Fitness Files
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Inflammation is a natural response of the immune system but when acute inflammation turns chronic, your health could be on the line. Learn how breathing techniques help reduce inflammation by promoting relaxation and healing.
Aging is a natural part of life and with it comes new challenges. Staying active keeps your mind and body sharp. Read about ways to incorporate motion, balance and power into your workouts to help you stay strong at any age.
Improve your brain health with fitness. Participating in regular exercise including aerobic activity, resistance training and mind-body exercises can help keep your brain young and functioning at its best. Learn how exercise benefits your brain.
Menopause brings about many changes—both physical and mental—in a woman's body. Cooper Fitness Center Director of Fitness and Professional Fitness Trainer Mary Edwards, MS, explains how exercising is important before, during and after this phase of life.
Overtraining can be caused by not allowing the body to rest, poor sleep hygiene and uncontrolled stress. Cooper Fitness Center Professional Fitness Trainer Stephanie Hill explains the symptoms of overtraining and good habits to practice to ensure proper recovery.
Sticking to a fitness regimen while traveling can be difficult. But you don't have to give up family time or relaxation to get a workout in. Paul Nally, Professional Fitness Trainer, shares tips for staying active on the road.
Strength training is a critical component of a well-rounded exercise routine next to aerobic exercise and proper stretching. Professional Fitness Trainer Colette Cole, MS, shares four foundational strength training movements for a variety of individuals.
Functional movements are a part of your daily life, from sitting in a chair to climbing stairs. Professional Fitness Trainer David H. Williams explains the importance of functional exercises to help improve flexibility, strength and overall movement.
Did you know ankle mobility directly affects your knee and hip joints also? Learn why ankle mobility is one of the best ways you can prevent injury and which stretches and exercises are ideal for prevention.
Winterize your workouts. Cooper Fitness Center Professional Fitness Trainer Christian Mazur shares tips on what to wear and the ideal warm-up before heading outdoors for your next workout.
Exercise alone does not foster weight loss, but when paired with a healthy diet and positive lifestyle choices, it can be a major factor in losing and maintaining a healthy weight.
Doing endless crunches and planks and still not seeing results? Cooper Fitness Center Professional Fitness Trainers Tonya Gutch, MS, and Chris Parker, MS, explain the most common mistakes and helpful tips when it comes to overtraining your core.
Muscular imbalances can cause tightness and pain resulting in poor posture. Cooper Fitness Center Professional Fitness Trainer and MAT Specialist Paul Mossa explains the common causes of poor posture and how Muscle Activation Techniques® can help.
How do you ensure you are working every muscle group? Cooper Fitness Center Professional Fitness Trainer Patrick Fisher shares common strength training mistakes and practical tips for developing a well-balanced routine.
Keeping women's health and fitness the focus for 15 years. Cooper Fitness Center Female Focus Director Colette, Cole, MS, shares the history and profound impact the program has made on women and their overall health.
Train your body to function efficiently in your day-to-day routine. Cooper Fitness Center Professional Fitness Trainer Paul Nally explains how function fitness training can positively impact your daily activities with practical exercises to incorporate into your workout program.
Does fitness run in your family? Cooper Fitness Center Professional Fitness Trainer Sam Laceky explains the importance and benefits of incorporating fitness into your family dynamic.
Maximize your calorie burn and add more diversity to your workouts. Cooper Fitness Center Director of Fitness Education Carla Sottovia, PhD, shares the benefits of compound exercise movements.
Looking to burn more calories both during and after exercise? Cooper Fitness Center Director of Fitness Mary Edwards, MS, shares how you can challenge your body metabolically for greater results.
Breathe new life into your weightlifting routine. Cooper Fitness Center Professional Fitness Trainer Ryan Sheppard, MSEd, elaborates on proper breathing techniques to improve the quality of your strength training workout.
To feel your best physically, you must first be able to move your best. Cooper Fitness Center Professional Fitness Trainers Clay Fredrickson, DPT, PT, and Carla Sottovia, PhD, share the importance of flexibility and mobility in your exercise routine.
How can you maximize your potential by knowing your maximum heart rate? Cooper Fitness Center Professional Fitness Trainer Debi Wilkins, MS, shares the benefits of a different take on HIIT workouts by emphasizing cardio.
Looking for a workout plan that is as short as it is efficient? Maximize your time with a convenient, zero equipment workout that can be done virtually anywhere. Read about the benefits of total body weight workouts.
Can exercise boost your immune system? Cooper Fitness Center Director of Education Carla Sottovia, PhD, elaborates on the relationship between physical activity and immunity against disease.
Is power training the same as strength training? Ryan Sheppard, MSEd, Professional Fitness Trainer at Cooper Fitness Center, explains the difference and the plus sides of power training.
