American Council on Exercise

February is American Heart Month and Black History Month—the perfect time to discuss health disparities in the Black community. These practical self-care strategies may help improve your heart health.

The study provides scientific evidence supporting the physiological and health benefits of the viral workout.

So, make sure you're intaking enough both before and after your workouts. The American Council on Exercise recommends drinking 17- to 20 ounces of water two- to three hours before exercise, then another eight ounces of water 20- to 30 minutes before the workout.

The American Council of Exercise recommends performing three sets for each using a reverse pyramid rep/set scheme. Start with a higher number of repetitions for the first set, then decrease by 2 to 6 reps, then decrease by another 2 to 4 reps on the last set. So you might start with 8-6-4 reps and work your way up to 12-10-8 reps as you get stronger and build endurance. Hold each exercise for no more than 8 to 10 seconds.

Why the "Middle-Aged Woman Workout" Still Matters For starters, it matters because it works. Christopher Gagliardi, ACE-certified personal trainer and health coach, shares that the American Council on Exercise has done research that supports some of these workouts as effective forms of exercise. Cardio drumming has been proved effective in terms of enjoyment, caloric expenditure, and producing an elevated heart rate for cardiorespiratory benefits.

This blog explores recent research into the connections between longevity and exercise and provides key takeaways and practical strategies. Gain a better understanding of the role of exercise in healthspan and quality of life.

Research shows performing more weekly sets results in more muscle hypertrophy, which refers to an increase in muscle size. You can increase your weekly sets over time as you get stronger and more experienced with strength training and weight lifting. Here are some general guidelines for specific fitness goals from the American Council on Exercise.

Knowing how to exercise safely when air quality is bad is important for your overall health. The strategies presented here will help you make informed decisions that will allow you to head outdoors and stay active, even when pollution or allergens are an issue.

“When we think of mobility, we think about movement,” said Cedric Bryant, the president of the American Council on Exercise. This means focusing on dynamic moves, like lunges, that work groups of muscles, rather than individual ones.

This blog provides an evidence-based approach to strength training the glutes. Based on ACE-sponsored research, the workout provided can be added to your clients’ routines or serve as a quick, on-the-go workout when time is limited.

ACE recieves national workplace recognition award.

As a health and exercise professional, you know the wide-reaching physical benefits of exercise and physical activity. Now, emerging research is illuminating how movement can also positively impact cognitive and sleep health, particularly in older adults. This article examines findings from two groundbreaking studies to provide actionable insights for enhancing your clients’ overall well-being.

The American Council on Exercise (ACE), a global leader in health and fitness education and certification, has partnered with Coursera to present the “Intro to Personal Training: A Career Starter Certificate.” 

Because of the problems above, reputable organizations have mostly backed away from the idea of “calculating” your max heart rate. Runner’s World took down its target heart rate calculator. The American Council on Exercise, one of the major organizations that issues personal training certifications, instructs trainers not to use max heart rate calculations, but to do real-world tests to help clients match their own heart rates to appropriate intensities of exercise...

The American Council on Exercise (ACE) and the Mental Wellbeing Association have announced the launch of the Mental Well-Being Certification. This first-of-its-kind program focuses on mental health and wellbeing through established self-care practices in exercise, nutrition, mindfulness, and social connection.

Because strength training is one of the best ways to preserve and prevent muscle loss, it tracks that a slew of workout and wellness companies (including Equinox and the workout streaming platform Obé) are launching exercise programs specifically marketed toward people on these medications. What’s more, the American Council on Exercise (ACE) just launched a new course around supporting clients who are using anti-obesity medication for trainers and health coaches.

You can also use a calorie counting tool, such as one from the American Council on Exercise. With it, you can select your weight, activity, and time spent doing the activity to figure out how many calories you burned.

Equipping health and fitness professionals to support both physical and mental health through practical, evidence-based coaching techniques. 

The American Council on Exercise advises that you be aware of overtraining syndrome (OTS). The signs to look out for include a decrease in performance, excessive fatigue, loss of appetite, chronic injuries and psychological stress.

If you've ever wanted a workout full of moves that target multiple muscles at once, look no further. Called compound exercises, these moves come with plenty of benefits. According to the American Council on Exercise, they improve how efficiently you move, boost your overall coordination, help with flexibility, and get your heart rate up more than exercises where you work one muscle at a time.

