“I like to throw in an anti-rotational exercise, like the Paloff press, which helps your body stabilize against rotational forces,” said Accetta. “That gives you more spinal protection, engages your obliques, and really helps you better stabilize against any sort of rotational forces, especially if you play sports like golf or tennis.” The Pallof press is a simple but highly effective anti-rotational exercise, and because you can do it with either a cable or a band, you can do it in pretty much any gym, and even take it with you on the road. “For me, when it comes to setup, I don't have a preference whether you use a band or cable machine,” Accetta explained. “It just depends on what you have access to.”

Read the full article at gq.com. 

Researchers evaluated 40 participants over the age of 50 by testing their grip strength, knee strength, balance, and other physical movements. The balance test that involved standing on one leg for 30 seconds proved particularly challenging for older participants compared to other movements.

“This study gives great insight and shows the importance of evaluating balance in older individuals along with strength and gait to get a full picture of someone’s aging process and functional capacity,” said Matthew Accetta, MS, ACSM-CEP, CSCS*D, CSPS , exercise physiologist at HSS who’s unaffiliated with the study.

“As we age, muscle mass and strength begin to decline, which can begin to affect the functional capacity,” Accetta added.

Read the full article at verywellhealth.com. 

On a typical weight loss plan, we often focus on our calorie intake and workouts, yet overlook how many calories we burn through everyday activities. Enter non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT) — a possible game-changer for weight loss.

Maximizing calorie expenditure with NEAT can be as simple as adding small movements throughout your day or making ordinary tasks a little more challenging according to Matthew Accetta, MS, ACSM-CEP, CSCS*D, CSPS, exercise physiologist at HSS.

Tracking and measuring NEAT involves taking the total energy expenditure for a day and subtracting it from structured exercise, Accetta says. What’s left is the expenditure that results from non-exercise activity. 

“This can be difficult and confusing for most people, but a simple way for individuals to track and measure the amount of non-exercise activity during a day is to count the steps that they take,” Accetta explained. “The more steps a person takes during the day, the more active they generally are.”

Read the full article at loseit.com. 

Adding this simple move to your workout could come with a lot of benefits, like reduced back pain and a stronger upper body.

“When you hang from that bar, it provides some tension relief and lets the spine briefly open up a little bit, enough so some of those discs can rehydrate, get more nutrients, and recover faster.”  said Matthew Accetta, ACSM-CEP, CSCS*D, CSPS, exercise physiologist at HSS.

Read the full article at wellandgood.com. 

Muscle shaking during exercise can have two possible causes, according to  Accetta. First, your muscles might be tired. Or they might be trying to do something they’re not used to, like a new movement or lifting a heavier weight. In both cases, shaking is a sign that your nervous system is trying to recruit more muscle fibers to get the job done.

“As muscle fibers become fatigued during exercise, your body needs to stimulate more muscle fibers, which require more motor neurons to fire,” Accetta said. “The impulses that travel through the nervous system and to the neuromuscular junctions to carry out activity are what cause the muscles to twitch and shake.”

If you’re trying out a new move, you might expect shaking. “When the body experiences a new stimulus, it might require new muscle fibers and neuromuscular junctions to activate,” Accetta said. “As those fibers and junctions activate for the first couple of times, they might twitch and shake until they become accustomed to the stimulus.”

Shaking is not something that you should ignore, but it doesn’t necessarily mean you need to totally quit your workout, either. The best way to understand this signal is to think of shaking like a “yellow light,” according to Accetta.

“Muscle shaking during exercise should be viewed as a sign to slow down and be ready to take a break, kind of like a yellow traffic light,” Accetta explained.

Read the full article at wellandgood.com. 

“Warmup exercises, prior to training in the cold weather, provide a great benefit as they increase core and muscle temperature, increase neurological and muscle activation, as well as increase blood flow and oxygen uptake,” explained Accetta. “Bodyweight exercises such as squats, walking lunges, high knees, and planks are great to include. These exercises help to raise body temperature, increase range of motion and lower your injury risk.”

When it comes to clothing, Accetta said, “The layer closest to the skin should be tight and moisture wicking… but not too tight that it restricts blood flow. The next layer should provide insulation to preserve body heat. And, the outer-most layer should allow for ventilation and moisture to transfer especially if conditions are windy or raining. Gloves and extra socks should be worn to keep the hands and feet warm. A hat or headband is also a great to keep the heat from radiating and escaping from head and ears.”

“The most common injuries associated with cold weather training are muscle strains and joint sprains,” shared Accetta. “These often occur when a proper warmup does not take place and the joints and muscles don’t have a chance to regain some elasticity, remaining tight and restricting your motion.”

Accetta cited, “A lot of times people don’t allow for ample recovery time between training sessions. This can lead to overuse injuries. They often push through those nagging injuries. Also, many times people don’t take the time to warm up and cool down properly.”

Read the full article at Muscleandfitness.com.

Accetta explained that using the rating of perceived exertion (RPE) scale can help gauge the intensity of a workout.

He recommended aiming for an effort level of 4 (somewhat heavy) or lower while fasting. “Activities such as walking, cycling, swimming, yoga, and Pilates are all great options.”

Accetta said it’s okay to work out in both heat and cold while fasting, “but precautions should be taken to ensure safety.” He advised fueling the body properly before starting the fast and limiting the intensity of a workout.

Accetta noted it’s important to eat a well-balanced diet once the fast is over.

He continued, “Your daily food intake should include complete proteins such as meat, eggs, and milk, or quinoa, chia seeds, and soy if you follow a plant-based diet, along with fruits, vegetables, and carbohydrates. Carbs should make up about 40 to 60 percent of your overall calorie intake, protein should account for 20 to 30 percent, and healthy fats (such as avocado, fatty fish, nuts) the remaining 10 to 15 percent.”

Keeping hydrated is also important, Accetta underscored. “The darker the color of your urine, the more dehydrated you are.” He added that a minimum of eight glasses of water is recommended.

Read the full article at Everydayhealth.com.