Alexander Training

Personal training and strength programs in Austin, Texas.

What is Semi-Private Personal Training?

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If you have spent any amount of time in a gym, you might have noticed people working with personal trainers. Sometimes they are working one-on-one, sometimes in a pair, and sometimes in a small group. Maybe you have seen semi-private personal training advertised and wondered what it is. 

Semi-private personal training is when a personal trainer works with 2-5 people instead of one-on-one. Semi-private personal training has some really great benefits, and some things you should consider. 

A personal trainer, as opposed to a group exercise instructor, creates a program that works specifically for your unique situation and goals. This is different from a group exercise instructor because typically group exercise instructors lead classes that you can drop into. These can be fantastic workouts, and they have a lot of benefits, but they are not planned specifically with your goals in mind. 

With semi-private personal training, you can get the benefits of working with other people, along with the benefits of having a trainer who planned the program specifically for you. 

Structure of Semi-Private Training

Semi-private training sessions are structured very similarly to traditional one-on-one training sessions. Since I primarily teach people how to lift weights to get stronger, leaner and healthier, semi-private training sessions with me are done in the gym. I always take the time to do an individual consult, even with my semi-private clients, so I can cater the session to each individual‘s goals. 

If you work with me and somebody else in a semi-private training session, you might do the same exercises as the other lifter or lifters, but your set and rep scheme will be specific to you. The weights will be specific to your ability as well. We always make accommodations according to individual needs or goals, as well. For example, if you need extra posture work because you sit many hours a day, that will be added in for you. 

Recently, my client Hannah has been training in my women’s lifting semi-private group for over a year, in preparation for her wedding. Even though she trains with 2 to 3 other women, we made some specific adjustments as she got closer to the wedding date.

Is Semi-Private Personal Training for Me?

Semi-private training sessions have many benefits, including the camaraderie of other lifters, improved learning from watching others, a lower cost, potentially some schedule flexibility. 

Many of my clients who lift in semi-private sessions enjoy the company of their gym friends, whether is the camaraderie, competition, or both. Most don’t know each other outside of the gym, but I found that they had similar goals and made an introduction. Sometimes they needed the same time slot as each other, and sometimes they expressed an interest to work with someone else. If your trainer isn’t able to make introductions for you, you can find a friend to come train with you as well. 

Many learning models suggest that people learn movements better both from doing and watching the new movements. In this way, semi-private training can help you learn faster, and continue to learn the lifts you are practicing together. I love this aspect of semi-private training! It might be the best benefits to lifters out of any of these. 

Stuck with your training and weight loss? Check out my 3 biggest tips for losing weight.

Semi-Private Training Cost

The cost of semi-private training is often a bit lower than one-on-one training. Semi-private personal training costs are typically around 60% of that of a one-on-one session, and in a small group with an experienced trainer, you can expect nearly the same amount of attention for a fraction of the cost.

Read about how to find the right personal trainer for you here.

Consider Semi-Private Training

If you are thinking about working with a trainer, consider semi-private training. It’s a really great option to learn and grow with a few people who are on your team! If you are in the Austin area and are looking to train, I’d be happy to meet you for a free consult. Click here to be in touch with me about your goals, and we can discuss from there whether individual or semi-private training is best for you. 

If you’d like to follow along with the workouts my women’s group does, click the link here to join. I am always available to answer any questions you have about which training program is best for you. 

Happy training! 

Lower Back Pain from Squats? What You Can Do

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Squats are one of the most important lifts to train, both because of their ability to change the physique, and because of the phenomenal carryover to real life movement. Need to sit down and not PLOP on the couch? That’s a squat. Want to increase your speed and power for sport? Squats can help with that. Want to maintain your independence for your whole life, ie, not get stuck on a low chair or a toilet? Fill out your jeans a little more? Make your hikes feel stronger? Squats. 

Despite their stellar benefits to health and performance, squats are often blamed for low back injury. In reality, squats do not cause low back pain. Poorly executed squats can cause low back pain. 

Read on for how to maximize your squat performance so you can build your strength, change your body, and prevent pain. 

Lower back pain from squats? What you can do.
Having lower back pain from squats? What you can do.

Why You Might Get Lower Back Pain After Squats

Squats are a full body lift. They heavily involve legs, glutes, back and core. Done properly, squats integrate the whole body in a natural movement. It usually becomes apparent when one piece is a weak link. For example, many people’s legs can handle more than their core (abs and lower back) can.

Sometimes lifters have great form, and need to work on bringing their core strength up to speed. Other times, lifters have poor form that doesn’t necessary cause back pain, but can limit progress. Finally, some lifters use poor form that actually can cause back pain.

