Alexander Training - personal training in Austin, Texas

Personal training in Austin, Texas and customized strength programs in Austin, Texas.

Kathryn Alexander

How to Band Deadlift

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Want to be safer when picking up your kid? Yep. Want your lawn work to feel easier? Yes. Want to tighten up your back side? Oh yeah. I have great news for you! If you learn how to band deadlift, you can accomplish all of these at once.

The deadlift and similar deadlift movements are packed with full body benefits. I say “movement” because you don’t have to do a competition style deadlift, as heavy as you can, to benefit. One great alternative is the band deadlift.

Deadlifts Make You Strong

One of the most beneficial lifts, if not the most beneficial lift, is the deadlift. When done properly, the deadlift makes you real-life strong. It makes you more resilient and more injury-resistant.

The deadlift works much of your body and your whole posterior. Your prime movers when deadlifting are glutes, hamstrings, quads and back. The deadlift also works your upper back, traps, grip, and trunk.

Because it works so much of your body’s musculature, and because the deadlift allows a great amount of exertion, it sends a strong signal to your body to get respond. It says, “Get stronger and grow!”

Why Doesn’t Everyone Deadlift?

One of the biggest impediments to practicing the deadlift is that a traditional deadlift requires a 7 foot bar. Not many people have a barbell like that at home, and not even all gyms have good barbells. Additionally, some people prefer not to do a barbell deadlift. That is OK.

I do want you to have options though, because picking anything up off the floor is a movement that mimics the deadlift, and you’ll surely do that in your life. I want you to do it safely. A simple band at home can help you practice the deadlift movement by doing the band deadlift.

How to do the Band Deadlift

  • stand with both feet on an appropriately resistant band
  • keep your whole trunk engaged (abs on, arms pressed down)
  • keep your trunk neutral (neutral here means straight like normal, no swayback or tucked)
  • bring your hips toward the ground and grab the band
  • keeping your arms straight and your trunk unmoving, squeeze your glutes and grab the ground with your toes
  • press the ground away from you as you stand all the way up
  • reverse the movement to return to your starting position

Where to Find the Right Equipment for Band Deadlifts

You can find a good and inexpensive band with a quick search for “resistance band”. Look for the flat band and not tubing. If you have questions about the purchase process or your form, please email me! I am happy to help and I wish you fun, fruitful deadlifting!

Are you nervous about getting in the gym? Read some short term mindset shifts for long term confidence in the gym.

See More How-To’s Below

About the author

Kathryn Alexander is a strength coach and personal trainer in Austin, Texas. She loves hiking, college football, and the feel of a perfectly knurled barbell. Read more about Kathryn here.

Smoked Chicken and Green Beans & Tri-Color Potatoes

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Smoked chicken and green beans and potatoes are a hit in this recipe.

My new favorite way to make chicken is to smoke a whole chicken. Smoking gives an extra layer to the flavor, but you can always do this in an oven too. Whether in the smoker or an oven, a whole chicken and some vegetable sides provide protein and nutrients for days, and is not as work intensive as you’d think. In fact, the most time consuming part is preparing the vegetables, which is something you can easily substitute with quicker options.

This meal will feed at least 4 immediately. If you have leftovers, you can pair with salad for an easy healthy meal.

smoked chicken and green beans by Kathryn Alexander of Alexander Training

Prepping and Smoking the Chicken

To prep the chicken, I cover it in olive oil and spices. That’s it. I have been using Traeger’s Fin & Feather rub, which is flavored largely with garlic and paprika. The whole chicken then goes in the oven or grill on 375 until the meat reaches an internal temperature between 160 and 165. This will take the better part of an hour.

Prepping the Sides

After the chicken has gone in, wash the green beans and snap the ends. Wash the new potatoes and add to the green beans. Chop one clove of garlic into small pieces and set aside. Cut 2-4 slices of bacon into 1 inch square pieces. Dry the beans and potatoes, and cover in olive oil and chopped garlic. Spread the vegetables onto a pan lined with parchment or butcher paper. Place the bacon pieces on top of the vegetables.

Cooking the Green Beans and Potatoes

When the chicken is done, verify that the meat is at an internal temperature of at least 160. When the chicken is removed, bump the heat to 400 degrees. When it is ready, put the vegetables in the oven or smoker for 20 minutes. Check at 20; add 3-4 minutes if the vegetables are not yet golden brown.

Ingredients

  • 1 whole chicken
  • 2 ounces olive oil
  • chicken spice rub
  • 1 pound green beans
  • 1 pound tri-color or new potatoes
  • 2-4 slices bacon
  • 2 ounces olive oil 
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
smoked chicken prep ingredients

Chicken as a Protein Source

Chicken is a great source of protein. A 3-4 ounce serving will give you a little over 30 grams of protein, which is a great goal for a meal. Can’t get enough chicken? Try this One Pan Chicken Recipe.

Need a change from chicken? This trout recipe is delicious, and this venison fajita is something new and fresh to throw on your grill!

About the author

Kathryn Alexander is a strength coach and personal trainer in Austin, Texas. She loves hiking, college football, and the feel of a perfectly knurled barbell. Read more about Kathryn here.

Tips for Meal Prep for One Person

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I love cooking and hosting, so sometimes I’m cooking for a table full of people. Other times, it’s just me. Even then, I actually plan to cook a bit more than I need now, because I’ll always have enough for someone else to drop in, or I’ll have leftovers. Even so, sometimes you just need to meal prep for one: you.

I previously published a giant how-to on meal prepping for an entire week. It makes a crazy amount of food, most of which you can freeze if you don’t use. It’s a great option that shows how to realistically cook a lot of food with just a couple hours.

Read it here: How To Meal Prep for a Week

But what about the times you overcook, or make too much? You’ll figure out systems that work for you, but maybe some of these tips can save you time when cooking food in advance and saving it for later.

