Is grip strength important? Is there a connection between grip strength and 
health? In business, a strong handshake will generally make a good first impression. However, the strength of your handshake may be an indication of overall health and longevity. Researchers are connecting grip strength to overall muscle strength, heart health, and doing simple tasks as people age (carrying objects, preventing falls etc.). Grip strength is measured in 3 ways. “Crushing Strength” refers to how strongly you can grip using all your fingers as well as the palm of your hand. “Supporting Strength” indicates how you can hold onto something or hang from something. “Pinching Strength” is how firmly you can pinch an object between your fingers using your thumb. If you are into weight training, grip strength will enable you to increase weight load. If your aim is to increase grip strength, walking carrying heavy bags, wrist curls, or just hanging from a bar are some simple ways to accomplish this. More research needs to be done so that the connection between grip strength and health can be better understood. Education focusing on increasing grip strength can influence the outcome of a person’s health.
Category: Weight Training
Don’t Forget your Shoulders…
Our shoulder joints have evolved to the point where we can reach above our heads, behind our backs, and allow our arms to swing in full 
circles. One in four people complain about shoulder pain. Injury to the ball and socket joint can occur suddenly or be gradual. The tendons which hold the rotator cuff in place can become irritated or overstretched which can be extremely painful. Strengthening the muscles that surround the joint is a way of increasing their resilience. That includes the large muscles in the upper back and chest as well as the smaller groups that surround the joint. However, your lower body should not be ignored. Weak legs and core can result in putting more strain on the shoulder joint when lifting a heavy object. Minor pain may need time to heal but you should also consider what exercise caused the injury to occur. You may need to balance it with an exercise performed in an opposite direction. An example would be if it was a chest exercise maybe a back exercise will be beneficial. If the pain lingers, before you consider surgery work with a professional. Physical therapy can produce amazing results. A physical therapist will advise you on a proper regimen to follow. Follow up on their suggestions and see if it advisable to work with a qualified personal trainer. Don’t forget acupuncture as an alternate. This may be a better way to tackle shoulder pain than just attempting to handle the pain on your own.
Living with Parkinson’s Disease…
Parkinson’s disease affects about 1 million Americans. Doctors describe it as a neurodegenerative disease in which the brain neurons begin to die. However, advances are making progress in slowing down the 
progression of the disease. High Intensity Cardio exercise can slow the progression of the disease. Clinical trials in 2018 showed treadmill workouts 3 times a week along with strength and balance training slowed the rigidity caused by Parkinson’s. Personalized genetic testing has made it possible for physicians to target specific genes with medication. Microbial bacteria are also being considered since many patients have been found to have an overabundance of H. Pylori in the gut which can also be attributed to self-medication with over-the-counter probiotics. Biomarker detection is being studied as to the possible signs and markers of developing the disease. Although it is uncurable, these measures give hope that a patient’s life will not be totally devastated by the disease.
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaneurology/article-abstract/2664948
Trauma and Weight Training…
For years Psychologists have recommended exercise for mental health. Now it seems mental health groups are recommending formalized weightlifting routines as a therapeutic tool for those who have
experienced both physical and psychological trauma. Physical trainers are being educated on how to deal with this special category. Why is it that lifting heavy things helps people with trauma recover? Research is finding that the resistance of weight training has a connection to building resilience. There is now a certification for any practitioner who wishes to become a special trainer for clients dealing with trauma. Yet people who have experienced some sort of emotional trauma may avoid exercise because it may raise heart rate, breathing, and body temperature-all symptoms which they feel may bring on anxiety. A beneficial system of weight training will include periods of rest in which the person is allowed to check in with themselves to see how they are feeling so as not to be overwhelmed. This gives the nervous system a chance to settle down, so it can absorb more stress as the sessions continue. Hope is that these people will feel more comfortable in their body and have a stronger mind-body connection.