 Starting a new fitness program can be a daunting task. It takes courage and a willingness to change for someone new to walk through our doors looking for a personal trainer. When it comes to starting a training program for beginners, I try to empathize with my clients here in Palo Alto, CA by thinking about how it is for me to start a new training program where I am a beginner. When I first started training for Track & Field I would get very self-conscious when learning a new event. Since I only had considerable experience in 2 events, I was a beginner or a straight up novice in all the others I attempted. Part of starting a new program is the technical portion. Knowing what exercises to do, how often, how many reps, etc. The other side is finding inspiration and motivation so you stick to your new fitness program and have fun doing it.
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A home gym may be easier to set up than you think. This may look more like a mini workout area than a full room dedicated to a gym. All you really need is a small space and a few pieces of versatile equipment.
It’s now day 5 (at the time of this posting) of our “Shelter in Place” order in the Bay Area which includes our Palo Alto personal training and massage studio. Luckily we live in a time where we can connect live online and through social media. So here is a great warmup routine that I use ALL the time for my personal training clients, group classes, and my own personal workouts. This version is adapted to small spaces since we are typically working in a small space at home. We are online both for classes and one on one personal training! All you need is a small space, a mat, and a pair of dumbbells. Additional equipment can be help, but not a must. Here are my 5 favorite shoulder exercises when going through shoulder rehab after shoulder injuries. These exercises can not only help you get out of shoulder pain, but also help you prevent shoulder injuries. Keep in mind these are great exercises when dealing with common shoulder pain, but may be too advanced if there was a more extensive injury.  Having been in the personal training business for almost 20 years I would often get the question, “how many pullups should I be able to do?” Here in our Palo Alto, CA studio I don’t get it as often as previous big gyms I worked at, but it still comes up. There are many answers to this question depending on what standards you are looking at. You can easily find these by searching for pullups for military service, presidential fitness standards for kids, or just everyday standards. I’m not trying to dodge this question, but it really depends. The short answer for the amount to be considered “good” is: for men 5-10, for women: 3-5. This is a very general number and for certain fit or athletic groups this number would be much higher.
 It’s almost 2020! A new decade calls for new goals! Or at least revisit past ones. I took a look back at a blog I wrote 9 years ago, “Getting Through the Holiday Season” and even with many years past, this guide still holds true. I picked up some ideas since then to keep your motivation up and to make this January easier on you.
Exercise is a must for getting rid of low back pain. We use what we call “corrective exercises” that are specifically aimed at improving low back function. These exercises range in difficulty from those done in physical therapy to a beginner muscle building program. We take pride in frequently helping people bridge the gap between physical therapy and their fitness workouts. Exercises can help alleviate low back pain by:
 It’s September as of the time of this writing and it always reminds me of my pre-season training prior to the first day of high school wrestling practice in early November. The season comes up quick with competition starting 3-6 weeks later, so it was always important to be well prepared for grueling practices and my first match.
 Everyone is busy, especially here in the Bay Area. Being busy however, is no excuse to not exercise. We just need a convenient form of exercise and need to be creative in maximizing your workout time. Many of our programs here in ultra-busy Silicon Valley are built around the concept of personal training for busy professionals. For those short on time, workouts should be convenient, time efficient, maximally effective, and well planned.
 When I first meet with a high school athlete in our Palo Alto gym, I always check for movement quality and how well they can handle weight training. Personal training for the high school athlete should focus on 4 main concepts: safety, movement quality, joint stability, and beginner strength development.
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