Do you train alone too? There are some great benefits to training alone. Read here!

Meal prep for one.

More Tips for Easier Meal Prepping

Meal prepping absolutely makes the week go easier if eating healthy according to a plan is important to you. Here are some quick ideas for cooking enough and not wasting food:

  • Batch your time and cook a few meals. Plan on having chicken breasts and veggies in the oven, and rice and ground beef on the stove. This way your prep and cleanup time is batched, too. 
  • Invest in good food storage for leftovers. I love Pyrex. It’s glass, so you don’t have to worry about any weird staining or warping. It freezes and cleans easy, too.
  • You can freeze meals you won’t eat for a few days, and refrigerate the rest.
  • Keep a can of tuna or chicken, and frozen vegetables as a backup. If you run out of food or forget to plan, you can always pop open a can, saute the vegetables, and there you have a meal. If you don’t have guests, you don’t have to impress anybody but yourself.
crab boil

Read next: My Favorite Recipes

Related: Grilled Venison Fajitas Recipe

About the author

Kathryn Alexander is a strength coach and personal trainer in Austin, Texas. She loves hiking, college football, and the feel of a perfectly knurled barbell. Read more about Kathryn here.

There is No Finish Line

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A long time ago, a client asked me a question that broke my heart. “I’ve been doing this a couple months now. How long will I have to keep doing this?”

<<SHOCK on my face>>>

“Forever.”

Kettlebell swing demonstrated by Kathryn Alexander of Alexander Training

You gotta keep going! Why would you stop? Why would you not keep going? Exercise is good for us acutely and chronically. 

It makes creators more creative. 

It makes athletes more athletic.

It makes all of us more focused and patient.

It improves blood sugar levels.

It improves sleep and recovery.

The Process is GOOD

I could see the sadness on her face as I answered. And, I can see how that’s devastating, to think you’ll always be working for something just outside of your reach. 

That’s not how it goes though; it IS within your reach, and you keep reaching! 

Along the way, you attain many things that make your life better, and make it more worthwhile. 

Imagine you have 30 pounds of fat to lose. You picture it in your mind. You’ll feel so confident and happy with the “new” body you earned. You’ll love your clothes and the inhibitions you shed. You’ll feel GREAT when you get there.

The thing is, you’ll feel great when you’ve lost 10 pounds, too.

You’ll feel great when you’ve lost 15. You’ll feel great when you put it on your calendar to go to the gym 3 times this week and you do.

This is true of any goal. Let’s say you’d like to increase your deadlift 50 pounds. YEAHH that’ll feel great when you get that! (Be sure to video, ya know it doesn’t count otherwise.)

You’ll feel accomplished when you’ve increased it 20 pounds, though. 

Related: if the gym makes you nervous, try these short term mindset shifts to gain long term confidence.

You’ll Feel Great Along the Way

You’ll feel great all along the way, as you make progress. There’s nothing that says you’ll only feel great AFTER you reached your goal. 

This is because exercise is good for you acutely. Exercise is good for you NOW. Every day. 

Go do something good for yourself today! 

Related: When Will I See Results?

About the author

Kathryn Alexander is a strength coach and personal trainer in Austin, Texas. She loves hiking, college football, and the feel of a perfectly knurled barbell. Read more about Kathryn here.

Home Ab Session!

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I’m a believer in the “big rocks”, the staples of a healthy program: squat, push, pull, weighted carry. Do these things regularly and progressively and you’ll have a solid core. Sometimes you need some accessory ab work though, and people ask me for more ab work all the time. So, here you go: a simple (but not easy) equipment free home ab session. Enjoy!!

The Session

In the next paragraph are the 5 exercises for this session. Do 10 reps of each exercise and then move immediately to the next one, resting at the end of each 5 before the next round, or as you need. If you can continue without your form suffering, continue. Where there is a right and left exercise, do 10 on each side. Run through this session 3-5 times. If you’re still raring to go, you can add another set!

The Exercises

Each exercise name is a link to a YouTube how-to, and pictures and explanations are below.

crunch

lying leg extension

toe touch

breaststroke

plank knee to elbow

Crunch

  • lay on your back, supporting your head if you choose 
  • using your abs, think about bringing your ribs closer to your hip bones
  • this is not a sit-up; it’s a partial range of motion crunch
home ab session crunches, demonstrated by Kathryn Alexander of Alexander Training

Toe Touch

  • lay on your back with your legs in the air 
  • reach your right arm toward your left toes in a quick crunch motion
  • reach your left arm toward your right toes in a quick crunch motion -continue alternating sides
Touch touch home ab session Alexander Training

Lying Leg Extension

  • lay on your back with knees bent at a 90 degree angle 
  • keep knees directly over hips, not pulled into your chest
  • using your abs, press your low back into the ground
  • slowly extend your right leg until your knee is straight and heel is close to the ground
  • stop if your low back pops off the ground
  • if your low back pops off the ground, don’t bring your heels as close to the ground
  • bring your leg back to the 90 degree bent position and repeat with the other leg
leg extension for home ab session Kathryn Alexander

Breaststroke

  • lay flat on the ground with arms extended in front of you 
  • head should be facing the floor, not looking in front of you
  • make a wide sweep with your arms around and slightly extend your upper body off the floor
  • as arms reach your sides, tuck your hands by your sides as you again extend your arms in front of you
  • inhale as you sweep your arms wide toward your sides
  • exhale as you return your arms to your starting position
breaststroke home ab session

Plank Knee to Elbow

  • get in plank position from hands 
  • maintain a straight body position from your legs through the crown of your head
  • keep your back engaged so your shoulders don’t shift up into your ears, and you don’t sink toward the floor
  • bring your right knee toward your right elbow 
  • return right foot to floor and perform the same movement on your left side
  • your knee probably won’t touch your elbow, and that’s ok. Don’t crunch to reach it
plank knee to elbow, Kathryn Alexander in Austin, Texas

About the author

Kathryn Alexander is a strength coach and personal trainer in Austin, Texas. She loves hiking, college football, and the feel of a perfectly knurled barbell. Read more about Kathryn here.

