Check our point of view based on 20 years of experience working with thousands of clients, and collecting millions of monthly data-points with our connected fitness technology.

Aging Happens

While one’s definition or perception of aging may differ we all can agree, things change within our body and it’s not usually for the best.  No one wants to lose energy, deal with the risks, complications, and symptoms of heart disease, speed up their biological clock, brace for loss of memory or grab their back every time they bend over.  While there are no doubt genetic and environmental factors that play a role, most of the symptoms that accompany aging can be slowed and even reversed.  There does exist a solution.

Strength Training: The Anti-Aging Secret 

Without question, the most powerful solution we have at our disposal in our battle with Father Time is strength training.  The results we need to age successfully are all about the pursuit and production of increased strength.  The potential for strength training lies in its ability to rejuvenate and rebuild bigger and more powerful muscle fibers knows as Type II or fast twitch muscle.  The amazing thing is that this potential can be unleashed with very brief (20 minutes), infrequent (1-2 times a week) and most importantly, very safe (customized technology) way.

Let’s discuss the impact of strength training in light of the various ways we view aging:

1. Cellular Health (How scientists measure aging)
2. Biomarker Health (How doctors monitor health)
3. Functional Health (How aging makes us feel)

Cellular Health

Cellular health has been linked to mitochondrial health (the powerhouses of cells) and telomere length (chromosomal endcaps the length of which can determine the lifespan of a cell or organism).  While we can’t exactly see what’s going on beneath the surface, research has shown that mitochondria, the energy generating mechanisms in cells, will not only jump start and increase energy production  but also reverse the very genetic profile of our DNA with meaningful exercise.

Furthermore, telomere length has been theorized to actually determine the biological lifespan of an organism.  Telomeres split, shorten and weaken as we age as the result of several factors, the prevention of telomere destruction can be managed with the production of telomerase. Telomerase is a byproduct of meaningful exercise.  Even one bout of higher effort exercise will stimulate the production of telomerase while consistent exercise only serves to amplify the effect.

Biomarker Health

Insulin Resistance is a major predictor of the effects of aging.  When that becomes an issue (and it does due to a combination of excess carbohydrates and lack of meaningful exercise) a host of more ailments such as weight gain, high blood pressure/triglycerides/LDL, pre & Type II diabetes and more can occur.   These symptoms are all a function of processes in the body going bad.  However, they are all reversible.

By partnering the powerful combination of whole food nutrition with strength training, insulin resistance can be reversed.  Strength training not only stimulates greater glucose metabolism during and right after a workout but triggers an adaptive response for more muscle and thus greater metabolic potential for the next workout.  This compounding effect leads to improved insulin sensitivity due to the improvements in muscle strength.

Functional Health

To most people, however, aging and its affects influence the way we feel and think.  We don’t need a science textbook or a Ph.D. to recognize the older we get the slower, heavier, lazier we feel.  Heck, those signs of aching joints and brain fog could be small blimps on the radar or a wake-up call.

While we acknowledge ‘slowing down’ is part of life, what many don’t understand is the direct correlation that exists between how we feel (the slowing of our metabolism, loss of mental sharpness and mobility) with the loss of muscle mass.

While we start losing muscle mass in our 30’s, it accelerates over time if nothing is done about it.  While aging and inactivity are mostly blamed, it is truly the lack of deeper and more meaningful muscle fiber stimulation that is responsible for how we feel.   The most common correlation associated with aging is the loss of muscle and strength which affects our metabolism, bones and mental acuity.  In fact, greater muscle strength has been linked not only to reduced mortality in men, but also faster metabolisms  and improved cognitive function as well.

Strength Changes Everything

Strength training means slowing and reversing the aging process at the cellular and genetic level, increase your energy, protect against the effects of aging, improve insulin resistance (the kindling for all sorts of diseases), reduce mortality and improve brain function.

Exercise can reverse your biological age by nearly a decade, give you more energy, maintain a healthy lifestyle, help you avoid aches and pains, and protect your brain and cognitive ability.  Please give any local Exercise Coach location a call for your complimentary test drive and tell them Father Time sent you.

This blog is going to be largely about innovative fitness concepts and methods.  I will also examine current trends and discuss where they fit on the continuum between silly and state-of-the-art.  Brace yourself.  You may be surprised just how silly some things look upon thoughtful examination.

