How I Reversed My Biological Age by 4 Years – and How You Can Too

Personal trainer doing strength training

I never set out with the goal of “reversing my biological age.” But over time, through consistent training, smart habits, and listening to my body, that’s exactly what happened.

Recently, I found out – through data from my Fitdays smart scale and a few key fitness benchmarks – that my biological age is 35. That’s four years younger than my actual age at the time. While there’s no single, universally accepted way to measure biological age, I’ve found it to be a powerful tool to understand how my body is aging – and where I can make improvements.

This approach has shaped not just my personal wellness, but the way we train our clients at Leading Edge. Here’s how I did it – and how you can too.

First, What Is Biological Age?

Unlike your chronological age (how many birthdays you’ve had), biological age gives insight into the condition of your body – from your muscle mass and bone density to your cardiovascular fitness and how well you move.

At Leading Edge, we combine data from smart tools and functional fitness tests to assess where our clients are starting and what areas we need to work on. We look at things like:

  • How long someone can stand on one leg
  • How deep and long they can stay in a squat
  • Grip strength and how long they can hang from a bar
  • How many push-ups they can do in a minute
  • How far they can run or walk in 12 minutes

These kinds of measures tell us a lot more than a scale ever could.

The Three Fitness Foundations We Focus On

 If you’re looking to improve how your body ages – and how you feel every day – these are the areas we recommend focusing on:

 

1. Mobility and Movement Quality

If you sit a lot or feel stiff often, this is where we start. Our goal with every client is to help them move through everyday life with ease – getting up from a chair, reaching overhead, walking without discomfort.

We start slow and steady, especially for those who’ve been sedentary for a while. We pay close attention to movement patterns and help retrain the body to move with better form. We want your body to become so used to moving correctly, it becomes second nature.

 

2. Strength That Serves You

Strength training is one of the most effective ways to fight aging. And it’s not just about lifting heavy weights – it’s about functional strength.

I focus on full-body movements that mimic real life: carrying groceries, picking things up, getting off the floor. Things like farmer’s carries, pull-up bar hangs, and progressive resistance help build strength in ways that truly support longevity.

Each week, we look for progress – maybe that’s more reps, shorter rest, or heavier weight. The point is to keep moving forward.

 

3. Cardio, the Smart Way

You don’t have to do endless high-intensity workouts to improve your heart health. In fact, we recommend a mix of two types of cardio:

  • Zone 2 Cardio: Low-intensity activity like brisk walking that you can do while holding a conversation. We try to get 30–40 minutes of this in daily and recommend it to all our clients.
  • Interval Training: Short bursts of high-intensity movement paired with rest to improve VO2 max – a strong marker for endurance and longevity.

This combination boosts both stamina and recovery without burning you out.

Our Takeaway

Improving your biological age isn’t about shortcuts or gimmicks. It’s about consistency, awareness, and building habits that support your body for the long haul.

At Leading Edge, we use this philosophy with every client – meeting them where they are and helping them build strength, mobility, and cardiovascular health in a way that’s sustainable and personalized.

If you’re ready to take control of how your body ages, we’d love to help. Let’s connect.

And if you’re curious, you can check out the full Business Insider feature here, and the Women’s Health feature here.

What is ego lifting and why you need to stop it immediately

ego lifting

What is ego lifting and the dangers it poses

What is ego lifting? We’ve all witnessed that person in the gym either attempting to lift more than they can handle or pushing themselves to edge out one too many reps. The result? Terrible form and technique, which can be cringe-worthy to watch because we all know bad execution of an exercise can lead to injury. The confidence boost in trying to impress yourself or others is not worth the potential risk. Injuries can result from compensation occurring in other parts of the musculoskeletal system being over-utilized, the strain put on the muscles, joints, and connective tissue being targeted, and the wear and tear on the joints, tendons, and ligaments over time. Ego lifting not only increases your risk of getting hurt, it actually derails your progress and limits your potential of actually getting stronger. 

The key principles to safe and effective lifting

There are several rules that have to be practiced to make your workouts safe, effective, and progressive. Following these principles will help you see the most growth in your training while perfecting how you move and use your body. 

  1. Control: You must be able to own the movement by controlling the entire lift. At no point is it recommended that you drop the weight or rely on momentum to try to compensate for your inability to control the weight you’re moving, which is typical to see in ego lifting. 
  2. Technique: You should be cueing the correct muscles to engage during the exercise to avoid compensation and stress on your bones and joints. This means you need to be aware of body positioning. Your joints should be stacked, your alignment should be correct and you should have a good mind and muscle connection.
  3. Range of Motion: You should be working on hitting your optimal end range of motion to ensure maximal recruitment of the muscles you are targeting and to place minimal stress on the joints and bones. If you’re unable to move with good mobility you may need to regress the load you’re using or the exercise itself.
  4. Avoid Pain: Pain is different from muscle soreness. You should never train through pain. Make sure to listen to your body. Pain is usually a sign that your form is off, you’re using too much resistance, or your recovery is lacking and you need to prioritize foam rolling, stretching, and rest days. (Read more: Stretching exercises for lower back pain)
  5. Posture: You need to always be practicing good posture when you lift to avoid injury. Think about keeping a neutral spine, shoulders, and hips parallel to the floor, chest tall and pelvis tucked. 

Why patience and consistency matters in training

Achieving results doesn’t come from sporadic gym visits and pushing yourself to failure commonly seen in ego lifting. It requires dedication, consistency, and patience for gradual, steady, and consistent progress that accumulates into significant results over time. 

If you learn to embrace patience and consistency in your training as well as maintaining the integrity of each exercise, you’ll achieve your fitness goals and far exceed your expectations of what is possible. Stay the course and don’t rush the process. 

Approaching exercise with an understanding of proper form, body awareness, and mechanics trumps the pursuit of heavier weights or excessive repetitions, as it ensures safer and more effective workouts, reducing the risk of injury and maximizing long-term fitness gains. 