Exercise as Meditation

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It is thoroughly documented how exercise benefits the body; it builds muscle, strengthens the heart, improves the cardiovascular system, lays down new bone mass, etc. But did you know how much exercise improves our mental state? There is exhaustive research to demonstrate how exercise increases cognition, reduces stress, and decreases depression.

exercise as meditation. The plank, demonstrated by Kathryn Alexander of Alexander Training

These mental benefits of exercise are some of my favorites. 

Movement is a Skill

It is one of my least favorite stereotypes that people who exercise are meatheads. The truth is, it is a certain kind of intelligence to understand and feel how your body works. Some people are truly gifted in the ability to comprehend movement. They don’t know anatomy from textbooks, but engage their muscles beautifully. They haven’t studied muscular originations or insertions, but feel exactly how to move. This is truly a skill, like IQ or EQ. 

If you weren’t born with it, you can develop it. 

I find clients who have previously studied Pilates, dance or ballet are uniquely adept at picking up subtleties of movement. Even if they aren’t masters of movement, understanding that that there are so many small ways to move improves the ability to learn. 

How to Use Exercise as Meditation

How can you apply this for your own benefit? You can slow down your movements and be very present. Sometimes people move through sessions on auto pilot. That is ok. There is a time and place for that. Other times though, if you slow down mentally and feel each movement, notice every angle and muscular engagement, you’ll get benefits beyond physical. When you’re learning a new skill or paying close attention as you practice a familiar skill, the awareness of the movement will push other thoughts aside.

You might, in order, focus on how to approach the lift mentally, how to approach the barbell physically, how to orient your body, and then proceed to lift. Close your eyes, visualize, belly breathe, approach the bar. Grip the bar, engage the lats, squeeze the toes into the ground, and GO. Glutes squeeze, back flexes, SUCCESS. Hips behind you, trunk still tight as bar meets the floor. Exhale. 

Inhale, engage, repeat. 

Movement is Freedom

Not only do you get yourself a little post-lift high, but you get yourself a chunk of time that squeeze out the life stresses of work, worry and stress. There’s no time to be thinking about taxes when you’ve got a heavy barbell on your back. No time to stress about external deadlines when you’re thinking about the angles of your movement. 

It is my wish for you that you can find the freedom that exercise gives you mentally. Please let me know if I can help you get started or move out of a rut! 

About the author

Kathryn Alexander is a strength coach and personal trainer in Austin, Texas. She loves hiking, college football, and the feel of a perfectly knurled barbell. Read more about Kathryn here.

Different Styles of Cardio and How They Can Help You

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Love it or hate it, cardio is great for you. Cardio can improve your health, quality of life, and athletic and physique goals. There are many ways to do cardio, though, so let’s cover the details so you can discover what style is best for you.

cardio - Sprints at a track in Austin, Texas. Kathryn Alexander of Alexander Training

American Heart Association Guidelines

For reference, the American Heart Association recommends, in addition to 2 days a week of moderate to high intensity muscle building activity, either:

  • at least 30 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic activity at least 5 days a week for a total of 150 minutes. These can be broken into 10 minutes chunks. OR
  • at least 25 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity 3 days per week for a total of 75 minutes

Low Intensity Steady State

LISS cardio is done at a very low intensity, or slow pace, usually for an extended period of time. This is usually a long walk and is done for recovery or just extra movement. If you are an experienced swimmer or cyclist and can settle into an easy pace, you can do LISS with those methods too. If you are physically exhausted from an accumulation of hard training, this is a good option. 

Moderate Intensity Exercise

Moderate intensity exercise is a step above LISS in intensity, but is very do-able for a period of time. Examples include brisk walking, walking on a treadmill at an incline, jogging, cycling, rowing or swimming. Moderate intensity exercise can be done multiple times a week.

High Intensity Exercise

High intensity exercise is vigorous in nature and feels highly exertional. High intensity exercise sessions will usually be harder and quicker than moderate or low intensity. Examples include running, hard cycling, swimming and jump roping.

High Intensity Interval Training

High intensity interval training (HIIT) is characterized by bouts of high intensity alternating with low intensity or rest intervals. The high intensity intervals are typically done at an exertion level near impossible to maintain, thus necessitating the rest periods. Examples include sprints, hill sprints, stair climbing, kettle bell swinging, and jump roping. You might do HIIT only a couple times a week since it is quite demanding.

It All Adds Up!

Remember that exercise accumulates! No movement is wasted! Find something fun and try a new cardio method today!

About the author

Kathryn Alexander is a strength coach and personal trainer in Austin, Texas. She loves hiking, college football, and the feel of a perfectly knurled barbell. Read more about Kathryn here.

How to Avoid Weight Gain and Unhealthy Habits While Working From Home

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The change from going to an office to working from home has significantly changed people’s lives, often in ways unexpected. One of those ways is that the decrease in activity as people are forced to work from home results in decrease in fitness and increase in weight gain.

We wouldn’t be shocked to see a decrease in fitness level when quitting an exercise program. But, the surprising part of the new work-from-home-economy is how our normal, pre-covid activities of daily living maintained a certain level of fitness, even if those activities didn’t seem difficult. Catching the stairs, hurrying across city blocks, and moving office supplies adds up, and many people are missing that in their new home-based routine. 