I know, that’s quite a claim.  It’s just that I’ve been at the fitness game for 16 years and have seen it all.  I started asking questions (and not getting very good answers) during my undergraduate studies of exercise physiology.  Fortunately,  I learned that through critical thinking one could arrive at rational conclusions about the best way to go about conditioning the human body.

Many things that are believed to be self-evident about conventional fitness wisdom are in truth just myths.  The fitness industry knows this and is slowly beginning to get it.  It will take a while for the tide to turn completely.  That’s not our focus at The Exercise Coach.  We are passionate about paradigm shifting.  We have simply found that the folks who can really affect a change in the way culture views exercise are thinking consumers who are simply frustrated with silly old approaches and are ready for real results.  If that’s you, I’m happy to tell you that there are answers to your questions and solutions for your frustration that sound almost too good to be true.

Check back frequently as we embark on a journey together to usher exercise into the era of the iPhone and Google.  Isn’t it important that we do that?  At The Exercise Coach we have made experiencing the pinnacle application of exercise science a turn-key experience.  Our personal training program is guided by several core attributes that I would like to share here.  Whether or not you are within the service footprint of one of our training centers these will serve as a guide to help you decide if a particular program is right for you or if it’s simply silly and antiquated.

In the next couple of posts, I will lay out and explain the 7 characteristics of personal training that has progressed.

Also See:

Personal Training Has Progressed: Part 2

Personal Training Has Progressed: Part 3

We are all bombarded by countless fitness and fat loss claims daily.  Apparently, the average person asks, “So What?”  For about 85% of population, the solutions offered up by fitness experts and exercise enthusiasts lack relevance to the average adult.

We like to say that for the vast majority of people, working out just hasn’t worked out.  Conventional fitness approaches just don’t fit nicely into the average person’s busy schedule.  And, standard workouts, health clubs, videos,

and trainers really don’t seem to address the needs of most people – especially baby-boomers.  While the number of baby-boomers engaged in a regular exercise program has increased, they are still a very under-served demographic.  We meet boomers every day who would that tell us about how run-of-the-mill fitness misses the mark.

The interesting thing about the situation is that boomers are more open to adopting innovative approaches to exercise than the fitness industry itself!  And innovation is what we need to make exercise more relevant.  Check out the Law of Diffusion of Innovation. According to this theory, in my opinion, the fitness industry are the laggards it describes.  Laggards are people who won’t adopt an innovation until it becomes conventional wisdom.  Since conventional wisdom regarding exercise comes from the fitness industry, we have ended up with a somewhat myopic and stale industry.  Without the vision to provide consumers with a fresh and exciting approach, the same old concepts are repackaged from decade to decade.

At The Exercise Coach this fuels our passion to connect with thinking baby-boomers who refuse to accept the status quo.  And, these are the people that are really making waves both as walking billboards and as franchisees of The Exercise Coach.  We need to change the way people think about exercise.  We are doing that with our unique guided exercise process.

In my last post I said I would lay out seven characteristics of personal training that has progressed.  Here are the first three.  I have included questions to ask of any personal training program, especially if you are above the age of forty.

Defensible

We believe that exercise programs should be based on evidence.  You should ask your personal trainer about the science his or her approach is based upon and they should be able to defend their claims.  It is amazing how much fitness wisdom is blindly accepted.  In my opinion, especially as it relates to baby-boomers, the average trainer cannot defend their methods.  If you would like to see an example of this simply ask a personal trainer why he has his client do the number of sets and reps that they do.  Beware, you may feel that your intelligence is slightly insulted by their answer.

Approachable

Relevant exercise is approachable exercise.  What I mean is that the exercise experience is not intimidating or it at least accounts for how timid some people are about exertion.  It should also have a period of acclimation to make people feel comfortable and accepted even if they don’t exactly love exercise.  Ask any trainer that you consider working with to explain the acclimation process you will be guided through leading up to genuinely productive workouts.  Also, pay attention to what the fitness center communicates.  What kind of pictures are on the wall?  Who is depicted as the center’s ideal client?  What kinds of testimonials are presented?  Is there an emphasis on training athletes instead of average people?

