We are replaying one of our most popular episodes for you this week! In the midst of preparing for the upcoming National Exercise Coach Conference, Brian and Amy play a game of trying to name as many benefits of strength as they possibly can without repeating themselves. As you would expect of something as important to your long-term health and performance as strength training, the ensuing list is ridiculously long and comprehensive. With the National Exercise Coach Conference approaching rapidl...
Jan 19, 2022•18 min•Season 1Ep. 61
We are replaying one of our most popular episodes for you this week! In part two of the interview with Dr. James Fisher, we explore what it takes to actually strengthen the lower back and why exercises like the deadlift are not effective in targeting your lower back muscles. Find out how some people can experience significant lower back strength gain in as little as ten weeks with only 15 total minutes of muscle tension (60 to 90 seconds per week!) and why stretching without strength training ca...
Jan 12, 2022•22 min•Season 1Ep. 60
We are replaying one of our most popular episodes for you this week! Brian Cygan and Dr. James Fisher discuss the origins of lower back pain and why the vast majority of Americans will experience some form of lower back pain in their lives. Learn about the root cause of lower back pain and why most treatments only deal with the symptoms and the pain instead of solving the problem, which often leads to even worse issues down the road. Fisher is an academic and researcher in the UK. He’s published...
Jan 05, 2022•19 min•Season 1Ep. 59
We are replaying one of our most popular episodes for you this week! Amy and Brian break down the science behind pre-diabetes and how strength training is the most efficient and effective way to escape the negative feedback loop of insulin resistance, systemic inflammation, and weight gain. If you or someone you know has been diagnosed as pre-diabetic, this information could change your life. Approximately 1 in 3 Americans are pre-diabetic, which increases their risk of developing Type 2 Diabete...
Dec 29, 2021•17 min•Season 1Ep. 58
We are replaying one of our most popular episodes for you this week! Brian Cygan and Amy Hudson break down the science of strength training and discuss why you don’t have to worry about getting bulky from exercise, and why strength training is the most effective way to get that toned, lean body you always wanted. Will two 20-minute workouts a week help someone get toned? According to the scientific definition, toneness refers to the level of tension in a muscle at rest, but most people refer to ...
Dec 22, 2021•12 min•Season 1Ep. 57
Brian and Amy explore a couple of articles talking about the impacts of weight loss vs. exercise on longevity, and discuss the myths surrounding losing weight and achieving optimal physical health. Learn why focusing on losing weight is the wrong goal, and why a proper strength training program is the best way to maintain fitness as we age. There is a ton of information regarding health and fitness out there, and sometimes the info conflicts, so discerning the truth can be challenging. A recent ...
Dec 15, 2021•18 min•Season 1Ep. 56
We are replaying one of our most popular episodes for you this week! Brian and Amy discuss the pros and cons of a smart scale and how using one properly can help you stay motivated and on track to hit your fitness goals. You will also learn how to avoid one of the most common mistakes people make with a smart scale that can derail them in the first few weeks of their fitness journey. What is a smart scale and how are they different? The major difference is the measurement of body composition and...
Dec 08, 2021•17 min•Season 1Ep. 55
We are replaying one of our most popular episodes for you this week! Amy and Brian settle the age-old debate of which one is better: free weights or machines? Learn about some common misconceptions about machines that prevent people from getting the fitness results they want in the timeframe they want, and why free weights can lead to reduced strength gains and a higher risk of injury. Spoiler alert: You’re not going to find any free weights at any of the Exercise Coach locations and for good re...
Dec 01, 2021•16 min•Season 1Ep. 54
We are replaying one of our most popular episodes for you this week! Amy Hudson and Brian Cygan explain why that feeling of your muscles burning is exactly what you want to feel every time you go to the gym. Learn why muscle burn is one of the best indications that you’re exercising at the right intensity and without it, you won’t get the fitness results you’re looking for. The intensity of an exercise is crucial to achieving the fitness results you want, and the feeling of muscle burn is a posi...
Nov 24, 2021•16 min•Season 1Ep. 53
We are replaying one of our most popular episodes for you this week! Amy and Brian go into the science behind eccentric overload and why this little-understood movement is responsible for the incredible gains in strength Exercise Coach clients experience in their first six sessions. Find out what eccentric overload is and how to optimize your exercise so you can use more effort in less time, and see greater results. Eccentric training is well understood by research labs and high-level coaches bu...
