Grip Strength – A Simple Test with Serious Longevity Insight Another element to strength and longevity that really is in your hands, is Grip Strength. Grip strength isn’t just about having firm handshakes – it’s a powerful marker of overall health and longevity. Research consistently shows that weaker grip strength is strongly associated with higher mortality risk, even when accounting…
Leg Size and Power – The Foundation of a Long, Mobile Life Something we are passionate about at Astral Fitness, if you haven’t guessed from reading all our blogs, or visiting us, is strength. So, this month we are focusing on how strength in various aspects of fitness play into one thing we are all striving for: longevity. Strong, powerful…
Pain is complicated. It’s not always about damage — it’s about signals, context, history, and even emotion. At Astral Fitness, Jen and I are passionate about helping people reframe their pain. Instead of fearing it or ignoring it, we help you understand what your body is trying to say — and then we work with it. Here’s how we do…
One thing we’ve learned in years of hands-on care; no issue is “too small” when it affects how you live your life. That tight neck that only hurts when you turn left? Let’s talk about it. The dull ache in your foot you’ve ignored for six months? Let’s figure it out. At Astral Fitness, Your pain matters – and you…
Understanding why something hurts is half the battle – and at Astral Fitness, we’re here to help you win that battle. Whether it’s aching shoulders, recurring knee pain, or something more complex, we’re trained to assess your movement, pinpoint problems, and explain what’s going on in a way that makes sense. That’s because we believe education is empowering. When you…
Have you ever felt dismissed or confused after seeing a professional about your pain? It happens more often than it should – and it’s exactly why we work the way we do. At Astral Fitness, our promise is simple: we’re in your corner. That means no jargon, no pressure, and no pretending we know everything. Instead, you’ll get honest advice,…
At Astral Fitness, we’re not just working muscles – we’re working with you. As Sports Massage Therapists, Chloe and Jen, (your team!) are in your corner, always. That means listening carefully, noticing the small things others might miss, and helping you understand what’s happening with your body. Pain is frustrating – often, it’s not just physical, it’s emotional too. When…
Or rather, strong feet and ankles and why they are so important for having strong glutes. Anything happening at your hips and in your glutes, might have started with an issue in your ankles and feet… or are the issues you are experiencing at your hips and in your glutes responsible for what is happening in your feet and ankles?…
So, you think that your glutes are fine, you are working them out regularly, but something still does not feel right. Maybe it is one of the deeper gluteal region muscles I mentioned earlier, the piriformis being the number one culprit of many a discomfort. This muscle originates from the anterior sacrum and sacroiliac joint and inserts on the greater…
Your glutes need to be thought about and worked out to be strong, but not to the detriment of the other muscles in the body. They need to be strong to support all the other activities you like to do, as I said in the previous blog, they aid running propulsion, and if you slow down running, what other propulsion…