Practical

Personal training that has progressed is NOT based on the “more is better” mentality.  Science has clearly demonstrated that exercise results are not dependent on how much time you spend at the gym.  The most common barrier to exercise entry people face is a lack of time.  Therefore, any trainer you work with should be aware of these facts and capable of getting you the results you want in the time you have available.  At The Exercise Coach we do it for our clients with just two, 20-minute workouts per week.

Until next time – Enjoy strength!

Also See:

Personal Training Has Progressed: Part 1

Personal Training Has Progressed: Part 3

Powerful

We believe that personal training should be a means to optimal, total-body conditioning.  Through motivation, education, and hi-tech programming we seek to achieve results that simply can’t be triggered by lone ranger workouts.  These results should include comprehensive fitness and wellness adaptations.  Fitness is understood properly as an individuals capacity to perform muscular work.  Wellness is the optimal functioning of the bodily systems.  These two states are interconnected to a large extent and a top-notch fitness program should be a path to reaching you full potential for each.  It has become abundantly clear to informed professional that  this requires clients to work harder than they would left to their own instincts.  The question to ask any prospective personal trainer is this, “Do you know how to help me work just hard enough to trigger my body to respond maximally?”  At The Exercise Coach we use bio-feedback driven technologies to call the effort level of our clients up to precisely the level of exertion they need for max results.  Make no mistake about it.  This level is exertion is absolutely higher than most people have experienced, believe they need to experience, know hoe to experience, and would experience if left to their own devices.  As I intimated though – it is just hard enough to get the results they after and no more.  In a coming post I will elaborate on the absolute requirement for higher-effort exercise and the effect it has on personal wellness.

Scalable

As I hinted at in the first point, the ideal training program demands a high level of exertion but should be implemented with precision based on on an individuals current fitness capacity.  This requires a level of sophistication most trainers do not have.  We have made this degree of customization standard in our personal training process.  Through the use carefully chosen technologies we measure the unique muscular and metabolic fitness characteristics of our clients and prescribe exercise that is precisely appropriate every second of every workouts.  We effectively adapt to elite athletes and seniors that are severely deconditioned.  What’s the question you should ask of a prospective trainer?  How about, “Can you prescribe precise doses of exercise that are precisely appropriate for me as an individual?”

Sustainable

When we say that a personal training program should be sustainable, we mean that the exercise performed should be safe now and forever.  Their are currently trends in the fitness industry that emphasize higher exertion levels than in the past.  However, these trends, like Crossfit, are not the best choice for individuals over the age of forty.  Why?  While they may bring about results in the short term, we like to say, “It’s only a matter of time before the wheels come off.”  The wheels we are referring to in our analogy are your joints!  Here’s the question you should be asking, “Is this program something I can do for life?”  It is also helpful to ask an training center that the average age of their clients is.  If they don’t know or it’s thirty-something then it’s probably not ideal for baby-boomers and seniors.

Measurable

It’s been said in business that “If you can’t measure it you can’t manage it.”  We believe that this maxim should be applied to personal fitness programs.  Exercise, properly understood, is the intentional imposition of physical demands in order to trigger beneficial adaptations.  Experts agree that their is a certain threshold level of stress necessary to stimulate the body to respond.  Precision measurement of key factors involved in the stimulation process help us control the application of exercise stress and apply optimal doses with each client.  In addition, we take progress analysis to another level.  Most attempts to measure progress are just not sensitive enough and do not consider the variables that influence performance measurement.  Ask your prospective trainer this, “How will you validate the progress I am making in my fitness levels?”  Beware of measures that are really not measure of increased fitness but instead are measures of increased skill – like body-weight movements and balancing acts.

We have shown you several areas must be considered when you looking into personal training for yourself.  In addition, I hope we have convinced you that you should really be looking for personal training that has progressed into the 21st century.

Also see:

Personal Training Has Progressed: Part 1

Personal Training Has Progressed: Part 2

The Exercise Coach® we are maniacal about our mission to be the perfect fit for people that standard workouts don’t work for.  Standard workouts and the associated guidelines are responsible for keeping 85% of people frustrated on the sidelines.  Even for those individuals who commit themselves to the rigors recommended by exercise enthusiasts, there is no guarantee it will get them the outcome they want. Professor James Timmons makes the point that no long term study has demonstrated that an inactive individual will become healthier by simply making them more active.  He goes on to make the point that studies focused on specific wellness outcomes have demonstrated the production of similar or superior results  when brief, whole-effort exercise (my term for exercise that is of a high enough quality to render targeted musculature sufficiently stimulated within 10-180 seconds of work) is deployed rather than standard exercise activities.   This is why we say that muscle quality matters more than movement quantity.  Research supports what I have known and taught for 16 years –  time and distance are irrelevant exercise metrics.  Our core belief is that the production of enhanced muscle tissue and the process that brings about this adaptation is really the key to driving positive fitness and wellness outcomes.