Way to Add Movement Back In

To address this decrease in movement while working at home, you can take a few steps to add back in fitness. In order from easiest to most involved:

  • drink water throughout the day, so you are up and using the restroom frequently. All steps count, and the hydration is healthy too! 
  • make a quick movement routine and stick to it on schedule (pushups, lunges, stretches every day at noon)
  • buy dumbbells and bands, and establish a more involved lifting routine
  • join an online exercise team such as at TrainHeroic for the accountability
  • find a new activity activity such as walking, jogging, hiking or biking

Also: Try these quad exercises you can do from home.

Execution of The New Plan

Of course, there are more involved implications to this simple list. You’ll have to do a little bit of research and planning as you change your routine. You might have to research a new bike to buy! You might have to invest in some new exercise clothes. You have my full permission to do both of those 🙂 Try out new habits and activities and see which you enjoy enough to incorporate into your every day life.

Related: 2 Common Lifting Myths Debunked

If you add a little bit of creativity and curiosity, you can find a new way to add in healthy exercise!

Home Gym Equipment

Home gym equipment must haves: in this quick post, I list where I would suggest starting your home gym. This can be budget friendly, at the cost of a month or two of a good local gym. Let me know if you have suggestions on what you consider your home gym equipment must-haves.

About the author

Kathryn Alexander is a strength coach and personal trainer in Austin, Texas. She loves hiking, college football, and the feel of a perfectly knurled barbell. Read more about Kathryn here.

Shoulder Circuit with the Bala Power Ring (or a Dumbbell)

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I bought my mom a Bala Power Ring sometime during 2020. I could blame Covid, where weights were hard to come by, but really I thought it was too cute. It is 10 pounds, so you can actually do some work with it.

On my last visit home, I used it for a shoulder circuit and really enjoyed it. You can do the following circuit with a Bala ring, a dumbbell, a light kettlebell. Really anything that is light enough to manage and heavy enough to provide sufficient resistance.

Try this circuit below and let me know how it goes!

Shoulder Circuit with Bala Ring

This circuit is 5 exercises:

  1. overhead press

  2. lateral raise

  3. front raise

  4. halo

  5. rear delt row

Try 3 rounds of 10 – 15 reps. Re-assess how you feel. If you have been regularly doing similar lifts and that was only moderately challenging, you can add more rounds. If those were new movements for you, stop there. See how you feel in a day or so, and repeat. On the next session, you can push for another round.

Flexibility with Implements

I used the Bala ring, but you can clearly see dumbbells behind me. I could have used those too. If the weights were a better fit for this session and these lifts, I would have. Don’t get hung up on using the exact same thing you see other people do. When in doubt, start light, do some exercises and adjust from there. Let me know if you have questions! Email me at kathryn@kathrynalexander.com or comment below!

Are You Looking to Make Real Change?

Give yourself 12 weeks with The Movement. Break through your sticking points, find exercises that work for you, and become the person who exercises regularly and gets results.

Start here!

About the author

Kathryn Alexander is a strength coach and personal trainer in Austin, Texas. She loves hiking, college football, and the feel of a perfectly knurled barbell. Read more about Kathryn here.

Top 3 Big Picture Tips for Losing Weight

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Losing weight seems like a daunting task, but I can assure you it is possible. I’ve seen people from all kinds of backgrounds and different stages of life be successful in losing weight and becoming healthier. Here are my top three simple but effective tips:

  1. Structure your meals to have lean protein, vegetables, and water at every meal.

  2. Do both resistance training and cardio.

  3. Sleep well, and sleep enough.

Have Lean Protein, Vegetables, and Water at Every Meal

You can have other things, but you must eat those things. If you begin with those foods and fill up on them, you likely won’t be starving for a lot of other things.

Check out my favorite high protein, healthy recipes here.

Do Both Resistance Training and Cardio

You don’t have to be fanatical about either but be sure to include both of them in your week. Resistance training can be bodyweight or external weights like dumbbells, barbells,

Sleep Well, and Sleep Enough

Your body will not perform optimally if you aren’t sleeping well. Not to mention all the other health and cognitive benefits of getting proper rest.

This sounds simplistic, but there are many nuances to all of these things. You will have questions, but you will find the answers to these questions as you go. Just start here and have faith in your body’s ability to become healthier as your habits become healthier. Good luck!

Do you need a kick start to a new training program? Check out these options for training programs that include videos, text, and messaging capacity so I can answer all your questions. 

About the author

Kathryn Alexander is a strength coach and personal trainer in Austin, Texas. She loves hiking, college football, and the feel of a perfectly knurled barbell. Read more about Kathryn here.

On Being Strong

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Very literally speaking, there’s no downside to being stronger. Not one. Either physically or emotionally stronger is a step in a positive direction. 

Every time I meet someone new and we discuss potentially working together, I have them start at the beginning and tell me what exactly they want. 

It is impossible, I believe, to separate what you want in the gym from what you want in life. Leaving the gym feeling better than you did when you walked in 61 minutes ago is a victory that sets you up for a more enjoyable day. 

Starting your day with exercise that makes you feel strong and accomplished leads to a day executed with a sharp and decisive mind. Working at a goal over days and weeks and months, and finally reaching that goal leads to a feeling of pride that stays with you longer after you leave the weight room. 

So, when I sit down with new clients and ask what they want, I am asking more than how much they want to bench press, or what size pants they want to wear. 

Sidenote, I do love measurable and numeric goals, and I love physical goals. Life’s short; I want you to love your body and feel confident in your own skin! 

But – I want to lead people to discover these intangibles in life, too. Confidence, happiness, strength. (I am aware that there are ways to quantify confidence, happiness, and strength, but there is no commonly used score. “Hey Bob, what’s your Happiness Index at today?”)

What Does It Mean to Be Strong?

Sometime in my undergraduate career, I had an assignment to write a mission statement. I wrote a series of statements, soooo creative.

The first one was something about being “strong for my family,” as we were in a challenging time. It was an unoriginal platitude, one my professor very kindly called me on. She asked, “What does it mean to be strong?” Basically, how would I know I am accomplishing that? What does it mean? Does it mean I don’t cry? Does it mean I don’t show emotion? 