At Leading Edge we lead with form and function

If ever you are in question about the safety and effectiveness of an exercise program or need some oversight to ensure you’re doing an exercise correctly our team at Leading Edge is here to guide you. We prioritize safety first and promoting good posture so you can maintain not only the integrity of the exercise but also the overall health and longevity of your body. Unlike with ego lifting when you maintain control and proper form through a movement you’re sending a signal to your central nervous system that you are capable fostering a foundation for safer and more effective strength-building. This translates into improved quality of movement in real life allowing your body to support you when you need it the most.

When we start with a new client we evaluate your posture and your gait. Then we pay close attention to your form, alignment, mobility, stability, and strength as you move through a series of different functional movement patterns. This analysis reveals areas of weakness, strength, tightness, restriction, and compensations for muscle imbalances. This comprehensive assessment serves as the groundwork for developing your program, allowing us to prioritize optimizing your movement without limitations or discomfort. It’s only from this place that we can construct a robust physique.  

Interested in scheduling an assessment and first workout with us to take your training to the next level? Call or email us to book your free phone consultation with us so we can learn more about your exercise and injury history and map out a plan to get you moving and feeling your best!

How to progress gradually in your training

Once you have established a solid understanding of fundamental movement mechanics and achieving optimal form, it is time to progress. The goal should be to incrementally increase the resistance or intensity of your workouts to provide a challenging stimulus without compromising form. Here are 4 methods you can use to accomplish this:

  1. Increase resistance: You can do this by gradually increasing the load by 5-10 pounds every week or as you are capable.
  2. Adjust the tempo: You can also progress by adjusting the tempo of an exercise either by slowing it down or speeding it up.
  3. Increase your reps or sets: Adding more reps or sets to an exercise without adjusting the load is an effective way to train progressive overload.
  4. Reduce your recovery time: You can reduce your rest time in between each exercise or set to place an increased demand on the muscles you’re training. 

Using these methods will help prevent ego lifting so you can achieve the results you’re after without the risk of overexertion or possible injury, which only leads to setbacks and frustration. 

Feel free to schedule a free consultation call with the best personal trainers from New York for more information about workout plans tailored to your requirements or to discover how you can achieve the best results from exercising, regardless of your time constraints.

Benefits of calisthenics for beginners

calisthenics for beginners

What is calisthenics and why is it so popular

Calisthenics is a form of resistance training that involves utilizing only one’s body-weight to perform exercises. It has become increasingly popular in recent years, as more people are seeing the value in building strength, improving their cardiovascular function, and overall fitness level. Calisthenics is an easy exercise choice for building strength, endurance, flexibility, and coordination because it accomplishes all these things without the need for expensive and heavy equipment. This means you can train calisthenics from anywhere making it easy to do consistently. In this article, we will explore the many other benefits of calisthenics for beginners and why it is a good exercise option for anyone looking to improve their fitness. 

Benefits of calisthenics for beginners

Here are 7 benefits that make calisthenics appealing for anyone just starting out with resistance training:

  1. No need for equipment and gym membership. One of the most significant advantages of calisthenics is that it does not require any equipment or a gym membership. This makes it an easy exercise option for anyone who is on a budget or cannot make it to a gym. All you need is a small open space to exercise in, and you are good to go.
  2. Build strength and endurance. The dynamic compound movement of calisthenics requires a lot of energy and strength to be performed correctly. As you continue to perform these exercises, your body’s strength and endurance will increase. You will, over time, be able to perform more reps, increase the difficulty of the exercises, and build more strength.
  3. Improved flexibility and mobility. Many calisthenics exercises focus on movements that improve flexibility and mobility. This can help reduce the risk of injury and improve your quality of movement making it an excellent exercise option for older adults or people with mobility issues.calisthenics improves flexibility
  4. It’s safe. For beginners calisthenics is generally safer with a lower risk of injury because you’re using just your body weight for resistance and not externally loading your body.
  5. Improve posture. Calisthenics exercises work on strengthening the core muscles, which helps to improve posture. Good posture enables your body to move and perform better, and it can also prevent back pain.
  6. Easy to modify. This type of training is easy to modify to fit your skill level. You can start with basic exercises and gradually increase the difficulty as your strength improves. Additionally, you can focus on specific areas of the body that need improvement. This makes it an excellent exercise option for anyone of any fitness level.
  7. Improved mental health Calisthenics has been known to reduce depression, anxiety and stress levels. This makes it a great tool for elevating your mood and clearing your mind to make you feel good about yourself. 

Calisthenics for beginners exercises

Here are 5 calisthenics exercises to start your program with:

  1. Body weight squats: Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, toes pointing forward. Lower your body until your thighs are parallel to the ground, keeping your knees behind your toes. Push through your heels to stand back up. via GIPHY
  2. Push-ups: Start in a plank position with your hands shoulder-width apart. Lower your body towards the ground, keeping your elbows close to your body. Push through your hands to lift your body back up. via GIPHY 
  3. Lunges: Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Step forward with one foot, lowering your back knee until it nearly touches the ground. Push through your front foot to return to standing and alternate sides.via GIPHY 
  4. Planks: Lower your body into a starting push-up position. Think about pushing away from the floor to keep your elbows locked and shoulders down and back. Hold steady for as long as you can while engaging your core, glutes and quads.via GIPHY
  5. Leg raises: Lay down on your back with knees bent in table top position. Position your palms at your sides or under your butt for added lower back support. Lower your legs towards the floor keeping your core tight and pelvis tilted back and then raise your legs back up into table top position. 

via GIPHY

Remember to move at a pace that is comfortable for you, focusing on proper form and keeping your movements controlled. As you progress, you can increase the number of repetitions and add more challenging variations of each exercise.

 

How to get started doing calisthenics

Calisthenics for beginners is a great place to start if you’ve never done strength training before. By using your body weight for resistance you’re able to improve how you move and build a better understanding of mind and muscle connection and proprioception. This is all very helpful in improving your day to day quality of life. 