For today let me share just a couple findings that support this belief.  If you are interested in weight loss results and long term wellness these will be of interest to you.

1.  A study done by the Department of Translational Biomedicine at the School of Engineering and Physical Sciences, Heriot-Watt University Edinburgh involved just 15 minutes of whole-effort exercise over a period of two weeks.  The conclusion of the researchers:

“The efficacy of a high intensity exercise protocol, involving only ~250 kcal of work each week, to substantially improve insulin action in young sedentary subjects is remarkable. This novel time-efficient training paradigm can be used as a strategy to reduce metabolic risk factors in young and middle aged sedentary populations who otherwise would not adhere to time consuming traditional aerobic exercise regimes.”

This is a big deal.  These were young healthy individuals.  Insulin Sensitivity is central to the maintenance of healthy body fat levels.  The impact of exercise focused on improving muscle quality is even more profound for more mature out of shape individuals.

2.  Researchers from Tufts University performed a strength training study that found improved muscle quality leads to not only decreased insulin resistance but also decreased systemic inflammation.  Inflammation has been dubbed “the secret killer” and is seen by many in the medical community as the root cause of heart disease, stroke, and other ailments.  Now we have evidence that muscle quality is not only important for weight control but can also help mitigate arguably the most significant threat to your overall health.

There are many more benefits associated with improved muscle quality.  These include an increase in metabolism, bone health, and overall energy and mood to name a few.

Muscle quality matters so much more than movement quantity that the time barrier to exercise can be completely eliminated with cutting edge methods.  Our personal training clients experience optimal results with just two, 20-minute workouts per week.  In addition to breaking down the time barrier, minimum fitness level requirements are lower with an approach that emphasizes effort over activity.  In fact, there is really not  much of a requirement.  We have helped men and women up into their 90’s and severely deconditioned individuals as well.  Our average client in nearly 60 years of age.  I share this to encourage you.  You are not disqualified.  Don’t let the guidelines ,which focus on minute of activity and miles of movement, keep you on the sidelines.  Find a professional that is committed to safe, brief, whole-effort exercise.  We invite you to visit one of our state of the art personal training centers today.

While the previous post explored what causes diminished bone mineral density and what exactly osteoporosis is, now we want to discuss solutions and things we can do to protect ourselves from the risks of losing bone mass.

Osteopenia: less bone mass

Osteoporosis: less bone mass that results in an increased risk for fracture

Fluctuations in bone mineral density can be normal to some degree.  The decreased production of sex hormones, age, genetics can all be responsible for a low bone density score.  Furthermore, people with lower muscular strength, lean mass and sarcopenia (age-related loss of muscle mass), are associated with and are indicators of osteoporosis.  The concern, however, is not necessarily a lower bone mineral density but the increased risk for a fracture.  The lifetime risk of any osteoporotic fracture is high and lies within the range of 40-50% in women and 13-22% for men.  So what are we going to do about it?  Might I suggest improving your muscle quality?

THE MUSCLE QUALITY – BONE DENSITY CONNECTION

There are two ways in which improving muscle quality directly improves the health of the skeletal system and more importantly protects us from greater risk of fractures from osteoporosis.

1. Increased bone mineral density
2. Stronger muscles yield greater structural support to the skeletal system as well as greater force absorption.

First, we have the direct, measurable effect that strength training has in improving bone mineral density.  We are talking specifically about improving your ‘score’ or the density of the bone on a bone mineral density test.  There are various schools of thought on how activity and exercise can improve bone mineral density.  Many health care professionals will have you believe walking is a great way to strengthen bones however this is NOT the case.

