Fitness Shortcuts from New York Veteran Trainer - Mike Cola
Contact Us
Fitness Contrarian
An innovative fitness blog helping people over 40 years of age to look & feel their best!
“I started this blog back in 2009 with the thought that what is popular and trendy in health and fitness is not always correct. In fact, a good percentage of the time individuals are just following the crowd and getting frustrated by not getting the results they want. “ – Mike Cola
The goal of this blog is to figure out what are the most advanced innovative ways to: improve your health, build a strong flexible body and maintain an optimal weight. Mike utilizes his 30 years of fitness training experience along with analyzing the latest research, to sift through the noise and find out what really works.
We will be uploading videos, writing articles and podcasting on a weekly basis. Make sure you Subscribe to Fitness Contrarian so you don’t miss anything. If you are new to this blog, start by reading Mike’s Ten Fitness Principals
Welcome Video
The Latest from Our Blog
Workout Hard and Easy
My two favorite types of workouts have always been short and hard, or long and easy. The type of workout I don’t like are those that are in-between or what I like to call “hybrid style”. Hybrid training is when you exercise moderately hard for a long period of time trying to accomplish everything in one workout (…)
Soccer Can Lower Blood Pressure
A study was just published showing how three months of soccer practice twice per week significantly reduced blood pressure, resting heart rate and percent body fat in inactive men with high blood pressure. This experiment pointed out that playing a sport like soccer...
Black Pepper and Easy Weight Loss
A weight loss supplement made up of black pepper, caffeine and capsaicin – the ingredient that makes the pepper hot was just tested by the University of Oklahoma Health and Exercise Department. It was determined that the supplement called tri-pepper blend could...
Are Basic Exercises the Real Secret?
Yes, there are certain basic exercises you must do to develop a healthy body. Besides doing some form of aerobics like running, walking or biking there are basic resistance movements like squats and lunges for the legs, push-ups and bench press for the chest, pull-ups...
Lack of Sleep Leads to Weight Gain
How do you feel when you do not get enough sleep? I’m sure you’re tired but do you realize you’re hungry, as well. On the days that I feel hungrier than normal I have noticed I did not get enough sleep the night before. I feel like I’m eating all day for energy because I’m tired. It took me a long time to figure this out. Once I realized that the (…)
Is Barefoot Running Safe?
New research has found that running barefoot is safe. Scientists have studied how the foot hits the ground while running barefoot or with minimal footwear and have determined that the foot does not heel-strike when it lands. Running shoes are designed for...
Reduce the Sodium and Lose Weight
One of my personal training clients lost over 35 lbs last year following one simple rule: Don’t eat more than 1,500mg of sodium per day. When you reduce the sodium in your diet to no more than 1,500mg a day it becomes real difficult to gain weight. All the processed foods that are most likely making you fat are loaded with sodium. The average (…)
Don’t Get Fat Fast – Food Contest – Starting 1/12/10
The official starting date for the contest is 1/12/10 and will run for eight weeks. You have to subscribe to my e-mail list to qualify for the contest. Then make a list of the top ten foods you would eat to gain weight as fast as possible and send it to me via...
Blueberry Juice Can Improve Memory
Blueberries are a rich source of antioxidants and phytochemicals that can improve memory. A study just appeared in the ACS’ Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry showing the relationship between drinking blueberry juice and improved memory in older adults. The...
Don’t Hurt Your Ears at the Gym
Using your ipod while working out has become commonplace in most gyms. But a new study just came out from the University of Alberta warning about the volume levels in our earphones while training at the gym.
Bill Hodgetts, a professor in the Department of Speech (…)
Make sure and get my free “Forever 27” workout plan!
This is the strategy I teach my clients to have a 20-something body, regardless of their age. Plus get additional fitness tips via email!
