Jim Carpentier

Jim Carpentier is a certified strength and conditioning specialist, New Jersey-licensed massage therapist and a health/fitness writer. He currently serves as associate health and wellness director at the Greater Morristown YMCA in Cedar Knolls, N.J.

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Healthy Cookout Options to Fuel Summer Training

June 18, 2013 | Jim Carpentier

It's summertime. Time to fire up the grill. We already know to avoid eating chips, hamburgers, hot dogs and mayo-loaded potato salad. But since those are all BBQ staples, what does that leave to eat? (Find answers at Navigate a Backyard...

Chest and Back Exercises for Sports Performance and Injury Prevention

June 11, 2013 | Jim Carpentier

Building the chest and back is essential for performing better in almost every sport. The chest muscles are involved in pushing movements in sports such as football (blocking), wrestling (pushing away an pponent), basketball (passing and shooting), ice hockey (pushing...

Pick Out a Healthy Cereal

June 10, 2013 | Jim Carpentier

If you're not aware by now, breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Athletes should always start their day off strong with a good breakfast, even if it means just having a bowl of cereal. In terms of convenience,...

A Simple Tool For Six-Pack Success

June 9, 2013 | Jim Carpentier

Think that cranking out sets on the abdominal crunch machine will help you get a set of showy six-pack abs? Think again. These machines are designed to strengthen the abdominal muscles, which is all well and good for developing a strong,...

4 Motivational Reasons to Start Off-Season Workouts Now

June 8, 2013 | Jim Carpentier

Between beach outings, summer jobs, recreational sports leagues and family vacations, it's easy to delay your off-season summer conditioning for fall sports. But if you wait too long to start conditioning sessions, you'll fall behind your teammates, and even worse, lag...

Summer Weightlifting for Fall Sports

May 28, 2013 | Jim Carpentier

With the school semester finally coming to a close, you're probably ready to unwind and kick back. But if you're a fall sport athlete, the end of the school year should mark the start of a summer of intensive training. If...

Body Image vs. Sports Conditioning: What Needs Priority In The Weight Room?

May 21, 2013 | Jim Carpentier

A killer physique is one of the many byproducts of an efficient training program. But if your workouts are tailored more toward improving your body image than conditioning for your sport, you are headed in the wrong direction this off-season. It's...

How to Prevent Performance Plateaus and Slumps

May 14, 2013 | Jim Carpentier

Humans are creatures of habit. There's something comforting and convenient about the everyday normal. However, settling into a "comfort zone" does nothing to benefit athletes. Think about the NFL quarterback who stays in the pocket all game, never making adjustments until...

How to Lose Your Roster Spot

May 9, 2013 | Jim Carpentier

Your talent may have secured you that roster spot, but it doesn't mean you'll keep it. Staying on the team means displaying certain characteristics on and off the field. Don't fall victim to the following errors and forfeit your valuable...

Banish Shin Splints With Stretches and Prevention Guidelines

May 2, 2013 | Jim Carpentier

You only have a mile left on your run and you have plenty of wind left, but you have to call it quits. The shin splints are back. A common malady among recreational runners, shin splints cause discomfort along the bony part...