I think we can all agree that exercise improves bone mineral density.  However, it goes back to what is our definition of exercise (see our definition of exercise in this article).  All exercise is NOT created equal.  Exercise has to force the body to make a positive adaptation.  We at The Exercise Coach® define a positive adaptation to include increased bone mineral density which isn’t always understood by some health care professionals and personal trainers. I feel like the bad guy here but walking and other weight bearing activity like jogging does NOT stimulate bone density improvements.  Dr. Nelson discusses this in her book Strong Women, Strong Bones, and the research says the same thing.

What’s more is that moderate intensity strength training where no meaningful demands are put on the musculature does NOT induce bone mineral density improvements either.

So what does work?  Right Intensity Training of course!*  The reason is because there is meaningful demand being put on the muscles.  We know that as muscles become stronger and capable of generating more force the surrounding structures: tendons, ligaments, bone must also become stronger.

(CLICK ON PHOTO TO ENLARGE)

Exercise not only needs to induce positive adaptations but also ensure that the body is not being put at risk for injury.  We are looking for the sweet spot of exercise intensity that forces positive adaptations while protecting the body from any potential injury.  This is where our trademarked Right Intensity Training is the ideal.

This leads right into the fact that stronger muscles result in stronger structural support for our bones.  Remember, osteoporosis means that the loss of bone mineral density has resulted in an increased risk of fracture.  Furthermore, some may even argue that decreased bone mineral density is a natural part of aging that coincides with hormonal changes and it’s inevitable.  Do we just accept our fate and go quietly into the night if thisis true?  Of course not!!!  So to combat that we must find ways to lower your risk for fracture.

THE MUSCLE QUALITY – OSTEOPOROSIS CONNECTION

As muscle quality improves, several factors can lead to a decreased risk for fracture.  First, think of the stronger the supporting musculature the more force absorption your body can tolerate.  We see this with the eccentric aspects of our training.  Not only are we able to absorb more force but the increased muscle quality also works as a force-dissipating agent to protect our bones.**

Another interesting way to look at reducing your risk of fracture is to understand the structural support of the spine itself.  Arthur Jones, an exercise pioneer, said if you stripped away the surrounding muscular support around the spine it would collapse beneath the weight of a can of soda.  The reason it doesn’t is  because of the muscle mass supporting it.**  Stands to reason that it’s as pretty good idea to maximize the muscle we have if we want to prevent and reduce our risk of bone fractures.

To recap, walking, low to moderate intensity activity, and weight-bearing recreation do not and will not stimulate improvements in bone mineral density nor does it reduce your risk for osteoporotic fracture.  Right Intensity Training and improved muscle quality is the only and best way to have a positive impact through exercise!  Good thing you know where to go for that!

* See articles Effects of High-Intensity Strength Training on Multiple Risk Factors for Osteoporotic Fractures; The effects of progressive resistance training on bone density: a review.

** Dr. Doug McGuff, Body By Science, pg 107

Read the rest of this series:

Muscle Quality: Improving It Will Change Your Life

Muscle Quality and the Neurological System: Part 1

Muscle Quality and the Neurological System: Part 2

Muscle Quality and Fat Loss

Muscle Quality and “Cardio”

Muscle Quality and Cardiovascular Health

The Downside to prolonged “Cardio”

Muscle Quality and Osteoporosis

How to Combat Osteoporosis through Strength Training

Muscle Quality and Gastrointestinal Health

Muscle Quality and Inflammation

Muscle Quality and Brain Health

Muscle Quality and The Endocrine System: Part 1

Muscle Quality and The Endocrine System: Part 2

Weight loss ambition is one of the greatest personal drivers of exercise motivation.  Therefore, this hot-button is the target of many a fitness marketer.  This in and of itself is, in my opinion, is not at all wrong.  Inspiration is one of the fundamental tasks of a fitness brand.  We have to give people compelling reasons to take new actions to better their health and fitness. However, there persists in fitness marketing some recycled promises and explanations that are at the very least overblown if not intentionally inflated.

One such idea that has received a lot of press and attention in the last couple years is known informally as “afterburn”.  More technically this concept is referred to as Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption or EPOC.  Dr. Len Kravits explains that EPOC, “represents the oxygen consumption above resting level that the body is utilizing to return itself to its pre-exercise state.” In other words, EPOC is the extra energy your body spends to restore depleted energy sources and fuel other recovery processes. This is a phenomenon that has been observed by exercise physiologists for decades.  Even still, it is often promoted as if some product or program has recently unlocked its secret benefits.   Furthermore, there are at least 5 reasons why people shouldn’t let EPOC based claims influence the way they work out.

