Training Around Lower Back Pain, Part 2

Low back pain is one of the most prevalent chronic conditions in the US. Chances are good you or someone you know has struggled with back pain at some point. Because most of my clients work office jobs, I see back pain more than any other issue. Long days of sitting combined with too little movement and poor exercise form all contribute to an epidemic of sore, achey backs.

Thankfully, in many cases, back pain can be dramatically reduced and even overcome completely without the need for prescription drugs or costly surgeries. Moving well and often is one of the best things you can do for your back. Even people who have never experienced back pain can reduce their risk of future problems by consistently following a smart, structured training program.

Please note – I am not anti drug or surgery. These interventions help many people. If your back pain is severe and persistent, please go see a medical professional.

In part 1, I explained the dos and dont’s of training for those already suffering from back pain. This second part offers training strategies to reduce the risk of hurting your back down the road. Following these tips can keep your back healthy long into the future.

Learn how to hip hinge.

One of the most common ways people hurt their backs is by improperly lifting a heavy object from the floor. Instead of bending through the hips and using their legs, people round their backs and ask their spine to bear the brunt of the load.

Learning how to hinge through the hips is one of the best ways to spare yourself back pain down the road. To do this, you first need to learn how to move your hips independently of your spine.

First, let’s get to know your spine. Assume a quadruped position (all fours) and perform the cat-cow exercise. This is a yoga move that involves moving your spine from a fully flexed to a fully extended position. Notice that your spine is the only thing moving.

Next, we will isolate movement from the hips. Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the ground. Push through your heels and squeeze your butt until your hips are fully extended. Notice how you can move through your hips without moving your spine. Pay attention to the differences between these two exercises so you can replicate this separation in a performance setting.

After you perform the cat cow and glute bridge, it’s time to work on standing hip hinges. I like to use a broomstick or PVC pipe to give clients some context about where their body is in space.

Hold the broomstick along your spine so you have three points of contact: the back of your head, in between your shoulder blades, and on your tailbone. Now, unlock your knees and reach your hips back into a hinge while maintaining all three points of contact. Be sure to keep your chest tall so if you had writing on your shirt someone could read it from across the room. When you feel a big stretch in your hamstrings, drive the floor away and return to your tall and tight standing posture.

Build posterior chain strength.

One of the best ways to protect your lower back is to build strength in all the other muscles on the backside of your body. Strong glutes, hips, and hamstrings will spare your lower back during heavy lifting and daily activities.

My favorite exercises to build glute strength are the glute bridge and hip thrust. Start with bridges on the floor and progress to hip thrusts when you get stronger. Hip thrusts can be heavily loaded to build some serious strength. However, never go so heavy that you arch your lower back or feel the movement too much in the front of your legs.

You can also use a variety of hip hinge exercises to learn to properly load your entire posterior chain. Be sure you can safely perform a hinge (using the drills above) before you attempt these exercises.

My favorite hinge exercises for people with back problems are dumbbell RDLs, cable pull-throughs, elevated kettlebell deadlifts, and kettlebell swings. You should primarily feel these exercises working your legs and butt rather than your lower back. If you want to work on regular deadlifts, consider using a trap bar or shortening the range of motion by pulling from blocks or a power rack.

Build core strength and stability.

Many people who suffer from back pain have a weak core. One of the main functions of your core is to stabilize your spine while performing other activities. For this reason, it is crucial to add some anti-extension (resisting arching of the back), anti-rotation (resisting rotation), and anti-lateral flexion (resisting side-to-side bending) exercises to your workouts. These exercises teach you to use the deeper muscles of your core to prevent unnecessary movement of your lower back.

Read more: Core training beyond crunches

Some of my favorite anti-core exercises are dead bugs, pallof press, and planks and side planks. Loaded carries are also a great option as they force you to engage your core and stabilize your spine while moving around.

It’s also a good idea to eventually add some rotational core movements to your training program. Most of the exercises we do at the gym happen in the sagittal plane (moving backwards and forwards). However, the activities of our daily lives happen in 3D and we need to be able to move safely and control our bodies in all planes of motion.

Cable rotations, chops and lifts, and Russian twists are my favorite rotational core exercises. When performing rotational exercises, go slowly and ensure you maintain control over the full range of motion. Whipping back and forth is a good way to hurt your back.

Build a stronger lower back.

Your quest to build a more resilient back should include some direct training for your lower back – assuming you don’t have any current pain or an injury history that requires you to tread more carefully.

My favorite lower back exercises are RDLs, back extensions, good mornings, and reverse hypers. All of these exercises also target the rest of the posterior chain and can be modified to hit the erectors of the lower back more or less. Always use perfect form, go slowly, and be conservative with weight increases when performing these exercises.

Lower back pain doesn’t have to be a death sentence for your training. In fact, regular exercise (using good form and a balanced training program) is one of the best things you can do for the health of your back. With some adjustments and planning, you can train around pain and implement strategies to possibly reduce future problems.

Want to work on squats and deadlifts without exacerbating lower back pain? Download your free copy of my ebook Squat and Deadlift School below. I share the exact progressions and exercises I use to help clients feel strong and confident with these exercises, including ways to modify your training if your back is bugging you.

August 8, 2017January 21, 2020

Training Around Lower Back Pain, Part 1

Over the years, I have helped clients deal with many different kinds of back pain. Some clients are struck by episodes so severe they can barely get out of bed for several days. Many clients feel achy after a long day sitting in an office chair. Still others sometimes suffer from pain related to old sports injuries or accidents.

The good news for anyone suffering from back pain is there are plenty of ways to train around discomfort and increase resiliency to reduce the risk of future injuries.

This two-part article shares my top tips and strategies for training around low back pain. The first part explains what to do (and not do) at the gym when your back is currently bothering you. In part 2, I explain how to structure your workouts to avoid back pain in the future.

Please note that a trainer cannot diagnose or treat medical conditions. If you are in severe pain or have discomfort lasting several weeks, seek help from a medical professional.

*Lower back pain doesn’t need to be a death sentence for your workouts.*

Minimize spinal movement during training.

According to Dr. Stuart McGill, the foremost expert in spine biomechanics, the biggest danger to the spine occurs when we move from flexion (rounded spine) to extension (arched spine) while under load.

For example, if your barbell deadlift begins with a rounded back and ends with an arched back, you are putting your spine under a lot of unnecessary stress.

If your back is bothering you, choose exercises that require minimal spinal movement. Exercises like pushups, inverted rows, and single leg variations are good options.

You can also perform upper body exercises like rows and presses from a half-kneeling position, which makes it much more difficult to move your back.

Deadlifts and squats can be problematic for people with back pain. To perform these exercises safely, it’s crucial to keep your spine stable. Always take a big belly breath and brace your core before performing each rep. Choose a variation of these exercises you can perform with great form. You may need to shorten the range of motion, use less weight, and use lower-risk training implements like dumbbells and kettlebells. Depending on your level of discomfort, you may want to skip these exercises altogether until you feel better.

