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What is “Evidence-Based Resistance Training”?

by Skyler Tanner | March 13, 2018 | Education, Resistance Training | 0 Comments

In exercise, you might assume that trainers follow best practices, informed by what the peer-reviewed research confirms is safe and effective for trainees over a wide age range. You'd be wrong. Evidence-Based Resistance Training, Explained Most of what passes for...

BIG gains from minimalist running routine

by Skyler Tanner | February 27, 2018 | Resistance Training, Running | 0 Comments

At Smart Strength, we're all about finding the minimum effective dose. Asking if the thing you're doing is giving you back more than you are investing. This is the basis of anything we do with strength training at Smart Strength. It is also the foundation of our Race...

Client Success: Cindy

by Skyler Tanner | November 14, 2017 | Client Results, Resistance Training, Training + Aging | 0 Comments

If you've browsed our testimonials page, you'll find Cindy's first testimonial for our service. There's even more good news: she's just had a 1 year follow up with her endocrinologist and neurologist and they're BLOWN AWAY. First, the bone mineral density...

Exercise & Physical Activity: What’s in a name?

by Skyler Tanner | September 11, 2017 | Education, Resistance Training | 0 Comments

Short version: Exercise is specific: challenging the muscles in a very targeted manner to stimulate a positive physiological adaptation that serves to enhance fitness no matter the task. Physical activity is general: body movement produced by muscle action that is a...

“Am I too OLD for this?!”

by Skyler Tanner | August 11, 2017 | Resistance Training, Training + Aging | 0 Comments

One of the hangups that keeps people from starting is a concern about safety. Our evidence-based system scales to meet a person exactly where they're at, so they can progress without risk of injury. We've got that covered! Another concern is lack of progress. While it...

The “Desert Island” Workout

by Skyler Tanner | July 28, 2017 | Resistance Training, Training Programs | 0 Comments

I've been getting a lot of requests from clients who go away for the summer for a workout they can do with minimal equipment. I have just the solution for you! Key points: Always move slowly! I instruct clients to try to move as slowly as possible without stopping,...

Medical Exercise Part 1: Cardiometabolic Disorders

by SWETI | March 9, 2017 | Medical Exercise, Resistance Training | 0 Comments

Smart Strength is Westlake Hill’s only provider of Medical Exercise. Briefly: medical exercise is prescribed by Certified Exercise Physiologists for individuals with medically controlled diseases. With nearly 50% of the population suffering from some form of chronic...

The Value of Strength

by SWETI | February 23, 2017 | Healthy Habits, Resistance Training, Training + Aging | 0 Comments

Why a focus on building strength? Don't resist resistance! The biggest issue we face as we age is the inevitable loss of muscle, which is preceded by a precipitous loss of strength. Starting at age 25, the average person is at risk of losing up to half of a pound...

Sneak Peak into Smart Nutrition: Want to play the Almond Game?

by SWETI | February 9, 2017 | Healthy Habits | 0 Comments

We’re getting ready to roll out our habit-based nutrition program: Smart Nutrition! Smart Nutrition is a 6-month program that uses a research-proven framework and small habits to help people rebuild their eating behaviors AND vet their own “perfect” diet. The net...

Smart Strength Race Prep Guide

by SWETI | January 5, 2017 | Healthy Habits, Running | 0 Comments

We’re entering running season here in Austin. If we consider the Turkey Trot as the start, then we have a couple months until the middle of the season (Austin Marathon, February 19th, 2017), with the end of the season coming at the Capital 10k (April 23rd, 2017)....

Now is the time to start

by SWETI | November 2, 2016 | Resistance Training, Training + Aging, Training Programs | 0 Comments

I recently had a consultation with a client who started with the following statement: “I looked you up 10 years ago, knew I needed to start, but I haven’t until now.” The first thing to notice is that I’ve been here 10 years (12 to be exact)! Most fitness companies...

Smart Strength — for the competitive cyclist!

by SWETI | October 10, 2016 | Resistance Training, Training Programs | 0 Comments

As a competitive cyclist for the past 25 years, I know cyclists get excited about anything that improves performance. We’ll spend thousands of dollars on equipment, power meters and even coaching with the hope to increase our watts at threshold or save a handful of...

Ideas for managing the “weight gain gap”

by SWETI | October 6, 2016 | Healthy Habits | 0 Comments

So we’re barrelling down on the holiday season, which means amazing opportunities to reconnect with friends and family over lovingly home cooked meals.But this is also the time of year where we actually gain the weight that contributes to eventual obesity. A study...

How much water do you need?

by SWETI | October 6, 2016 | Hydration | 0 Comments

How much water do you need? Have you ever wondered why 8 glasses of 8 ounces of water per day have been recommended? Well, the truth is that there’s not good evidence for this claim as a concept, as evidenced by a research review published in the Journal of the...

Combining Smart Strength with other activities

by SWETI | October 5, 2016 | Resistance Training, Training Programs | 0 Comments

We get questions about how to integrate what we do at Smart Strength with other activities. People seem to have difficulty rectifying how such a small dose of exercise could reap huge rewards in their recreational activities.SpecificityFirst, we don’t want your...

Resistance Training Enhances Protein Utilization in Older Trainees

by SWETI | October 5, 2016 | Resistance Training, Training + Aging | 0 Comments

Aging can bring with it a host of negative adaptations, such as osteoporosis, sarcopenia, diabetes, and cognitive decline to name a few. The assumption here is that what is common is what is normal. The fact of the matter is that while there is some amount of decline...