Nov 17, 2021•17 min•Season 1Ep. 52
We are replaying one of our most popular episodes for you this week! Brian and Amy explore the scientific research that shows that strength training is the ultimate exercise for combatting the aging process, getting into the best shape of your life, and how those principles are applied to every workout session at the Exercise Coach. Over the past few months, Brian has been working on the Strength Changes Everything Scientific Support Paper. It has hundreds of scientific resources and is designed...
Nov 10, 2021•12 min•Season 1Ep. 51
We are replaying one of our most popular episodes for you this week! Is strength training enough for longevity and quality of life? That’s the question Brian and Dr. James Fisher explore in the final episode of the What About Cardio? series. Learn about the difference between how athletes and the average person train and why achieving high levels of sports performance and everyday fitness are not accomplished the same way. Can strength training and whole food nutrition be enough to transform som...
Nov 03, 2021•15 min•Season 1Ep. 50
We are replaying one of our most popular episodes for you this week! In part 2 of this series with Dr. James Fisher, Brian and James discuss the downsides of cardio and why so many people can’t seem to resist binging after cardio exercise. Learn why cardio is important and useful when done right, and how it can lead to even worse health outcomes if not done properly. While improving heart health is great, it’s not everyone’s goal when exercising or doing cardio. Weight loss is another major focu...
Oct 27, 2021•16 min•Season 1Ep. 49
We are replaying one of our most popular episodes for you this week! Dr. James Fisher answers the question once and for all, do we really need to do exercises like running, cycling, and swimming to improve our cardio? Find out the truth about cardio exercises and cardiovascular health and why you should get off the treadmill and start doing resistance training right now. The fundamental question is “What is cardio?” Even people who have seen the results of the 20-minute routines delivered by the...
Oct 20, 2021•23 min•Season 1Ep. 48
We are replaying one of our most popular episodes for you this week! Brian Cygan and Amy Hudson break down the age-old question of whether muscle really weighs more than fat and why the number on the scale can be very misleading when you’re trying to improve your health and fitness. When many people start a strength training program, they look at their body composition and may wonder whether muscle is heavier than fat. The accurate answer is that muscle is more dense than fat. When people say th...
Oct 13, 2021•7 min•Season 1Ep. 47
We are replaying one of our most popular episodes for you this week! Before you jump into your next exercise session, learn why what you’ve been told about stretching is completely wrong and how it can actually increase the odds of you getting injured. Brian and Amy explore some common myths regarding stretching before and after exercise and discuss whether or not stretching is a necessary component of strength training. Do you need to stretch before you work out? There are a lot of prevailing m...
Oct 06, 2021•16 min•Season 1Ep. 46
We are replaying one of our most popular episodes for you this week! Is it safe for seniors to perform high intensity strength training? The question is actually “is it safe for them not to?” Brian Cygan and Amy Hudson discuss the science behind strength training and why high intensity, whole effort exercise is one of the best ways to prevent the ill effects of aging, even if you are afraid of your joint pain or heart issues holding you back. A number of people are curious whether strength train...
Sep 29, 2021•19 min•Season 1Ep. 45
We are replaying one of our most popular episodes for you this week! One of the most common questions we get at the Exercise Coach is “Is exercising twice a week really often enough?” Listen in as Brian Cygan and Amy Hudson explore why whole effort exercise twice a week is not only enough, it’s the optimal amount you need to achieve the best fitness results for your body in the shortest amount of time possible. Exercising twice a week is more than enough. In fact, exercising more often can actua...
Sep 22, 2021•10 min•Season 1Ep. 44
We are replaying one of our most popular episodes for you this week! Learn why strength training is the foundation to rebuilding bone strength and bone density and why osteoporosis isn’t a permanent sentence. Amy and Brian break down the research around bone density and strength training, what exercises you should do to strengthen the most vulnerable parts of your body, and what exercises you should avoid completely. Many people are recommended to engage in weight bearing exercise to help deal w...
Sep 15, 2021•15 min•Season 1Ep. 43
We are replaying one of our most popular episodes for you this week! Learn about why systemic inflammation is known as the silent killer, why inflammation creates a vicious cycle that very few people escape as they get older, and how you can be one of the few who do. Brian Cygan and Amy Hudson reveal why muscle quality matters more than movement quantity and how strength training for 20 minutes at a time will transform your life, no matter how old you are. Muscle quality matters more than moveme...