However it is important that you understand what good form looks and feels like and that’s where having a certified personal trainer with you becomes hugely beneficial. A personal trainer can help correct your form and challenge you to push yourself so that you gain the most from each workout. This all helps ensure you’re exercising in a way that is safe and effective. 

personal trainer to improve form

When we work with new clients here at Leading Edge we always lead with form and function to help train your body how to move optimally while also correcting any muscular imbalances and building better technique. If you would like to learn more about how to get started you can schedule a free phone consultation with us so we can assess your fitness needs and goals and share with you our different program options. 

Hypertrophy vs strength training: What should you focus on?

hypertrophy vs strength training

Difference between hypertrophy vs strength

While both can lead to improved strength and can elicit changes in the muscle fibers there is a difference in what is emphasized in hypertrophy vs strength training.

Muscle hypertrophy occurs when muscle protein synthesis exceeds muscle protein breakdown resulting in an increase in the size of the muscle. This is accomplished by increasing the weekly volume of your workouts over time to create a higher growth signal to the muscle also know as progressive overloading. Volume in exercise training is the total result from the number of sets x reps you’re doing in training each muscle. Since increased volume is most important for hypertrophy a higher training volume is required with more frequent workouts or longer workout sessions. 

Muscle strength on the other hand refers to the ability of a muscle to produce increased force. This is accomplished by lifting heavier weights (at least 85% of your 1 rep max). Strength training requires less training volume with fewer reps and sets, but with higher intensity. 

Benefits of training for hypertrophy

Hypertrophy training places an emphasis on muscle building which has many benefits:

  1. Improves your body aesthetics. If you’re looking to change the look and shape of your body adding lean muscle mass is the way to achieve this. 
  2. Improves your metabolism and calorie expenditure. It takes a lot of energy to sustain muscle on the body so as a result you’re able to burn more calories at rest boosting your basil metabolic rate. According to Tim Church, M.D., professor of preventative medicine at Pennington Biomedical Research Center at Louisiana State University, evidence suggests that every pound of muscle burns roughly six calories per day at rest, “That’s about three times as many calories as a pound of fat, which burns roughly two calories per day,” says Dr. Church.
  3. Improves your strength. Hypertrophy and strength training aren’t mutually exclusive. Building muscle size also promotes muscle strength as well.
  4. Improves body composition. Increasing your lean muscle mass can result in a higher proportion of lean muscle relative to other body tissues. Having a higher proportion of muscle on your body than fat is hugely beneficial to longevity of health.

Benefits of training for strength

Strength training is important for everyday life and here’s why:

  1. Improves functional fitness. Building strength translates into having a better quality of life. You’ll be able to manage life tasks such as lifting and moving heavy objects, playing with your kids and climbing stairs with ease. 
  2. Increases bone density and joint health. As you tax the muscles to get stronger you’re also promoting stronger bones, joints and connective tissue. This puts you less at risk for a fracture or fall. For older folks this is especially important because a bone fracture to the hip for example when you’re over the age of 65 can lead to mortality. Having strong bones also helps protect against osteoporosis. 
  3. Enhances athletic performance. Research shows that having greater muscular strength can enhance skills such as jumping, sprinting and skills that involve change of direction. Evidence also shows that stronger athletes excel at sports-specific tasks and are at a lessor risk of injury.
  4. Reduces the risk of injury. Strength training helps improve body alignment and improve our muscle and tendon capacity for tension putting us at less risk for injury. 
  5. Improves muscle strength and endurance. By increasing our muscle tissues ability to handle more demands we’re able to improve both our muscular strength and endurance. 

Which is better? Training for strength or hypertrophy

There are obvious benefits to training for both hypertrophy vs strength and there’s also some overlap as both elicit improvements in muscle strength. It would be beneficial to incorporate both styles of training in your program to optimize your fitness results. By incorporating both you can improve strength, power, muscle size and appearance. 

However, naturally your body gets stronger before you build muscle. When first introducing a weightlifting program your strength gains are primarily driven by improvement in neuromuscular processes and not an increase in muscle size. Hypertrophy comes later as your body gets stronger and you continue to increase the load you are moving for longer reps. 

Exercise selection for strength and hypertrophy

When it comes to hypertrophy vs strength training both benefit most from compound exercises. These are exercises that work multiple joints and muscles in one movement. Examples of compound exercises include deadlifts, squats, push-ups, rows and pull-ups. Using multiple muscle groups at once allows you to lift more weight, which leads to better improvements in strength and hypertrophy. Compound lifts are also more functional allowing you to also improve your coordination and balance. 

You can train using the same exercises for strength and hypertrophy, but your programming will look a bit different. For hypertrophy you would focus on higher reps usually in the 6-30 rep range whereas with strength you’re focusing on fewer reps usually 1-5 rep range. Hypertrophy requires a shorter rest period in between sets which is usually 1-3 minutes. Strength training requires lower rest periods in between sets, which is usually 3+ minutes. Hypertrophy also involves less intensity since you’re training for more reps.

If you struggle with coming up with a program to achieve your fitness goals for hypertrophy vs strength our team of fitness professionals is happy to help. Strength training and hypertrophy are one of the main focal points of our programming model. Reach out to us on our Contact Us page to schedule a free phone consultation. 

Strength training for runners: A step-by-step guide

Why strength training is important for runners

Strength training for runners is key if you want to become a better runner. Many runners think that doing speed work, hill repeats, long tempo runs and interval work is the ticket to running faster. However, if you’re neglecting strength training you’re missing out on a critical component of what makes a good runner.

Strength training helps prevent injuries by strengthening muscles that are underutilized in running and by building strong bones, joints and connective tissues. Building strength is particularly beneficial for building upper body strength, which is needed to propel your legs in running and improve running form. Strength training also helps increase power output, which will help with your explosiveness and knee drive needed for speed and performance. Contrary to popular belief, strength training for runners doesn’t cause you to gain muscle in a way that will slow you down. Instead, it actually helps with balance, speed and endurance as it improves your efficiency.

Strength training exercises for runners

It’s important for runners to train total body when strength training. It’s also recommended that you use weights for added resistance. Choose a weight that is challenging with moderate intensity, but that you can can still maintain good form with. A good rep range to shoot for is 8-15 reps of each exercise. below is a break-down of exercises you can do to target upper body, lower body and core.

