Justin G. Walls, Certified Personal Athletic Trainer

From the IRS website : You can include in medical expenses amounts you pay to lose weight if it is a treatment for a specific disease diagnosed by a physician (such as obesity, hypertension, or heart disease). This includes fees you pay for membership in a weight reduction group as well as fees for attendance at periodic meetings. You cannot include membership dues in a gym, health club, or spa as medical expenses, but you can include separate fees charged there for weight loss activities. Many employers offers an FSA (flexible spending account) or HSA (health savings account) as part of their health care package. This means that you may be able to use the money from those accounts towards personal training. You need to do two things before jumping in and purchasing sessions: You need a prescription from a medical doctor, or a note from your health care professional describing your need for a personal trainer. You should consult with your tax advisor about writing off the co...

Think about the following issues: Can you raise your arms above your head? Can you raise your arms above your head without arching your back? Can you raise your arms above your head without arching your back AND do not hear any popping, clicking, or feel a rubbing against your shoulder? Without getting too technical, it suffices to say that all of our muscles are connected together via Fascia . If one muscle is too tight or too weak, then another muscle elsewhere in the body may be tugged, stretched, or restricted in movement. Due to modern posture issues, such as constant computer and desk work, our bodies tend to roll the shoulders forward, tilt the head forward, and contract the abdomen. Constant tension in these postions creates tightness in those muscles while hyperextending many back and neck muscles. One possible solution help strengthen the back and improve posture is to hold a proper plank. Once you master holding a plank, you may also want to add some Serrratus Pu...