Also unforunately, sometimes people just do stupid stuff in the gym. Not warming up properly, adding too much weight to the bar from one set to the next, and trying to go heavy too frequently can all have suboptimal results, including lower back pain after squats. 

How to Avoid Lower Back Pain After Squats

The best ways to avoid lower back pain from squats are to learn proper warm up techniques, work on perfecting your form, and follow a well designed program. 

The warm up is not just about getting warm; it is much more important than that. The warm up is a physiological process to get your nervous system engaged, get your joints moving, and increase your heart rate and blood flow for the upcoming exercise. By warming up properly and working up in weight with exercise specific warm ups, you’ll actually be able to do more work and better work. 

Perhaps the most important way to prevent and avoid lower back pain is to learn to squat with optimal form. Every person’s squat will look different because of differences in limb length and individual build, but every individual has an optimal squat form. Learning to squat properly will help you use your legs and glutes as they are intended to be used in the squat, allowing your back to be used in the way that it is intended. This way your back is not overcompensating for not using your prime movers (the leg and glute muscles) as they should be during the squat. 

Finally, follow a good program written by an experienced coach. People who wing it without a program often lift too heavy too often, too light, infrequently, miss major muscle groups, or skip assistance exercises that help you prevent injury. I recommend programs by Aaron Ausmus of Pen and Paper Strength App and Zack Phillips of ReadyUp Athletic Development. I would be honored to help you with a program as well. Check out these or contact me about a custom program written for your goals.

How to Recover From Lower Back Pain Caused by Squats

Remember that squatting is a natural movement and most people can find a way to do it pain free. If you suspect you are having lower back pain caused by squats, then something must change. In the short term, back off squats, especially if you are doing barbell squats and are going very heavy. Do not stop your movement, though! This is not a free pass to stop exercising. 

If the pain is exceptionally bad, please contact a doctor. The following advice applies to pain that is manageable and is not medical advice. 

Movement is good for the body, so continue movement by walking, swimming or other low impact exercise. You can add in unweighted squats as a test to see how it feels. If you’d like to bump it a notch, you can add lunges or stationary lunges. While lunging, the back can typically remain upright, which is generally a safe position. 

Add in movements such as the McKenzie press, child’s pose, unweighted reverse hyperextensions, back extensions and dead hangs.

You can also look at other factors in your life that might be contributing to lower back pain. Do you have good posture when you sit, and do you have an ergonomic setup where you spend most of your work day? Check out your mattress too. Ideally you spend 8 or so hours there each night. It is important that you don’t sleep in a funny position in that little dip that develops as mattresses age. 

Most importantly, remember that this too shall pass! Keep a positive attitude and look to athletes and people you know who have come back from injuries. Your body is always actively working to heal you – help it as much as you can! 

Benefits and Variations of Squats

Because squats use so much of the body, they can be very taxing on the nervous system, and thus send a large signal to the body to adapt. In other words, when you challenge yourself on squats, they feel hard because they are hard! 

One way to avoid injury and overuse is to become proficient in squat variations. This will develop your strength in many ways, at varying angles, and help prevent overuse injuries. 

Check out this post about 7 squat variations you can do with little equipment.

Keep Squatting to Build a Strong Back!

When done correctly in a well written program, lower back pain from squatting is exceedingly rare. In fact, squatting correctly does wonders for strengthening your back and preventing low back pain and injury. 

While it might take some time on the front end to learn and practice ideal squatting form, or trouble shoot your current squat form, it is well worth the effort to be strong. 

Enjoy lifting, my friends, and please be in touch if you have questions I can help you with. Kathryn@kathrynalexander.com 

Managing Client Expectations

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I recently contributed to a piece published on BecomeaPersonalTrainer.org called “40 Personal Trainers Reveal How to Manage Client Expectations.” 

The article contains a wealth of insight from many trainers, obviously, and is a great read for both clients and trainers alike.

As a personal trainer, managing client expectations is key to setting them up for happiness and success.

You can read the whole article here. Spoiler alert! My advice is to encourage people to understand that the way to make a long-standing change, which is what people are truly seeking, is to make permanent changes rather than seeking a quick fix. 

Become a personal trainer.org

You’ll Be Proud With Progress

You might have a goal to gain 40 pounds of strength on your bench press, or to lose 30 pounds of fat. Both of these will require consistent work over a period of time, and you’ll be so proud and happy once you get there! 

Remember though, that you’ll be proud of yourself along the way. When you’ve worked hard and earned a 30 pound increase on your bench press, you’ll be happy! When you’re exercises and make good food choices, you’ll feel great when you’ve lost 10 pounds, and are on your way to losing 30. 

The bottom line that I want you to remember is that this is a process that requires consistency. You can do it!! You’ll be happy along the way!

Happiness, peace and personal pride are not reserved only for the end of the journey! 

