Welcome to the

SPC Archives

Find related articles and learn more about our process at SPC.

Search

Author: Craig Smith

A speaker at Smith Performance Center giving a lecture on exercise barriers and habit formation. The discussion covers evolutionary mismatch, injury risks, shifting barriers, and the gap between knowledge and action in fitness adherence.

The 4 Reasons Exercise is Hard to Start and Maintain

Starting an exercise program usually begins with a detailed look at your goals and a plan to achieve them.  Showing up consistently is assumed. After decades in the health and wellness industry as a personal trainer, strength coach, exercise physiologist, and physical therapist, I’ve seen firsthand that the problem isn’t your goals, program structure, or knowledge of the importance of exercise. You already know regular exercise is crucial. Nor is the problem finding a place to work out, scheduling gym time, or getting the right equipment for home. The real issue is execution: showing up and doing the work.  Exercise is hard to start.  Exercise is hard to maintain. Why? There are four major reasons: Evolutionary Mismatch We did not evolve to exercise; we evolved to conserve calories. Our ancestors developed in an environment with limited access to calories. The body’s ability to conserve energy allowed humans to survive periods

Read More »

The Importance of Protein Consumption for Resistance Trained Individuals

Congratulations, you’ve embarked on the journey of resistance training. As you delve into the realm of exercise, one of the first topics you will hit is to up your protein intake. Unlike a few areas that may seem superfluous, it is an important area to get the right nutrients, with protein taking center stage.  Here’s a brief overview to ensure you maximize the benefits of your training regimen through adequate protein consumption.  Amount To optimize muscle growth and recovery, aim for a protein intake ranging between 1.6 to 1.8 grams per kilogram of body weight daily. This can be confusing, since we do not use the metric system on a daily basis, so we will show both grams to pounds ratio and grams per kilogram of body weight.   Metric Imperial  Example kg to lbs 1 kg 2.2 lbs 180 lbs man weighs 81.6 kg g to oz 1 gram

Read More »

How to use On Demand Supplement Workouts within your normal exercise routine

At SPC, we’re excited to announce that our supplemental workouts will be available on our On Demand platform.  However, we understand that there may be a learning curve associated with incorporating these workouts into your routine.  That’s why we want to ensure you have the resources to make the most of this valuable tool for future reference. If you’re unsure about what the supplemental programs entail, we encourage you to check out our blog post, ‘ The 4 Types of SPC Supplemental Workouts.‘ We will go into each aspect of the workout, why, and when to add the supplemental workouts. Understanding the Structure: Components of a Workout A single workout, at the most simple level, should include a prep component and a workout component. But this misses other aspects that often occur at SPC. Let’s define these components first: Prep: Getting your body ready for exercise. Skill Development: Learning or

Read More »

The 4 Types of SPC Supplemental Workouts

The foundation of our programming is the strength workout. Building upon this foundation using a progressive overload approach is essential for long-term strength and fitness gains. Incorporating supplemental workouts can provide variety, target specific muscle groups and movement patterns, develop new skills, and enhance overall fitness and performance. Supplemental workouts can serve various purposes, such as addressing weaknesses, improving mobility, treating recurrent injuries, reducing risk for falls or simply adding diversity to training. They include exercises like mobility drills, corrective exercises, accessory movements, and conditioning work. By integrating supplemental workouts into your programming, you create a more well-rounded and balanced training regimen. This approach not only helps to prevent boredom and plateaus but also allows for continuous improvement and adaptation over time. We want to review the types of supplemental workouts in this article. The 4 types of supplemental workouts We have 4 types of supplemental workouts: We will explain

Read More »

What is the difference between Phase 3: Activity Progression and Phase 4: Exercise, Maintenance, and Monitoring?