 

Core exercises for improved running performance

Having a strong core is critical for running performance as it promotes balance and stability. You can train your core with these exercises that don’t require any weight.

  • Planks: To perform this core exercise start with your arms placed under your shoulders and your feet on the floor hip width apart in a plank position. This is the same as the starting position for a push-up. Think about screwing your palms into the floor so that your elbows face behind you and pull the top of your pelvis back by tightening your core. You can either hold steady from this position or challenge yourself further by driving your knees into your chest one leg at a time while maintaining a  neutral spine. This core exercise targets your entire core including the transverse abdominis, rectus abdominis, internal and external oblique muscles. It also activates your entire body including shoulders, quads, chest, biceps, triceps and back.

via GIPHY

  • Hollow Body Rocker: To perform this exercise start lying on your back. Extend your arms and legs fully away from your torso. Elevate arms and legs so that your arms are slightly above your head and your feet are elevated at a 45 degree angle from the floor. Focus on keeping your back flat by squeezing your glutes and your core to keep the top of your pelvis back. You can either hold steady here or challenge yourself more by slowly rocking your torso back and forth while maintaining this position. Hollow body rocker targets your entire core including the transverse abdominis, rectus abdominis, obliques as well as your quads, hip flexors, inner thighs and erector spinae muscles.

via GIPHY

  • Windshield Wipers: Start by lying on your back with your arms out to the sides and your legs extended above your hips. Pull the top of your pelvis back by tightening your core and slowly lower your legs towards the floor from the side to side. As you lower your legs to the left side of your body the right hip will leave the floor and then you will return to the starting position before repeating on the other side. Focus on keeping your core and glutes tight throughout this entire movement. Windshield wipers are excellent for targeting the oblique muscles and your erector spinae. 

via GIPHY

 

Lower body exercises for better running form and technique

It’s also important to strength train your legs to improve power and muscle endurance for running. Running only involves moving in a forward motion so unless you incorporate unilateral exercise into your training as well as multi-plane movements you’ll be putting yourself at an increased risk of developing muscle imbalances. This often can lead to injury. The following compound exercises are best to do because they enable you to train multiple muscle groups at once. You can also incorporate unilateral variations of these exercises like single leg deadlifts or single leg squats. Lateral lunges allow you to move in the frontal plane and curtsy lunges allow you to move in the transverse plane.
 
  • Squats: For this exercise start standing with your feet slightly wider than hip width apart. Hold a weight at your chest with your elbows tucked. Lower your hips towards the floor by driving your knees apart and shifting your weight back into your heels. In order to maintain a neutral spine keep your chest tall and your eye line out in front. Push off through the ball of your feet to come back to the starting position. This compound exercise targets your entire lower body including your glutes, quads, calves, hamstrings and hip flexors. When you add in a weight as demonstrated with this goblet squat variation it becomes a full body exercise. Now you’re also targeting your entire core, arms and grip strength. 

via GIPHY

  • Single Leg Deadlifts: To begin this exercise stand with your feet hip width apart. You’re going to hinge by pushing your hips out behind you like you’re trying to close a door with your butt. As you do this your chest will come forward. Only hinge back until you’ve hit the end range in your hamstring stretch. Your hips should never come higher than your chest here. Make sure to keep a neutral spine by keeping your core tight and shoulders down and back. Once you’ve mastered this form you can try elevating one leg for the hinge and eventually adding in a weight. In this leg exercise the primary muscles involved are the hamstrings. Secondary muscles include the erector spinae, glutes, calves, obliques and transverse abdominis. 

via GIPHY

  • Around The World Lunges: To begin stand with your feet together. Step forward with your left leg far enough so that you’re able to bend both knees down to a right angle. Keep your chest tall here and your weight distributed equally over both feet. Then, push off the front leg to come back to the starting position. Now step out the side with your left leg bending your left knee while keeping your right leg straight. Make sure in this lateral lunge that your left knee is tracking over your left ankle as you lunge. Push off the left leg to come back to the starting position and then step back with the left leg into a backwards lunge. Here you’re bending both knees to a right angle and then pushing off the left leg to come back to the starting position. Repeat this sequence on the other leg. Around the world lunges target the glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps and adductor muscles. You’re also using your back, core and calf muscles to help stabilize. 

via GIPHY

 

Upper body strength exercises for runners

Upper body strength is vital for good running technique because your arms are what propel your legs. Having a strong upper body allows you to maintain good form with your arms, which improves speed and efficiency. Here are compound exercises you can do to target each major muscle group of your body.

  • Renegade Rows: This floor exercise is great for targeting full body. Begin in a plank position with your hands placed under your shoulders and your feet hip width apart. With a weight under one hand slowly pull the weight to your hip while maintaining a neutral spine. Then return to your starting position. As you move the weight focus on trying to keep your hips square with the floor to use more of your core. This is a full body exercise that targets the entire core including the obliques, transverse abdominis and rectus abdominis. It also works the back, shoulders and triceps. It’s a great exercise for improving not just strength, but also balance and stability.

via GIPHY

  • Chest Press: This is a great exercise for training your chest, shoulders and triceps. Start by lying on your back on a bench and grab two weights. Bring your arms above your shoulders and slowly lower the weights towards your chest keeping your elbows 45 degrees from your body. Inhale as you lower the weights and exhale to press the weights back to the starting position. As you lower the weight your elbows should stay lower than your shoulders. This upper body exercise is great for targeting the chest, anterior deltoids and triceps.

via GIPHY

  • Overhead Shoulder Press: This shoulder exercise is great for working your shoulders, upper back and triceps. Start standing with your weights at your shoulders and slowly extend your arms overhead locking out your elbows at the top of the press. Then lower your arms back to the starting position. As you press it’s important to keep your core tight so you don’t compensate by using your lower back. Exhale as you press the weight and inhale as you lower back to the starting position. This is a great upper body exercise for strengthening your shoulders, triceps, trapezius and pecs. 