Finding a Personal Trainer to Help on Your Journey

Are you looking for a personal trainer to help on your fitness and health journey? If so, I’d be honored to help you get started, or continue on toward your goals. You can find info about working 1:1 with me in person here, or online here. Please email me if you have questions or would like to do a consult. kathryn@kathrynalexander.com

Happy training! 

Personal Training in Austin Texas, Now at Iron Guild Gym

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Iron Guild Gym in Austin, Texas. Personal training and strongman training facility.
My mentor, Ed Cosner, and I at Iron Guild Gym in Austin, Texas. June 2022.

Personal Training in Central Austin

Big news! I am now meeting personal training clients out of Iron Guild Gym in Austin, Texas. Iron Guild is a boutique training facility that serves people by appointment only. It has AC and indoor turf and all the things you could ever want to lift!

Build your strength, build your confidence, and build your dream body here! 

Iron Guild Gym

Iron Guild is centrally located at 5501 N. Lamar. Owner Stephen Moore trains strongman competitors both 1:1 and in small group classes. 

The gym has new Rogue equipment, 4 platforms, stones, sandbags, sleds, and and specialty bars like safety squat bars, trap bars and a deadlift bar. We’re not kidding around with high quality gym equipment here!

Let’s Train Together!

If you’re looking for personal training in Austin, I’d be thrilled to help you with your fitness and strength goals! I help my clients with 1:1, small group classes, and custom written online personal training programs. You can find more details on training with me in person, online, or with programs you can do on your own.

Feel free to contact me with any questions you have, or to schedule a consult to discuss your goals.

kathryn@kathrynalexander.com

How to do Bear Crawls

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About the Bear Crawl

If you have done bear crawls, you might be having flashbacks of sweat and tears and punishment from a high school coach. The bear crawl is a full body, energy intensive exercise that lends itself well to group application.

But have no fear! The bear crawl is a great exercise that is beneficial to almost everybody, not just high schoolers! It is equipment free and has many modifications to suit your goals and space.

What is the Bear Crawl?

The bear crawl is a traveling movement on all fours. It can be done quickly, like a run, for conditioning goals. It can be done as I’ll show you here, with smaller movements for a focus on the trunk. There are many ways to do a bear crawl well. In this case, you’ll take smaller steps and more precise movements. This will also allow you to do the bear crawl inside, where you might not have as much room as on a large turf.

To Do the Bear Crawl

  • Set up on all fours (4 point position)
  • Keep an active, neutral, flat back
  • Pick your knees up off the ground about an inch
  • Travel forward, taking very small (2 inch) steps
  • Deliberately keep your trunk engaged, as opposed to loose and flopping around
  • Reverse and travel backwards

Try It and Let Me Know!

Try out the bear crawl and let me know how it goes! It’s tougher than it looks so be prepared to work!

Happy training!

Back to the Basics for the New Year

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Back to the Basics for the New Year


dumbbell row in garage gym

This January, instead of adding in complicated, lofty goals, or removing things you love, I encourage you to go back to the basics.

This January, my clients and I are going back to the basics. My clients will see the inclusion of squats, pushes, pulls, hinges and carries in their training. We will work in moderate rep ranges and do both interval and steady state cardio.

The goal this month is establishing and maintaining healthy habits. Getting the reps in. The result will be strength, increases in cardiovascular capacity, and health.

You likely know what to do to make positive changes for yourself. Instead of reading online what others are working on, think about what you can do better. Be active more days, start a lifting program, eat more protein or quit drinking sodas. Pick something simple and basic. You can do it.

If you need help getting started, or you need a new plan, message me. I’d love to help.

Happy New Year!

Need somewhere to start? Get 50% off your first two months of The Home Team Training here:

Free: Starter Exercise Program for the Tech Executive Who Needs a Plan (Part II)

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Try this free program 3 days a week (less than 20 minutes, no equipment necessary) if you need a simple, workable plan to follow. What do you have to lose? 20 minutes. But what you have to gain! 

Check In

How did the last two weeks go? Did you incorporate any of these exercises? If so, you probably found that they were light to medium – not super hard – but you might have been a little sore. If you continued to do 3-6 sessions, you’d see the soreness quickly drops away, and you get better and faster at the program. Please let me know how it went for you! I love feedback and learn from all of it. kathryn@kathrynalexander.com

Exercise Program for the Tech Executive Part II

Sitting down and working all day is not manual labor, but it’s actually pretty tough on the body. Our bodies do well moving a certain amount in the day, and that’s hard to do if your job is to focus and be electronically available for hours at a time.

