
Exercise Is Health
At Muscle Activation Schaumburg, we believe your health is your most valuable asset. Join hosts Charlie and Julie Cates as they discuss how to utilize exercise to help improve and maintain your health, as well as interviews with health and wellness experts from various fields including chiropractic, accupuncture, psychology, nutrition, and functional medicine. Both Charlie and Julie are certified personal trainers and Muscle Activation Techniques® practitioners in Schaumburg, IL.
Latest episodes

Jan 22, 2025 • 19min
E369 - One Huge Missed Component When Trying To Improve Your Golf Swing
Get Started With Muscle Activation Techniques® To Keep Your Muscles Strong & Functioning Well: http://vagaro.com/muscleactivationschaumburg/services Do you want to head into golf season swinging your best? You can spend hours at the range and take weeks of lessons this winter, but if you are missing this one thing, your swing (and golf game) are going to fall well short of their potential. On this week’s episode of the Exercise Is Health® podcast, we are discussing what this one thing is, why it is critical to the improvement of your golf swing, and how you can start implementing it throughout your week. If you want to make sure your golf swing is at its best heading into spring and summer, listen up! What we share in this discussion can completely change the game for you. Check out all the details in this week’s episode! Ready to schedule your first Muscle Activation Techniques® session with us? Click here to get started: http://vagaro.com/muscleactivationschaumburg/services Would you like to have our guidance implementing the 4 Exercise For Life Principles while you workout? Join the Exercise For Life Membership for free for 30 days! Just head to www.exerciseforlifestudios.com to get started! Did you find this episode helpful? Let us know by leaving us a rating and review on the following platforms: – Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/exercise-is-health/id1330420565 – Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6H1CneHjsPiPStrAeFTP25?si=X1IuXkp0T1KCv3gCtt3j5g Want to grab a free copy of our best-selling book, “The Exercise For Life Method”? Click here to order yours while copies are still available! www.exerciseforlifemethod.com Just cover the cost of shipping and handling to have it delivered right to you. Follow us on Instagram for more exercise tips and content about MAT® here: – Muscle Activation Schaumburg: @muscleactivationschaumburg – Julie Cates: @julcates – Charlie Cates: @charliecates

Jan 15, 2025 • 26min
E368 - 3 Considerations If You Have Forearm Pain
Get Started With Muscle Activation Techniques® To Keep Your Muscles Strong & Functioning Well: http://vagaro.com/muscleactivationschaumburg/services Forearm pain can be one of the most nagging, long-lasting issues you experience. While many remedies focus strictly on the forearms themselves, there are often things that are completely overlooked with these types of approaches. However, taking an approach that doesn’t solely focus on the forearms can actually create faster and longer-lasting relief. On this week’s episode of the Exercise Is Health® podcast, we are exploring three considerations that we have found to be helpful when working through forearm pain. If you are tired of the traditional approaches to addressing forearm pain, or if you’d like to learn what they may be missing, this conversation is for you. Check out all the details in this week’s episode! Ready to schedule your first Muscle Activation Techniques® session with us? Click here to get started: http://vagaro.com/muscleactivationschaumburg/services Would you like to have our guidance implementing the 4 Exercise For Life Principles while you workout? Join the Exercise For Life Membership for free for 30 days! Just head to www.exerciseforlifestudios.com to get started! Did you find this episode helpful? Let us know by leaving us a rating and review on the following platforms: – Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/exercise-is-health/id1330420565 – Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6H1CneHjsPiPStrAeFTP25?si=X1IuXkp0T1KCv3gCtt3j5g Want to grab a free copy of our best-selling book, “The Exercise For Life Method”? Click here to order yours while copies are still available! www.exerciseforlifemethod.com Just cover the cost of shipping and handling to have it delivered right to you. Follow us on Instagram for more exercise tips and content about MAT® here: – Muscle Activation Schaumburg: @muscleactivationschaumburg – Julie Cates: @julcates – Charlie Cates: @charliecates

