UM Personal Training

by  Adam Toffan , M.Sc, NSCA-CSCS,  CSEP-CPT  Assistant Fitness Training and Assessment Coordinator,  Recreation Services  at the University of Manitoba There's a lot to consider when choosing an exercise. What muscles do you want to work, how much do you want to isolate a muscle, exercise order, etc. And once you've selected a workout, you're faced with the decision of equipment selection. Today I'll explain the differences between barbells, dumbbells, and cables as variations for an exercise. No implement is better for beginners or advanced lifters as each offers benefits regardless of skill level. Let's get started! Barbells Pros: Barbells allow you to lift more weight since it requires less stability than dumbbells. The increased stability of the bar also helps beginners as there is a lower learning curve than a similar exercise done with dumbbells. Barbells are also safer because more stability reduces the risk of technique breakdown that ca...

by  Adam Toffan , M.Sc, NSCA-CSCS,  CSEP-CPT  Assistant Fitness Training and Assessment Coordinator,  Recreation Services  at the University of Manitoba Impact and intensity are often used interchangeably in the fitness industry. While the two terms sound similar, they are quite different. Impact refers to the strain on the body, and intensity refers to overall difficulty. There is also a perceived cause and effect relationship between the two. Many people feel they need to increase the impact to increase the intensity of a workout, but this is not the case! Examples of high impact moves include various jumping movements or running. Adding some of these will boost intensity but will also increase the toll it takes on the body. While high impact exercises can have a negative effect, they do play a valuable role in fitness. They help improve coordination, teach people how to decelerate safely and effectively, and train sport-specific skills. As useful as th...