According to the American Council on Exercise’s fitness calculator, a 150-pound person will usually burn about 272 calories climbing stairs for 30 minutes, while that same person would burn about 170 calories walking at a “very brisk” pace of 4 miles per hour (that doesn’t factor in an incline, though, so with that, the level of calorie burning is definitely higher).

According to the American Council on Exercise, your resting metabolic rate, a.k.a. your body’s ability to burn calories while sitting on the sofa doing nothing, decreases by about 1 to 2% per decade due to muscle mass loss and increased fat mass. Our diets usually don't change enough to account for this metabolic adjustment, meaning weight can creep up slowly but surely with every birthday.

ACE recently unveiled its 2023-2024 Impact Report, which reflects our commitment to translating the evidence of the benefits of physical activity into tangible action to get people moving.

As people age, they often experience natural changes in their physical abilities—especially in strength, balance and gait, which can impact everything from daily movement to overall independence. New research suggests that training for balance can be one of the most important keys to maintaining health and independence as we age. These findings open up exciting opportunities for health and exercise professionals to prioritize balance in your programming.

Quick-hit workouts and travel workouts are great options when missing time from the gym. Use this resistance band workout to stay on track when lack of time becomes an obstacle.

Fitness trends explored in this blog include fitness trackers, recovery tools, inclusivity and anti-obesity medications. Learn more from the ACE CEO and Scientific Advisory Panel.

Comprehensive course offers essential knowledge and skills for navigating anti-obesity medications and their impact on the health and fitness industry 

Eccentric muscle actions are more likely to cause DOMS, warns Woodward, so you may feel this exercise a day or two later. That said, the American Council for Exercise has consistently ranked the reverse crunch above the traditional crunch for strengthening both the rectus abdominus and the obliques, so the pain truly is worth the gain.

Especially during the busy holiday season, committing to staying active can not only help improve health, but also prepare you for the start of the New Year, according to Cedric Bryant, Ph.D., president and chief executive officer of ACE, the American Council on Exercise.

Starting with proper form is critical to prevent injuries and maximize benefits. Working with a certified personal trainer can be invaluable for beginners. If that’s not an option, consider online resources or instructional videos from reputable fitness organizations like the American Council on Exercise (ACE).

Determine how to split up your macros. - To lose weight and gain muscle: 30% of calories from protein, 30% from fat, 40% from carbohydrates, according to Czerwony. - To maintain weight: 10-35% of calories from protein, 20-35% from fat, 45-65% from carbohydrates, according to the American Council on Exercise.

Because CrossFit incorporates advanced movements, people who don't take their progression seriously and attempt to (or are allowed to, by a couch) do too much too soon, have an increased risk for injury, reports the research from the American Council on Exercise.

A study from the American Council on Exercise found that kettlebell training twice a week for 30 to 45 minutes increased aerobic capacity, improved dynamic balance, and dramatically increased core strength after five weeks.

This Q&A covers the wide range of health and fitness careers for moms, from part-time gigs to full-time careers, and discusses tips for getting started and the ways ACE will be there to support you every step of the way.

Walking for weight loss is effective and has many benefits, including reducing the risk of heart attack and stroke. Even a few thousand steps a day can help you shed pounds if you’re consistent. Walking can also help you develop lean muscle, says Cedric Bryant, Ph.D., the president and chief science officer of the American Council on Exercise...

Quick-hit workouts and travel workouts are great options when missing time from the gym. Use this suspension trainer workout to stay on track when lack of time becomes an obstacle.

A 150-pound person who jogs for 30 minutes will burn around 238 calories, according to the American Council on Exercise fitness calculator. When I tested out this experiment firsthand, I burned 400 calories on an 11 percent incline in 30 minutes.

Every group fitness instructor undergoes rigorous training so they can program workouts for all fitness levels and abilities and be able to answer questions and make on-the-fly suggestions or corrections for people in their class. For example, every Orangetheory Fitness coach is required to hold training certifications from nationally accredited organizations, like the American Council on Exercise (ACE), Fajardo explains.

Jennifer Rizzuto is a freelance fitness journalist based in New York, NY. She’s been a NASM-certified personal trainer, corrective exercise specialist, and performance enhancement specialist for over a decade. She holds additional certifications in nutrition coaching from Precision Nutrition, and pre/post-natal exercise from the American Council on Exercise.

Recently published research looked at health disparities and resilience in Native American communities, suggesting that it’s time to look at these issues through a new lens. Reframing these issues can position you to better serve a long overlooked community.