Jan 8, 2025 • 20min
E367 - One Simple Thing To Add To Your Workouts To Increase Your Strength & Consistency
Get Started With Muscle Activation Techniques® To Keep Your Muscles Strong & Functioning Well: http://vagaro.com/muscleactivationschaumburg/services What if there was something simple you could add to your workouts that would not only help you get better results, but help you stay more consistent with your workouts, too? And what if this thing didn’t require any additional time or energy on your part? You could keep doing exactly what you are doing with your workouts, but just make a slight tweak to them. Believe it or not, there is something that does all of this! On this week’s episode of the Exercise Is Health® podcast, we are unveiling what this one simple thing is, how you can easily add it into your workouts, and why it is so important to do so. If you have ever had difficulty sticking to your workouts or feeling like your body is ready to workout, listen up! This one thing can make all the difference for you and your workouts once you start to do it consistently. Check out all the details in this week’s episode! Ready to schedule your first Muscle Activation Techniques® session with us? Click here to get started: http://vagaro.com/muscleactivationschaumburg/services Would you like to have our guidance implementing the 4 Exercise For Life Principles while you workout? Join the Exercise For Life Membership for free for 30 days! Just head to www.exerciseforlifestudios.com to get started! Did you find this episode helpful? Let us know by leaving us a rating and review on the following platforms: – Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/exercise-is-health/id1330420565 – Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6H1CneHjsPiPStrAeFTP25?si=X1IuXkp0T1KCv3gCtt3j5g Want to grab a free copy of our best-selling book, “The Exercise For Life Method”? Click here to order yours while copies are still available! www.exerciseforlifemethod.com Just cover the cost of shipping and handling to have it delivered right to you. Follow us on Instagram for more exercise tips and content about MAT® here: – Muscle Activation Schaumburg: @muscleactivationschaumburg – Julie Cates: @julcates – Charlie Cates: @charliecates

Jan 1, 2025 • 24min
E366 - The Easiest Way To Stay Consistent With Your Workouts
Get Started With Muscle Activation Techniques® To Keep Your Muscles Strong & Functioning Well: http://vagaro.com/muscleactivationschaumburg/services Being consistent with your workouts is a key component of the results you will get from your workouts both in the short term and over the long term. But, one of the most difficult parts of working out is staying consistent with your workouts. Sure, you can go to the gym once, but how do you make sure you are able to keep going back on a regular basis for years to come? On this week’s episode of the Exercise Is Health® podcast, we explore this idea of consistency and lay out the framework we have seen be the most effective way to make sure you get your workouts in. Everybody who works out consistently has one specific thing in common, and in this episode we unveil what that thing is and how you can apply it to your own life. Check out all the details in this week’s episode! Ready to schedule your first Muscle Activation Techniques® session with us? Click here to get started: http://vagaro.com/muscleactivationschaumburg/services Would you like to have our guidance implementing the 4 Exercise For Life Principles while you workout? Join the Exercise For Life Membership for free for 30 days! Just head to www.exerciseforlifestudios.com to get started! Did you find this episode helpful? Let us know by leaving us a rating and review on the following platforms: – Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/exercise-is-health/id1330420565 – Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6H1CneHjsPiPStrAeFTP25?si=X1IuXkp0T1KCv3gCtt3j5g Want to grab a free copy of our best-selling book, “The Exercise For Life Method”? Click here to order yours while copies are still available! www.exerciseforlifemethod.com Just cover the cost of shipping and handling to have it delivered right to you. Follow us on Instagram for more exercise tips and content about MAT® here: – Muscle Activation Schaumburg: @muscleactivationschaumburg – Julie Cates: @julcates – Charlie Cates: @charliecates

Dec 25, 2024 • 26min
E365 - Better, More, New
Get Started With Muscle Activation Techniques® To Keep Your Muscles Strong & Functioning Well: http://vagaro.com/muscleactivationschaumburg/services Have you not been satisfied with the results you’ve gotten from your workouts and are looking for the next new thing to help you out? While it can be tempting to jump from one program to the next, doing this consistently is almost a guaranteed way to not get the results you want. So, if jumping on the hot new trend isn’t how you get results, what is? On this week’s episode of the Exercise Is Health® podcast, we discuss what it actually takes to get results from your workouts and how to structure your workouts to set you up for success both now and long term. If you have been frustrated with the lack of results you have gotten from your workouts in the past, this episode is for you! This conversation will reveal what the issues have been and you can avoid them going forward. Check out all the details in this week’s episode! Ready to schedule your first Muscle Activation Techniques® session with us? Click here to get started: http://vagaro.com/muscleactivationschaumburg/services Would you like to have our guidance implementing the 4 Exercise For Life Principles while you workout? Join the Exercise For Life Membership for free for 30 days! Just head to www.exerciseforlifestudios.com to get started! Did you find this episode helpful? Let us know by leaving us a rating and review on the following platforms: – Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/exercise-is-health/id1330420565 – Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6H1CneHjsPiPStrAeFTP25?si=X1IuXkp0T1KCv3gCtt3j5g Want to grab a free copy of our best-selling book, “The Exercise For Life Method”? Click here to order yours while copies are still available! www.exerciseforlifemethod.com Just cover the cost of shipping and handling to have it delivered right to you. Follow us on Instagram for more exercise tips and content about MAT® here: – Muscle Activation Schaumburg: @muscleactivationschaumburg – Julie Cates: @julcates – Charlie Cates: @charliecates

