Since about 2011, I have had foot and lower leg issues when I would go for a run. Everything would feel fine when I would start, but within ten minutes I would feel my calves tighten up. This tightness would travel up to my knees and then eventually into my back and shoulders, ultimately preventing me from running much farther than a mile or two. (more…)
This past week, I worked with a client who described her hamstrings as “being on fire”. She is young, fit, and healthy, and had not reported any kind of injury or trauma. Her only complaint was that during her workout the previous day, she felt her hamstrings, and only her hamstrings, with every exercise that she did. (more…)
Have you ever heard the saying “exercise is a lifestyle”? I am pretty sure we all have heard it and we REALLY need to cut it out and stop saying it. Let me tell you why.
Why do some people say this? Because the true and best changes from exercise are seen with consistency and long-term efforts.
But, what does it sound like is being said? Exercise must dominate your life.
Jim Caiafa, a bodybuilder in the northwest suburbs of Chicago, talks about his experience with Muscle Activation Techniques™ at Muscle Activation Schaumburg. Jim shares the improvement he has seen in his training after four sessions of MAT™, as well as the progress he has seen with his back after suffering an injury eight months prior (*disclosed in the video*).
Check out this fantastic testimonial from Jim Caiafa, a bodybuilder in the Chicago area, as he discusses his experience with the MATRx™ process and working with Charlie in preparation for his show:
“Should I use more weight?”
“That would depend on your goal…”
As a personal trainer in Schaumburg, I realize that a lot of times we get caught up on the idea of more is better. If we can use more weight, we should. If we can perform more reps, we should. If we can eek out a couple more sets, we should. But here’s the issue: the value in exercise is not actually found in the doing of the exercise, but rather in your body’s response to doing the exercise.
As a Muscle Activation Techniques™ (MAT™) specialist and personal trainer in Schaumburg, I know that many people seek out MAT™ because it makes A LOT of people feel better! This is one reason why I absolutely LOVE MAT™ and why I love being an MAT™ Specialist.
There is one problem with this, though. MAT™ does not treat pain. It never has and never will. In this blog post, I want to discuss what you can expect from an MAT™ session and how you can know you are making progress, even when pain symptoms are not changing.
Let’s start with the obvious, again. MAT™ does not treat pain.
At Muscle Activation Schaumburg, we believe in helping our clients exercise for life. We do this through one-on-one personal training and Muscle Activation Techniques™ (MAT™). We are the Chicago-area educational hub for Muscle Activation Techniques™, so if you have not heard of or experienced MAT™, you definitely need to check Read more…
As a personal trainer in Schaumburg, I see a number of papers, books, and articles written on building muscle. In fact, this is probably one of the most frequently discussed subjects within mainstream fitness.
However, a lot of these publications and discussions miss the boat on what actually needs to happen from an exercise-conditions standpoint. And honestly, it is really not as complicated as some sources make it out to be.
