.e. in your knees, hips and even lower back) can often be traced back to issues at the ankle joint. Think of how often and how many ways we use our ankles: walking, running, biking, squatting, yoga, balancing, dancing (you get the idea). If the muscles acting on your ankle are chronically tight or if the joint itself is jammed or lacks proper mobility the impact can be painful and damaging as the body will compensate at other joints to accommodate movement. Try these drills that could lead to reduced pain and improved performance.

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Rowing 101: 3 Quick Fixes for Perfect Form

Rowing 101: 3 Quick Fixes for Perfect Form

When done properly rowing is a metabolic, total body workout that strengthens a lot of areas the average desk-bound professional needs to work on. But if you find your lower back or neck aching during or after your sessions on the erg or if you just feel like your stroke needs help, checkout these simple fixes from my fellow Equinox Pine Street trainer and friend Lauren Barkan.

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Overcoming ACL Tears: Don't Let Injuries Rob You of Your Passions

Overcoming ACL Tears: Don't Let Injuries Rob You of Your Passions

This is the story of my client Phil. Though only in his mid-20s years of high level volleyball left him with a damaged knee. Three ACL tears and five knee surgeries later the doctors put him on the bench and told him to wait until medical technology improved enough to offer him a solution. No more hiking, surfing or rock climbing. Simply stepping off a curb presented a challenge. Fast forward less than a year later and, after consistent hard work, Phil has safely summited Half Dome and can hike over the most rugged terrain. To learn some specific exercises for how we strengthened his knee to accomplish this, read on.

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How to Use a Standing Desk the RIGHT Way

How to Use a Standing Desk the RIGHT Way

So you got a standing desk. WIN! But you're standing wrong. FAIL! Here's a quick and easy video of my pal and physical therapist Dr. AshleyRose Costello of SF Sport and Spine explaining how to use a standing desk the RIGHT way and basically how to stand to reduce pain, improve posture and improve your mobility.

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Travel Can Be a Pain in the Neck: Mobility Tips from Dr. Adam Jacobs

Travel Can Be a Pain in the Neck: Mobility Tips from Dr. Adam Jacobs

According to AAA nearly 42 million Americans will take a holiday road trip this Thanksgiving and 3.6 million Americans will fly to their holiday destinations. That’s a lot of stiff joints and sore muscles! You wouldn’t run a marathon without training and warming up, right? (RIGHT?!) So put a little forethought into how you’ll take care of your body if you have a long trip ahead of you. For this post I enlisted the help of the Bay Area’s best chiropractor Dr. Adam Jacobs from SF Custom Chiropractic to share some practical tips, breathing drills and stretches you can do while traveling on a plane or in a car to stay limber and avoid common aches and pains.

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