Dec 18, 2024 • 22min
E364 - PSA - Stop Doing What Is Hurting You
Get Started With Muscle Activation Techniques® To Keep Your Muscles Strong & Functioning Well: http://vagaro.com/muscleactivationschaumburg/services We have a Public Service Announcement for you that you need to hear if you have been battling any aches and pains… Stop Doing What Is Hurting You. While this may seem like obvious advice, it is often what people need to hear in order to actually help their bodies feel and function better. On this week’s episode of the Exercise Is Health® podcast, we are diving into this idea and explaining how you can actually keep doing the things you enjoy most, even if they are hurting you right now. If you have ever felt frustrated that your body just isn’t holding up to doing the things you like to do as well as it used to, this discussion is for you! We lay out a simple plan to follow to get back to doing those activities without issues ASAP. Check out all the details in this week’s episode! Ready to schedule your first Muscle Activation Techniques® session with us? Click here to get started: http://vagaro.com/muscleactivationschaumburg/services Would you like to have our guidance implementing the 4 Exercise For Life Principles while you workout? Join the Exercise For Life Membership for free for 30 days! Just head to www.exerciseforlifestudios.com to get started! Did you find this episode helpful? Let us know by leaving us a rating and review on the following platforms: – Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/exercise-is-health/id1330420565 – Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6H1CneHjsPiPStrAeFTP25?si=X1IuXkp0T1KCv3gCtt3j5g Want to grab a free copy of our best-selling book, “The Exercise For Life Method”? Click here to order yours while copies are still available! www.exerciseforlifemethod.com Just cover the cost of shipping and handling to have it delivered right to you. Follow us on Instagram for more exercise tips and content about MAT® here: – Muscle Activation Schaumburg: @muscleactivationschaumburg – Julie Cates: @julcates – Charlie Cates: @charliecates

Dec 11, 2024 • 18min
E363 - 3 Strategies To Build Stronger Hands (& Why You Need To)
Get Started With Muscle Activation Techniques® To Keep Your Muscles Strong & Functioning Well: http://vagaro.com/muscleactivationschaumburg/services One of the most important areas of your body to keep strong as you age is your hands. Your hands are something you use for almost every task throughout your day, so maintaining their strength and function as the years go by is key to being able to keep doing your daily tasks independently. However, there are very few things that challenge most peoples’ hands during their average day, which means that their hands are getting weaker with every passing year. So, how can you make sure to keep your hands strong and possibly build back their strength if anything has been lost? On this week’s episode of the Exercise Is Health® podcast, we are laying out a plan to help you do just that. If your hands have been feeling like they are getting weaker but you aren’t sure how to change that, listen up! The plan we lay out can guide you through exactly what you need to do. Check out all the details in this week’s episode! Ready to schedule your first Muscle Activation Techniques® session with us? Click here to get started: http://vagaro.com/muscleactivationschaumburg/services Would you like to have our guidance implementing the 4 Exercise For Life Principles while you workout? Join the Exercise For Life Membership for free for 30 days! Just head to www.exerciseforlifestudios.com to get started! Did you find this episode helpful? Let us know by leaving us a rating and review on the following platforms: – Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/exercise-is-health/id1330420565 – Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6H1CneHjsPiPStrAeFTP25?si=X1IuXkp0T1KCv3gCtt3j5g Want to grab a free copy of our best-selling book, “The Exercise For Life Method”? Click here to order yours while copies are still available! www.exerciseforlifemethod.com Just cover the cost of shipping and handling to have it delivered right to you. Follow us on Instagram for more exercise tips and content about MAT® here: – Muscle Activation Schaumburg: @muscleactivationschaumburg – Julie Cates: @julcates – Charlie Cates: @charliecates

Dec 4, 2024 • 23min
E362 - What Is Your Body’s Injury Prevention Insurance Policy?
Get Started With Muscle Activation Techniques® To Keep Your Muscles Strong & Functioning Well: http://vagaro.com/muscleactivationschaumburg/services Your body has an injury prevention insurance policy that is built into it, but did you know you can change how robust this policy is? If you are active and using your body in your day to day life, eventually life is going to happen and something is going to get tweaked or strained. Keeping this metaphorical insurance policy strong and up to date is of the utmost importance to minimize the negative effects of the minor injuries that happen every once in a while, but how do you do that? On this week’s episode of the Exercise Is Health® podcast, we are discussing all things about this metaphorical insurance policy–what it is, why it is important, and what you can do to build it up. If you have ever skipped out on doing the things you want in life out of fear of injury or lacking confidence that your body will fare well, listen up! We give you the top things you can do to keep your body resilient to injuries and issues. Check out all the details in this week’s episode! Ready to schedule your first Muscle Activation Techniques® session with us? Click here to get started: http://vagaro.com/muscleactivationschaumburg/services Would you like to have our guidance implementing the 4 Exercise For Life Principles while you workout? Join the Exercise For Life Membership for free for 30 days! Just head to www.exerciseforlifestudios.com to get started! Did you find this episode helpful? Let us know by leaving us a rating and review on the following platforms: – Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/exercise-is-health/id1330420565 – Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6H1CneHjsPiPStrAeFTP25?si=X1IuXkp0T1KCv3gCtt3j5g Want to grab a free copy of our best-selling book, “The Exercise For Life Method”? Click here to order yours while copies are still available! www.exerciseforlifemethod.com Just cover the cost of shipping and handling to have it delivered right to you. Follow us on Instagram for more exercise tips and content about MAT® here: – Muscle Activation Schaumburg: @muscleactivationschaumburg – Julie Cates: @julcates – Charlie Cates: @charliecates

