What is going on with this blog?

This blog has been undergoing some changes.

When I first started this blog, it was just a way for me to write what I was learning about strength and conditioning. I realized that:

- many questions in this field are "frequently asked questions." Maybe "constantly asked questions" is more accurate.

and

- if I could explain what I knew to other people, it meant I really understood it. If I couldn't, I needed to hit the books/the gym/ask questions/etc.

So I created Strength-Basics back in 2009 and posted daily for a long time. Then, I dropped to 5 times a week as I got busier. Eventually, it kind of wound down to "occasionally updated."

The problem was time. Time spent training clients, working on my hobbies and other employment (I also teach, do consulting occasional, and write, write, write), a sudden boost in work hours while doing a contract job - it all ate into my blogging time.

To revive it, I decided not to try to make it an impersonal source of training information. I decided I want to use it to post more about my own training, my own experiences, and my own insights into training as someone who trains people and who trains himself.

That's what you'll see going forward. A mix of what's come before - training term definitions, book and equipment reviews, and exercise technique. Motivational postings. Links and reviews to articles I find especially worth checking out.

But you'll also find more of my own training - what I do on my own, and what I do with my trainer (yes, trainers hire other trainers - everyone can benefit from a dispassionate expert eye!)

I'll also try to answer questions I get by email, or on Google+, and elsewhere.

I am a professional personal trainer, and I train clients at CR Fitness in Wyckoff NJ. But this blog is my personal blog.

I'm happy to pass on whatever information I know. I want to help you understand more about fitness and health,. and I want to share what I know as widely as possible. But this blog is not meant as professional advice from a trainer to clients. It's information for you to use or not use, act on or discard, all at your own risk. Check with a doctor. Hire a certified and knowledgeable trainer (even hire me, if you like.) Consult with a physical therapist. Make sure what you learn from here is safe and effective for you, and take responsibility for trying it.

And finally, verify what you read and learn here. Don't take my word for anything except for facts about how I train or what my opinion is. Check the science, check the sources. Read my reviews and workouts and look into other people's take on the same thing. Learn with me. Strength, health, and fitness is a journey - let's make it together.

"What is that supposed to do?"

I was talking diet the other day with a friend of mine. We're both on a modified eating plan at the moment. He's going low carb, something I've successfully done in the past when I needed to cut weight.

I told him my approach - more carbs than usual, lower fat than usual, and not as much protein as I usually pack away. The goal being to maintain weight but lower my body fat and my waist measurement. Lose fat, but maintain performance.

He asked me a great question.

"What is that supposed to do?"

On the surface, that might not seem like a brilliant question. But it is.

Why?

Because to answer that with a real answer requires that I have a real answer.

My answer is pretty simple. There are lots of indications that I will perform better on higher carbs. And that I should be able to tolerate higher carbs better. So I constructed an eating plan based on my nutritional knowledge that worked off of that.

But what if my answer was, "fat makes you fat." Or "I read it in a magazine"? Or "I heard that works well"? Or even "I want to lose some weight"? Or worse, "I don't know"?

Not so good.

The first is a controlled experiment. Based on solid information about how much I need to eat, and what parameters I want to play with, I'm on a good track. Upping my carbs and getting enough (but not too much) protein.

The second group of questions are just cliches, backed by nothing. It's guessing and hoping.

That's what makes that such a great question - either I had a considered answer, or I didn't. Either I have a reason based on knowledge, or I am just hoping to randomly hit on the change I needed to reach my goal.

It's not a huge change - we're talking 50/25/25 carbs/fats/protein instead of 40/30/30 or 33/33/34. It's not more food or a dramatic cut in food, either. It does involve more tracking, so I'm more consistent with my intake each day. In the end, I can see if it works as expected. I will be able to compare it to other eating plans I've used in the past (ultra-low carb, low-carb, high-carb, balanced, etc.)

If I couldn't answer that question, it meant I could do none of that. And if I simply didn't know, I was guessing.