Author Archives: Rob Patterson

Oil Pulling Over Mouthwash

Oil Pulling Over Mouthwash

Oil pulling is the practice of pulling, or swishing, oils (most commonly coconut, sesame, or sunflower oils) in the mouth. It may be a new way to use these oils that you haven’t ever thought of, but in reality this practice has been around for quite a while and is actually a common folk remedy.Continue Reading

Post-Workout Cold Water Immersion for Recovery

Post-Workout Cold Water Immersion for Recovery

Cold water immersion has become increasingly popular as way to treat exercise-induced muscle damage as well as rehab injuries by trying to minimize inflammation, swelling, and pain. A recent study published by the ACSM examined the effects of both cool and cold water immersion post-exercise in order to determine if colder water has a greaterContinue Reading

Core Muscle Weakness Associated With TV and Computer Use

Core Muscle Weakness Associated With TV and Computer Use

The Problem: The growing prevalence of increased screen time (TV and computer use) is cause for concern among youths. A recent study published by the ACSM, tested how large amounts of screen time were related to trunk strength; the strength of the abdominal and back extension muscles.Continue Reading

Pre-workout Beetroot Juice Boost

Pre-workout Beetroot Juice Boost

Nitric oxide (NO) has become a big focus of pre-workout supplementation because of its effect on performance. Increased NO may help with muscle contraction and increased blood flow during exercise; however, it seems these results may be achievable through natural sources as well as supplementation. The ACSM published a new study examining the effect ofContinue Reading

Roll to Recovery

Roll to Recovery

We’ve talked before about different kinds of stretching, and today we add one more to the list: foam rolling. Foam rolling is often referred to as a massage or even a self-myofascial release technique, but we will include it with our stretching since it is usually performed post-workout with cool-down stretching.Continue Reading

Warm-up Stretching

Warm-up Stretching

A proper warm-up should prepare the body for exercise and training in a way that will optimize performance. While there are many approaches to this, one of the most popular methods is through stretching.  The purpose of this article is to outline two prominent types of stretching, static and dynamic, the benefits of each, andContinue Reading

Power of Milk

Power of Milk

We’ve talked about milk and its proteins before when we went over the different major kinds of proteins, but casein and whey aren’t milks only beneficial nutrients.  The naturally high blend of protein and carbohydrates makes milk a great choice to fuel muscles after a workout so they are primed and ready to go againContinue Reading

Caffeine Use for Aerobic Exercise

Caffeine Use for Aerobic Exercise

For decades endurance athletes, who rely on their aerobic energy systems, have been using caffeine as an ergogenic aid to increase the time it takes to reach exhaustion.  The purpose of this research article was to determine if there is a difference between the ergogenic effects of caffeine on endurance trained and untrained individuals.Continue Reading

Creatine Timing

Creatine Timing

Creatine is one of the most popular sports supplements on the market, and for good reason. It has been shown to increase lean body mass, muscle size, and creatine stores in the muscles, all of which are directly related to increased physical performance. The Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition (JISSN) released thisContinue Reading

Staying Hydrated for Better Performance

Staying Hydrated for Better Performance

Being properly hydrated is one of the single most important factors in physical performance. The body is made mostly of water and relies on it for optimal function, as soon as dehydration begins to set in these normal body systems become less efficient. Soon heart rates and body temperature are on the rise, it becomesContinue Reading