If you deal with back pain, traditional core exercises like sit ups and crunches are not a good option. Many people find these exercises can actually exacerbate pain. Check out part 2 to learn my preferred core exercises to help prevent lower back pain.

Read more: Core training beyond crunches

Think twice before using barbell exercises.

Barbells can put a lot of stress on the spine, especially when held directly on your back. I try to put my clients in the best position to be successful; I want them to train hard without pain and with minimal risk of injury. For this reason, I rarely have my back pain clients perform barbell back squats or deadlifts from the floor.

Instead, we focus on squat and deadlift variations that are more-back friendly. Squat options include goblet squats, double kettlebell squats, zercher squats, and safety bar squats. Deadlift options include kettlebell deadlifts, RDLs, trap bar deadlifts, and block pulls and rack pulls.

Unless you are a competitive powerlifter lifter, you don’t have to train with a barbell. There are many other tools at the gym you can use. Dumbbells, kettlebells, bands, machines, and even bodyweight exercises offer many of the same benefits as barbell training with fewer risks.

Choose low-impact cardio.

Landing places a lot of stress on your joints. This is especially problematic when you’re running and rack up thousands of landings during a single workout. When your back is bothering you, it’s best to leave running and plyometric exercises out of your workouts.

Instead, choose joint-friendly cardio and conditioning methods. Walking, sled pushes and pulls, loaded carries, and swimming are all good alternatives. Some trainees will be able to tolerate bike riding, others may experience discomfort from sitting for too long. Pay attention to your body and do what feels best for you.

19-woman-walking-in-the-park — *Low impact cardio is best for those dealing with back pain.*

Just because your back is bothering you doesn’t mean you shouldn’t exercise. Movement is one of the best medicines for low-intensity chronic back pain. Choose low-impact exercises that involve minimal spinal movement. Choose handheld implements or bodyweight movements and avoid heavy barbell exercises. Always use good judgment and never train through pain.

Check out part 2 for ideas on how to use an intelligent training program to reduce future flare-ups and avoid back injuries.

August 1, 2017

Six Things I Learned from a Year of Online Training with Bryan Krahn

July marked the one-year anniversary of one of the best decisions I ever made for my physical and mental health. After a lot of research and rumination, I signed up for online training with Bryan Krahn.

As many readers know, I lost over 70 pounds on my own in 2011 and 2012. I had already experienced tremendous success in changing my body, building new habits, and making lasting lifestyle changes. However, I never quite took the process as far as I intended. At my lowest weight I still hovered about 10 pounds above my goal. I was no longer obese or even overweight, but I still felt like I was carrying around more body fat than I wanted. I worked my ass off in the gym and I wanted to look a little more like I lifted. Many factors had conspired to prevent me from building the body I wanted. I decided it was time to fully commit and enlist the help of another coach.

Beyond simply wanting to get leaner, I knew I needed major help with my eating habits. A lifetime of overeating combined with my recent dive into the world of diets and health food had created a perfect storm of disordered eating from which I could not seem to break free. I alternated between periods of healthy, balanced eating and periods where I felt trapped by cycles of bingeing and restricting. I was tired of suffering through this alone and believed a coach could help me learn more about myself and what was causing these cycles.

Bryan appealed to me for two reasons. First, I knew I wanted to follow a plan geared more toward aesthetics (more on this below), and Bryan is a seasoned expert in that type of training. Second, I appreciated his holistic approach to getting lean that places a high value on managing stress, emotions, and other lifestyle factors. My original intent was to stay with Bryan for 3 months and then move on. However, I’ve had such a rewarding experience that I am still a loyal client more than 12 months later.

This article shares some of the most impactful lessons I’ve learned over the last year. Included are insights on building the body you want, creating lasting habits, and the value of coaching.

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A year’s worth of progress

If you are honest about what you want out of training, you will have more fun and get better results.

For years I trained as a competitive powerlifter. I truly loved the sport, but I was getting to a point where I was frustrated with my progress. My lifts were no longer progressing as quickly as they were in my first years of training. This is a normal part of getting stronger, but I was beating myself up if I missed a lift and started dreading my workouts. I was letting my self-worth as a lifter get tied up in my total.

More importantly, I began to realize that what I really wanted was to look better. I wanted to be leaner, with bigger arms and shoulders and more definition across my body. I never spoke this goal aloud because I always felt like it was “too vain” and that training for strength or performance was a more accepted use of my time as a fitness professional and confident woman.

One thing that drew me to Bryan was his insistence that fit pros can and should try to get in good shape. There is absolutely nothing wrong with chasing this goal. Although I will always love powerlifting, I decided to shift gears and fully commit to an extended period of training for aesthetics.

Bryan’s programs initially kicked my ass. I was completely unaccustomed to higher volume training and performing such a wide variety of exercises. After a few months, however, I started to notice all kinds of positive changes in my body. This encouraged me to keep going and excited me for workouts workouts in a way that I had lost. I was motivated to work harder because I felt like I was spending my time in a way that resonated more with my desires.

Figure out what you want out of training and don’t let anyone else dictate what goal you should be pursuing. By being honest with myself about what I really wanted, I found a training style that was more fun and got me closer to my true goals.

If you want bigger arms or shoulders, you need to train them a lot. Like, A LOT.

Confession: I’ve always wanted more muscular arms. Even after losing a lot of weight, getting fairly strong, and generally feeling very confident in my skin, I was never truly happy with how my arms looked. Additionally, I’ve always admired and wanted a pair of big, round shoulders. No matter what I did, however, it seemed that my shoulders were never going to grow. I now realize that I wasn’t doing nearly enough volume for these muscles if I was serious about building some size.

During the past year, I’ve followed many training programs. Almost all of them had me doing tons of volume for the arms and shoulders. I typically trained shoulders 3-4 times per week and arms 2-3 times per week.* This specifically refers to direct isolation work for these muscles and does not include extra exposure from compound chest and back movements. Bryan also had me do a lot of giant cluster sets that included 3-5 exercises for the same body part with no rest in between. I didn’t worry as much about adding lots of weight. Instead, I focused on using good form so I could really feel the target muscle contracting and stretching.

(*Note – most of my shoulder work came from lighter shoulder raise variations. It’s not a good idea for most people to overhead press multiple times in one week.)

After a year Bryan’s workouts, I love the way my arms and shoulders look. They are still very much a work in progress, but I’ve seen noticeable muscle gain. This summer I’ve been rocking sleeveless shirts with every chance I get. But this didn’t happen by accident.

If you want bigger, leaner, or more defined arms and shoulders, you likely need to put in way more time. Don’t be fooled by people who say your arms get all the training they need from compound big lifts. Train your arms and shoulders often and with a variety of exercises for best results.

Arm gains

Following a program for a longer time leads to better results.

One of my favorite things about training with Bryan has been to spend some time digging deep into a training program. Too many people are caught up in the idea that they need to change things up all the time to see progress. In my experience, the latter weeks of a training program was where I started to really see and feel the magic.