Does it mean I don’t stop and ask for help when my power steering goes out on the side of the road to New Orleans? Haha, sorry bout that one, Mom, but what a great story! Spoiler alert, I survived; the power steering belt did not. 

How do you be strong in the non-quantitative way? It’s probably different for everyone. For me, I believe the way to be strong is to have goals, work at them, believe in yourself, and stay the course. That is to be strong.


Kathryn_tire.jpg

About the author

Kathryn Alexander is a strength coach and personal trainer in Austin, Texas. She loves hiking, college football, and the feel of a perfectly knurled barbell. Read more about Kathryn here.

Increase Your Exercise Capacity for an Easier Life

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Exercise can make every day better by improving your physical capacity. If your body is trained to do more, then your activities of daily living will take less out of you. You’ll have more strength and energy left to do the things you want to do.

Consider how many steps you take per day. If you take 8,000 steps per day, then a long trip to the grocery store might take a large amount of those. In this case, some unplanned event might take a disproportional amount of energy.

This happens frequently in real life. Maybe a car breaks down and you have to walk half a mile, or a shopping trip with friends turns into more walking than you expected. Sometimes you meet up with friends downtown for dinner, and a change of restaurant plans necessitates an urban hike.

Let’s say you increase your steps from about 8,000 to 12,000 steps a day. Then, that walk around the mall, or finding the car after a football game, won’t be such a large percentage of your activity.

It is better to be active and ready for even the things you don’t plan for.

Put this in strength terms. Some people think they don’t need to be stronger or don’t see how increased strength will benefit their daily lives, but being stronger can benefit everybody. 


Capt. Charles Moore, commander, Company C, 202nd Brigade Support Battalion, 4th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, performs the fireman's carry of a "casualty" during the nuclear, biological and chemical portion of the Expert Field Medical Badge traini…

Capt. Charles Moore, commander, Company C, 202nd Brigade Support Battalion, 4th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, performs the fireman’s carry of a “casualty” during the nuclear, biological and chemical portion of the Expert Field Medical Badge training and testing here Sept. 14. Photo by Spc. Leah R. Burton. This photo appeared on www.army.mil. By The U.S. Army At Flickr. Licensed under CC BY 2.0.

This is obvious for those with physically demanding jobs. For example, military, police, fire and medical personnel always have to be able to move people and things. If these people can only deadlift 200 pounds, they might not be adequately prepared for the job.

Two hundred and fifty pounds may sound like a lot. Consider, though, that many people in the general population weigh 200 pounds. If that tactical athlete must move a 160 pound teammate who is carrying 40 pounds of gear, or a 200 pound person in a fire, he is using 100% of his carrying capacity. That is too much – he or she will fatigue soon or fail the task. That doesn’t even include any gear he or she is personally carrying.

Now, if that person’s max deadlift is 350 pounds, which should be doable for most males in a first responder position, then 200 pounds is only 57% of his capacity. In this case, he should be able to move the 200 pound person much easier than if it were almost all his strength allowed. 

Many people have elaborated more on this idea, and I certainly don’t claim it as an original thought. It needs to be said many more times so people understand how important strength is.


Everybody does this. But I think Mariusz Pudzianowski is probably the last person in the world who struggles with the weight of&nbsp;his groceries.

Everybody does this. But I think Mariusz Pudzianowski is probably the last person in the world who struggles with the weight of his groceries.

What if you aren’t a first responder; does this apply to you? Absolutely! Don’t you carry groceries, luggage or children?

If your overall work capacity and maximal strength levels are higher, then these things will not feel like a chore. They will be submaximal work, and will feel much easier. You’ll go through all your activities of daily living and you’ll be less tired at the end of the day because your body’s inherent ability is greater. This is the gift exercise gives you.

About the author

Kathryn Alexander is a strength coach and personal trainer in Austin, Texas. She loves hiking, college football, and the feel of a perfectly knurled barbell. Read more about Kathryn here.

Improve Your Mind Muscle Connection to Get More Out of Your Training

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Mind Muscle Connection

Developing and utilizing the mind-muscle connection is one of the most overlooked lessons to learn about training. If you are able to develop the mind-muscle connection, all your training will yield greater results.

The mind-muscle connection is basically the internal dialog of the brain and the muscles involved in the movement. Instead of focusing on the task (bending the elbow) you focus on the process (squeeze the biceps). This allows your movements to be more effective and to actually develop what you are aiming to develop. For example, shallow, unfocused squats will not develop the quads, hamstrings or glutes to the full potential. Focusing on what your body is doing and what muscles are contracting and assisting will allow you to recruit and stimulate your muscle fibers most effectively.

How to Develop Your Mind Muscle Connection

To develop the mind-muscle connection, focus on the muscle group you are using. For instance, in a squat, feel the stretch as you sit deep, then think about squeezing your glutes and legs as you stand back up. This is much more effective than just bending up and down.

It helps to brush up on the major muscle groups so you understand what muscle groups cause specific movement. Think about what muscle you are working as you move, and if you don’t know, look it up beforehand. 


Here, I am focusing on the muscles that actually do the movement of the pullapart, called the prime movers.

Here, I am focusing on the muscles that actually do the movement of the pullapart, called the prime movers.


The prime movers are rear delts, traps, and rhomboids. I focus on feeling these rather than focusing on what the band is doing.

The prime movers are rear delts, traps, and rhomboids. I focus on feeling these rather than focusing on what the band is doing.

What To Do Next

Working on moving your body deliberately with the mind-muscle connection is a lifetime goal; you’ll always be practicing and improving it. But once you have an understanding of it, then it will be especially effective to add more sets and reps. From there, you can even add  progressively increasing challenges, such as heavier weights, pauses, tempo reps, etc. 

