VO2 max is an individual’s maximum utilization of oxygen during exercise. It remains the gold standard for measuring an individual’s cardiovascular fitness, but this measurement is also strongly correlated to our health and lifespan. Authors have shown VO2 max is a better predictor of future health than commonly utilized tests such as blood work and...
Exercise has tremendous effects on our physical, mental, and emotional health. It also remains one of our most powerful strategies to reduce pain. We can all attest to the overall great feelings that occur after a challenging workout or activity. This reduction in mental, emotional, or physical pain after a single bout of exercise is...
Aerobic exercise continues to be our best intervention to improve cardiovascular fitness/VO2 max, metabolic health, and disease risk. Over 20 diseases have been shown to benefit from properly prescribed aerobic exercise. Despite the health benefits only 25% of Americans reach the recommended amount of exercise each week. The number one barrier for exercise participation in...
Adults continue to shift their mindsets from the absolute length of their lives in years to the quality of life in those years. The lifespan to health span shift is critical because most aging adults do not want to live a longer life if it requires losing the parts, especially independence, of their life most...
By: Ian Nay, PT, DPT, OCS Mobility work is often emphasized for pain relief, injury prevention, and performance, but how much is truly necessary? Recent research suggests that strength training performed through full ranges of motion may provide many of the mobility benefits people seek, with targeted mobility work serving as a valuable supplement rather...
it is hard to find someone in a Boulder County gym or outdoor area who is not utilizing music to help fuel their workout. Whether engaged in aerobic exercise or strength training music can provide participants more enjoyment during the activity and also boost performance during the session. Thanks to technology advancements it has become...
By: Rani Helvey-Byers, PT, DPT, OCS When it comes to exercise, the way you train matters as much as what you train. The same movement — be it a squat or a row — can achieve different results depending on the sets, reps, load, and the length of the rest breaks you use. Understanding these...
Boulder and its’ surrounding areas are well known for many things including the percentage of citizens who exercise. Some surveys have reported over 90% of people living in Boulder are active making it one of the fittest cities in the country. Granted this is self report, but it is hard not to look around during...
By: Rani Helvey-Byers, PT, DPT, OCS The Truth About Midlife Strength: It’s About Health, Not Vanity As we enter our 40s and 50s, our bodies begin to change — sometimes dramatically. Muscle mass decreases, metabolism slows, bone density decreases, and aches and pains become more noticeable. Hormonal shifts during perimenopause and menopause only accelerate these...
Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer related death women with over 600K deaths attributed to this form of cancer worldwide. National and international guidelines continue to support the utilization of exercise as part of a multimodal treatment plan for patients with this form of cancer. Exercise has a significant impact on metabolic and...