Here is what a typical first phase of a training program looked like. The first few weeks were spent adapting to the new workouts, revisiting or learning any exercises that I hadn’t done in the last phase, and establishing a foundation for weights and reps. These weeks often left me feeling pretty sore. The program then built in volume or intensity through 3-5 weeks, after which I usually took a deload week where we cut the volume in half.

The second phase of the program brought back the same basic workouts with a few tweaks to minor exercises and the addition of some intensity techniques. It was in this second phase that I felt I could really push myself, set weight or volume PRs, increase the density of the workout by resting less, and generally get into a deep flow during the workouts. Notice that this didn’t really happen until the second phase. Although I was always trying to improve, I felt the biggest gains the longer I stayed with the program.

If I was in a hurry to get a totally new plan all the time, I would not have gotten as strong or built as much muscle. The takeaway here is to be patient with your training. Don’t be in a hurry to try the latest craze or new exercise all the time. You can see great progress for a long time by pushing yourself on a simple, well-constructed program.

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The diet is the easy part.

When I first started with Bryan, I was super pumped about my goals. I had reached the “fed up” point that I think is extremely valuable in driving motivation for change. I knew that in the next 3 months, I would do whatever it took to achieve my goal of getting lean. Diet, sacrifice, and hard work did not intimidate me as I had gone through similar processes before I knew what was coming.

As expected, the first 3 months of coaching went really well. I was able to fully commit to the new training style, adjust to the increased volume of training, and religiously stick to my calorie and macro guidelines. This led me to impressive results. I dropped over 15 pounds and looked noticeably leaner. I felt great about my accomplishments and loved the way my body was changing.

However, after the diet ended and we started to reintroduce a bit more freedom on the weekends, I fell hard back into old destructive eating habits. I had been so spot-on with my diet that when I finally relaxed the reins, I wasn’t able to maintain control. For a number of months, almost every weekend ended in a binge. Once the genie was out of the bottle, it was extremely difficult for me to get it back in again.

I didn’t realize it at first, but this period is where the real coaching work really began. I needed to confront a lifetime of bad choices and compulsive behavior that my 3 month diet simply masked. When I was losing weight and running a tight ship, I wasn’t really doing the deep work to address my personal demons and build habits to help me when I was at my most vulnerable. These issues came to the surface once I allowed myself more freedom to eat “normally”. Over time, I worked closely with Bryan to identify my triggers and put systems in place to help me deal with the before, during, and after parts of a binge. I also worked to distance myself emotionally from my eating habits. Before, I would freak out and feel tons of self-loathing when I “messed up”. Now, I practice compassion and kindness towards myself. If I fall back into old habits, I practice standing up again in my power without judgement.

I won’t sugarcoat this process and say it was easy, enjoyable, or even that it’s completed. I will probably always struggle on some level with my disordered eating. However, working with a coach who had been there and helped others in similar situations has helped me improve my mindset tremendously.

If you are working to change your body, remember that you can’t always be on a diet. You need to spend some time learning about yourself and building habits that will sustain you when you are out in the world living a normal life. If you don’t do this work, you will always be riding the roller coaster of weight loss and regain and the emotional scars that go along with it.

weight fluctuation

This is what a year’s worth of almost daily weigh-ins looks like. Notice the initial diet and then the many ups and downs related to binging.

Consistency is key.

One of the most valuable life lessons I have learned this year is the incredible power of consistency. I saw the best results when I got into a consistent rhythm of executing a few simple things every day. It’s one thing to have a few good days; it’s another thing to string together many weeks or months of good days. This is where the magic really happens.

Lots of people (myself included) shoot themselves in the foot by “being good” all week long and then feeling like they earned the right to relax and eat crappy food all weekend. It’s incredibly easy to wipe out a large deficit from the week with a couple meals out at a restaurant and an evening spent drinking.

Building habits was a huge help in maximizing my time and minimizing decision making. I got used to eating my meals at the same time every day and I had some version of the same breakfast and lunch most days. This made it much easier to shop and meal prep. I scheduled my training sessions on the same days every week so I always knew what to expect and how my body would feel before and after. As these habits solidified, I felt like I had to exert way less effort to get the same results. If I could put my head down and just do the work, I didn’t have to think as much about things like shopping, cooking, hunger, and how I felt going into the training sessions. I just did them because it’s what I always did.

If you’re struggling to make progress, first look for the good habits you already have that are moving you forward. Then look for ways to incorporate those habits into areas where you struggle. Try not to see your week vs weekend in black and white terms. If you can make everyday look a little more like the day before, you will start moving in the right direction.

Everyone needs a coach.

Even though I work in the fitness industry, I wasn’t getting the results that I wanted with my own training. After a long day of writing programs for clients, I lacked the desire to write programs for myself. My personal programs were biased and tended to include things I enjoyed and was good at but that weren’t the best tools to get me towards my goals. Additionally, I knew that I didn’t have the most relevant experience for my particular goals.

In the past, I had success following programs I found or purchased on the internet from other fitness pros. However, these programs only take you so far. They don’t provide the level of individual tweaking, support, and accountability that can make the difference between sticking with something and falling off because you got bored or didn’t feel good. I knew that I needed to seek out someone more experienced to take over my own training.

Working with Bryan also showed me that I was really not pushing myself to my full capacity. I would go so far as to say I was being lazy before. I would only do a couple workouts per week, skip cardio, and let myself off the hook with challenging sets. Although I always trained regularly, I also had a host of excuses for why I couldn’t or shouldn’t do more. It’s no wonder that my strength gains had stalled out and I was unhappy with my physique.

The bottom line is that even if you know a lot about health and fitness, there is always someone with more experience and knowledge than you. This is true in many other areas of your life as well. If you are serious about improving yourself, do your research to find someone highly qualified who you respect and hire them to coach you. It may be one of the best investments you’ll ever make.

If you need help figuring out how to make healthy eating and exercise work with your busy lifestyle, please fill out an application for my online coaching program. If you are interested in working with Bryan, you can visit the application for his online training program here (although it’s often full).

July 25, 2017October 14, 2019

You Don’t Need an Extreme Diet or Program

During my initial period of weight loss several years ago, I adopted some pretty extreme nutritional practices.

I ate in certain ways because I believed it was the only way to achieve true health and reach my ultimate weight loss goals. I got these ideas in my head after doing lots of self-guided research and from reading advice from people I thought were nutritional experts. I thought I had discovered the secret key to weight loss and everyone who didn’t eat like me was making a big mistake.

As you might imagine, I became pretty miserable to be around during this time. I’ll never forget going home to visit Omaha and going out for sushi with my family. At the time, I was following a very strict paleo diet and refused to eat grains of any kind. I ordered a sashimi platter and ate it all by myself while I enviously watched my family members enjoy rolls, sushi, and other items with rice. They thought I was crazy while I battled with conflicting anxieties: I felt left out but was terrified of what would happen to me if I succumbed and ate grains.

