Blog

By Dr. Payton Busker, PT, DPT 

Over the last couple of weeks, we have been diving into how to achieve 3 different goals using Evlo:

Goal 1: Feel Better, Get Stronger

Goal 2: Increase Muscle Definition 

Goal 3: Cross Training with Evlo 

Last week, we explored all things “Increase Muscle Definition”. Click here to review that post!

Next up: CROSS TRAINING WITH EVLO.

What is cross training?

The term “cross training” is most commonly used to describe incorporating a form of exercise other than an athlete’s primary sport. But this idea can be applied far beyond “an athlete”! 

There is consistent evidence to support cross training for individuals whose primary form of activity is endurance training, especially running. Typically in said studies, researchers seek to understand the effect of strength training on elements like running economy (think running efficiency), time trials, sprint performance, and body...

By Dr. Payton Busker, PT, DPT 

Over the next few weeks, we will dive into how to achieve 3 different goals using Evlo:

Goal 1: Feel Better, Get Stronger

Goal 2: Increase Muscle Definition 

Goal 3: Cross Training with Evlo 

First up: FEEL BETTER, GET STRONGER. 

If you are coming to Evlo from a program or lifestyle that has left you feeling worn down and depleted, this is the goal for you!! Joints achy from years of grinding your body into the ground with the “no pain, no gain” mentality? You’re in the right place! Overwhelmed by excess stress in your life and struggling to juggle work, family, fitness, etc.? Keep on reading, friend!! 

Our number one priority for you will be to create space for your body and nervous system to heal and recover while initiating the muscle building process. Continue reading to learn how we recommend doing so! 

Schedule Options 

We begin to create this space of healing with our weekly schedule in the...

By Dr. Payton Busker, PT, DPT 

Ah, meditation. We all know we “should” do it, but I would venture to say that many of us don’t know how to easily incorporate it into our routines. At least that’s the boat I was in just 5 years ago!! 

Picture me in physical therapy school: I was learning an incredible amount of information in a relatively short amount of time (3 years flies by when you’re cramming information in your brain!!). I bopped around to different fitness studios with my best friends/classmates, incorporating Yoga about once a week. 

Although there was so much good happening, I felt lost. 

This came to a head during my final 12-week clinical just before graduating. I found myself back in Austin, Texas (my college town). I almost immediately took myself to my favorite Yoga studio here that I called home in college. More than the physical practice of Yoga, this is when and where my consistent meditation practice truly...

Author: Dr. Payton Busker, PT, DPT

Picture this: You’ve been working out consistently for about 12 weeks. You had been progressively increasing your weight over that time period, feeling stronger as the weeks went on. But now you’re here and you’re feeling muscle aches you haven’t felt or you’re missing that satisfying muscle burn you’ve come to crave in class. 

You feel like you’re hitting a plateau. 

Let’s talk about what you might have done in the past when you’ve reached this point and why we should avoid these tendencies now.

What people mistakenly do when they reach a plateau. 

1. Mix up their routines
2. Increase the volume of their workouts 
3. Add in more cardio or faster movements 

Mixing up your routine.

Oftentimes this feels like the right call. You mix up your lifts or exercises and then experience soreness the next day. However, soreness is not a good indicator of effective muscle activation. More...

By: Dr. Payton Busker, PT, DPT

Recovery is 50% of the equation for muscle hypertrophy and performance improvements within your workouts.

But how do we know if we are properly recovered?

This week’s blog post will serve as a written guide for why recovery matters, what factors expedite or hinder your recovery, how to objectively measure if you are recovered, and what to do with the results of these measures. For the listeners of Dr. Shannon’s Fit Body, Happy Joints, this information will be familiar. Check out Dr. Shannon’s episode on this topic here if you prefer to listen. For those interested in a visual guide, join me below! 

Why recovery matters: 

Exercise is a catabolic process. 

This means that exercise breaks down muscle tissue leading to temporary damage and weakness. This is a NORMAL process and a key factor in muscle hypertrophy. However, we run into trouble when we layer breakdown on top of breakdown (read: overuse). 

Overuse can...

Often, the first change someone makes when they want to lose weight is to start exercising. Although exercise can complement weight loss, it isn't the primary factor that influences long-term weight loss. Nutrition is about 80% of the equation for weight loss, as exercise doesn't burn as many calories as we think it does. The phrase "you can't outrun your fork" is very true.

However, exercise can complement clean nutrition when it comes to weight loss or weight maintenance. 

Today, I'll discuss common mistakes with exercise and how to use exercise as a tool for overall fitness and health.

First, health and fitness are not necessarily linear. Many times fitness can be at the sacrifice of our overall health. Workouts that are high-impact or highly repetitive can improve fitness, but at the sacrifice of our joints, hormone balance, etc. So although we may be and look more fit, the health consequences can eventually rear their ugly head and cause adrenal...