learn. the science, cited.
Training, nutrition and coaching for personal trainers and the clients they work with, in plain English. Every claim is cited to a page in the textbooks and research coaches trust.
articles.
every article- Pre-participation screening: how to screen new clientsScreening is how a trainer decides whether a new client can start now, should start gently, or needs a doctor's sign-off first. Here's the current approach, what it replaced, and what to keep on file.read the article
- Strength training for endurance athletes: does it work?Lifting helps most runners, cyclists and triathletes use less energy at a given pace and resist fatigue, without adding much bulk. The research points to specific loads, session frequencies and ways to fit lifting around endurance training.read the article
- Exercise during pregnancy and postpartum: a trainer's guideMost pregnant clients can keep training, and most should. Here's what the guidelines say about how much and how hard, when to stop and refer, and how to bring a client back after birth.read the article
- How many sets per week do you need to build muscle?Counting weekly hard sets per muscle group is the simplest useful way to measure training volume. Use the research and its limits to set a client's volume and decide when to add sets.read the article
- What is a deload week?A short, planned drop in training stress lets accumulated fatigue clear. How to schedule a deload, adjust training and judge how long a break can last before fitness starts to slip.read the article
- What is reverse dieting?A slow, planned climb in calories after a diet ends, meant to bring intake back up while keeping fat regain small. Here's how it works, who it suits, and where it gets oversold.read the article
glossary.
all 240 terms- Progressive overloadProgressive overload is the gradual increase in training stress, through load, reps or sets, that keeps the body adapting as fitness improves.
- Training volumeTraining volume is the total work performed in training, counted as sets, repetitions or volume load (sets times reps times weight).
- Reps in reserve (RIR)Reps in reserve (RIR) is the number of additional reps a client could complete at the end of a set before reaching muscular failure.
- One-repetition maximum (1RM)One-repetition maximum (1RM) is the heaviest load a client can lift once with proper technique.
- PeriodizationPeriodization is the planned variation of training over time, organized into cycles to support progress and manage fatigue.
- DeloadDeload is a planned period of easier training, usually about a week, that reduces accumulated fatigue.
- HypertrophyHypertrophy is an increase in muscle size, mainly from existing muscle fibers growing larger in response to resistance training.
- Total daily energy expenditure (TDEE)Total daily energy expenditure (TDEE) is all the energy used in 24 hours through basal metabolism, physical activity and digestion.
- Metabolic adaptationMetabolic adaptation is the drop in energy expenditure during a diet beyond what the weight lost would explain.
- PAR-Q+PAR-Q+ is a health screening questionnaire clients complete before increasing activity to identify a need for further medical screening.