Because I wasn’t armed with the skills to discern good advice from not-so-good advice, I became a bit of a zealot and fell prey to a kind of “all-or-nothing” mentality. I would fast for extended periods of time and when I did eat, entire food groups were 100% off limits.

Ultimately, this approach fueled my problems with disordered eating. When I couldn’t keep up my extreme eating habits, I fell into epic binges where I would eat as many of the forbidden foods as I could get my hands on. Afterwards, I would return to my long fasts and tell myself that I was going to get back on the wagon. Every few weeks this vicious cycle would repeat itself. The very advice I thought was the key to losing weight and being healthy was taking me farther away from either of those goals.

One of the reasons I got into the fitness industry was to help people experience success while avoiding some of the painful mistakes I made during my own journey. For this reason, I want to give you a few pieces of advice on how to detect and avoid extreme advice on eating and exercise. Adopting a sane approach to exercise and divorcing food from fear will go a long way toward maintaining or developing a healthy relationship with food and your body.

There is no magic bullet.

You know those sidebar advertisements promising “one weird trick to six pack abs?” You may roll your eyes at these ads, but they are powerful marketing tools because they prey on our insecurities and desire for instant gratification.

We are used to getting what we want right away with very little effort on our part. With health and fitness front and center in many people’s minds, it’s not surprising that companies are trying to capitalize. Wouldn’t it be great if you could take a single pill or remove one food group and lose weight without diet or exercise?

Unfortunately, the body doesn’t work this way. It takes a long time and lots of trial and error to make noticeable, lasting changes to your physique or improve your health. The sooner you accept you’re in this for the long haul, the quicker you will move down the path of successful change.

Be cautious of any product, service, or website promising you better results in less time. This is especially true of supplement companies who are allowed to make claims about the effectiveness of their products without clinical trials or government regulation. If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.

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How to interpret science and studies

One of the methods people use to verify the legitimacy of health information is with scientific studies and references. Unfortunately, simply citing studies is not really enough to guarantee the accuracy of information anymore.

Anyone on the internet can write about science or cite studies without the education, qualifications, or knowledge needed to critically interpret what they are citing. It’s easy to cherry-pick one or two studies to back up just about any claim. When you actually read the studies themselves, you will likely find that some “experts” completely misrepresent the contents or conclusions of a study in order to push their own agenda.

Educate yourself on how legitimate scientific studies are put together and what conclusions you can draw from certain types of evidence. Learn to think critically and ask deep questions about what a study is actually saying and what other factors could be influencing its conclusions. Understand what a peer reviewed study is and how study sponsorship can influence conclusions.

A common logical fallacy is to extrapolate causation from correlation. Just because two items are positively or negatively related on a graph does not necessarily mean one thing causes the other. For example, nutritional studies often ask people to record their food intake and then look for certain health markers. You may then see sensationalist headlines like “Eating an Egg is Equivalent to Smoking 5 Cigarettes” or “Diet Soda Causes Dementia.” In fact, these studies merely indicate that there is a correlation between a certain diet or food and a health issue. These studies in no way prove that eating a certain diet causes the problem. There may be many other factors that influence the outcome.

Look for authors who rely on meta-studies, rather than individual studies. A meta-study is an analysis of many different studies on the same topic. Meta-studies are much more reliable than individual studies as they draw from multiple experiences and have more data and trends to back up any conclusions. You can make a stronger scientific argument when you compare multiple studies examining the same basic question.

Seek the middle ground.

I learned the hard way that following a restrictive approach to eating and exercise rarely works in the long term. With the exception of elite athletes or people pursuing challenging performance or physique goals, the average person does not need to follow an extreme eating or training approach to look, feel, and perform at their best.

Beware of blanket statements, especially from people who claim their way is the only way to achieve a particular goal. For example, many diets claim removing certain foods, food groups, or macronutrients is essential for weight loss and optimal health. There are also numerous examples of blanket statements in regards to exercise. Some people claim cardio will kill your gains and should be avoided at all costs. Others claim any exercise that isn’t “functional” (whatever that means) is a waste of your time.

While these claims may work for many people, they are unnecessarily restrictive. You can lose weight and be healthy eating a wide variety of foods. You can get strong, lean, and powerful by consistently following a basic training program without running yourself into the ground or relying on circus tricks. The dark side to following these approaches includes anxiety, burnout, eating disorders, and injuries. Restrictive approaches are usually not sustainable long-term.

Moderation and simplicity aren’t sexy, but they are the key to establishing lasting healthy eating and exercise habits. It is much more valuable to learn how to eat well and exercise while still living a normal life than it is to force yourself to give up things you love or completely overhaul your life. Seek out experts and resources that promote moderation, consistency, and balance in your quest to look great and live a healthy life. Experiment to find approach what works best for your environment, body, and values, or hire a qualified coach to help guide you through the process.

(Note: Some fitness pros that are especially awesome at promoting a sane, moderation centric-approach to food and exercise are Jill Coleman, Nia Shanks, and Precision Nutrition)

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Getting in shape is simple, but not easy.

Just to be clear – I don’t claim that getting in shape is an easy or relaxing process. Just the opposite. Many people need to make big sacrifices or change a great deal about their lives to look and feel better. However, this does not mean you need to follow an extreme eating or exercise regimen that leaves you miserable, anxious, and in no way fits in with your current lifestyle.

Success comes from mastering the following things:

The right calorie balance needed to achieve your goal
Eating a diet rich in nutrient-dense whole foods that you enjoy, with some leeway to enjoy occasional treats
Following a safe, smart, and progressive training plan tailored to your goals
Managing stress and prioritizing sleep
Having fun and building a lifelong love of exercise and healthy eating

If you can do these things consistently, you will never need to follow an extreme diet or fork over hundreds of dollars on crazy supplements. You can make better choices while still enjoying your life and avoid my path into disordered eating and misery.

If you need some help sorting out the good information from the noise or want a specific plan catered to your needs and goals, please fill out an application for my online training program.

July 18, 2017January 21, 2020

Which Deadlift is Right for Me?

I’ve always loved deadlifts. Ever since I first got into strength training, the deadlift has been my favorite exercise and one at which I’ve excelled. My very long arms and shorter torso gave me great natural leverage for this lift (although they certainly hurt me in the squat). I was able to get into a good conventional set-up and safely grind out a heavy single for more than 10 seconds if necessary. I loved adding weight every workout and seeing my back and legs get noticeably stronger.

My personal best deadlift at 330lbs

However, when I began working as a trainer and helping a wide range of clients, I had to change up the way I approached deadlifting. I realized that not everyone was cut out for conventional pulling from the floor. In fact, most people looked terrible in this position. Over time, I experimented with different bars, positions, and heights. Through trial and error I learned how to help someone find the deadlift variation that worked best with their unique body and training history. Oftentimes finding the right variation was the difference between pain and frustration and making rapid progress.