Welcome to the transition zone—phase 3 to phase 4—at Smith Performance Center. This shift marks an important move from rehabilitation to performance. We’re committed to ensuring that our community doesn’t get stuck in a permanent rehab mindset. The switch from rehab mode to peak performance mode can pose challenges, demanding careful consideration and expert guidance. Phase 3 is all about building up tissue capacity, gradually ramping up activity levels, and prioritizing overall well-being. It involves strengthening muscles, alleviating muscle inhibition, closely monitoring responses to increased activity, and addressing any lingering issues stemming from previous inactivity. Essentially, it’s about improving tissue capacity while laying down a solid foundation for what comes next. In contrast, phase 4 signifies a fresh chapter, with a focus on establishing a consistent exercise routine and raising the bar for performance standards. Our goal here isn’t just to ‘move’ but to instill a long-term commitment to fitness

Read More »
Physical Therapy Tucson

The 10 Strategy Mistakes of Repetitive Injury When Exercising

Do you want to get back to exercise but keep on getting hurt? The merry-go-round misery of a repeatedly injured exerciser is a common complaint at Smith Performance Center. When someone shows up, our physical therapists listen to a series of injuries that seem to occur every time they get into a workout routine. The exerciser finishes rehab and heads back to their respective sport. The first few days go well, but inevitably the same problem comes back. In our clients’ minds, their body has lost the ability to stay healthy. They believe age is driving the problem, or the joints are shot. They think the activity they choose to do is too vigorous and must be replaced.  These are not the problem.   The cycle of repetitive injury is a strategic mistake. Returning to activity with a strategy We believe in a process called the SPC Phases. A phase at

Read More »
Strength coach teaching a banded isometric deadlift at Smith Performance Center, emphasizing proper technique, core activation, and injury prevention.

11 Reasons Personal Training With Our Strength Coaches Is The Right Choice For You

Struggling to Stay Consistent with Exercise? You’re Not Alone. Ever felt stuck in a fitness rut? You want to exercise, but between work, family, and old injuries, it feels impossible to stay consistent. At Smith Performance Center, we make fitness work for real life. Our strength coaches provide expert one-on-one training to help you build strength, recover from injuries, and create a sustainable routine—without the guesswork. Why Personal Training with a Strength Coach is the Right Choice We know that maintaining an active lifestyle is difficult. Technology has made life easier but also less active—more driving, more sitting, and less natural movement. Add in work commitments, past injuries, and uncertainty about the right exercises, and it’s no surprise that fitness takes a back seat. But it doesn’t have to. Working with a strength coach ensures that you’re training effectively, progressing safely, and staying accountable. Here’s how our one-on-one training at

Read More »
A person in a teal shirt holds a clipboard and pen, representing a physical therapy session. Overlaid text reads: "Why your physical therapy home exercise program is not working (And What to Do About It)."

Why Your Physical Therapy Home Exercise Program Isn’t Working

Not all physical therapy home exercise programs are created equal. But the reason why your physical therapy home exercise program is not working is likely due to more than one reason. Your home plan should guide your recovery with clear, effective exercises tailored to your needs, but your therapist might be overwhelmed with clients, relying too much on assistants, or emphasizing passive treatments instead of empowering you with actionable strategies. Whatever the cause, a poorly designed home plan can stall your progress—or even make your symptoms worse. We see each of these situations when reviewing the histories of new clients with long-term injuries. The home plan is a critical component of your rehab plan in physical therapy. Our team regularly helps new clients who have been doing the same home plan from physical therapy for years which is not helping. This includes obvious mistakes like stretching an irritated nerve, overloading

Read More »

Optimizing Your Strength Training: Understanding the Importance of Deload Weeks At Smith Performance Center

In the realm of physical fitness, the drive to push our limits often overshadows the significance of rest and recovery.  Enter the concept of “Deloading” — a strategic and essential practice that can be a game-changer in your strength training regimen.  As we engage in rigorous workouts and demanding physical activities, our bodies undergo stress, breaking down muscles and tissues.  Yet, it’s during periods of rest that our bodies repair, adapt, and ultimately grow stronger in response to these stresses. The Deload week, a planned phase of reduced training volume, intensity, or frequency, serves as a pivotal component of a well-structured training program. Its purpose is simple yet profound: to allow the body the necessary time and space to recover, prevent overtraining, and boost overall performance. Understanding when, why, and how to implement a Deload week can significantly impact your training outcomes, ensuring sustained progress, and minimizing the risk of

Read More »