If you are a tech executive or business executive, you’ll benefit from incorporating these exercises into your life. Check out Part I for some background info and details about this program:

Starter Exercise Program for the Tech Executive Who Needs a Plan Part I

Feel Better From 20 Minutes a Day

Chances are, you know some benefits of exercise, and you even know some exercises. The challenge is more likely that after focusing and working on all, you just don’t want to think anymore about what to do in the gym. If that sounds familiar, and you’d like increased energy, decreased pain, try this program.

Pick 3 days this week, and give yourself 20 minutes. You can do this!

How to Follow This Plan and What’s Different This Week

This week builds on last week, and adds two exercises, the lunge and pullaparts. Do 8 reps of each exercise, then move to the next exercise. After you have done all 4 exercises for 8 reps, repeat the circuit. (Scroll down for hyperlinks and videos). It will look like this: 

  • 8 squats

  • 8 Y

  • 8 lunges, then 8 pullaparts

  • 8 bear crawl (forward and backward, worth it!)

  • 8 Reach for ceiling

Evaluate how that was, decide to do another set. Aim for 3 this first go round, and note how long it took you. Very do-able! 

Do It! And Update Me!

Exercises listed below. Each exercise name is a hyperlink to a YouTube instructional video, and videos are embedded below as well. Let me know how this goes! Email me with any feedback or questions!

Squat

Y

lunge and pull apart superset

Bear crawl

Reach for the sky

How to do Band Pullaparts

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Band pullaparts are a fantastic exercise for nearly everybody to do. Band pullaparts work your posterior upper body, something we need to be cognizant of in a very forward facing society. We look at our phones, we type on the computer, leaning in and stretching our neck. 

The truth is, we need to do this anyway. It’s not just modern times. It’s because our eyes face forward. If not for a smart phone, it would be a book, a newspaper, a magazine.

It’s also very important to make sure your back is strong if your front is strong. Do you bench press? Do you do pushups? You need pullaparts then, to maintain shoulder health. 

It’s simply a good habit to get in to work the muscles behind you, no matter your profession or physical demands during the day. 

Band pullaparts are one way to do that. They work your rear delts, traps, and rhomboids, among other supporting musculature. 

How to do Band Pullaparts

  • stand tall

  • extend your arms in front of you, gripping a light band

  • keep elbows straight but not locked as you press your arms straight around your side

  • I prefer palms down but you can experiment with different hand positions

  • squeeze your shoulders behind you as you make a big wide sweep with your arms

  • press until the band touches your chest

  • control the return to your start position and repeat

Execution and Incorporation of Pullaparts

Pullaparts are great as a warm up, finisher, or even between exercises. I sometimes do pull-ups between sets of bench press as a reminder to scapular control. You can do sets of 10-15, or do a larger set. Use a fairly light band, as this isn’t an exercise you’ll aggressively progress. It’s a reminder and reinforcement of shoulder health. Let me know if you have questions about your pullaparts!

Remembering Dave Draper

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Dave Draper

The Blonde Bomber

The strength and physical culture world suffered a huge loss last week, as Dave Draper passed away on November 30.

Dave Draper, the Blonde Bomber, is my number one inspiration in the world of physical culture. A legend, an icon, a writer. Dave is introspective, brilliant, and hits you with combination of realism and romanticism that makes you want to be born into the golden era of bodybuilding on Muscle Beach.

Dave’s Weekly Column, IronOnline Newsletter


Dave wrote a weekly column, the IronOnline Newsletter, for years, which I read religiously. He helps me re-realize the joy of lifting during times of burnout. His writing is deep and real, but also hilarious and inspiring.

When he stopped writing his weekly column, I cried. I wrote him a letter thanking him for all the wonderful thoughts he shared over the years. 

A Season for Everything

I used to screenshot my favorite quotes from his columns. Today I went back through the screenshots and found my favorites.

“You’re in a Slump?” is one of the best columns Dave wrote. My favorite quote from this one is,

“And the Good Book tells us there is a season for everything, reaping and sowing, pumping and burning.”

Poignant and humorous, and worth the read. 

Paint Big Pictures, Delightful and Bright

My favorite quote from The Blonde Bomber: 

“Sometimes we forget why we go to the gym and the driving forces — the countless reasons for lifting heavy with meticulous form and in relentless pursuit — are left behind, under the bed with the dust balls, in the closet with the dirty laundry or at work under a stack of papers. Get in the habit of recalling who you are and why you’re here: to be good to your neighbor; to cultivate high morals; to be loyal to your country; to eat your protein and to train hard, with undying commitment to health, strength and long life.

Board your craft, brothers and sisters. The sky is your canvas; your wings are the brush. Paint big pictures, delightful and bright.”


Dave Draper

To Laree, should you ever read this, thank you so much for all of your work on the IronOnline Newsletter, and for sharing so much of you and Dave with us over the years.

