Great Expectations Part 2 - The Power of Belief, FMS, and the Fitness Industry
In last week’s post, I covered the way that expectancy effects work, and how powerful they can be. Manipulating expectations can be a powerful way to impact the results of any intervention. In this post I analyze the ways in which these effects can impact our diet and exercise results, and why the fitness industry often intentionally manipulates these effects to its own benefit.
Great Expectations Part 1 - Placebo, Nocebo, and Expectancy Effects
Expectancy effects are positive or negative physiological effects which occur as a result of the expectations that we’ve established for a particular course of action, training routine, method of treatment, pill, etc. Placebo (positive) and nocebo (negative) effects are well documented, and vary in strength according to how strongly we believe a positive or negative effect will occur.
Post-COVID Exercise Planning
Post-COVID, the risk of various health issues is increased, and it is not a good idea to directly return to high activity levels right away. In this post, I cover some of the most important elements to avoid in training to ensure that you have a smooth transition back to full ability.
Do Dumbbells or Barbells Produce Superior Results?
Most lifters train primarily with bilateral exercises, in which both arms or legs are working simultaneously. However, unilateral exercises, in which individual limbs act with independent loading, have their own strengths and weaknesses - and they may be superior depending on your training needs. Here I analyze some of the strengths and weaknesses of each.
My Perfect Morning Routine (And Why You Shouldn't Care)
Routines are a powerful strategy for automating our habits and enabling us to complete more work. At the same time, I think we’re often too reliant on caring about what celebrities and influencers claim their habits are.