The Bulgarian Split Squat is an exercise that will challenge you greatly but you will be proud you accomplished it once it’s over! To perform this correctly place your rear foot on the bench or platform behind you with your toes down. If you are using a weight, keep it nice and high in the […]

Most exercisers are familiar with forward and backward lunges but not diagonal, side, and curtsey lunges which can be great to throw into workouts for variety and an added challenge.  Lunges are a great exercise for those that do not have knee pain and also help improve mobility, agility, and single-leg strength. In the video […]

When performing the chest supported row make secure to keep your elbows tucked in, chest pad adjusted correctly, keep your chest on the pad the whole time, and make sure to only pull till the handles are right in front of your chest. 

The purpose of a banded or plate YTA is to increase flexibility of the biceps and triceps. This exercise helps better posture and increase thorough range of motion How to: Plate – Using two 2.5 lb plates in each hand leaning on a vertical bench at 45 degrees, raise both arms to make a Y […]

Purpose: to increase movement or range of motion in thoracic spine  Benefits: improved posture, increased range of motion during flexion, extension, and rotation of the thoracic spine, and decreased risk of shoulder and lower back impingement or pain due to mobility restrictions of the thoracic spine  Exercises: Sprinklers, Cat/cow  Sprinklers  Position your body face down […]

In this video, we show you how to take a regular exercise and make it into an eccentric movement. We wanted to highlight adding eccentric movements into workouts for its many benefits. Focusing on eccentric training, or making an exercise an eccentric movement, is a great way to really get a feel for a movement […]

This movement is intended to help fix poor posture, enhance rotator cuff strength, and improve overall shoulder health. Start with holding the band at waist level with an underhanded grip, grip width should be about even with the shoulders and arms at your sides. Squeeze your shoulder blades to start this movement and try to […]

As we find many of our clients to have knee issues (replacements, discomforts, etc.), these are some movements that help alleviate knee pressure and recruit muscles that are used in a general bodyweight squat. Two movements that you can substitute for the bodyweight squat: Lateral Lunge with a Slider/Frisbee/Paper Plate Key pointers in the Lateral […]

Seated Piriformis Stretch The seated Piriformis stretch targets not only the piriformis, but also the glutes and hips. In order to perform this stretch, sit with a neutral spine on a chair or bench. Bring your right leg up and place your ankle on top of your left thigh, right above the knee. Once in […]

Coach Blake and Coach Annalise show the proper and improper techniques for tricep pushdowns.  Follow the steps below the videos for the proper technique. Setup: Position the cable machine at a height above your head and attach a bar or rope attachment. Stand facing the cable with your feet hip width apart firmly grasping the […]

These quick exercises will activate underutilized muscles needed for posture and proper lifting form when performing strength exercises. The banded walks will fire up the hip and glute muscles for any lower body exercise. The band pull-apart will make sure your upper back and lats are ready for any upper body exercise including pressing motions, […]

Our goal with this trainer tip is to help others gain hip strength and mobility. We suggest resistance hip bands for strength, but without bands for mobility and beginners. Coach Alex demonstrates in movements 1-3 that the yellow hip band should be slightly above the ankle. Knee Drive Standing Clamshells Hip Extension Hip Adduction

Benefits: improves unilateral (single-leg) strength and stability, improves core stability Target muscles: glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps Equipment: 1x 25-45 lb. bumper plate (depending on desired depth), dumbbells for added load if desired Set-up: 1. Place front foot on top of the plate 2. Take a large step backward 3. Adjust rear foot forward or backward […]

Proper overhead press form: Start with the dumbbell at your shoulder.  Press up and slightly back, keeping the bicep close to the ear as this will put the shoulder joint in the most neutral/natural position.

The glute bridge is a great alternative to lower body exercises and can be used as an activation exercise before compound lower body exercises.  Squeeze your hamstrings and glutes to raise your hips off the ground, then hold on top for a short count, and lower back to the ground.  By changing where you press […]

A common mistake in benching is having the wrists in a broken position like the 2nd picture, however having the right stacked position equates to a better pressing leverage and being in a more stable and powerful position. 

Most people struggle with having tight hamstrings. A great way to end your workout is by stretching out your hamstrings. Here are 2 easy ways that you can stretch your hamstrings on your own and while at home: Towel/band Method Using a long towel or band, wrap it around the back of your knee. While […]

There are many different ways that you can modify workouts. Join Coach Alex as she shows us some squat variations.

Having good balance is important for many activities we do every day, such as walking and going up and down the stairs. Exercises that improve balance can help prevent falls, a common problem in older adults and stroke patients. They can also benefit those who are obese since weight is not always carried or distributed […]

Why should I care about my glute flexibility and strength? Performing glute flexibility and strengthening exercises can help relieve: Low back tension Pain in buttocks or pelvis Tightness in hamstrings and hips Performing glute exercises consistently can lead to benefits like: Improved lower body strength Enhanced lower body flexibility and range of motion Reduced risk […]

Both of these carries are a great for working out your core, shoulder stability, grip strength, and legs.  They are an easy addition to the end of any workout if you are looking for something to work all of these places at once. Suitcase Carry: For the suitcase carry make sure your shoulder is locking in […]

The low lunge with a twist is a great exercise to help improve mobility. Pushing the hips down towards the floor helps get a deeper stretch through your upper hamstring and glutes. The addition of the twist helps to open up your chest muscles and the entirety of your back. 

The two videos below demonstrate correct and incorrect barbell chest press form. The biggest mistake we see in the barbell chest press is the pathway the bar takes, like whether it glides back & up creating an arc pathway (correct) or is straight up & down creating a vertical pathway (incorrect). Also, engagement of the […]

Scared of doing side planks because of your carpal tunnel or wrist joint? Here is one way to scale your side plank: create an equal sign with your arms. This centralizes your body weight. Get into plank position, arms still making equal signs, knees on the floor. Rotate so your right arm, weight between this […]

Sit with hips under the bar/pulley and slightly lean back to engage the core. Stabilize your body and pull the bar down to the upper portion of your chest. Allow the bar to return to the top and repeat for desired repetitions. This exercise engages the lats, trapezius, biceps, triceps, forearms muscles throughout the movement.  […]

The hip hinge is one of the fundamental movement patterns that we use. Think about it like your movement as you pick something up off the floor.  It’s one of the most effective ways of building lower body strength. It’s a staple of deadlifts, squats, and anything that requires explosiveness, like sprinting or jumping. Coach […]

Deep Bodyweight squat: Doing this exercise with help increase hip, knee, and ankle mobility. The squat is a relevant movement in everyday life no matter your age or fitness level.

The thread the needle pose is a great way to stretch the upper back if you are sore from sitting at a computer, lifting heavy, or if you just slept weird. To get a deeper stretch, you can put your supporting hand behind your back. (This also works on balance!) Watch Coach Alex demonstrate here:

Dead bugs help build a solid and stable foundation that protects the spine.  Raise your arms up and bend your knees to about 90 degrees. Allow your shoulders and low back to fall heavily to the floor. As you exhale slowly lower your right arm and left leg until they are just above the ground. […]

Coach Annalise and Coach Sean show us two stretches. Hamstring Stretch: This movement helps to stretch your hamstrings and improve mobility, flexibility, and strength in the legs and lower back. Good Morning: This exercise is used with a bar to help maintain a straight and flat back and help improve posture throughout the exercise. This […]