Your friend,
Kathryn

Ask Kathryn: What Exercises are Best for HIIT?

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Ask Kathryn: Your Exercise Questions Answered

I often get questions from clients that are too good not to share. This is one, about which exercises to choose for HIIT training.

From a client who incorporates HIIT into her program twice a week:

Are there certain moves that would be most beneficial during HIIT intervals?  Could you provide suggestions to structure those sessions? 

Kathryn: High Intensity Interval Training, or HIIT, is a powerful tool to drive improvements in conditioning and body composition. 

HIIT involves doing highly intense intervals of hard work, unlike steady state cardio. To achieve work intervals intense enough to stimulate adaptation, you must choose exercises wisely. 

If you need a primer on what HIIT is and who is a good candidate for it, check this out: HIIT Revisited.


Generally speaking, anything that gets your whole body moving works. Think big, compound, multi-joint movements like squat presses (very light weight), lunges or jumping jacks. Exercises like calf raises or biceps curls really don’t challenge you systemically, so for honest hard work, pick bigger movements.

The simplest options are movements that you can quickly and easily ramp up the intensity with. For example, running, sprinting, or biking. 

If you don’t have cardio equipment or can’t go outside, there are other options. 

You could pick 1-3 exercises and cycle through them. For example, during a bad weather bout pre-home gym, I did a session rotating between squats, lunges and pushups. I would do about 10 of each or until I got bored, and then move to the next exercise until I reached my time goal. 

Want to add lunges in your session? Check out this How-To blog post about lunges and the lunge variations.

Don’t overthink it! This is just about getting your body moving! Try to keep movement steady for the hard but quick interval, but you can slow down when you need. 

My client asked a great question, seeking more structure for her HIIT sessions. Of course, I can specify exactly what to do, but often I like to give you the option to pick your own movements. What feels fun and do-able will be different for everyone. 

Pick a couple exercises, get warmed up, and put on some good music and go! 

How to do Lunges and Lunge Variations

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Lunges are a fantastic exercise because they are effective, versatile, and can benefit nearly everyone. You can do lunges without equipment, with equipment. You can make them harder or easier by adjusting the distance and load. They can work on strength, endurance and even balance. 

If lunges aren’t in your program, what you doin?? 🙂

How to Do a Lunge

  • From a tall standing position, step one leg forward in front of you

  • Step as if you are on railroad tracks, not a tight rope

  • Aim to land with a 90 degree angle in both knees

  • Knee should be close to the floor but not touching

  • Press into the ground through your heel and big toe and squeeze your glute to stand back up

  • Repeat with your other leg, alternating as you go

When to Use Lunge Variations

You can do lunges many different ways, depending on what you are looking to gain from them. 

To work balance, do walking lunges. 

If balance is too prohibitive, stationary lunges or reverse lunges will allow you to get good work in.

To improve work capacity, do walking lunges a greater distance to get more volume.

To improve strength, hold dumbbells in any variation.

For all around increased challenge, try the Bulgarian split squat. These are challenging! Let me know how you like them!

And as always, feel free to email me if you have specific questions!

Free: Starter Exercise Program for the Tech Executive Who Needs a Plan (Part I)

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Try this free program 3 days a week (less than 20 minutes, no equipment necessary) if you need a simple, workable plan to follow. What do you have to lose? 20 minutes. But what you have to gain! 

If you are a tech executive or business executive you know how easy it is to fall into a sedentary lifestyle. Reading reports, composing emails and attending Zoom meetings make it convenient to sit at your desk and be productive. Even transferring from an office to work-from-home makes it easier to sit all day. 

The Benefits of an Exercise Program

Despite this schedule, you must be deliberate about making time to take care of your health. It will pay you back in spades. How? You might already know some benefits of exercise, but they include:

  • Increased energy levels (that don’t come from calories or caffeine)

  • Decreased back pain

  • Increased mood

  • Greater quality sleep

Back to the part where I said you have to be deliberate – extra time doesn’t fall into your lap. Motivation doesn’t rain down like pollen in Austin, ya know. You’ve got to make a way for physical activity to fit in your life. This involves knocking down your specific barriers to exercise. 

If this is striking a chord with you, I’m going to guess your barriers might be lack of free time and lack of a plan. 

Challenge Your Limiting Factors – Have a Plan

My clients are very busy and highly intelligent. It’s not that they don’t know some exercises, it’s that after thinking, producing and strategizing all day, the last thing they want to do is think up an exercise program before they exercise. The lack of a program to follow was a limiting factor. 

If that is a limiting factor for you, and you are looking to start something without a huge time commitment, try the following program. Do it 3-6 days a week. It will take less than 20 minutes. It won’t prep you for high level athletics but it will go a long way in helping prevent and ease the pain of a sedentary lifestyle, and promote good health. 

