Athlete in the Game of Life

04/15/2026

I'm asked regularly about how heavy a person needs to lift to see results, high reps and low weight, or lower reps and heavier weight. Have you wondered this or asked a fitness professional?

Women generally do not lift heavy enough, neither do people 60 and over. The "reasons" are a woman does not want to look like a man, and older adults do not want to hurt themselves. I always try not to be overly critical when answering these questions, unfortunately, I know I am.

In a 2026 summary of studies called, "American College of Sports Medicine Position Stand. Resistance Training Prescription for Muscle Function, Hypertrophy, and Physical Performance in Healthy Adults: An Overview of Reviews", the results show you need to lift heavier than you think! The study surveyed adults over 18 years old who lifted 6-52 weeks per year across over 30,000 people.

Here's what the summarized results showed to elicit improved muscle strength, size, and multiple physical function outcomes:

Improved strength requires >80% of your 1 rep max load through a full range of motion for 2-3 sets, and more than 2 sessions per week.

Improved muscle size requires >10 sets per week and eccentric overload (slowing the down portion of your lift).

"Training to momentary muscle fatigue, equipment type, exercise complexity, set structure, time under tension, blood flow restriction, and periodization did not consistently impact training outcomes."

04/14/2026

Your Lower Back Pain isn’t Random

Over time your supporting core muscles get weak from long hours of sitting. Your lower back takes on some of the tasks of your support muscles which contributes to the pain you have.

Movement is truly medicine! Strengthening the lower back and muscles around it helps you to withstand the long hours sitting at your desk. Integrate butt kicks and the bird dog into your daily routine to help fix your pain issues.

04/11/2026

My journey to becoming a fitness professional began long before 2008, I didn't know it at the time. The reasons I did push-ups and pull-ups in my room were not unusual for an 8th grader. Most early teen boys want to be bigger and stronger than the "popular" kids.

In this episode I go completely raw and unscripted sharing my secrets and being vulnerable with you about my workout origins. These vulnerabilities drove me to pursue an insecurity that became a career. It's probably not the story you think if you follow me on social media. Take a listen and maybe you can connect on a deeper level with me.

Listen, like, and subscribe to The Peale Appeal Podcast, .

My journey to becoming a fitness professional began long before 2008, I didn't know it at the time. The reasons I did push-ups and pull-ups in my room were not unusual for an 8th grader. Most early teen boys want to be bigger and stronger than the "popular" kids. In this episode I go completely raw....

04/08/2026

In honor of World Health Day, which supplements are the best for building and preserving muscle mass?

Muscle mass and bone density naturally decline as you age, for women and men. In this context of building and preserving muscle, I'm talking about fighting this natural decline, not becoming a bodybuilder.

I'm asked regularly about what's a good supplement for this or that. To keep it simple and not discuss specific brands, there are three supplements that have been proven to help you build muscle mass:
Creatine
Caffeine
Protein Powder

Regardless of if you are a man or a woman, these supplements have been scientifically proven to help fight age related loss of muscle. How much is suggested?

The National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM), suggests 3-5g of creatine on workout days, 3-6mg/kg of body weight of caffeine, and protein powder when whole food sources are inconvenient to get your normal amount in.

I have been using creatine for over 25 years and have seen positive results with no negative side effects. I consume caffeine daily and use a protein powder when necessary.

If you are unsure how any of these supplements may react with your medications, please consult your doctor.

04/04/2026

Your Neck Pain Isn’t a Postural Issue

Neck pain stems from weak muscles trying to support your head. Your posture collapses when your muscles fatigue from looking down at your screen. Building strength and endurance are the keys to overcoming chronic neck pain.

The chin tuck and wall angel can be done multiple times per day to build strength and endurance to overcome neck pain. I do the wall angel multiple times per day to help my neck remain in proper position, which improves my posture!

Try them and post in the comments how you feel after.

04/02/2026

🧠 Can Lifting Relatively Heavy Weights Change the Age of Your Brain?