via GIPHY

  • Pullovers: This exercise is great for targeting the chest, triceps, back and the front of your shoulders. To start lie on your back on a bench or on the floor. Grab a weight and bring it above your chest. While keeping your core tight to keep your back on the floor slowly bring the weight overhead. As you lower the weight overhead focus on also keeping your elbows flared to feel the work in your lats. Then slowly exhale to bring the weight back up above your chest to the starting position. The main muscle targeted with this exercise  are your pecs and lats. In addition you’re also targeting your triceps, anterior deltoids and teres major muscles. 

via GIPHY

Creating a training plan for runners

Strength training for runners is key, but it’s important that you don’t overlap it with your runs to avoid over fatigue. Studies have found you should  allow for at least an 8 hour recovery window after your runs before you do your strength workouts. This will help prevent injury and increase the effectiveness of both your runs and strength training workouts. A good example of this would be to perform your training runs in the morning and than to wait and do your strength training in the evening. If you are only running 3-4 days per week than you could also look at doing your strength workouts on your off days. Ideally you should aim for at least 2 strength workouts per week.

If you’re doing strength training 2x per week you can program your workouts into push and pull splits or train total body both days. With a push and pull split you train chest, triceps, shoulders and quads one day and then train back, biceps, hamstrings and glutes for the other day. If you’re doing strength training more than 2x per week you can program your workouts into push, pull and legs or train total body all three days. If you’re doing a push, pull and leg split you will train upper body push muscles which include your chest, triceps and shoulders one day. Then, you will train upper body pull muscles, which includes your back and biceps another day. For leg day you will train quads, hamstrings, glutes and calves.

If you’re a beginner aim at doing 2-3 sets of 10-15 reps for each exercise and for the static isometric exercises perform 2-3 sets of 30 seconds holding. As you become more advanced you can add weights to increase the resistance and extend your static holds to 1 minute. 

Here is a good sample strength training program for runners

Monday: Strength train: Total Body Push/Core (morning)

Tuesday: Tempo run

Wednesday: Easy run (morning); Strength train Total Body Pull/Core (evening)

Thursday: Rest day

Friday: Track intervals 

Saturday: Rest day

Sunday: Long run

Strength training makes you a better runner

If you’re looking at becoming a better runner by improving your speed, technique or stamina then strength training has its benefits. As you get stronger you’ll see improvements in your running performance and you’ll become less injury prone. Start with a basic program using just your body weight for resistance and gradually you’ll be able to increase the intensity by adding weights for resistance. You can eventually work up to trying some of these more advanced functional strength training exercises. If you are consistent you’ll notice improvements in your running within weeks. 

Strength training for women over 50: Benefits and how to get started

Strength training for women over 50 can help you age well

Strength training if anything becomes even more critical as we age in order to maintain quality of living. Many women in their 50s are nearing menopause or are in peri-menopause and so estrogen hormone production suffers. This puts them at an increased risk for osteoporosis, heart disease, diabetes, loss of muscle mass and hormonal imbalances. What many people don’t realize is that strength training for women over 50 can actually help boost estrogen production and regulate hormone levels. Women spend 40% of their life post-menopausal so you can see how reversing  the effects of menopause through strength training can have a tremendous impact on overall well-being.

Strength training is also important for women over 50 because as we age, our muscles tend to lose mass and strength, which can lead to a decrease in mobility and balance. This also results in bone density loss and so the risk of falling or injury increases. Strength training is preventative by helping maintain and even increase muscle mass, strength, coordination and functioning. Having more muscle mass also helps improve metabolism and weight management.

Strength training for women over 50 and the effects on mental health

These changes in hormone levels for women over 50 can also take a toll on one’s mental health causing mood swings, anxiety and symptoms of depression. Strength training helps improve mental health by releasing endorphins, which are chemical signals in the brain that increase feelings of wellbeing. Weight training also helps build self-confidence, build self-esteem and improve body image. 

Research has found that weight training can also help lower levels of cortisol, the hormone that is released when we are feeling stressed. It can even help improve cognitive function. Studies have found that strength training can help improve memory, reduce the risk of dementia and Alzheimer‘s, and increase focus and concentration. 

Best muscle strength exercises for women over 50

For best results women over 50 should be lifting 2-3x per week consistently to see progress. It’s also important to be lifting heavy to work on improving strength, muscle and bone density retention. You should ideally be working with a weight that’s challenging at 4-6 reps. Statistically speaking, women are much more likely to lift weights that are far less than their capabilities limiting their potential gains. It’s important not to be afraid to lift heavy.

Here are 5 strength training exercises you should incorporate into your routine for total body strength. You want to make sure you’re doing a combination of compound and unilateral lifts.

  1. Squats

via GIPHY

Squats are an important compound functional exercise for training lower body including the quadriceps, hamstrings, calves, glutes and other abductor muscles. It’s a movement pattern that we use everyday. When you add a load to this exercise such as with a goblet squat you’re able to incorporate upper body as well by engaging the core, traps and upper back muscles.

     2. Deadlifts

via GIPHY

Deadlifts are an important compound exercise for developing muscle strength in the posterior chain. They target the hamstrings, glutes, back, hips, core and trapezius. Hinging is an important movement pattern that we need to be able to do effectively in everyday life.

     3. Lunges

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Lunges are an important exercise not only for strength, but for improving balance, stability and coordination. This is also a functional exercise that prepares you for movement in everyday life such as walking up stairs. This is a great exercise for training not just legs, but upper body and core too. The primary muscles working are the quadriceps, glutes, hamstrings, calves, transverse abdominis, oblique, erector spinae and adductors. Lunges are considered a unilateral exercise because the lead leg is working more. Training with unilateral exercises allows you to achieve symmetry throughout your body. By training both sides of the body equally, unilateral exercises help prevent muscle imbalances, which often lead to injuries.

      4. Push-ups

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Push-ups are a very effective body weight functional movement for training total body when executed well. The primary muscles utilized are your triceps, pectoral muscles, shoulders and core. However, you can also effectively engage your glutes, quadriceps and upper back muscles.