How to Follow This Plan

Do 8 reps of each exercise, then move to the next exercise. After you have done all 4 exercises for 8 reps, repeat the circuit. (Scroll down for hyperlinks and videos). It will look like this: 

  • 8 squats

  • 8 Y

  • 8 bear crawl (forward and backward, worth it!)

  • 8 Reach for ceiling

Evaluate how that was, decide to do another set. Aim for 3 this first go round, and note how long it took you. Very do-able! 

Do It! And Update Me!

Exercises listed below. Each exercise name is a hyperlink to a YouTube instructional video, and videos are embedded below as well. Let me know how this goes! Email me with any feedback or questions! Part II, which is a slight bump up, will be published in 2 weeks, so get on it! Enjoy!

Squat

Y

Bear crawl

Reach for the sky

How to do the “Y”

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The “Y” as I call it, is an exercise primarily for your rear delts, or the posterior muscle of your shoulder. This is a small, nuanced movement, so you can even do it effectively without weight. In fact, I want you to master it without weight first, so read below how to do it well.

Holding the position also reinforces a healthy hinge, which is a crucial movement to master to prevent back pain.

How to do the “Y” for rear delts

Follow the instructions below, and start with no weight at first. Remember, if you can do this and recruit the muscles you are trying to feel, you’ll do better at it when you do introduce weight. Start with a set of 10 reps, then stand and assess where you feel it.

  • hinge at the hips with back neutral and straight

  • extend arms with palms facing behind you

  • bend at the elbows as if you are elbowing the ceiling

  • rotate your arms up into a “touchdown” position

  • extend your arms into a “Y shape

  • bend at the elbows, rotate arms, and straight elbows to return to the start position

How to do the “Y” with a Bench at the Gym

If you have a bench or would like to do this at the gym, you can follow the same directions. Watch the video below for a demo.

How to Do the Goblet Squat

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goblet_squat_1_Kathryn.jpg

The goblet squat is a great squat variation that is effective as a training tool and teaching tool. It naturally predisposes one toward optimal form, making it easy to feel a good squat. It is accessible too, as it can be done with any implement that you can hold at your chest.

The placement of the implement (high, at your chest) recruits your anterior musculature more than a back squat does, meaning you’ll use your torso a good bit.


goblet_squat_2_Kathryn.jpg

You can use the goblet squat as a warm up, learning tool, or main lift. Check out the directions and video below for more thorough directions.

Goblet Squat

  • hold the weight in your upward facing palms

  • press elbows toward each other so your elbows are under the weight, not pointing toward the sides of the room

  • keep trunk tight and neutral

  • break at the hips to initiate squat

  • sit deep into heels

  • squeeze big toe into the ground and squeeze your glutes as you stand

Personal Training in Austin in 2021

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Personal Training in Austin in 2021

Personal training in Austin is alive and well in 2021 and the industry is more motivated and creative than ever. If you are interested in working with a personal trainer, there are many reasons why this is a great time to jump in.

Personal training has historically been a robust business in Austin, and it was fairly consistent and predictable before 2020. 2020 was madness. You know. Fortunately for myself, my trainer friends, and our clients, 2021 has rebounded nicely.


Personal trainers give their clients more options than ever now; working outside, on tracks, in gyms, parks, and homes.

Personal trainers give their clients more options than ever now; working outside, on tracks, in gyms, parks, and homes.

Personal Training is a Steady Business

Personal training is often thought of as a cyclical business, with wild upswings at new year and spring break, and abysmal gym/training rates through the holidays.

I think this is exaggerated, as I’ve seen a much different story in my experience. I’ve seen personal training to an extremely steady industry with slight upticks at the new year and through the summer months.

Most people who regularly work with a personal trainer, and most of my clients, continue their sessions steadily through the winter months and holidays, too. Of course, holidays are busy, and we sometimes have to reschedule sessions, but I’ve had many years where my training business is just as busy in December as in January.

Covid Increased Creativity in the Personal Training Industry

Covid nearly brought the personal training industry to a screeching halt. In the first two weeks, trainers were scrambling to find a way to reach clients, as everybody was scrambling to figure out their life. If you’re reading this, you remember. No need to belabor the point.

I was wholeheartedly impressed with people’s creativity. Trainers quickly transitioned to live online classes, remote training, and outdoor sessions. People built home gyms out of store bought equipment and ingeniously assembled materials that were on hand.

I’ve never trained on so many patios, lawns or met so many family members and pets. For many months, I solely trained outside, via Zoom, or remotely through Train Heroic. And people jumped in. For this I am forever grateful!

Try Personal Training

My point for this blog post is that the personal training industry is alive and well in Austin. There’s been a renewed interest in health and exercise, and it’s fantastic how many people are maintaining or beginning healthy habits.