The CDC published in their 2018 Physical Activity Guidelines that moderate-to-vigorous exercise improves executive function, speed of processing information, and short-term memory recall on the day it's performed.

The guidelines also called for a MINIMUM of two days per week of muscle and bone strengthening activities (lifting weights). Are you doing the MINIMUM?

A recent study by Raul Gonzalez-Gomez et al. Geroscience 2026, talked about if heavy resistance training can reduce brain aging. The study trained models to predict brain age and applied them to 309 people from the Live Active Successful Aging randomized trial.

The results were heavy and moderate resistance training significantly reduced brain aging by 1.4 to 2.3 years. The effects were at a whole brain level, not just isolated networks. Resistance training slows down brain aging and emphasized its role in overall brain health.

Put down the 5-pound dumbbells when you know you can handle the 25-pound dumbbells, for example, for 8-10 reps of an exercise. Doing more than 15 reps in a set is not heavy resistance training.

While heavy lifting is not the fountain of youth, it has great benefits for your body AND brain!

03/31/2026

Does Your Back Pain Show Up When You Move?

Your movements reveal weak and tired muscles. The movement itself is not the problem, just the messenger.

Try the forward-back-side-side to both strengthen and stretch the muscles that are weak and tight.

03/27/2026

If You Don’t Strengthen Your Muscles, They Cannot Protect You

Stretching is fine,, you also must take time to strengthen them. Chronic pain needs strength to be alleviated. Go back through my reels to find the exercises to strengthen your neck and low back muscles.

03/25/2026

A positive side effect of working out is improvement in grip strength for men and women. Grip strength is also a key indicator for healthy aging from strength to cardiovascular health.

We've all had to open spaghetti sauce jars. Some are more difficult than others, I admit! Are you able to open one or do you ask someone in your household for help?

According to a study on the lancet website, grip strength was a stronger indicator of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality than systolic blood pressure.

Another study by Harvard said each 11-pound decrease in grip strength over the course of a study was linked to:
7% higher risk of heart attack
9% higher risk of stroke
17% higher risk of dying from heart disease

3 ways you can improve your grip strength:
Crushing (fingers to palm)
Pinching (fingers to thumb)
Supporting (carrying a load over time and distance)

How are you working on your grip strength?

03/21/2026

Your Chair Isn’t Causing Your Back Pain

Stop blaming the chair as the main culprit for your low back pain. It’s your weak muscles that are the pain source. The chair exposes the problem you have.

Strengthening your weak core muscles is the way to reduce your for good. Try doing air squats and wood chops to strengthen those weak muscles from sitting.

03/19/2026

🧠 It's Been a Long Week Today at Work. Your Brain is Mush! What Nutrients Do You Need to Feed It Properly?

💻 Everything in life starts with the brain and its functioning. From movement to thinking, your brain is the ultimate supercomputer!

Are you giving your brain the proper nutrients it needs to help you with decision making, executive function, and profitability in your business?

Here are a few nutrients to help you fuel your brain power:

B Vitamins: eggs, leafy greens, avocados, pistachios
Flavonoids: citrus, green tea
Curcumin: turmeric and supplements
Omega-3 Fatty acids: nuts, seeds, fatty fish
Choline: eggs, fish, poultry, meats, dairy
Vitamins C, E, and Carotene: spinach, broccoli citrus fruits

Are you currently eating any of these foods?

While this list is not exhaustive, you have an idea of what to buy on your next trip to the grocery store. Before taking on any supplementation, check with your healthcare provider to make sure nothing has contraindications to any medications you are on.

03/17/2026

Your ability to stay free of disease depends on your balance between your exposure to harmful free radicals, and your intake of protective antioxidants.

How would you rate your daily intake of antioxidants on a 1-5 scale with 5 being the highest?

Here are a few tips to help you boost your score:
1. Eat lots of fresh fruit, especially berries.
2. Eat lots of vegetables, especially tenderstem like broccoli, avocado, carrots, and spinach.
3. Take a multivitamin or good antioxidant supplement daily