It all begins with understanding what you are working though. Once you have that, you’ll see the effects of your training improve greatly! 

3 Exercises for Improved Posture

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Optimal posture can help you breathe better, alleviate and prevent back pain, and look and feel more confident. Maintaining good posture is always important, but is especially pertinent if you sit many hours of the day, or are less active than you have been in the past. 

Much of having good posture is simply practicing it habitually, but you can do exercises to develop and reinforce good posture. Do these 3 exercises a few times a week. You can do these at the beginning of your training session, after, or as a standalone session. 

Band Pullapart


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  • extend tall through your spine, whether you are sitting or standing

  • press your arms straight around your side

  • squeeze your shoulders behind you as you do this

  • press until the band touches your chest

  • elbows can have a slight bend here, but will stay at the same angle. Do not straighten or bend at the elbow

Bird Dog


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  • start from a 4 point position on the ground 

  • be sure wrists are directly under shoulders and knees are directly under hips

  • keep an active, neutral, flat back (no arching or hunching)

  • be tall through your spine, from the top of your head to your tailbone

  • without wiggling or compensating, extend one arm straight in front of you, and back under you

  • repeat on your other arm

  • extend one leg, thinking about squeezing your glutes and straightening at the knee

  • imagine you are wearing your favorite white shirt and balancing a tray of red wine on your back

  • If this is easy, you can extend the right arm and left leg at the same time, then alternate sides

Breaststroke


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  • lay flat on the ground with arms extended in front of you

  • head should be facing the floor, not looking in front of you

  • make a wide sweep with your arms around and slightly extend your upper body off the floor

  • as arms reach your sides, tuck your hands by your sides as you again extend your arms in front of you

  • inhale as you sweep your arms wide toward your sides

  • exhale as you return your arms to your starting position

The Details

Begin with a set of 8-10 reps of each exercise. That is one round. From there, repeat, trying to do each movement better. Be in a better control, pay attention to what you are feeling. You can do 3-5 rounds, depending on how you feel. Still have more questions? Leave me a comment or email me! I’m happy to hear from you!

About the author

Kathryn Alexander is a strength coach and personal trainer in Austin, Texas. She loves hiking, college football, and the feel of a perfectly knurled barbell. Read more about Kathryn here.

One Pan Chicken & Veggies

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This one pan chicken and vegetable dish is simplicity in a delicious meal. It requires a few minutes of prep, but cooks in one easy step. I love starting with a first course, which in this case is salad. You can serve the salad immediately if you have guests who are ready to eat, or save it for mealtime. 

Kathryn one pan chicken

This recipe follows what I consider the formula for a healthy meal: protein as the foundation of the meal, and sides and water added. I encourage you to aim for 30 grams of protein per meal. You can adjust for your individual needs, of course, but this offers you a great way to get closer to your ideal protein intake per day.

Salad

  • spring mix salad 
  • 4 oz feta cheese
  • 2 bell peppers
  • olive oil
green salad

Main Course

  • 6-8 pieces of chicken legs and thighs 
  • new potatoes
  • brussels sprouts
  • olive oil
  • Italian seasoning
  • salt
  • pepper
one pan chicken and veggies recipe

Prep Time

As always, wash your salads and vegetables. Throw the salad, sliced bell peppers, and feta cheese in a large salad bowl. 

Chop the Brussels and small potatoes in half. Place them in an oven safe pan and coat with olive oil, salt, and pepper. 

Brussels sprouts

In a shallow dish, pour some olive oil and Italian seasoning. Dip the chicken in to cover each side, and then place on the vegetables. Salt and pepper to taste. Slice a lemon, and squeeze over the whole dish. Put them lemon in the dish to cook as well. 

One Pan Chicken

Cook on 400 for approximately 40 minutes and ensure the chicken has reached 165 degrees internally. Finish with a broil for 3-4 minutes. 

Let cool until desired temperature and enjoy your one pan chicken!

One pan chicken recipe delicious

Want a recipe that’s not the same ole, same ole? Try these venison fajitas or this citrus salmon.

About the author

Kathryn Alexander is a strength coach and personal trainer in Austin, Texas. She loves hiking, college football, and the feel of a perfectly knurled barbell. Read more about Kathryn here.

The Home Team FAQ and General Info

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Welcome to The Home Team on Train Heroic! Once you begin your training sessions, you might have questions. Read here for some general knowledge of the program before you begin.

The Home Team Training program from Kathryn Alexander

(Not signed up yet? Click here for your first week free!)

Notes about The Home Team:

Each exercise has a video demonstration and text description. The videos are quick – usually just about 10 seconds so you can see the correct form. You can even watch them from right in the gym.

Most videos have text descriptions as well. If you have further questions, feel free to email me, or leave a comment under the specific exercise. kathryn@kathrynalexander.com

The Home Team training program by Austin personal trainer Kathryn Alexander

 

The warm-up is just a suggestion.

The general rule is to do a dynamic warm-up first, and stretch after your training session. You can add in some easy movement such as walking or jogging, and light stretching, if that feels good to you. 

The weights I suggest are also approximate.

Start light, assess how the set went, and adjust accordingly. Don’t be afraid to start light. If anything, you can chalk it up to a warm up set and increase on the next. As you go, you’ll become more familiar with your weight abilities for each exercise.

Questions: 

What do I need for the home workouts?

Short answer: a pair of light dumbbells, a pair of medium dumbbells, a heavy dumbbell or kettlebell, and bands. You can get more if you want more, but this is a solid start. 

I want more. What should I get? 

A hip circle. 

Do I have to do the training sessions on the days they are posted? 

No. I will publish them by Sunday. Do them in order, but on the days that you can. 

Where do I start?

Here, and get your first week free! After that, it’s $27 a month, for as long as you are happy. No contracts, no hassle.