If you are interested in working with a personal trainer, I highly encourage you to! The industry is more motivated and creative than ever.

Check out these FAQs about what to expect when working with a personal trainer and how to find a great personal trainer that you click with.

If you’d like to try a home workout program, get your first week free and 50% off your first two months of The Home Team training by entering your email below:

Getting Back in the Saddle… and Not Getting out of it

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I took a little blog and newsletter hiatus back in May. I traveled two weekends back to back <GASP>, to a conference in South Carolina and a wedding in Arizona. It was busier than I’d been in a year and, as silly as it sounds, I was wiped out.


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“Just this week,” I said as I skipped my writing work. “I’ll pick back up again next week.”

And here we are in September.

My Clients Are My Teachers

My clients have often been my biggest inspirations. I’ve seen parents who are absolutely slammed busy make time for their exercise. I’ve seen people who have had physical setbacks approach their training with the most can-do attitude imaginable. And impressively, I’ve seen people who have been consistent for decades.

My client Paul moved this summer from one house, to a temporary house for a month, and finally to his family’s new home. He trains with bands and dumbbells, and exercises outdoors. Did I mention that it is hot here in the Central Texas heat? Hot!

He kept his training consistent through the time, weather and schedule challenges. I am always interested to know how successful people find their way so I asked him how he maintained his consistency.

He reminded me that he has been doing some sort of exercise since he was 16. It has become part of his life to that point that he will make sure to include it. He said it feels off if he doesn’t exercise.

It’s What I Do

As someone who has had a love-hate relationship with exercise, I have experience elation, burnout, contentment and sheer fatigue surrounding my training. This is why I was so intrigued and impressed with Paul’s explanation.

No tortured lamenting about lack of time or energy or desire, just a matter of fact statement that it’s what he does.

And you know what? It works, when we just do what we know we need to do.

Hope you have a wonderful week, and find peace doing what you need to do too. I’m off to work on my writing!

How to Get the Best Workout Possible

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How to Get the Best Workout Possible

Whether you are training at home or at the gym, there are things you can do to make sure you get the best session. Follow the tips below to make sure your workout counts in the best way possible!


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Prepare Yourself to Have the Time for a Proper Workout/Training Session

If you are training at home, don’t do your laundry or clean your kitchen between sets. Don’t do work emails on your phone, sitting on the bench between sets. Make the time to get it done. It might have to be quick depending on the stage of your life, but focus to the best of your ability to make the minutes when you are lifting count. 

Take the Time to Get a Good Warm Up

Warm up properly! This is crucial! Warming up isn’t just about temperature. It is an increase in neurological recruitment. This means your body gets better and better at doing what you’re asking it to do. Make sure your warm up reflects what you are going to do, and that it starts light and progresses. Don’t skip your warm up! 

Don’t Stop in the Middle of your Session and Finish Later

Don’t stop in the middle of your session! You can do this with some cardio. Depending on what your goal is, cardio minutes can accumulate. But a training session is planned to be done in a certain order. You warm up, get the most dynamic and coordination-demanding exercises done first. Then do your heavy work. Next comes accessory work, then core/trunk/abs and cool down. 

You don’t want to start and stop in the middle of this. If you are consistently having to stop and re-start your sessions, a better plan would be to re-write them so they fit in your time constraints. 

Rest the Right Amount of Time Between Sets

Resting an appropriate amount between sets is extremely important. How much rest is optimal depends on your goals, which you have hopefully committed to beforehand. For example, if you are training for high volume and endurance, you might rest 30-60 seconds between sets. Resting longer will change the stimulus on your body, prolonging a mediocre session, and making it less effective for your endurance goals. 

If you are training for strength, you will need to rest 2-4 minutes, or maybe longer, between heavy and challenging sets. Moving too quickly into the next set will cost you quality on the next set.

Tie It All In

Give these tips a go during your session, and let me know how it goes. Happy training!

Benefits of a Home Gym

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I know I must sound like a broken record, but I have to tell you how strongly I feel about building out your own home gym. You might use it religiously, or it might be a supplement to your gym training. Either way, you set yourself up for success when you have everything you need available to you.

Benefits of a Home Gym

I will cover these in greater detail below, but in a nutshell, here are some benefits of a home gym:


My home gym, my happy place.

My home gym, my happy place.

  • ease of use because of lowered psychological barrier

  • saves time

  • saves money *

  • no sharing equipment

  • no one else’s sweat!

  • you get to pick the music

  • you are entirely responsible for your pace (work:rest ratios)

  • no gym manager oversight

  • you can try weird exercises!

