I’ve never been one for dogma, particularly the ones in strength training, diet, and Pilates communities. It has a way of alienating people, and I find that everyone has a personal right to ask question and determine what works best for them. In Pilates in particular, there are some beliefs or cues that are passed down from teacher to student …
An Easy Tip to Clean Up Your Hand Placement on a Barbell or Dumbbell
Do you know how to grip the bar or dumbbell when you lift? While this seems like a basic question, in my years as a trainer, I often see people default to a grip that doesn’t suit the act of lifting weights. A weak grip equals to weakness, period. You won’t be able to lift as heavy, or get pull-ups …
An Easy Way to Change Your Habits
It’s incredibly frustrating to watch ourselves rise to the occasion for something we truly want only to backslide into our old habits a few weeks later and fail, again. False starts repeated over and over again are not character flaws, but a combination of poor habits, poor systems, and lack of knowledge. I was and sometimes still am a person …
Mobility Exercises While You Work From Home
Is it just me, or do you feel like you’ve aged 100 years since shelter-in-place began a few months ago? It seems like every day is the same except there are more obstacles, more stress, – and likely more crying – going on than ever before. To top it all off, you’re likely feeling more stiffness, more aches, and holding …
Adjusting Your Training Under Quarantine
If you’re used to lifting weights or being outdoors for your fitness, this time of social distancing can feel like a physical and emotional unraveling of sorts. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ You spent months building a routine, you were *just* starting to get consistent…and now you’re a responsible citizen who stays the f*ck inside, for your safety and that of others. It’s unclear …
A Quick Guide to Making the Bench Press Your Bitch
There are few things I dislike about strength training, but if you must know, they are: a) People that don’t re-rack their weights b) Bros that puff their chest out when they walk at the gym c) The bench press You might be surprised by option “C” but that’s because bench pressing is my #1 nemesis of the main lifts. It’s …
Alternatives to Building Lower Body Strength
A lot of trainers might get mad at me for this but… Squats are cool, but they aren’t everything. You heard me. Squats are not everything, and it takes a lot of effort to hold back my eye roll when I hear someone say that you “just need to squat more” in order to get a bigger butt, get strong, …
The Meaning Behind Muscle Soreness
There are a lot of things in the fitness world that make me cringe: Curling in the squat rack Anyone that says lifting heavy makes women “big” Using muscle soreness as the end-all-be-all sign that an exercise is “working” Literally anything with pink dumbbells Number #3 is one that really grinds my gears most because far too many fitness certified …
Conscious Spending for Health, Wealth, and Happiness
Years ago, I used to drop serious cash (that I didn’t have as a single gal in my 20s) on a bunch of random stuff during the holidays. Sweaters, boots, purses, candles, socks…you name it! It was in my shopping cart. At the time I also worked in retail and took full advantage of my employee discount and the holiday promotions. #megasavings …
Four Signs A Workout Program is Worth Your Time
When you’re selecting a new training program or workout to follow, are you looking at those options with a critical eye? Be honest! The reality is, there is a lot of garbage out there regarding fitness and strength training programs. The barrier to entry in the fitness space is nearly invisbile as literally anyone can post “expert” or “trainer” on …