Sep 08, 2021•24 min•Season 1Ep. 42
We are replaying one of our most popular episodes for you this week! Brian and Amy dig into the top five reasons why people can’t begin or stick with the average fitness program and why those barriers don’t exist over at the Exercise Coach. Learn what’s holding you back from making strength training a regular part of your life and why the Exercise Coach paradigm may be right for you no matter how old you are or what fitness level you bring to the table. Nearly 85% of the population is not engagi...
Sep 01, 2021•33 min•Season 1Ep. 41
Learn how a little-known principle in exercise determines whether you get the fitness results you are looking for, or you just spend some time moving weights up and down at the gym. Find out why the dose-response to exercise is what you should really be paying attention to, and how it can guide you to easier fitness gains in a shorter amount of time. More exercise is not necessarily better. The dose-response relationship applies not only to medication and stressors but also to exercise. It descr...
Aug 25, 2021•12 min•Season 1Ep. 40
We are replaying one of our most popular episodes for you this week! Amy Hudson and Brian Cygan reveal the truth behind the fitness industry and why you don’t need to spend hours at the gym every week in order to stay fit and healthy. Learn the science behind the 20-minute workout and how you can achieve optimal health benefits by doing the right workout, for the right length of time, just twice a week. Is 20 minutes long enough to have a great workout? Simply put, absolutely. The training at th...
Aug 18, 2021•9 min•Season 1Ep. 39
Dr. James Fisher answers the question “Why does muscle really matter for weight loss?” Find out why muscle mass should be a vital component of your weight loss strategy and why dieting without strength training is a recipe for long term disaster for your body. There is a direct connection between your body’s muscle mass and its metabolic effectiveness, the ability to lose fat and keep it off, and your overall health. Why does muscle matter for weight loss? Muscle is metabolic reactive and consum...
Aug 11, 2021•9 min•Season 1Ep. 38
In part two of the interview with Dr. James Fisher, we explore what it takes to actually strengthen the lower back and why exercises like the deadlift are not effective in targeting your lower back muscles. Find out how some people can experience significant lower back strength gain in as little as ten weeks with only 15 total minutes of muscle tension (60 to 90 seconds per week!) and why stretching without strength training can actually make your lower back pain worse. The lower back is a notor...
Aug 04, 2021•22 min•Season 1Ep. 37
Brian Cygan and Dr. James Fisher discuss the origins of lower back pain and why the vast majority of Americans will experience some form of lower back pain in their lives. Learn about the root cause of lower back pain and why most treatments only deal with the symptoms and the pain instead of solving the problem, which often leads to even worse issues down the road. Fisher is an academic and researcher in the UK. He’s published research on muscular strengthening as well as lower back pain. Lower...
Jul 28, 2021•19 min•Season 1Ep. 36
Amy Hudson and Brian Cygan explain why that feeling of your muscles burning is exactly what you want to feel every time you go to the gym. Learn why muscle burn is one of the best indications that you’re exercising at the right intensity and without it, you won’t get the fitness results you’re looking for. The intensity of an exercise is crucial to achieving the fitness results you want, and the feeling of muscle burn is a positive indication of that intensity. Effective exercise is simply a sti...
Jul 21, 2021•16 min•Season 1Ep. 35
Amy and Brian break down the science behind pre-diabetes and how strength training is the most efficient and effective way to escape the negative feedback loop of insulin resistance, systemic inflammation, and weight gain. If you or someone you know has been diagnosed as pre-diabetic, this information could change your life. Approximately 1 in 3 Americans are pre-diabetic, which increases their risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes, heart disease, and stroke, and most people don’t even realize they...
Jul 14, 2021•17 min•Season 1Ep. 34
We are replaying one of our most popular episodes for you this week! Brian and Amy discuss the cutting edge technology that powers the Exercise Coach and makes it possible to deliver the world’s smartest 20-minute workout. Learn the secret to maximizing fitness results in the shortest time possible and how the Exerbotics technology makes exercise more fun and effective, while being more efficient at the same time. There are three things that make the workouts stand out at the Exercise Coach: the...
Jul 07, 2021•41 min•Season 1Ep. 33
We are replaying one of our most popular episodes for you this week! Brian and Amy dig into the top five reasons why people can’t begin or stick with the average fitness program and why those barriers don’t exist over at the Exercise Coach. Learn what’s holding you back from making strength training a regular part of your life and why the Exercise Coach paradigm may be right for you no matter how old you are or what fitness level you bring to the table. Nearly 85% of the population is not engagi...
Jun 30, 2021•33 min•Season 1Ep. 32