       5. Pull-ups

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Pull-ups are another important body weight exercise for training upper body and core. For most women this exercise will be quite difficult so you can easily modify it by doing banded negative pull-ups. This exercise primarily uses your lats and biceps, while also recruiting your deltoids, rhomboids and core. There are few other exercises that allow you to train so many different muscle groups at once. This exercise trains you to pull your shoulder blades down and back into proper position to help improve posture. 

Women over 50 can live better

Overall, strength training is a great way to help women over 50 maintain physical health, as well as mental wellbeing. The benefits show that aging doesn’t have to be a period of our lives that we dread. Instead we can actually train our bodies to get better with age with the proper training. This applies to us  even as we age into our 60s, 70s, 80s and beyond! Our age does not have to define us.

If you are interested in learning more about where to start on your fitness journey our team is happy to help! Our program is personalized to fit your unique goals and needs. Contact us to schedule a free phone consultation. 

Best vitamins for healthy skin

How vitamins can help with skin aging

When we talk about health it’s important to consider how you treat your skin because your skin is the largest organ of your body. Although it is impossible to 100% prevent the effects of aging, you can add a variety of vitamins for healthy skin to your diet. From fighting fine lines and wrinkles to reducing the appearance of acne, vitamins offer a variety of benefits for skin health. Some vitamins even act as antioxidants preventing free radicals from damaging cells in the body and skin.

What vitamins are good for your skin

Vitamin A

Vitamin A plays several roles in improving and protecting your skin’s health. First, it protects the skin against the effects of ultraviolet radiation damage. It boosts skin cell turnover, improves skin texture, and refreshes collagen production.

Vitamin A has been shown to improve the effects of photoaging on the skin. These effects include wrinkles, hyperpigmentation, freckles, and roughness.

You can obtain more vitamin A either by taking it orally through fish oil or from foods like milk, eggs, dark leafy greens and mango.

B-complex vitamins

The eight B vitamins are vital for the health of our entire bodies. However, they can be considered the best skin vitamins because they offer so many different benefits for skin health. For example, B vitamins help improve the signs of aging, acne, and skin tone.

Vitamin B-3, niacinamide, has been shown to reduce the appearance of age spots and discoloration. Vitamin B-5 has been shown to reduce acne and skin inflammation. Both B-3 and B-5 can help improve skin tone and texture. And according to a 2018 study, vitamin B can help the body produce new skin cells.

The best source of vitamin B complex includes seafood, poultry, eggs, meat, dairy products and fortified foods like cereal.

Vitamin C

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Vitamin C is vital for skin health. Both dietary and topical vitamin C are beneficial for skin cells. Vitamin C has strong antioxidant properties and plays a vital role in collagen production. Some studies have shown that vitamin C as a skin vitamin may be effective against ultraviolet-induced photodamage.

The antioxidant properties of vitamin C protect skin cells from UV-induced damage caused by free radicals. Beyond its antioxidant properties, vitamin C regulates the synthesis of collagen. In addition, it has been shown to stabilize collagen production, which increases its ability to repair damaged skin.

An observational study found that higher levels of dietary vitamin C were associated with better skin appearance, with notable decreases in visible wrinkles.

You can obtain vitamin C from fruits and vegetables such as strawberries, oranges, grapefruit, tomatoes, bell peppers and cruciferous vegetables.

Vitamin D

While Vitamin D is typically linked to bone health, it has also been shown to greatly benefit your skin health and help treat skin conditions like dry skin and eczema.

According to an Archives of Internal Medicine report, 77% of Americans “have a deficiency in vitamin D levels, affecting their overall health.” So it’s essential to get a healthy amount of it, but you must get this vital skin vitamin without also getting a sunburn. Healthy levels of vitamin D have been linked to the prevention of skin aging, but too much sun will accelerate skin aging. Because of this, it’s a good idea to take an oral supplement. Don’t let a lack of vitamin D make you less than mindful about how much sun you’re getting. Always wear sunscreen.

Vitamin D can be found in cod liver oil, salmon, swordfish, tuna fish, orange juice fortified with vitamin D and dairy fortified with vitamin D.

Other health benefits of vitamins

Just as there are vitamins for healthy skin these vitamins are equally important for your physical, mental, and emotional health. Due to depleted soil, industrial farming, and the increase in processed food production our food supply has fewer nutrients than it once did. Vitamins are a great way to supply the body with the nutrients our bodies are lacking.

For example, Vitamin D helps with our body’s absorption of calcium from our diet which can help prevent osteoporosis and bone density loss. Low vitamin D can also lead to anxiety and depression. Vitamin A also helps to promote bone health. Both vitamin B6 and vitamin C helps boost your immune system to guard your body against the risk of infection and help fight free radicals in the body.

Choosing the best vitamin supplement for you

When deciding which vitamins you need it’s best to have your doctor run a blood test to test for any deficiencies. You should also tell your doctor if you experience any of the following symptoms of vitamin deficiencies: extreme hair loss, bone or joint pain, excessive fatigue, sudden vision changes, wounds that heal slowly, or an irregular heartbeat.

Also watch out for skin issues possibly related to vitamin deficiencies. Hyperpigmentation could be a symptom of vitamin B12 deficiency and red, dry or itchy skin could be a sign of vitamin D deficiency.

For more skincare tips and figuring out for you the best vitamins for healthy skin check out Skin Spa New York.They are a skincare concierge service we’ve partnered with here in New York City who offer all types of skin treatments to improve fine lines, skin laxity, and more. You can reach out on their site to book a consultation with one of their specialists. 

Functional strength training exercises to improve your daily life

What is functional strength training

Functional strength training is a form of resistance training that focuses on developing strength in ways that enhance the performance of movements used in daily activities. As a result you gain more functionality of your body so you can carry out the physiological demands of everyday life. Performing functional strength training exercises is one of the best ways to improve your quality of life.

