Training Tips
Your go-to resource for more effective workouts!
Check out my expert advice, practical strategies, and in-depth training tips to help you maximize your gains.
Troubleshoot Your Romanian Deadlift (RDL)
What is the most intimidating weight-training exercise for you?
If you’re like many of my clients and followers, you probably answered: deadlifts!
You probably do this movement multiple times every day, regardless of whether you’re aware of it or not.
The deadlift is the movement of picking something up from the ground in a standing position.
Deadlifts are one of the more tricky exercises to master and perform safely. Most adults that I see have poor mobility and movement patterns, which puts them at risk of straining their backs whenever they pick something up from the ground (both in and outside the gym).
There are a lot of moving pieces involved in safely lifting weight from the ground—you have to keep your spine in alignment, monitor the degree of hip hinge to knee bend, engage the lats, and stay balanced, among other things.
Another thing that makes deadlifts difficult to master is the many variations. Some variations rely more on hinging the hips than bending the knees (e.g., Romanian Deadlifts and Conventional Deadlifts). Others incorporate more knee bending and a more upright posture (e.g., Sumo and Frog Stance).
Most people have a preferred variation according to their individual strengths, body shape (i.e., length of torso, arms, and leg bones), and individual preferences. However, it’s a good idea to master the correct technique of all deadlift variations for a well-rounded physique and mobility.
Let’s take a look at how to do one of the most common forms of the deadlift—the Romanian Deadlift. We’ll also troubleshoot some common errors with the technique so that you can practice the movement with perfect form.
7 Ways to Improve Your Squat Technique
Mastering the squat is super important for staying injury-free in the gym. It’s also one of the basic movements of the human body. Improving your squat technique can help you have better posture and move better in your everyday life.
Before adding any weight or resistance to the squat, make sure that your technique is spot on by checking your form against the tips below.
5 Steps to Set a SMART Fitness Goal
January is the perfect time to set your intention for what you want to do with your fitness in the coming year.
By the end of 2025, what do you want to achieve?
It’s important to get clear on your goals because that helps you to stay focused and motivated in your workouts and nutrition throughout the year. It also will allow you to craft a step-by-step plan for what to do every day, every week, and every month to move toward what you want to achieve.
The best way to set yourself up for success is to make your goal(s) SMART. SMART stands for:
Specific
Measurable
Attainable
Relevant
Time-Bound
Setting a SMART goal can help you get clear on what you want and turn your goals from dreams into action.
Focus on Core Strength
Developing a strong core is an essential part of building muscle and improving your physique. That’s why it’s important to include exercises like crunches, planks, torso twists, and back exercises in your weekly workout plan. In this post, we’ll go over why doing core training is so important for health and fitness. We’ll also cover some basic techniques you can use to strengthen and stabilize your core.
How to Build Muscle
Let’s talk about how to get the most benefit from your resistance training workouts so you can build muscle and get strong 💪
Ways to Get Your Heart Pumping
Cardiovascular exercise (or “cardio” for short) is a style of training focused on getting your heart pumping for at least 10 minutes. This type of exercise improves the health of your heart & lungs, which deliver oxygen and nutrients to your body & brain.
Feeling Sore?
Do you sometimes feel sore after your workouts? It’s totally normal! If you push your muscles close to failure in your resistance training (like you should), microscopic tears will form along the muscle fiber walls. These tears trigger an “inflammation cascade” that can lead to tenderness or tightness in the muscles.
How hard should you push in your workouts?
During resistance training workouts, pay attention to how hard your muscles are working in every set of each exercise. This can also help you to judge whether or not you might need to use more or less resistance (i.e. weight).