This article outlines some of the different deadlift variations I use with clients of all skill levels, most of whom never perform conventional deadlifts from the floor. Even if you are a great conventional puller, you can use these variations to build strength in weak portions of the lift. This is certainly not an exhaustive list of deadlifts; I left out some of the basic hinge exercises I use with new clients along with exercises like the deficit or snatch grip deadlifts which make the lift more challenging. However, for the average gym goer who just wants to look better and feel stronger, one of the deadlift variations listed here will likely be a good fit.

Barbell deadlifts

Conventional

Everybody wants to do conventional deadlifts, but few perform them safely. In a conventional deadlift, the lifter sets up with their feet in a narrow stance (usually about shoulder width apart) with their hands placed outside their legs. A great deal of hip mobility and back strength is required to get into this position and maintain a neutral spine (flat back). This style of deadlifting tends to work best with people who have long arms relative to their torso. Because conventional deadlifting has the highest risk versus reward, many people would be better off choosing another variation instead.

Sumo

Sumo deadlifts use a much wider stance with the hands placed inside the legs. This position allows you to stay more upright, reducing the demand on your back and increasing the involvement of the quads. People who have shorter limbs relative to their torso take well to sumo deadlifting. In my experience, more people are able to safely and successfully pull from a sumo setup than a conventional setup.

Trap Bar

Although not a true barbell deadlift, the trap bar deadlift is perhaps my favorite deadlift variation. A trap bar is a hexagonal bar that you stand inside of and grip with your arms outside your legs and your palms facing in. Most trap bars have a side with elevated handles which are higher off the ground than a barbell. The combination of higher bar and neutral grip means that the trap bar requires less mobility than either barbell set-up, making it much more accessible. If you are lucky enough to have one of these bars at your gym, I recommend adding the trap bar deadlift into your regular routine.

Elevated Deadlifts

Not everyone has the mobility to deadlift from the floor, even with a trap bar. The good news is you can still train the deadlift with a partial range of motion (ROM). Elevated deadlifts including rack pulls, block pulls, and plate pulls can also be used to train the upper portion and lockout of your deadlift if this is a weak spot for you. It is especially important to keep the bar pulled close to your body and get a big butt squeeze at the top of the lift to avoid rounding or hyperextending your lower back.

A rack pull is a shortened ROM deadlift completed from pins or safety bars in a power rack. You can get a similar effect by placing a loaded barbell on a stack of bumper plates or blocks. Position the bar at a height that allows you to maintain a neutral spine. This can be as low as an inch or two off the ground or as high as just below your knees. Elevated deadlifts may be performed with either a conventional or a sumo stance.

Romanian Deadlifts

Another option for people who can’t deadlift from the floor or who are new to deadlifts is to perform Romanian deadlifts (RDLs). In an RDL, the lifter starts from the standing position and then reaches back into a hinge. The bar should not touch the ground. Rather, focus on reaching your hips back and far as you can and finding tension in your hamstrings before returning to a tall and tight posture with a big butt squeeze at the top. You will likely be slightly more bent over than in a deadlift from the floor.

Like elevated deadlifts, you can perform RDLs from either a conventional or sumo stance. You can also use dumbbells. Keep the dumbbells close to your legs throughout the movement. This will be more taxing on your grip strength but you may be able to get a greater stretch in the bottom position.

Find What Works for You

Everyone has a different body with different needs and limitations. Your long-term success in the gym depends on figuring out which exercise variations put you in the best position to be successful. If conventional deadlifting feels awkward or bothers your back, switch to one of the variations discussed here. You will likely feel stronger and more stable and see faster progress towards your goals with fewer setbacks.

Want to get better at squatting and deadlifting? Download your FREE copy of my mini ebook Squat and Deadlift School below.

I share my favorite form tips and provide progressions to help you work toward (or supplement) barbell training.

I’m confident both novice and experienced lifters can use the book and accompanying videos to take their training to the next level.

June 28, 2017February 25, 2020

Training Around Knee Pain, Part 2

In part 1 of this article, I explained how to warmup and foam roll to address knee pain. I also looked at which cardio options are the most knee-friendly.

Part 2 digs deeper into how you should modify your training when your knees are acting up. Please be advised that if you experience intense, debilitating pain or your pain persists for several weeks, you should see a medical professional.

Prioritize Posterior Chain Training

Depending on the severity of your pain or injury, you may not be able to perform knee-dominant exercises like squats and lunges right now.

Luckily, you can get a great training effect, build muscle in your legs, and get stronger by using exercises that primarily target the glutes and hamstrings. These exercises put much less strain on your knees and may actually help alleviate some of your knee pain in training and daily life.

Glute Bridges and Hip Thrusts

I have all of my clients with knee pain perform some variation of glute bridges or hip thrusts. These are some of the best exercises to directly target the glutes.

They are also very versatile and can be loaded a variety of ways depending on your goals. I program bodyweight bridges in my warmups, heavy barbell hip thrusts as a main lift during training, and high-rep band bridges and hip thrusts as a finisher. Get creative with how you use these exercises and don’t be afraid to go heavy once you master proper form.

Deadlifts

Another favorite exercise for those with knee pain is the deadlift. This exercise allows you to train your entire legs without putting as much direct strain on the knees. Be sure to choose a deadlift variation that doesn’t cause you any knee pain and that you can perform properly. Sumo deadlifts and trap bar deadlifts may be a better option than conventional deadlifts becasue they require less mobility and less knee flexion. I also like the Romanian deadlift because it allows you to hinge from a standing position, which again requires less mobility and less demand on the knee.

Other Options

Other great posterior chain exercises include good mornings (with bands, kettlebells, or barbells), back extensions, leg curls, kettlebell swings, and leg press with your feet positioned high and wide on the platform. Add in some isolation work for the smaller muscles in the glutes and hips. Some favorites include lateral band walks, seated machine abductions, and standing cable abductions. These exercises work best with light weights and high reps.

Adjust Knee-Dominant Exercises

Dealing with knee pain doesn’t mean you can’t continue to use knee- and quad-dominant exercises like squats or lunges. However, you will need to keep a very close eye on your form and consider making some tweaks to the way you load or perform these exercises.

It is extremely important to prevent any inward buckling, called valgus, of the knees. Allowing knee valgus puts tons of strain on the joint and may be contributing to your pain or injury.

Pay attention to your foot position. Your weight should be evenly balanced between your big toe, little toe, and heel when your foot is flat on the floor. Think about driving through your heel when completing single-leg exercises or leg presses to further engage the glutes and hamstrings. I also cue clients to spread the floor apart with their feet during squats.

Squats

There are several ways you can tweak your squats to reduce knee pain. Because some of these tips are contradictory, it’s important to experiment and find what works best for you.

Many people will benefit from widening their squat stance slightly and sitting back into their hips. Box squats are a great tool to learn how to sit back more into the squat and take more advantage of your posterior chain. Use a slightly lower back position when back squatting to accommodate this new stance.

