EXPERT CONTRIBUTIONS

STACK

DR JOHN RUSIN

THE PTDC

MEDIUM

THE BEST EXERCISES TO LOOSEN YOUR ANKLES AND WRISTS BEFORE TRAINING

They don’t get as much press as the hips and lower back, but the ankles and wrists are big-time players when it comes to making your movement—in and out of the gym—more efficient, pain-free, and easier on the other joints.
If you suffer from stiff joints, follow the plan below to free them up and experience better movement and enhanced strength.

HOW TO FOCUS ON FITNESS WHEN YOU JUST DON’T HAVE TIME

If there’s one thing I learned after having kids is that you have to be intentional about EVERYTHING. And when I found myself needing some Monday workout motivation, intention was the key yet again. 
I get that it’s harder to take care of myself when you have two adorable munchkins (with the vocal cords of yetis) running around, but it shouldn’t be impossible! Right? 
So how do you fit in a workout? How do you feel good (while still feeling like a good parent?) I turned to some of the most inspirational people in the fitness, health, and wellness industry for a little push.

25 WAYS YOU DON’T WANT TO TRAIN—BUT SHOULD

You got your routine down with those staple workouts that keep you chugging along to your goals. And while every exercise isn’t your absolute favorite, you’re pretty comfortable with what you’re doing—and pretty confident that you don’t look like a tool on the gym floor. But if you only train your body in one way, you can lose abilities. You know, like that guy with the huge shoulders who can’t clasp his hands behind his back (talk about awkward). These exercises are just what the trainer ordered to keep you healthy and injury-free—and help make you stronger.

HOW TO BUILD MUSCLE FAST: 54 TIPS FROM 54 EXPERTS

Below are 54 tips for you to enjoy. Rest assured they work. Not only will you see amazing gains if you follow these tips, but you will see them pretty (all things considered of course) quickly! Your first step is to read these awesome suggestions. Your next step after this, however, is to follow through on these suggestions! Without this follow through, these tips are merely words of encouragement lost in the wind. It’s ultimately up to you to decide whether or not you truly want to build muscle or not.

6 UNCONVENTIONALLY SIMPLE EXERCISES

Simple equals easy, right?
Wrong.
Simple almost rarely means easy. When it comes to exercises, simple just means there is a lot less that can go wrong. Which in most cases leads to a surprisingly difficult yet effective exercise.

10 FAQS ANSWERED BY FITNESS EXPERTS

We’re always looking to further our healthy transformations — and one path toward enlightenment is gaining as much knowledge as possible. To reintroduce or re-prioritize exercise into your life, we compiled 10 of the most common fitness questions and asked industry experts to answer them.

THE BUBBLE OF AWESOME

Today, we’re pumped to bring you a guest post from one of our Faction Family members from Long Island (pronounced LAWN-guy-LAND in American), Chris Cooper. Chris is a father, a gym owner, and an ass kicker, and he wants to tell you a little bit about the “bubble of awesome” he’s found in the relationships with his clients. Check it out:

HOW TO SILENCE YOUR INNER CRITIC AND MAKE PROGRESS ON YOUR MOVEMENT GOALS

Acknowledging that you showed up for yourself after a workout — no matter how short your exercise or activity might be — is easier said than done. For some, celebrating small wins feels impossible. Instead of acknowledging progress, some of us resort to telling ourselves that we could’ve done more, or we shouldn’t bother showing up in the first place. Our internal critics — or as we like to say here at Thrive, the obnoxious roommate in our heads — can have a lot of power and keep us from performing at our best. 

HOW TO FIND THE BEST PERSONAL TRAINER FOR YOU

Interview with WebMD on Personal Training
You hired a personal trainer -- congrats! But will you get the results you want? Here’s what a good trainer should do and here are the questions you should ask

AT-HOME WORKOUT GEAR YOU CAN MAKE

Looking to get fit from home? If so, there's no need to buy a single thing when you can transform common household items into workout gear.

THE 10 BEST SHOULDERS EXERCISES FOR BEGINNERS

We’ve collected 10 of the most tried-and-true shoulder moves around, exercises that will build each part of your deltoid muscles as well as your traps and your triceps.
But before you start clangin’ and bangin’ in your basement sweatbox, you should know there’s more to gaining shirt-stretching shoulders than a volume-focused lifting program.

9 TOP COACHES SHARE THE FITNESS TRENDS THEY HOPE WOULD GO AWAY FOREVER

Here, nine well-known and experienced coaches got the chance to pick up their strength-training scepter and wave it at the one trend they hope they could make go magically away.

THE BEST EXERCISES AND WORKOUTS TO BUILD GLUTES BY 40 FITNESS EXPERTS

Strengthening your gluteal muscles has more benefits than helping you get that dream beach body. If you sit all day in a chair at the office your gluteal muscles can feel numb or even a little sore due to the lack of exercise. 

To avoid this issue and to help you get a sexy bottom we asked Minuca Elena to reach out to 40 fitness experts and ask them the following question:

What are the best exercises and workouts to build glutes?

5 EXPERT COACHES SHARE THEIR TRUTHS ABOUT STRETCHING

Here five coaches share their truths about stretching so you will come away better informed about the benefits of stretching.

DON’T WAIST YOUR TIME WITH THESE OVERRATED CORE EXERCISES

Six trainers are here to tell you better alternatives to these badly butchered moves.

EMPOWERED BODY PODCAST

In the episode we discuss:- Why rethinking the personal labels and identities we give ourselves can create a mindset shift in how we define ourselves, our actions and our priorities.- Why depression, anxiety and burnout are so prevalent amongst Coaches and the common causes.- Chris' personal Self-Care strategies and how they help him.- The typical barriers to Self-Care and how to overcome them- What training adjustments Chris' recommends when stress, anxiety, depression or burnout are higher outside of the gym and how he manages the pressures of client's feeling like they've failed.- The impact that Therapy has had on Chris.

REVOLUTIONARY YOU PODCAST

In this episode, we discuss the commonalities between coaches and clients when it comes to our personal struggles, self-care and behavioral obstacles that many of us go through on a daily basis. Chris and I also discuss how we handle our priorities including business and family to make sure the best version of ourselves is constantly at the forefront of life.

COACH FURY PODCAST PART 1

The guy I trust to train my Mom, Chris Cooper (Amp Training Center, Strength Faction Vet, Fellow Strong Islander) joins me for our New Year’s Ep!

Chris and I had a deep discussion about the often confusing difference between mental and physical fragility, the pros and cons of over-sensitized political correctness, the potentially false importance of social media in fitness, when to let a difficult client go and more.

COACH FURY PODCAST PART 2

Chris Cooper (Amp Training Center, Strength Faction Vet, Fellow Strong Islander) is back for ep69!

We discuss my limiting of social media, tips for creating and presenting workshop material, Chris’ new course, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, how we view competition between gyms and more.

3 THINGS PODCAST

Chris Cooper - or for everyone listening to this podcast, Coop- is a buddy I made through Strength Faction. Coop owns a gym on Long Island, is a Licensed Massage Therapist, and Strength Coach. What drew me to doing a 3 Things with him is his passion for self-care. This is a topic that doesn't get enough love in the industry and Coop has given workshops to new Trainers/Coaches to help them cover this concept as they jump in to the industry- SUPER cool!

FITNESS BLITZ PODCAST

Chris Cooper talks about Is the Juice Worth The Squeeze in The Fitness Blitz Podcast.