 

Anything else? Email me! kathryn@kathrynalexander.com

I am so excited to help you on your strength and conditioning journey!

About the author

Kathryn Alexander is a strength coach and personal trainer in Austin, Texas. She loves hiking, college football, and the feel of a perfectly knurled barbell. Read more about Kathryn here.

Home Training Program now available!

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Big news!


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The Home Team, my new home training program, just went live!

The Home Team is a training program designed to be done at home with a few dumbbells and resistance bands. It is a 4 day a week program with the option of a bonus day. It is delivered through the Train Heroic app, which I’ve been using with my clients for several years.


An example of a training day on the Train Heroic app. Click the image to visit The Home Team’s page.

An example of a training day on the Train Heroic app. Click the image to visit The Home Team’s page.

By joining The Home Team, you get your own Train Heroic account. Your daily training session will include instructional videos and text, and it tracks your weights, sets, reps and progress. It is your own data center.

The Home Team is $27 a month and you can jump in or out any time.

There is a real need for effective home training programs these days. Whether you are staying in to avoid covid, a commute, or shared equipment, The Home Team will show you the way.

If you’ve ever wanted to follow my plan, now is the time! Email me or leave a comment if you have questions.

If you are ready to start your first week free, click here!

About the author

Kathryn Alexander is a strength coach and personal trainer in Austin, Texas. She loves hiking, college football, and the feel of a perfectly knurled barbell. Read more about Kathryn here.

Outdoor Training for Power, Part 2

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Skipping for power training. All photos on this blog post by Ben Porter Photography.

Skipping for power training. All photos on this blog post by Ben Porter Photography.

When I started this series about outdoor training for power, this was a supplement to gym training. This was pre-corona, pre-masks and social distancing. Now, it’s a viable training option for when you can’t, or don’t want to go to the gym.

If you missed Part 1, a beginning/intermediate protocol, start there. If you haven’t been jogging on a regular basis for at least 3 weeks, start with the conservative version outlined in Part 1. Trust me, it’s worth the time to lay down some ground work.

Read this: Outdoor Training for Power, Part I

This protocol, Part 2, is a little more plyometric, a little more powerful. The same rules apply, so let’s begin there.

Training Session Overview

Do this session in the order that follows. Exercises are covered in detail below.

  • Warm up

  • bleachers or stair run

  • Bulgarian split squat

  • box jumps

  • pushups

  • cool down

Training Session – Warm up

Walk a lap.

Jog a lap.

Do a few stretches if you’d like, but save the aggressive stretching for post training.

Bleachers or Stairs

If you can find safe, sturdy bleachers or stairs to walk or run, begin there. Begin by walking a lap or two. From there, set a goal. The stairs I walk are approximately 40 steps, so I go up and down them about 30 times. Each lap takes less than a minute, so it’s fairly easy to gauge how many more I have left in me.

I recommend doing 5 – 10 laps depending on the length of the stairs, and noting both how long it took you and how tired you feel after. From there, you can make appropriate adjustments.

A true recommendation of how many to do would vary wildly from person to person. For the first session, do that 5 – 10 range and continue with the workout. Based on how you feel later in the day and how you recover tomorrow, you’ll have a better idea how many to do in the future.

Total reps: 5-10 to begin

Bulgarian Split Squat


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The Bulgarian split squat is also called the rear leg elevated split squat. Set up on solid footing on both legs, with the leg behind you elevated. Remember you are standing on railroad tracks, not a tight rope. That bit of lateral space between your right and left leg will give you stability. Do the first set without weight. You can hold a weight on the next sets if you would like.

Sets x reps: 2×10

If you’re repeating this workout, you can do a third and fourth set.

Box Jumps


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You can use a box, bleachers, or stairs to jump onto here; anything as long as it is stable. Start at a very low height to begin. Remember, you can develop power without even jumping onto anything, so don’t go crazy with the height just yet.

Stand about a half a step away from the box, with feet about hip width apart. To begin, move into a half squat position, with your arms behind you. Explosively jump up, pressing yourself away from the ground, as you throw your arms forward. Arms move in the direction you are going.

Your legs and feet should move and land together. Absorb the impact by bending at the knees and hips as you land.

STEP down. Don’t jump.

Do small sets of the box jump so you can retain crisp, powerful movements. NO slogging through sloppy reps!

Total reps: 15, done in small sets of 2 or 3.

Pushups


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Oh, how I love pushups! These are good for everybody and can be done almost anywhere! If you have bleachers, you can use them to modify pushups for more or less challenge. If pushups from your feet are too challenging right now, do pushups with your upper body elevated.

First, find your grip. If you are doing pushups from the bleachers, please do not stand far away from the bleachers and dive bomb forward to catch the bleachers! Place your hands a bit wider than shoulder width, and then step your feet back. Your hands should be straight forward from your chest, not your eyeballs. If you were doing pushups from the ground, this would mean your hands are at chest level, and not under your face.

From here, think about squeezing under your armpits. This will use your lats to stabilize your shoulders, and keep your shoulders from inching up toward your ears.

You can even think of pulling yourself to the bleachers or ground, so your back stays engaged as you do your pushups. Bend at the elbows, keep your chin tucked, and when your chest is bleacher or ground level, push back up.

You’ll find it helpful to squeeze your whole torso, glutes, and abs as you do pushups. Make your body a solid plank, not a wet noodle!

Sets x reps: 3 challenging sets. Save 2 in the tank. This means if you think you could do 10, do 8. If you’re rolling along and you could do 20, stop at 18.

Cool Down

Jog or walk two laps.

Stretch hamstrings, hip flexors, glutes and chest. This chest stretch can be done on flat ground without a foam roller (which the video shows).

Hold each stretch for 30 seconds and repeat.

Try this session out and let me know how it goes! Email me: kathryn@kathrynalexander.com

I can’t wait to hear!