Other people find that increasing their squat depth actually reduces their knee pain. If you tolerate it, try using a high-bar back squat or a front squat to get into an ass-to-grass squat. Front-loaded goblet squats also work well in this context. No matter how you choose to squat, be extremely careful to keep your knees out over your toes throughout the entire lift. Think about spreading the floor apart with your feet.

Unilateral Training

Choose single-leg exercises that keep your knee in a safer position. Single-leg deadlifts and RDLs are a fantastic exercise to build posterior chain strength and improve knee stability.

When clients are ready to reintroduce single leg knee-dominant exercises, I always start with split squats and step ups. I only progress to lunges when clients have demonstrated they can perform these two exercises with good form and without pain. Some clients never return to lunges, and that’s totally okay.

If you are experiencing knee pain, chances are good that you have poor mobility, weakness in some key muscles, or are performing exercises with shoddy technique. Try incorporating these strategies in your workouts to address these problems and build better training habits moving forward.

Want to work on squats and deadlifts without exacerbating knee pain? Download your free copy of my ebook Squat and Deadlift School below. I share the exact progressions and exercises I use to help clients feel strong and confident with these exercises, including ways to modify your training if your knees are bugging you.

June 26, 2017February 25, 2020

Training Around Knee Pain, Part 1

Several years ago, I began to experience regular knee pain. This was extremely frustrating for me as I love training legs and am on my feet all day long for my job.

Fortunately, with a few tweaks to my training, more attention paid to technique, and a renewed commitment to warmups and foam rolling, I was able to greatly reduce the intensity and frequency of my pain and return to a normal training routine.

Knee pain can be extremely frustrating but it doesn’t need to derail your training. This first article provides some of my favorite warmup and cardio strategies to reduce knee pain and better prepare yourself to train safely. The second part addresses ways to modify your lower body training.

I have used these techniques myself and with my clients with great success. Please be advised that if you experience intense, debilitating pain or your pain persists for several weeks, you should see or medical professional.

Warmup

Before you do any training, I recommend completing a dynamic warmup to engage the glutes and hips and mobilize your hips and ankles. You must understand how to use your glutes when training your lower body, and activation drills help you get more in touch with these muscles.

I always begin all of my training sessions with a set of glute bridges. Some other activation drills include clams, fire hydrants, lateral band walks, and bird dogs. Try adding a resistance band to these exercises to make them more challenging.

People with knee pain often lack mobility through their hips and ankles. In addition to the activation drills above, complete a few mobilization drills to promote proper joint movement.

Some of my favorite hip mobility drills include hip rockers, split-stance rockers, half-kneeling hip flexor stretches, 90-90, 3-point lunge (sometimes called spiderman lunge or groiners), and fire hydrant circles.

To mobilize your ankles, complete a few sets of this wall ankle drill or inchworms to round out your warmup.

Foam rolling

Foam rolling may help relax overactive muscles and reduce knee pain. However, many people approach foam rolling incorrectly and therefore waste their time.

Instead of quickly rolling back and forth over an entire muscle, take your time and go slow. Look for spots that feel particularly tender and hang out on top of those. Take a few deep, slow breaths and try to feel the muscle release.

Pick one or two problem areas each time you roll so that you can devote 2-5 minutes on each muscle. The areas most commonly responsible for knee pain include the adductors (inside your thigh), IT band (outside your thigh), quads, and calves. You can foam roll at the start or end of your workouts.

Knee-friendly Cardio and Finishers

Bicycling – both on a stationary bike or on a real bike – is a great way to get in cardio without aggravating knee pain. Many physical therapists prescribe cycling as part of a knee rehabilitation program. Be sure the seat on the bike is not too low; your leg should be almost straight at the bottom of your pedal and not crunched up at a 90 degree angle. Riding a bike with clip-on or strap-in pedals allows you to take more advantage of your hamstrings on the upstroke.

Swimming is another great training option for people with knee issues. There is almost no impact when you swim, making it a very joint-friendly option.

Be cautious and ease into running. Always complete a dynamic warm-up before you run and foam roll a few times each week. Always wear appropriate footwear for your body. Start with a walk-run approach that has you alternating between periods of lower and higher intensity. If you continue to experience knee pain, meet with a running specialist to analyze your mechanics or consider switching to a cardio modality that you can tolerate better.

I also love heavy sled pushing and pulling as a finisher in the weight room. This exercise gives you a great full-body training effect without putting much strain on your knees. If your gym doesn’t have a sled, you can use an overturned box stacked with weight plates.

In part 2, I discuss how to train your legs if you have knee pain.

June 20, 2017January 21, 2020

Fix Your Squat

Squatting is one of the best full-body exercises and a staple of many training programs. However, many people squat incorrectly. Some people have mobility issues causing them to squat with poor form while others simply choose a modality that is inappropriate for them.

This article provides some of my favorite hacks to fix common squatting problems. If you notice one of these issues with your squat, try making the changes I suggest and see if you don’t feel much more confident and strong after a few workouts.

Your heels come off the ground

If your heels come off the ground as you descend into the squat, you may lack ankle mobility. Try grabbing two small weight plates and placing them under the back portion of your heels. Make sure your toes stay on the ground. This will often allow you to squat much deeper while maintaining floor contact with the entire foot.

You fall forward or your knees shoot forward

If you fall forward in the squat, you need to learn to use your posterior chain (glutes and hamstrings) and rely less on your quads.

Use a small box to practice sitting back into the squat. Choose a box that puts your thighs parallel to the ground when you are sitting. Start by pushing the hips back and sitting back very slowly into the squat, controlling the entire descent and not simply plopping onto the box. Make sure to break with the hips first rather than the knees.

You can also try squatting with your chest and face a few inches away from a wall to teach you to sit back.

You aren’t squatting deep

Inability to squat deep (thighs parallel with the floor or below) can be caused by numerous mobility issues including poor ankle mobility and poor hip mobility. Make sure you are performing a dynamic warmup that opens up your hips before you squat and try using the heel plate hack mentioned above.

Even if you have good mobility, you may lack the confidence or body awareness to control the squat to the right depth. Use a box set to parallel to learn how low you should be going.

Finally, you may have hip bones that prevent you from squatting deep. If you feel like something is wrong or your form totally collapses when you try to squat to depth, simply use a higher box and work within your own limits. Don’t force your body into unsafe positions in the gym!

You have trouble with back squatting

Lots of people jump into barbell back squatting before they are ready. Back squatting is an advanced exercise that doesn’t sit well with many body types. I would only advance to back squatting after you have mastered front-loaded squat variations such as goblet squatting, kettlebell front racked squatting, and barbell front squatting.

Those of you lucky enough to train at a gym with specialty bars can take advantage of the safety squat bar for lower-risk back squatting. If you have a history of low back or elbow pain, I recommend you avoid back squatting entirely. Unless you are a competitive powerlifter and need to back squat for your sport, you can get all the same benefits of squatting with a front-loaded variation that is safer and more comfortable for your body.

