Strength training is mobility training.

And.

For many of us, adding some extra attention to an area that needs it- spine, hips, ankles- makes a HUGE difference in how they live their lives.

Here's some things to ask yourself ...

Do you have a job where you sit much of your day (bonus points if you've got a long commute to get there)?

Do you notice stiffness in a particular area that doesn't get better with just stretching?

Do you notice limits in your ranges of motion? Like you can't straighten your leg all the way, your heels come up off the floor when you squat, crossing your legs when sitting feels hard or impossible?

Is it challenging to get up and down from the floor from any position?

Do you struggle to find a comfortable sitting position once you get there?

Have you had to see a physical therapist and was told to incorporate more ranges of motion in to your fitness routine?

If you answered yes to any of these, it's worth exploring how adding just a few sessions specific to...

Let's first talk about KB's vs DB's...

The first obvious difference is the shape- dumbbells have an even displacement of weight, while the weight in KB's is and imbalanced (just like most things you pick up in life).

The offset nature of the bell improves not just your grip strength, but holding one turns on all those stabilizer muscles to keep it centered in your hand as you move.

This is a BIG factor in how many muscles get recruited when doing any exercise...said another way: more bang for your buck.

You can do just about every dumbbell exercise with a KB, but trying to do kettlebell exercises with a DB isn't as easy.

Switching from a power building move- like a swing- into a strength based move-- like a press- is pretty seamless with a KB- and adds a whole other aspect of strength building.

 And now, KB's vs Barbells. 

 The shape of the barbell creates a stable and fixed position- two hands and equal weight distribution- which pre-determines the path you...

There are very valid reasons to do the bare minimum.

The list of reasons why you might want to go easy is long.

Here's just a few:

Not great sleep, haven’t worked out in a while, still sore from your last workout, too stressed to focus- even just a low energy day.

Not the best conditions for sure.  And if you’re feeling off, you’re putting yourself at risk or injury if you push too hard.

On those days- just commit to the warm up, or 10 minutes, or one set.  You may feel like doing more, you may not, but by doing something, you’re shifting both your mind and body to a consistent routine.

Which will always be more important than crushing your workout.

All the benefits of strength training come with doing it consistently, over a long period of time.

So challenge yourself when those days (or weeks or months) call for it, and then cut back when you need it.

My group members have been working on building POWER and BALANCE for our current training block.

Up til now, we’ve mostly worked on each component separately, but this month we’re combining them.

Because that’s what progressive training looks like around here (if you’ve been here long enough, you know we break it down before we put it together) .

Jumping and plyometrics are typically programed as the cardio portion of a HIIT style or aerobic endurance type of workout- which is great- but there are benefits to slowing it down.

Any type of jump is itself a balance exercise.  One that forces you to generate power, stabilize, and then absorb the deceleration.

Jumping also creates stronger joints and ligaments while developing your vestibular system, that inner ear mechanism that’s responsible for our sense of where we are in space (like being able to walk without looking at our feet).

Knowing what exercises to do- and WHY you’re doing them-...

There are so many reasons you might not feel hungry.

Sickness and stress are two big ones...

If you're a parent, you might be familiar with this conversation.  

When your kid is home sick, there's a good chance you talk to them about needing to eat even if they don't feel like they want to.

Because you know that we need food to heal, to grow, to fight illnesses and infuse ourselves with energy.

And although we freely give out this advice to our young ones, our friends- we're less likely to heed our own advice.

In light of the current state of medications meant for a medical condition being prescribed for weight loss, I've been thinking a lot about the feeling of hunger.

And how many reasons we might not feel hunger are directly related to the diet industry.

Much like people who don't feel hungry after bariatric surgery, people taking weight loss drugs face a possible similar fate; not being able to nourish themselves properly.

And potential malnutrition and illnesses that...

Focus on the eccentric part of the move.

Eccentric training emphasizes the lowering phase of an exercise...