About the author

Kathryn Alexander is a strength coach and personal trainer in Austin, Texas. She loves hiking, college football, and the feel of a perfectly knurled barbell. Read more about Kathryn here.

Texas Trout

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My usual diet consists of red meat and veggies so I decided to mix it up with grilled trout. I call this recipe Texas Trout. I prepared this like I would salmon, with garlic, seasonings, and a bit of butter. Trout looks very similar to salmon and cooks just as deliciously, but has a slightly different flavor which is fun to experiment with.

Texas trout healthy recipe

Ingredients

For pre-entree snacking: 

  • 2 bellpeppers, the more colorful the better 
  • hummus
  • pita chips

For the main course:

  • trout 
  • 2 lemons
  • mushrooms
  • 3 oz butter
  • salt & pepper
  • 3 cloves garlic2 cedar planks
  • olive oil

For kebab sides:

  • mushrooms 
  • 3+ bellpeppers
  • kebab sticks

“Prep” Your Appetizer

Number one pro tip of the kitchen: have an appetizer. Hangry is not a good look on anybody, and as a host, I never want to make anyone wait in hunger. New recipes tend to take me longer than I expect, so appetizers to the rescue. It might be overkill to call this an appetizer, but for snacking, I opened a pack of hummus, pita chips, and sliced some bell peppers. Vóila.

Trout & Sides Prep

On to the main course. Soak the cedar planks and kebab sticks for 30 – 60 minutes before grilling. Soaking longer will not hurt them, so put these in a pan of water first.

Wash and dry the bell peppers and mushrooms. Chop the mushrooms in half and bell peppers in 1-2 inch chunks. Mix in a bowl with an ounce or so of olive oil so they are evenly coated. Optionally sprinkle with sea salt. Set aside while the kebab sticks continue to soak. 

Slice one of the lemons and mince the garlic cloves. 

Remove the cedar planks from their soak and lay the trout across them. Top the trout with a bit of olive oil, the garlic cloves, pats of butter, and finally the lemons. 

Skewer the kebabs with the mushrooms and bell peppers. 

Texas trout prep

Grill Specifics

Texas trout on cedar planks on grill

Once the grill is heated to approximately 400 degrees, begin the trout and kebab grill. 

Check in 7 minutes to turn the kebabs and check on the trout. It will likely take 5-7 more minutes. 

Serve with a half slice of lemon to squeeze on the trout before dining.

If you try this, please let me know how it goes! I think you’ll love it!

Related: One Pan Chicken and Veggies recipe

Texas trout on grill by Kathryn Alexander Training

Reach Your Protein Needs

This recipe is a fantastic way to get quality protein without a bunch of extra calories. How many grams you take in will depend on your serving size, of course. You’ll get about 35 grams in 6 ounces of this trout. How much protein do you need? An easy estimate is about 30 grams per serving, but read here for more details: How much protein do you really need to eat?

About the author

Kathryn Alexander is a strength coach and personal trainer in Austin, Texas. She loves hiking, college football, and the feel of a perfectly knurled barbell. Read more about Kathryn here.

Gym Training Post Coronavirus: 4 Things to Consider

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The coronavirus outbreak has changed so many aspects of our daily lives, and how to resume normal life again is immensely complicated. There are a multitude of factors that affect you, your work, your family, and your social life. The right way will be different for everybody.

If you are stuck about how to resume training, and especially whether or not to go to the gym, consider the following factors.

Brittany deadlift at Hyde Park Gym Austin, Texas

Equipment Availability

Were you one of the lucky ones who snagged exercise equipment in early March, when it was still available? Or did you already have a home gym set up? If so, you are one of the lucky ones.  In this case, you can stay home and continue your program.

If you don’t have equipment and you are still nervous to go in a gym, then you will have to make a way. You can dig into bodyweight, equipment-free exercises, make your own implements, or begin a walk/jog/stairs type program while you wait on equipment to ship. 

gym training post covid

Gym Preparedness

Everyone has heard the same advice ad nauseum: stay home if you’re sick, wash your hands, wash your equipment, cover your mouth, use hand sanitizer. Of course, these are things we should be doing always. Does your gym enforce and encourage these habits? Do you feel they are taking the situation as seriously as you would like them to? Of course this is different for everybody.

You might feel like a big gym can’t possibly handle the amount of people and germs safely, so you might look for a small boutique gym. You might feel like the boutique gym is too small and restrictive to lower the risk of transmission, so you seek a larger gym. This is completely dependent on your comfort level. 

Gym Culture 

Here, I am referring to your gym’s social culture. If you have a lifting group, or lifting partner, or you just like seeing the same familiar faces, you might be ready to get back to the gym for that reason alone. Many people I know rely on the camaraderie as a large part of their mental health. Some people who struggle with depression, anxiety, and bad habits need the benefits of their gym routine in a greater way than they are at risk for covid. I love Hyde Park Gym’s member base, and I’ve been so sad missing updates on everybody’s lives!

Your Personal Risk Level 

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, consider your risk level. If you are in a high risk category, you might choose to stay home longer. Similarly, if you care for or live with someone who is high risk, your decision might be more conservative. If you are struggling emotionally and need to connect, getting back in the gym might be worth the risk. 

My Return – to – Gym Plan

That was 500 words to say, it’s your choice! I wish I could just tell you the answer, but you have to decide for yourself. As for me, I have decided that I miss my clients, I miss my friends at the gym, I miss having a job, and since I am low risk, I am going to go back to the gym. For now, I will be training clients outside. We have plenty of equipment and can get complete, challenging training sessions in the fresh air and sunshine. 

Please reach out if I can help you get started or resume your training. It’s time to take care of your health, so let’s begin! 

About the author

Kathryn Alexander is a strength coach and personal trainer in Austin, Texas. She loves hiking, college football, and the feel of a perfectly knurled barbell. Read more about Kathryn here.