#superslowzone

When you hear the word calcium, what’s the first thing that comes to mind? Strong bones? Healthy teeth? Maybe a glass of milk? Those are all good answers. But calcium has another important job that doesn’t get nearly as much attention. Calcium helps your muscles contract every time you move. Whether you’re climbing stairs, carrying…

Ever been in the middle of a strength training exercise when your muscles suddenly seem to say, “That’s enough!”? Your movements slow down, the resistance feels heavier, and completing another repetition becomes increasingly difficult. That’s muscle fatigue at work. While the word fatigue might sound like something to avoid, it’s actually a normal part of…

Sometimes, getting more out of your strength-training workout means learning what NOT to tighten. Picture yourself halfway through a challenging strength-training exercise. Your muscles are working hard, you’re concentrating on every movement, and suddenly you notice something. Your jaw is clenched. Your shoulders are creeping toward your ears. Your hands are gripping the handles as…

When you think about strength training, you probably think about muscles, resistance, repetitions, and getting stronger. But there’s another part of your workout happening every second—breathing. It sounds almost too simple to matter. We breathe thousands of times every day without giving it much thought. Yet journalist and author James Nestor brought renewed attention to…

In our recent blog, “Missed a Week? What Happens to Your Muscles,” we looked at what happens when your normal strength-training routine gets interrupted. Now let’s talk about what happens next. You’re back! Maybe you’ve missed a week. Maybe it’s been several weeks. Either way, it’s tempting to walk into your first workout thinking you…

Maybe you went on vacation. Maybe work got unusually busy. Maybe you weren’t feeling well. Or maybe life simply happened. Whatever the reason, you’ve missed a week of strength training. It’s easy to wonder: Am I already losing all the progress I’ve made? The short answer is reassuring. A brief break from strength training generally…

Walking, cycling, swimming, yoga, stretching, group fitness and strength training can all have a place in a healthy lifestyle. The important question isn’t necessarily, “Which exercise is best?” A better question is: “What am I asking my body to become better at?” If you want better endurance, you train endurance. If you want greater flexibility,…

Great! Now what? Getting stronger isn’t only about what happens during your strength training session. Your workout provides the challenge your muscles need to adapt, but what you do between sessions can help support recovery, muscle health and the strength you’re working to build. The good news? You don’t need to turn the rest of…

For a lot of men, muscle used to be about how much you could bench press, how your arms looked in a T-shirt, or whether you could still keep up with the younger guys. After 50, muscle starts to mean something different. It becomes about carrying the suitcase without thinking twice. Getting up from the…

When women hear “strength training after menopause,” the conversation often centers on two things: Muscle and bone. And for good reason. Both deserve attention as we get older. But newer research is giving women another reason to make strength a priority. Resistance training may benefit more than the muscles doing the work. Research is examining…