Exercise is key to preventing disease. Cooper Fitness Center Director of Fitness Mary Edwards, MS, and Professional Fitness Trainer Colette Cole, MS, explain how the Female Focus program emphasizes the importance of exercise in cancer prevention.
Addressing muscular imbalance and limited range of motion are key to long-term health. Learn how your body can once again function the way it was designed to with MAT.
Dealing with menopause is challenging, but exercise can help. Cooper Fitness Center Professional Fitness Trainer Angela Horner explains why the way you take care of yourself during this time in your life is so important to your present and future health.
Would you like to increase your metabolism, reduce your chance of injury and improve your ability to perform daily functions? Then strength training is for you, especially if you are over the age of 50.
As temperatures rise in the summertime, so do the risks that come with exercising outdoors. Cooper Fitness Center Professional Fitness Trainers Tonya Gutch and Sam Laceky share their insights on how to effectively work out indoors this summer.
Being versatile and easy-to-use, dumbbells may be the star of your home gym these days. Cooper Fitness Center Professional Fitness Trainer Patrick Fisher explains how to get creative and cover your bases with a full-body workout that only requires a pair of dumbbells.
Is your body hydrated enough to get the most out of your workouts? Revamp your workouts by drinking enough water before, during and after. Cooper Fitness Center Professional Fitness Trainer Christian Mazur discusses how to stay practically and properly hydrated.
Are you exercising at an intensity sufficient enough for weight loss, cardiovascular benefit or activity recovery? Cooper Fitness Center Director of Fitness and Professional Fitness Trainer Mary Edwards, MS, shares the benefit and importance of tracking your heart rate to take your fitness goals to the next level.
Balance is an essential part of life—especially your physical well-being. Cooper Fitness Center Professional Fitness Trainer Daniel Montes explains the basics of balance and how to incorporate it into your routine for maximum lifetime benefit.
With the hustle and bustle of the holidays, finding time to exercise can be tricky. Cooper Fitness Center Professional Fitness Trainer Louie Herrera explains how to get the most of a 30-minute at-home workout without sacrificing quality.
Our bodies need strength and proper motion to perform daily activities. Did you know that specific exercises using your own body weight can help build your strength?
Cancer doesn't have to be the victor. Cooper Fitness Center Professional Fitness Trainer Colette Cole shares how her program inspires women who face the daunting reality of breast cancer and are fighting back without losing hope.
Clear your mind by getting up and getting active. Cooper Fitness Center Professional Fitness Trainers discuss how exercise gives you a brighter outlook on life and share their favorite types of activities to combat depression.
There is no one-size-fits-all workout program. Cooper Fitness Center Professional Fitness Trainers Louie Herrera and Robert Treece share the secrets to creating an exercise schedule that meets your goals and interests.
Non-traditional forms of exercise, such as golf, can be the ideal balance of physical fitness and an enjoyable hobby. Cooper Fitness Center Professional Fitness Trainer David H. Williams shares training tips to keep your golf game young.
Find yourself shying away from weight lifting at the gym? Building lean muscle benefits far more than just your muscles. Cooper Fitness Center Professional Fitness Trainer Patrick Fisher explains the advantages of developing lean muscle mass.
Muscle Activation Technique is a revolutionary approach to correcting muscle imbalances, helping you feel and function your absolute best. Professional Fitness Trainer Robert Treece explains how using MAT to focus on correcting the source of pain can promote faster recovery from muscular injuries.
Exercise is a powerful, proven remedy for even the most stressful days. Professional Fitness Trainer Shannon Edwards shares his favorite ways to relieve stress through physical activity.
No matter the intensity of your workouts, recovery is key. Cooper Fitness Center Professional Fitness Trainer Angela Horner shares her post-workout recovery tips while discussing the importance of stretching and refueling your body properly after exercise.
Training intensities are designed to achieve different fitness goals. Cooper Fitness Center Professional Fitness Trainer Carla Botelho Sottovia explains the advantages of low and high intensity workouts and how to select the right training program for you.
An effective workout doesn’t have to be lengthy. Cooper Fitness Center Professional Fitness Trainers discuss the benefits of efficient workouts and provide a circuit you can perform in less than an hour.
Looking to maximize your fitness routine? There's an app for that! With so many smartphone apps available, how do you know which one is best for you? Cooper Fitness Center Professional Fitness Trainer Patrick Fisher shares the top three apps he uses to stay fit.
We all know exercise can keep us in top cardiovascular condition, but did you know it can also help ward off certain diseases?
Did you know exercise can help strengthen your mind? Cooper Fitness Center Professional Fitness Trainer Angela Horner shares the best exercises you can do to help improve cognition.
If you think utilizing monkey bars or an AntiGravity® Hammock won’t get you fit at the gym, think again. Cooper Fitness Center Professional Fitness Trainers Alicia Parker and Carla Sottovia discuss how the Precor® Queenax™ can provide a full-body workout.