  • you can maintain your equipment

Ease of Use

Your home gym will become easier to use because of lowered psychological barrier of time, traffic, commute, etc. Some days a quick 20 minute HIIT session is what your body needs, and it’s hard to justify the commute time to do 20 minutes. It’s worth it though, and easy to commit to when it’s so easy. It’s literally right there. Easy!

Saves Time

As mentioned above, you’ll save commute time, wear and tear on your vehicle. You won’t get caught in gym chit-chat (for better or worse, because sometimes those are great chit-chats). When life gets busy and you’re in a pinch, it’s a huge plus to have gym equipment close.

Saves Money *

Let go of your monthly gym fee! I actually really love gyms, so I usually end up paying a gym membership or two. BUT over time, you will recoup your investment for not having a monthly fee.

*Haha! Or, you won’t recoup it because you’ll fall in love with buying cool equipment and fun bars. Seriously, it’s more fun than buying shoes. Sorry, and you’re welcome. 🙂

No Sharing Equipment

Whether you are a germ phobe or not, there are definite benefits to having your own space and your own equipment. Like the next point:

No One Else’s Sweat

Enough said!

You Get to Pick the Music

What you enjoy listening to is probably not what the training staff has to guess is palatable enough for everybody. It took me time to recover from hearing it a trillion times, but I’ll always have a soft spot for Rihanna’s Please Don’t Stop the Music (holla, Gold’s Gym 2007 staff & friends!). When it’s your gym and your rules, play what fires you up!

You Are Responsible for Your Pace

This one is actually pretty crucial! Look, I appreciate the spirit of cooperation, truly. But when you have a plan and want hit it on all cylinders, it’s not fun to have to wait for someone who is doing one set per 15 minutes on the one functioning piece of equipment you need, but not re-racking the totally unnecessary 315 pounds between. Sigh. But really – when you are dedicated enough that you are working on a specific pace to induce a specific adaptation, the inconsiderate gym hogs are just in your way!

No Gym Manager Oversight

Most gym managers and owners are pretty cool, but they do get to set the tone. If you need to call all the shots, you need your own place.

You Can Try Weird Exercises!

If you are always learning and always trying new things, it’s nice to have your own space to do so. Nothing’s wrong with going off the beaten path, but sometimes it’s more enjoyable to explore without an audience. similarly, I like going for PR’s without an audience. I do better when I know it’s me and only me.

You Can Maintain Your Equipment

This is a big one! It hurts my heart every time I see someone abusing or mistreating gym equipment. You can bet that doesn’t happen at my home. You get to make sure your bars are straight, your plates face the right way (you know what I mean), and your bench upholstery doesn’t get torn up.

Start Your Home Gym!

If I can help you get start with your own home gym, let me know! Remember it doesn’t have to be fully stocked to start. You start with a pair of dumbbells or a band. If you need help decided what to start with, check out my suggestions for home gym essentials here:

Home Gym Essentials in 2020

Happy Training!

How to do the Dead Bug

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The dead bug is a trunk and core stability exercise that can be done at beginner to more advanced levels. As long as you can safely lay flat on your back on the floor, you can do the dead bug.

Begin with the easiest version, described below. Once you have mastered that, you can progress to the tougher versions by using a foam roller, or performing the 4-way dead bug. Videos are below.

The Dead Bug

  • lay on your back with arms and legs extended into the air

  • squeeze your abs to press your back into the ground

  • maintain this abdominal squeeze

  • extend your right arm and left leg toward the floor in a controlled manner

  • shorten your range of motion if your low back pops off the ground

  • return to your start position, and repeat with your opposite arm and leg

Practice, practice. You’ll get it- this one’s a thinker! 

Performing the dead bug on a foam roller provides an extra stability challenge.

The 4 way dead bug is the toughest. Keep your abs very engaged and low back pressed into the ground. This is a tough variation. I’d ideally like your reps to be better than my first rep in the video. Watch the reps to see if you can spot the difference.

Happy training! Let me know how you incorporate the dead bug into your program!

Backyard Conditioning

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Sometimes you just need a backyard conditioning session. Find yourself a little bit of grass and try this session. Each exercise name is a video link.

Do 5-10 reps of each exercise and then move on to the next exercise. Do the whole first round with no equipment. When you have done all of the exercises, rest for 1-2 minutes and repeat. You can do the entire session with no equipment, but some of the videos show equipment being used. IF you have weights, you can use them on round 2 and later.

Round 2

If you want an increase in challenge on the second round, try squat jumps instead of squats, and Bulgarian split squats instead of lunges. Your round will look like this:


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Aim for 3 rounds and reassess. Work hard but work smart. Listen to your body, and rest as you need.

Cooldown & Stretching

When you have done all the rounds you’d like, walk a few laps as your heart rate decreases. Then do the following stretches, 30 seconds per side, twice.