Nov 27, 2024 • 23min
E361 - How To Exercise If You Have Tight IT Bands
Get Started With Muscle Activation Techniques® To Keep Your Muscles Strong & Functioning Well: http://vagaro.com/muscleactivationschaumburg/services Do your tight IT bands keep you from working out on a regular basis? Tight IT bands are one of the most common complaints among people who try to exercise consistently, especially when doing running and other forms of endurance exercise. They can also be one of the most debilitating, as well, stopping many otherwise active people from working out for months on end. So if your IT bands are tight, are you just doomed to having to rest and become deconditioned until they feel better? Or are there ways you can workout without making your IT band tightness worse? On this week’s episode of the Exercise Is Health® podcast, we are laying out specific principles for you to follow with your workouts if you have tight IT bands. Not only will these principles help keep you active despite the IT band tightness, they can also help you get to the root of what is causing this issue. If you feel like tight IT bands are keeping you from exercising how you want, listen up! What we share in this discussion can finally change that for you. Check out all the details in this week’s episode! Ready to schedule your first Muscle Activation Techniques® session with us? Click here to get started: http://vagaro.com/muscleactivationschaumburg/services Would you like to have our guidance implementing the 4 Exercise For Life Principles while you workout? Join the Exercise For Life Membership for free for 30 days! Just head to www.exerciseforlifestudios.com to get started! Did you find this episode helpful? Let us know by leaving us a rating and review on the following platforms: – Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/exercise-is-health/id1330420565 – Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6H1CneHjsPiPStrAeFTP25?si=X1IuXkp0T1KCv3gCtt3j5g Want to grab a free copy of our best-selling book, “The Exercise For Life Method”? Click here to order yours while copies are still available! www.exerciseforlifemethod.com Just cover the cost of shipping and handling to have it delivered right to you. Follow us on Instagram for more exercise tips and content about MAT® here: – Muscle Activation Schaumburg: @muscleactivationschaumburg – Julie Cates: @julcates – Charlie Cates: @charliecates

Nov 20, 2024 • 22min
E360 - The #1 Thing To Do With Your Workouts To Keep Your Body From Flaring Up
Get Started With Muscle Activation Techniques® To Keep Your Muscles Strong & Functioning Well: http://vagaro.com/muscleactivationschaumburg/services Does your body flare up when you push yourself too hard? Maybe your back gets stiff after a round of golf… Or your knees ache after going for a walk… Or your shoulders and neck bother you after doing yard work… There is one thing that we have seen time and again be the absolute best thing you can do to keep these flare ups to a minimum, and on this week’s episode of the Exercise Is Health® podcast, we are unveiling what that is. We dive into the key points you need to understand about this one thing so you can make sure to effectively implement it into your workouts right away. And, we give you a specific action plan to follow to help you get consistent results and keep you doing all the things you love. If you have ever had to miss out on living life because your body was holding you back, listen up! What we share in this discussion can change that for you once and for all. Check out all the details in this week’s episode. Ready to schedule your first Muscle Activation Techniques® session with us? Click here to get started: http://vagaro.com/muscleactivationschaumburg/services Would you like to have our guidance implementing the 4 Exercise For Life Principles while you workout? Join the Exercise For Life Membership for free for 30 days! Just head to www.exerciseforlifestudios.com to get started! Did you find this episode helpful? Let us know by leaving us a rating and review on the following platforms: – Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/exercise-is-health/id1330420565 – Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6H1CneHjsPiPStrAeFTP25?si=X1IuXkp0T1KCv3gCtt3j5g Want to grab a free copy of our best-selling book, “The Exercise For Life Method”? Click here to order yours while copies are still available! www.exerciseforlifemethod.com Just cover the cost of shipping and handling to have it delivered right to you. Follow us on Instagram for more exercise tips and content about MAT® here: – Muscle Activation Schaumburg: @muscleactivationschaumburg – Julie Cates: @julcates – Charlie Cates: @charliecates