Like the descent of a squat, the lowering of a bicep curl, or the downward portion of a push up.

This part of an exercises creates less fatigue then the concentric phase, and working here allows you to produce greater force and strength, more muscle mass, and makes all parts of an exercise easier.

This lovely eccentric tricep pushup is on the Collaboratives program this month.

Wanna try?  We’re going down for a slow count of five.

Engage your abdominals, glutes, and push into the floor with your chin slightly tucked.

Pick your starting position-the one that will allow you to lower with control for a slow count of five.

So both knees down, alternating one knee up (really engage that glute on the extended leg), or from full plank.

Corkscrew those hands into the floor and skim your ribcage as you lower, keeping elbows in close.

Adjust your reps accordingly- and get all...

I've worked with thousands of clients over the years, and I can safely say that most of them aren't eating enough.

So what does that look like?  Ask yourself this...

What's missing?

Is it a certain MACRONUTRIENT?

Carbs, Protein, Fats?

Those are the big ones that are often left out of diet plans.

Is it QUANTITY?

Are you stopping yourself from eating to fullness?

Are you following serving guidelines on a package, or according to a calorie limit?

Is it SATISFACTION?

Are you eating 'healthified' versions of your favorite food- sometimes in excess of fullness- and still not feeling satisfied?

Are you choking down dry toast and avoiding pasta made from flour at all costs?

If you think following 'healthy' food rules is working, consider how much time you spend thinking about food OUTSIDE of your actual meal times.

And that maybe you're focusing on the wrong things.

Because when you eat according to what your body needs, your brain gets to think about other...

If you've ever wondered what kind of experience an anti diet fitness coach provides, I got you.

When we work together, I do:

Meet you right where you’re at, and build programs that are progressive, challenging, and specific to your goals and needs
Support your development of a regular exercise routine, but also honoring the rest you need
Break down your ‘why’ for exercising and get clear on the way diet culture has shaped your relationship with movement
Check in via text and phone each week to dig deeper on ANY issue shared that’s affecting your health
Provide feedback on form and proper exercise technique
Give you support in gentle nutrition if you need it (what’s what when it comes to fat, fiber, protein-education without rules)
Support your journey with Intuitive Eating

Things I DON’T do when we work together:

Take measurements, weight, or ask for before or after pics
Put you on a meal ‘plan’ or ‘program’
Teach you hacks to...

Being able to take a walk by myself- without my dogs- took up way too many sessions with my therapist.

How could I justify walking without one- or several- of my 4 leggers, who clearly need one too?

Wow did I carry (and still do, to a lesser degree) a lot of shame about how hard this was for me.

The most embarrassing part being that I am WELL VERSED in knowing how important taking time for yourself is- it’s a common conversation I have with my clients.

But no how matter how much awareness I have, my lived experience reflects being a caretaker since I was a kid. 

Holding space for a parent in pain and keeping my own close to my chest in an attempt to not make things worse for anyone else.

It’s my default mode. 

And.

It doesn’t serve me at all.

When it comes to my loved ones, I go through periods of not asking for help, putting myself and my needs last, getting to a breaking point, and only THEN making different choices that support my physical and mental...

Let's talk about some of the 'health hacks' you do or have heard about from your trusted fitness professionals (although not this one ;)

 You may know by now that I spent a good decade deep in Eating Disorders...

And because I spent years throwing up or severely restricting- I thought that was THE definition of disordered eating.

 Maybe you do too.

 Or, maybe you already know what took me a long while to recognize: that distorted eating habits can be extremely destructive, and they don't have to involve binging, purging, and starvation.

 Some examples pulled straight from my past experiences- and maybe your current ones…

•  Filling yourself up with drinks to subdue hunger- like bubbly waters, coffee, tea, wine (the last one being recommended by a popular fit pro) 
•  Putting off breakfast as long as possible
•  Labeling a ‘healthy’ food as a free for all.  Like eating all the baby carrots you want (while also tuning out...