The Basics of Squatting

 

 

Other strength training exercises

 

Strength Training Exercises

 

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Osteoporosis & Lifting: How SPC Builds Bone Safely

The Common Experience with Osteoporosis and Lifting: The Story When Linda first came to Smith Performance Center, she wasn’t in pain, but she was frustrated. Her doctor had told her she had osteoporosis after a routine age-65 screening DEXA scan. Like many people searching for guidance on osteoporosis and lifting, she was unsure what was safe to do. She’d been told not to lift heavy weights because it could cause a fracture, yet also told she needed to lift to make her bones strong. Linda exercised, but lifting weight, especially heavy weights sounded dangerous. She was warned to avoid jumping and running, but once again, had others saying you must jump. Every article she found focused on the dangers of hip fractures from falls, but few offered guidance on how to actually prevent them. Like many people, Linda began to move less out of fear and that only accelerated her

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Athletic woman holding her shoulder in discomfort, with a quote emphasizing how exceeding tissue capacity through high exercise demands can lead to recurring injury from exercise.

Tissue Capacity vs. Exercise Capacity: Why Most People Miss the Mark

You’re Doing the Work—So Why Does Your Body Keep Breaking Down? You show up. You put in the effort. Whether it’s running, lifting, group fitness, or weekend hikes, you’re trying to stay active. But despite the commitment, you keep dealing with recurring injury from exercise. Pain shows up, progress stalls, and your body feels more unpredictable than it should. This isn’t about motivation. It’s about biology.The real issue is a mismatch between what you can make yourself do and what your body is built to tolerate. At Smith Performance Center, we call that gap the difference between exercise capacity and tissue capacity the rehab standard—and it’s one of the most overlooked problems in rehab and training. What Is Exercise Capacity? Exercise capacity is your ability to push through effort and accumulate work over time. It’s what most people think of as “fitness.” It includes: Exercise capacity reflects what you’re capable

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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

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Osteoporosis & Lifting: How SPC Builds Bone Safely

The Common Experience with Osteoporosis and Lifting: The Story When Linda first came to Smith Performance Center, she wasn’t in pain, but she was frustrated. Her doctor had told her she had osteoporosis after a routine age-65 screening DEXA scan. Like many people searching for guidance on osteoporosis and lifting, she was unsure what was safe to do. She’d been told not to lift heavy weights because it could cause a fracture, yet also told she needed to lift to make her bones strong. Linda exercised, but lifting weight, especially heavy weights sounded dangerous. She was warned to avoid jumping and running, but once again, had others saying you must jump. Every article she found focused on the dangers of hip fractures from falls, but few offered guidance on how to actually prevent them. Like many people, Linda began to move less out of fear and that only accelerated her

Read More »
Athletic woman holding her shoulder in discomfort, with a quote emphasizing how exceeding tissue capacity through high exercise demands can lead to recurring injury from exercise.

Tissue Capacity vs. Exercise Capacity: Why Most People Miss the Mark

You’re Doing the Work—So Why Does Your Body Keep Breaking Down? You show up. You put in the effort. Whether it’s running, lifting, group fitness, or weekend hikes, you’re trying to stay active. But despite the commitment, you keep dealing with recurring injury from exercise. Pain shows up, progress stalls, and your body feels more unpredictable than it should. This isn’t about motivation. It’s about biology.The real issue is a mismatch between what you can make yourself do and what your body is built to tolerate. At Smith Performance Center, we call that gap the difference between exercise capacity and tissue capacity the rehab standard—and it’s one of the most overlooked problems in rehab and training. What Is Exercise Capacity? Exercise capacity is your ability to push through effort and accumulate work over time. It’s what most people think of as “fitness.” It includes: Exercise capacity reflects what you’re capable

Read More »
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 »