If you are struggling with your squat, reevaluate how you are training the movement. Always complete a dynamic warmup to open up the hips and ankles, engage the posterior chain, and prepare you for the demands of your workout. Use one of the hacks from this article to address a specific technique flaw. Be sure to choose a modality that allows you to perform the lift feeling safe and strong. Many people can get all the training effect they need from front-loaded squat variations. Experiment to find out what works best for your body and gets you the best progress towards your goals.

Want to get better at squatting and deadlifting? Download your free copy of my brand new mini ebook, Squat and Deadlift School below.

I share my favorite form tips, troubleshoot common problems like the ones above, and provide progressions to help you work toward (or supplement) barbell training.

I’m confident both novice and experienced lifters can use the book and accompanying videos to take their training to the next level.

June 12, 2017February 4, 2019

What Should I Do When I Come to the Gym?

It’s Monday at 11:45am and you heading to the gym for a quick lunchtime workout. Your last meeting left your head spinning and all you can think about is the work you need to complete that afternoon. You throw your things in your gym bag and race over to train.

When you get to the gym, you walk out onto the floor and totally blank on what to do. You hurry through a few sets of bench press, chest flyes, curls, and crunches. Everything feels rushed and you are unable to focus. You return to your desk feeling like you accomplished very little.

Wednesday finds you in the same situation, except this time you complete a handful of different exercises. The rest of the week you are so swamped with work and unmotivated from your lackluster workouts you don’t make it into the gym at all.

This cycle repeats week after week.

This story exemplifies how many busy professionals approach their training. You don’t have a plan or know how to maximize your time. Instead, you bounce haphazardly between the exercises you know and like. You may try to follow a multi-day body part split, but fail to make it in for all of the workouts. This not only wastes time and results in no progress towards your goals, it can lead to imbalances and potential injuries.

I want to suggest a better way to build workouts, even on the fly.

Legendary strength coach Dan John explains that there are five major movement patterns: squat, hinge, push, pull and carry. Full-body workouts that focus on these five major movement patterns are an effective, efficient, and enjoyable way to train. This article looks at each pattern and provides exercise examples and progressions for each one.

You can use this basic framework and the exercises included to quickly assemble a safe, effective, and challenging workout. At the end, I include two sample full-body workouts based on these principles.

Squat

The squat is a lower-body movement that uses lots of flexion at the ankle, knee, and hip joints. Think of a squat as sitting down into a chair.

There are many different ways you can train squats at the gym. Start with bodyweight air squats or box squats. Next, progress to front-loaded variations including goblet squats, double front racked kettlebell squats, and barbell front squats.

Once you have mastered basic squat form, you can add in barbell back squatting. I don’t have all my clients back squat. Most people can get the same benefits from front-loaded squat variations, which tend to have a lower risk of injury.

I also include single-leg exercises under the squat category. Everyone should do some single leg exercises throughout the week. This is especially true for runners or athletes.

The most basic single leg exercises include step ups and stationary split squats. Once you are more comfortable, you can progress to various lunge variations (reverse, forward, walking, side, or deficit), rear-foot elevated split squats (also called Bulgarian split squats), and single-leg squats.

Hinge

The hinge is the second major lower body movement and it involves lots of flexion at the hip, minimal flexion at the knee, and almost no flexion at the ankle. Think of a hinge as picking something up from the ground.

Everyone regardless of age, experience, or injury history needs to train the hinge. You don’t want to be the person who throws out their back helping a friend move or picking up their child at the playground. Learning to move from your hips and load your legs without risking your spine is an incredibly important skill.

The deadlift is the king of hinge exercises. You can perform a variety of deadlift variations depending on your skill, strength, and injury history. Choose a deadlift variation that allows you to get into the longest position without any rounding of the spine. For example, if you are one of the many people who lack the flexibility to perform a great barbell conventional deadlift from the floor, try pulling from a sumo position, elevating the bar on blocks or doing rack pulls, or using a trap/hex bar. You can also use dumbbell or barbell Romanian deadlifts to practice moving into a hinge from a standing position, which requires much less coordination and flexibility.

Other hip hinge exercises include the cable pull-through, back extension, goodmorning, and kettlebell swing. Experiment with different exercises and implements to determine which choices are best for your skill level and body.

Push

Upper body pushing and pulling movements are divided into vertical and horizontal categories. As a general rule, most people should perform more horizontal pushing and pulling than vertical pushing or pulling. People with shoulder injuries or very tight upper backs should use caution or avoid vertical pushing and pulling altogether.

Horizontal pushing includes pushup and chest press variations. Pushups are a tremendously efficient exercise that builds upper body strength along with core strength and stability. If you can’t complete pushups from the floor, elevate your hands on a bench or smith machine and work your way down.

Chest press exercises include standing cable or band chest press, flat bench press, incline bench press, decline bench press, floor press, and single arm presses at any angle. Start with dumbbells or kettlebells and then progress to the barbell.

Single-arm landmine pressing is a great half-way option for people who want to train their vertical press but don’t want to or can’t get into a fully overhead position. Complete these in a half-kneeling position for an extra challenge for your core and legs.

Vertical pushing exercises include different types of overhead pressing. If you include vertical pressing in your program, start with light weights and use implements such as dumbbells or kettlebells that allow less restricted movement of your shoulders. Once you are strong and sure of your form, you can progress to barbell overhead presses such as military press or push press.

Pull

Horizontal pulling is also known as rowing. You can row using barbells, dumbbells, kettlebells, bands, cables, machines, and even your own bodyweight. Beginners should begin with bands or cables (low row, single arm cable row, face pull) and machines (chest supported row) before progressing to dumbbells and kettlebells (bent over rows or chest supported rows). As with all movements, the barbell is the most advanced progression and should only be used if you are sure of your form and have built a solid foundation of strength.

Trainees of all ability levels can benefit from bodyweight inverted rows using a TRX or a smith machine. Elevate your feet or add a weighted vest to make these more challenging.

Vertical pulling includes chin-ups and pull-ups using a variety of grips and implements. You can also perform lat pulldowns if you aren’t strong enough for pull-ups or want to supplement your vertical pulling training. Check out the video below to see a TRX progression I use to help my clients work up to their first bodyweight chin ups.

Carry

Carrying is perhaps the most basic of all the movements included in this program. No matter who you are or what you do, you will need to complete carries on an almost daily basis. Common real-world examples include carrying groceries, children, pets, or moving objects for your job or hobby.

My favorite carry is the basic farmer carry. Grab two heavy weights, stand up with tall and tight posture, and walk around. You can mix up your carries by holding weights in front of you (front rack carry), overhead (waiter carry), or by pulling or pushing a heavy sled or box.

With this framework, you can easily put together an effective full-body workout even when you are crunched on time.

Pick one exercise from each category and complete 2-3 sets of 8-12 reps each.

Use supersets (two exercises paired together) to save time. Pair hinge with push and squat with pull.

Finish with a few rounds of carries and call it a day.