Benefits of functional strength training exercises

Functional strength training exercises not only help you build stronger muscles, bones and joints, they also greatly enhance your quality of life by improving how you move everyday. When you move better you feel better in your body because you’re able to:

  • reduce your risk of fall or injury
  • have fewer aches and pains
  • build confidence for performing movements on your own that are essential to everyday life such as squatting and hinging
  • build a stronger sense of spacial awareness
  • try new physical activities that require more skills
  • gain a greater sense of autonomy for independent living situations

When our bodies are able to do what they are designed to do we also experience a better sense of appreciation for life, which can improve our emotional and psychological health. Movement after all is medicine for changing a person’s physical, emotional and mental state.

What are functional strength training exercises

Functional strength training exercises use large groups of muscles working together to perform a particular movement pattern used in everyday life. Such movements would include:

  • squatting to sit-down or pick up a heavy object
  • carrying an item across a room
  • reaching for something overhead
  • rotating cross-body to see something behind you
  • balancing to prevent slipping or falling

You can also use functional training to improve your performance needed for any particular sport such as being able to swing a bat, dribble a ball or transfer your weight from one foot to the next for skiing or skating. 

In short, functional exercises are any movement patterns that are useful in helping you master a skillset needed for tasks of everyday life, hobbies and sports you enjoy and for helping you live a more pain-free life.

Beginner exercises for functional strength

If you’re just starting out with functional strength exercises you can start off by using your own body weight for resistance and you can modify where needed. It’s important to pick exercises that target both the upper and lower body and core as well as that train your body to move well in all 3 planes of motion. Don’t forget to also train unilaterally to correct any muscular imbalances that are present. Here are some examples of exercises you can do and how to modify them if needed.

Squats are great for training all the muscles of your lower body. If you find them too hard you can start with box squats or wall sits.

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Push-ups train the upper body and core. If you need to modify this exercise you can try doing them incline on an elevated service like a bench or from the wall. 

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Deadlifts are important for mastering how to hinge properly. This functional exercise targets your hamstrings and glutes. If you struggle with your form you can use the wall for assistance.

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Side lunges are great for training your legs unilaterally or using predominately one half of your body at a time. This is also a great functional strength training exercise for improving your body’s ability to move in the frontal plane. If you need to modify this exercise you can use the wall to hold onto for assistance

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More advanced functional exercises

If you’re more proficient in your training or you’ve been doing functional training for awhile you may want to consider challenging yourself to more technical exercises that not only challenge your strength, but also your coordination and mobility.

Turkish get-ups is a great total body functional exercise that targets major muscle groups including your glutes, traps, hamstrings, triceps, lats and calves. This exercise is great for coordination, stability, and it helps promote a stable spine. It also takes you through all three planes of motion–sagittal, transverse and frontal.

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Prisoner get-ups is not only a great functional strength exercise for the hamstrings and glutes, it also targets your hip flexors and core. Also as an added benefit, this exercise improves your stabilizer muscles. 

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Inch worm is another effective total body exercise. It’s great for building strength throughout your shoulders, chest and core as well as increasing flexibility throughout your hamstrings. 

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Long-term results of functional training

There are hundreds of functional strength training exercises to choose from. The underlying benefit of them all is that they help improve how you move both inside and outside of the gym. As a result by incorporating more functional strength training exercises in your workout over time you’ll experience a better quality of life. 

Here at Leading Edge we lead with function first in our training program. If you need a personal trainer to help you incorporate more functional strength training exercises in your workout contact us today to set-up a free phone consultation so we can help get you moving better!

Strength training for obese beginners – here’s why it’s so effective!

Is strength training for obese beginners different?

Strength training for obese beginners should be no different from anyone else just starting out. It’s always a good idea to start with low-impact strength training using only your body weight for resistance. This helps protect your joints and puts you less at risk for injury. The benefit of doing strength training far outweighs doing just cardio. Not only are you burning calories, you’re also taxing your muscles and joints to promote strength and new muscle growth. The other benefit is the more you weigh, the more work you’re putting on your body doing body weight strength training. As a result, you burn more calories leading to more weight loss when you couple this with a calorie deficit macro-friendly diet. 

How to gauge appropriate exercise intensity and frequency

A good way to measure how hard you should be training is judging by your RPE (rate of perceived exertion). This looks at your workout intensity based on a scale of 1-10 with 1 being no intensity and 10 being maximum intensity. When you’re just starting out you should aim for an intensity level of a 5 or 6 and as your body adapts you should shoot for a 7 or 8 for intensity. Anything less or more than this would not be sufficient. 

You can also judge intensity by how many reps of any given exercise you can do. You should comfortably be able to perform at least 5 reps before rest. If you can’t you can go with a modified version until you’re able to work your way up to at least 5 reps. As you get stronger, you should be able to comfortably work up to 10-15 reps of any exercise before resting. 

Exercise frequency should be based on what you can maintain consistently. Ideally, you should aim for 2-3 times per week for at least 20-30 minutes of active exercise at a time. 

Obesity beginner workout program

There are different types of low-impact non-weight bearing exercises you can do to start your fitness journey. Walking, swimming, cycling, and walking the stairs are all great for you!

These are exercises you can seek out in your everyday life by for example opting to take the stairs instead of the elevator and cycling or walking instead of driving to get to your destination.

In order to get more strength training in your routine, it’s also a good idea to do low-impact body weight exercises such as planks, hinges, wall sits, wall push-ups and superman hold in a prone position. These are all compound movements, which are also functional making them much more beneficial to your health. Compound movements involve the engagement of multiple muscles and joints so you gain more from the movement. Functional means it’s applicable to how you move in everyday life. The more your body is adapted to move well the less at risk you are for injury. 

With any new exercise program, form is most important. You want to make sure you’re only choosing exercises you can perform correctly. Modify your routine as needed to ensure your mastering form first. 

Four weight loss exercises you can modify as an obese beginner

    1. Strength training for obese beginners should focus on compound exercises that are easy to modify. The plank is a great exercise because it involves your entire body. It’s a great way to build strength and get your heart rate up. To modify the plank you can either drop to your knees from the floor or elevate into an incline plank on the wall. Start off by seeing how long you can hold this position with good form and then start timing yourself until you can work up to a minute.

