Dave’s Blog

Why are teenagers using the cut and bulk diet to ‘get ripped’? Is it a good or bad approach?

Posted: 24th Sep, 2025 by Dave Lee

A recent discussion on the radio caught my attention, prompting me to seek out the BBC article they referenced. This article summarises my findings from that BBC source (see link below), along with insights gathered from additional research.  In recent years, the “cut and bulk” diet – once the preserve of competitive bodybuilders – has […]

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Origins and etymology of intriguing exercise names

Posted: 20th Aug, 2025 by Dave Lee

The fitness world is filled with exercises whose names often seem to bear little immediate relation to the movements they involve. Many exercises have straightforward, descriptive titles—consider “chest press”, “squat”, or “arm curl”. Even without knowing the precise technique, these names offer a clear mental image of the action. In contrast, terms such as “bird-dog”, […]

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Sleep and ageing: How our rest evolves across the lifespan

Posted: 5th Aug, 2025 by Dave Lee

Sleep is more than just rest – it is a vital biological process that supports our brain function, physical health, emotional balance, and overall well-being. Yet, as we age, the way we sleep changes dramatically. Understanding these changes is especially important for professionals in health, social care, and fitness, who support individuals across all stages […]

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Predicting childhood obesity: Promise and pitfalls

Posted: 23rd Jul, 2025 by Dave Lee

I recently read a fascinating article in The Independent about a new tool in the fight against childhood obesity. While it seems remarkable, it may not be the ‘silver bullet’ some might hope for, as we will explore. In July 2025, the scientific community witnessed the unveiling of a remarkable tool capable of predicting a […]

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Can cutting 50 calories a day really solve the obesity crisis?

Posted: 1st Jul, 2025 by Dave Lee

Over the past few days, there has been extensive media coverage regarding the Government’s new food standards that businesses and supermarkets will be mandated to follow. I found particularly intriguing the assertion that a modest reduction of just 50 calories per day could potentially lift 2 million adults and 340,000 children out of obesity. Additionally, […]

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Dubious health advertisements on social media

Posted: 19th Jun, 2025 by Dave Lee

This week, Times Radio featured a thought-provoking discussion between its presenter and the author of a recent Which? article, focusing on the widespread problem of dubious and sometimes outright fraudulent health advertisements on social media. The Which? investigation, which concentrated on Facebook and Instagram, sheds light on just how pervasive these misleading adverts have become. […]

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Understanding, breaking, and forming habits

Posted: 3rd Jun, 2025 by Dave Lee

Habits are an integral part of our daily lives, shaping our routines and influencing our overall well-being. From the mundane act of brushing our teeth to more complex behaviours like smoking or procrastination, habits can be both beneficial and detrimental. While conventional wisdom has long suggested that it takes precisely 21 days to change a […]

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Understanding muscle and joint action during exercise

Posted: 21st May, 2025 by Dave Lee

One topic that often confuses students is muscle and joint action during exercise. In textbooks and manuals, the terms concentric and eccentric are typically explained in isolation, without applying this information to a broader context. While this approach may help students memorise definitions for exams, it does not necessarily aid their understanding or ability to […]

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Understanding anatomical terminology: Suffixes

Posted: 23rd Apr, 2025 by Dave Lee

Anatomical terminology forms the foundation of medical language, utilising a systematic combination of prefixes, root words, and suffixes to create precise and descriptive terms. This standardised approach to medical terminology enables us to communicate effectively about the human body and its conditions. We looked at prefixes and root words in detail previously, today we will […]

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