I provide two examples of workouts catering to beginner/intermediate and advanced lifters below.

Beginner Workout

Dumbbell Romanian deadlift

Smith machine elevated pushup

Step ups

TRX inverted row

Farmer carry

Advanced Workout

Barbell front squat

Chin ups

Dumbbell bench press

Kettlebell swings

Waiter carry

Putting it all together

May 15, 2017May 14, 2019

Traveling for work? Here’s how to stay on track with eating and exercise.

Stay Healthy While Traveling.png

Over the years, I’ve worked with dozens of clients who regularly travel for work. Some take short trips once every few months; others find themselves pulled away for weeks at a time. In any situation, regular travel can be disruptive to a healthy lifestyle. Planning ahead can make all the difference to help you exercise and eat well on the road. Here are some strategies my clients have used to successfully stay on track even with demanding and unpredictable travel schedules.

Before you leave

Learn about where you will be staying before you pack for your trip. Ask if the hotel has a gym and if so, what kind of equipment it contains. Some hotel gyms will only have a broken-down treadmill while others contain cardio equipment, dumbbells, and cable machines. Get this information before your trip so you can pack and plan accordingly. Don’t forget to bring workout clothes and shoes.

If you travel regularly, invest in a couple small pieces of exercise equipment to enhance your hotel workouts. A small band or two and a jump rope (if you tolerate jumping) take up little room in a suitcase and can greatly increase the intensity of a hotel workout.

Always bring some healthy snacks to keep you satisfied when you don’t have good food options available. Protein bars, raw vegetables, fruit, 100-calorie packs of nuts, and jerky work well as snacks.

Call the hotel and see if your room has a fridge and a microwave you can use. If you’re taking a longer trip, use google maps to scope out grocery stores and pharmacies near your hotel. Visit these places when you arrive to fill up your mini-fridge with pre-cut vegetables and fruits, deli meats, and hard boiled eggs for quick. healthy meals and snacks.

Make good choices at the airport

Finding healthy food at the airport is not as challenging as you may think. Restaurants and booths in many airport terminals offer numerous pre-packaged and made-to-order salads, fresh fruit, and pre-cut vegetables. In the morning, coffee shops such as Starbucks usually offer oatmeal and breakfast sandwich options. Even fast food places such as McDonalds offer lower-calorie options such as grilled chicken sandwiches and salads.

Ask for water, coffee, tea, or diet soda when the complimentary beverage cart rolls down the aisle of the plane. Keep some healthy snacks in your carry-on luggage in case you get hungry during the flight.

How to work out at a hotel

Exercising on the road keeps you on track with your health and fitness goals and helps you let off steam during stressful work trips. Win win! If your hotel has a gym with weights, you may be able to complete a variation of your normal workout. I like to use intensity techniques like drop sets, 1.5 reps, and giant sets to make the most of limited weights and equipment.

If your hotel doesn’t have a gym or only has minimal equipment, you can still complete a workout in your hotel room. Try to do this first thing in the morning when you are unlikely to have conflicting work or social obligations.

Fast-paced circuits make the best hotel room workouts. To create your own circuits, first make a list of all the bodyweight (or band if you have one) exercises you know and group them into lower body, upper body, and core categories. Keep this exercise list on your phone so you will always have it with you.

For each circuit, pick 1-3 exercises from each category and complete 2 – 6 sets of each exercise. Most of these exercises will work best in the 10 – 20 rep range. Try to move through the circuit with as little rest as possible. Get creative with your circuits and make them as short or long as needed according to your schedule.

Example circuit, complete 2-6 rounds:

Bodyweight squat x 15

Push-up x 15

Alternating reverse lunges x 15 each side

Band pull apart x 20

Dead bug x 15 each side

Jump rope x 100 turns

Healthy eating on the road

Eating out is one of the biggest challenges of travel. It’s one thing to go on vacation and enjoy the local food with friends and family. It’s another thing to try to make the best possible decisions during regular work trips. If every trip becomes a special occasion, it’s tough to stay on track with your health and fitness goals.

Whenever possible, be the person who decides where to eat. Choose restaurants with plenty of healthy menu options including grilled or broiled proteins, salads, and healthy vegetable sides. Most chain restaurants include nutrition information on their websites, so you can make informed decisions that fit your plan.

If you do not have control over where you eat or find yourself surrounded by unhealthy food, there are a few tricks you can use to stay on track. Eating slowly is one of the best ways to avoid overeating. Take time to chew and swallow each bite before you move to the next one. Limit your meals to one plate of food and make sure that you are not eating more than 1-2 fist-sized servings of any one food. When the server brings out your meal, immediately ask for a box and set aside half of the food for later. Restaurants are notorious for serving extra-large portions, so this prevents you from consuming too many calories in one sitting. It also helps you stretch your food dollar and gives you another meal to enjoy later.

What to do about alcohol

One of the most challenging situations on business trips is dealing with alcohol. Drinking is a huge part of corporate culture and many of my clients struggle to balance their desire to limit alcohol consumption with the pressures placed on them by peers and colleagues in social situations.

If you do want to drink, practice moderation and make smart choices. Set a drink limit for yourself before you get to the bar or restaurant and stick to that number. If necessary, you can pretend to drink more by ordering virgin beverages such as plain diet pop or seltzer with lime.

The best drink selections are dry wines and clear liquor with a calorie-free mixer such as soda or diet pop. Dark liquor, also with a calorie-free mixer, is the next-best choice. Beer should be consumed sparingly if you’re trying to lose weight or improve their body composition (I know, this makes me sad too). Avoid sugary mixed drinks such as frozen margaritas or tropical cocktails.

Fill in the gaps with supplements

Travel can put lots of stress on the body, especially if you don’t get enough sleep or eat poorly. Regular travelers can use supplements to fill in any gaps from their diet:

A greens powder or whole foods supplement can provide many of the micronutrients found in vegetables and fruits.
Drinking a scoop or two of protein powder daily will help ensure that you are hitting your protein target.
Many people benefit from taking a high quality multivitamin and fish oil supplement both at home and while traveling.
If you have a hard time sleeping in a strange bed, you may experiment with taking melatonin or a zinc-magnesium supplement before bedtime.

Remember, all of these products are only supplements to your diet and aren’t substitutes for making the healthiest possible choices. Always purchase supplements from a respected company that uses third-party testing to verify the quality of their products.

With a bit of planning and flexibility, you can maintain a healthy lifestyle even with a grueling travel schedule:

Learn about the facilities at your hotel.
Seek out restaurants with healthier options.
Pack workout clothes and equipment, snacks, and supplements.
Create a few go-to hotel workouts that you can easily complete no matter where you are.

Most importantly, get to know yourself and your struggles so you can formulate plans and build habits that will help you thrive in spite of lots of traveling.

Looking for some additional support to help you nail your fitness goals despite a crazy travel schedule? Online training is a great option for people who frequently find themselves on the road. Learn more and fill out an application for my program here.