 

    1. Squats are a great exercise for working your lower extremities. It also requires stability and mobility. You can modify it by doing squats over a chair or bench where you lower into a seated position and then push yourself back up to a standing position. You can also modify with a wall sit. Focus on depth here and good form. As you get stronger gradually increase the reps you can do.

      squat exercise

 

    1. A lying glute bridge hold is great for strengthening your posterior chain as well as your back. It’s also great for helping to promote good hip and back extension. To modify this exercise you practice holding for a second or two before lowering back to the floor. As you get stronger you can hold for longer at the top and perform more repetitions.

 

  1. Push-ups are a great compound exercise for hitting the upper body and core. You can easily modify this exercise by starting from your knees or you can perform them elevated from the wall. As you progress, you can aim to do full push-ups from the floor and even other variations of push-ups.

Diet is also a factor for overweight beginners

While strength training is a great place to start for obesity, it’s not always enough for fat loss. Your calorie consumption and protein intake are also equally important not only for fat loss, but for improving your lean body mass. No matter how hard you train you can never outperform your diet. A healthy caloric deficit, which should look different for everyone, coupled with a macro-friendly diet and exercise is the key for the treatment of metabolic disorders, reduction in the risk factors of cardiovascular disease and fat storage in the body. It’s also beneficial for improving your overall body composition, which helps enable you to maintain long-term results.

Do you need help with your fitness goal? Get in touch with our specialized fitness trainers to start your journey for recovery now or book your free 1-1 consultation with us.

6 Strength exercises for beginners to improve how their body functions

Where to start with strength training

If you’ve never done strength training before it can be confusing to know where to begin. It’s always better to value form before function so start with basic strength exercises for beginners. For most people this means starting off with some body weight movements to understand form, muscle engagement and how to activate your core properly. This means that the use of weights or other forms of added resistance will come later in your training. If you get ahead of yourself you risk injury or compensation. 

How to choose the right strength training exercises

When you think about strength training you want to make sure you’re picking exercises that are functional, meaning movements you perform in everyday life outside of the gym. You also want to think about choosing exercises that will help you improve your posture and how you move. This is important so that you can shield yourself against injury and improve the overall functioning of your body

To know which exercises are right for you it’s recommended that you perform a postural assessment.

You can do this by either having someone take a picture of you standing facing the camera, in profile and with your back to the camera or you can assess yourself in the mirror. You want to be looking for any alignment issues or compensation that is happening in your body. If you drew a line down the center of your body both sides of your body should mirror each other both from side to side and front to back. In using this midline you also want to be looking to see if your joints are stacked on top of each other. If your shoulders round forward or your pelvis tilts forward you will see that your joints are not stacked on top of each other following this midline. Any deviations in how you stand will need to be addressed in your strength training routine. 

Basic strength exercises for beginners

Once you’ve performed your self-assessment we can begin selecting the right exercises for you based on your needs.

Basic strength exercises for beginners with weak back and core muscles.

If your shoulders round forward and you slouch you should be doing strength exercises to train your back and core muscles. To do this perform 3 sets of 10-15 reps of each of the following exercises:

Lying prone scapular retractions doing superman pull-downs.

To perform this exercise focus on contracting your abdominal muscles to stabilize your spin and then depress and retract your scapulae (shoulder blades) by pulling your shoulders back and down. Maintain this squeeze between your shoulder blades as you drive your elbows back towards your sides. Then repeat and remember to keep your feet elevated. This exercise targets your transverse abdominal muscles, glutes, upper trapezius, middle trapezius, levator scapulae, rhomboid minor, serratus anterior (muscles that move the scapulae), and erector spinae muscles.

 

Bird dog.

To perform this exercise start by kneeling on all fours and slowly extending the opposite arm and leg away from your body. Be sure to keep the core tight and shoulders down and back. You also want to fully extend through the arm and leg that are elevated so that the arm and leg are straight. Hold for 10 seconds and then repeat on the other side. This exercise targets the erector spinae, rectus abdominis, glutes, anterior deltoid, upper trapezius, middle trapezius, levator scapulae, rhomboid minor, serratus anterior (muscles that move the scapulae).

 

 

Basic strength exercises for beginners with weak hips and glutes.

Standing hip flexion.

To perform this exercise start by standing upright and raising one knee to the height of your hip at a 90-degree angle. Squeeze your glutes to help you stabilize at the top. Hold that contraction for 5-10 seconds and lower your leg and repeat. This strength exercise targets your hip flexors, glutes, core, calves and the muscles of your feet.

 

Standing hip abduction.

To perform this exercise start by standing upright and shifting your weight to one leg. Slowly lift the opposite leg off the floor away from your body keeping the leg fully extended and the toes flexed. Make sure your toes are pointed ahead at all times to prevent your hip from externally rotating. The muscle primarily targets the hip abductor muscles located on the outside of the hip. This helps to promote strength and stability in the hip when walking or running.

 

Basic strength exercises for beginners with weak quads or hamstrings and glutes.

Lying glute bridges.

To perform this exercise start by lying flat on your back with your legs bent at 90 degrees and feet planted on the floor. Pull your pelvis into a neutral position by contracting your core and pulling your navel in towards your spine. From this position contract your glutes and lift your hips towards the ceiling. This exercise targets your erector spinae, transverse abdominis, glute medius and minimus (abductors), hamstrings and adductors.

Wall sits.

To perform this exercise start by standing upright with your feet shoulder-width apart and about 1 foot from the wall. Bring your back and shoulders against the wall and lower your body against the wall until your knees are at or near 90 degrees from your hips. Keeping your back, shoulders, arms and head against the wall hold this contraction for 10-15 seconds. Then release and repeat. This exercise targets your glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings and calves.

Strength exercises should improve function

Regardless of whether you are a beginner or experienced, strength training should always aim to improve your body’s function. When approached in this way, strength training can protect you against injury, heal muscular imbalances, improve your mobility, reduce your musculoskeletal aches and pains and greatly enhance your quality of life. The best part of all is it’s easy to get started. You can start off strength training from home without the need of any equipment.