The exceptional mobility of the shoulder joint is also its downfall. Being so mobile comes with an innate amount of instability. With so many muscles acting on the shoulder joint, a near-perfect balance must be found.

Poor shoulder health stems from two key factors: poor posture and less than ideal exercise selection.

Continuing to exercise with poor posture will only further the problem. Pain, discomfort, and tightness are likely to present. This also reduces our ability to produce force and lift heavy stuff — the key to building muscle and strength. And it increases the risk of injury.

This article will discuss the reasons for chronic shoulder pain and the specific strategies to manage it and ultimately overcome it. …

Nutrition labels are notoriously hard to read. Especially when food companies try to make their products appear healthier through the manipulation of the nutrition label — which is nearly always. Whilst most of the foods we eat should be whole foods, thus not requiring a nutrition label, a lot of the groceries we buy on a weekly basis do come in a packet of sorts.

Being able to quickly glance at a nutrition label and determine whether it is worth your time is as simple as knowing what to look for. Using the 3/3 Rule, you can instantly know which labels are worth investigating further and which foods can be discarded. …

You’ve been told to stretch more. You’ve been told to improve your mobility. Both are similar in a way, but there is a clear winner in terms of importance. If I had a choice to focus on just one, I know what I’d choose.

Mobility is a measure of how you move. It’s a measure of the positions your body is able to get into. Exercising involves moving the body into certain positions against resistance. For this reason, being mobile will improve resistance training performance, and ultimately its results.

Being more flexible certainly has its advantages. Its downfall is its ability to elicit only a short-term effect. And the fact that static stretching is best post-workout — when nobody is keen to do it. Mobility can be trained before and during your workout. It’s more realistic that someone will train mobility more regularly, thus making good mobility more attainable. …

We all want to look good. Part of getting there is building muscle in what we perceive as the ideal body parts. Three distinct muscle groups stare back at us when we look in the mirror: the biceps, chest, and quads. Yes, we do look at our stomachs as well, but this article will focus on the main three muscle groups where over-development occurs.

Because we can see it, we want to train it. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with that, but the problems occur when balance is thrown out the window. …

Since the turn of the year, I have been tracking my sleep. I am yet to miss a day — I dare not to at this stage. I call it a healthy addiction. My sleep is something I’ve taken more seriously since reading Dr. Matthew Walker’s Why We Sleep. It’s hard to ever take sleep for granted again after consuming Dr. Walker’s vast wealth of knowledge.

I use the Garmin Connect smartwatch to track my sleep. It’s probably not the most accurate method but it says it can on the box so I’ve stuck with it. My experience over the past nearly nine months is based on using this device. Despite formulating an effective nighttime routine which enables consistently good sleep, I simply cannot stop tracking my sleep. …

It’s a problem plaguing society, though not often talked about. With advancements in technology, we have been ushered into a more sedentary world. One where looking down — often whilst sitting — at a screen for many hours is the norm.

The human body’s ability to adapt means it has done just that. Our postures are the direct result of our behaviors. We have become what we do — stuck in a position we voluntarily assume each and every day.

Internally rotated shoulders, a chronically flexed spine, and the neck pain to go with it. We then go and exercise in this compromised position. Say goodbye to proper injury prevention. …

A common ailment amongst runners, the dreaded shin splints just seem to linger. For those unfortunate enough to deal with this recurring issue, it seems like it will never truly go away.

Known medically as medial tibial stress syndrome, this chronic source of pain needs proper attention to achieve a long-term fix. Like it or not, some people are more prone to the condition — you’ll just have to accept your anatomy on this one.

If this is you, you need to take the steps to treat it correctly — no more quick fixes like shortening your run or icing your shins. …

When you consider that most people don’t get enough sleep, it becomes apparent that napping may have a significant role to play. And if you do get enough sleep, well, there still may be some upside. To me, it feels like hitting a reset switch — one that vastly improves my afternoon, both cognitively and physically.

It’s a habit that can take time to master. Simply just falling asleep during the daytime isn’t always easy, especially at first. It can take time to condition the body to this new norm.

Should you choose to try regular napping, there are a few powerful benefits you could expect to experience. As an everyday napper myself, I intend to share my personal experience, and whether it matches up to the findings in the most recent research. …