Don’t let EPOC based claims influence the way you work out

1.     EPOC represents a really small number of calories.  EPOC energy expenditure from long-duration workouts amounts to about a 7% bonus in calories burned.  This means that a workout that burns 500 calories will lead to an extra 35 calories burned above resting levels during recovery from the workout.  This is simply not significant.  Even if high-intensity work is performed and the EPOC is doubled, we are talking about a “burn” that is not sufficient to rely on as a weight loss strategy.  This led researchers to conclude that, “optimism regarding an important role for the EPOC in weight loss is generally unfounded.”

2.     Hormones matter much more than calories.  The fact that the calories in – calories out view of weight-control is faulty makes EPOC even less relevant.  It’s abundantly clear today that exercise is important for lasting weight-control success. However, the most effective approach is to combine resistance training and high-effort conditioning with balanced whole-food nutrition.  The point is this, whole-effort exercise (that burns less total calories than traditional workouts) is the most effective approach because this type of work engages the deep muscle fibers which triggers fat-burning hormones to be released and fat-storing hormones to be suppressed.  Weight loss isn’t about how many calories you burn. It is about resetting your metabolism.

3.     Fat-Burning hormones are released from very brief interval training.  The hormonal, and therefore metabolic, benefits of whole-effort conditioning (We call it concentrated cardio at The Exercise Coach) can be realized from startlingly brief bouts when done right.  This has been the subject of much research and media attention the past few years. A recent study indicated that one-minute worth of actual interval training work is surprisingly good at resetting fat-burning metabolic mechanisms. The whole workout in the study was only 10-minutes long including rest intervals.

4.     Fat Burning hormones are released from quality eccentric loading.  Eccentric resistance training is the best way to build strength and muscle. It’s also great for keeping muscle fibers long and healthy.  In addition to the power enhancing benefits of eccentric training it can also compound the metabolic effects of exercise. Research shows that high-quality eccentric loading triggers the same fat-burning hormones that interval training does.  And, since it’s effectiveness can be leveraged in very brief bouts like interval training it creates the perfect one-two weight loss punch.

5.     EPOC focused workouts aren’t for every “body.”  The types of workouts touted as EPOC-based are generally 45-60 minutes and made up of very repetitive treadmill and body-weight type exercises.  To be sure, an hour of this kind of work will wear you out.  However, it’s just more wear and tear than a lot of people can tolerate and the volume of work performed can lead quickly to overtraining, thwarted fat-loss, and demotivation.  Better results can be achieved in much less time and when smart interval training and quality strength protocols are used, a great 20-minute workout can change the life of the busiest people – even those with the most beat-up bodies.

Twenty-first century health and wellness professionals agree that muscle really matters.  Muscle has been said to be the window to the rest of your body, your primary biomarker, and the engine of your personal health.  Irwin Rosenburg, M.D. says that it’s responsible much more than people know for the vitality of their whole “physiological apparatus.”

Aging is not on the side of muscle.  From age 20-50, the average person loses ½ pound of muscle per year!  This amounts to 15 pounds of muscle loss by age 50.  The answer to this problem is a little different than you may have heard.

It’s a common refrain – “Use’em or lose’em.” Here is the problem.  I like to say that you “use” every muscle in your body by the time you brush your teeth each morning.  And, that’s saying a lot as there are 700 named muscles in the human frame.  This type of use obviously won’t stem the tide of muscle loss let alone keep you in peak health and fitness.

You see, while you have 700 muscles in your body, those muscle contain about a billion muscle fibers.  A muscle fiber is essentially a single muscle cell that is made of proteins in that interact to generate force as they slide on each other under the power of chemical reactions.  Each fiber is one that has to be preserved or strengthened through meaningful use.  Indeed, you can use all 700 of your muscles every day for 30 years and still experience atrophy in millions of fibers throughout each of your muscles.  You can literally use’em and lose’em.

The answer to peak muscular fitness and by extension optimal health and fitness is found in the science of muscle fiber recruitment.  This will be the topic of my next post.

P.S. Brushing your teeth is very good for you.  It just won’t keep you as strong and healthy as you want to be!

Recent Blog Posts You May Like:

AFTERBURN: All That or All Hype?

Muscle Quality: Improving It Will Change Your Life