Hello Movers!

I’m in my Strength Training Era. And I love it.

Last week, I bench pressed more than I ever have, and I know I can do more.

I also witnessed 5 of my clients reach their own new personal bests, and you bet I celebrated and had a “proud trainer” moment with them. A tear may have been shed.

Yes, all movement is good movement, and the best is the one that you will DO.

However, if you haven’t tried strength training, or if you’ve never followed a strength program (hint: this means repeating workouts and tracking your progress), read on for why you need to get on this, stat.

And stay tuned: I’m hosting my first-ever Women’s Wellness Weekend in September — yoga, strength, sauna, biking, pickleball, reading, relaxation, delicious food you don’t have to cook—all at a gorgeous Northwoods location during peak fall color. You don’t want to miss it!

Keep Moving,

Meg

STRENGTH TRAINING BENEFITS

1. Builds stronger muscles, joints, tendons, ligaments — all the tissues that let you move and stabilize.

2. Maintains or increases bone mineral density (a measure of bone strength) — something that decreases in everyone as we age, and at a faster rate in peri- and postmenopausal women.

3. Reduces Injury Risk — especially if you do an activity that is high-impact (pickleball, tennis, basketball) or repetitive (biking, running).

4. Increases muscle mass and energy usage, which lowers the risk for diabetes and other metabolic diseases.

5. Improves cardiovascular health, independent of additional cardio training (although cardio is good, too!).

6. Improves balance, which in turn reduces the risk of falls and injury.

And a few more that are my own: (research pending)

1. You feel like a bad-ass when you can lift more than your teenager.

2. You can confidently walk into any gym and know what to do.

3. It’s fun to flex in the mirror and see your muscles pop (yes, I’ll admit to this).

HOW SHOULD I STRENGTH TRAIN?

Read on for my recommendations. Note that there are MANY ways to strength train—this is just what I personally do and what I find works for my clients.

Why do I need a plan? I can get free workouts on Youtube.

• If your goal is to get a workout in & feel better by the end, Youtube works great. If your goal is to see progress (get stronger, lift more, see change in your body) — a plan is imperative.

What’s in a good plan?

• Repeatable workouts — sticking with the same set of workouts for 4-8 weeks. You learn how to recruit more muscle fibers when you practice the same movements (mind-muscle connection); you get stronger through a wider range of motion; and you can track change week to week.

• Slow progression —increasing weight, reps, sets, or intensity every 1-2 weeks.

• Recovery days — days off from strength training. You don’t actually get stronger while you’re training; you get stronger as you recover and rebuild.

  • **Rest days can still be active. Go for a walk, get on the bike, or go for a swim on the days between strength training.

How many days/week should I strength train?

• It depends! If you’re doing full-body workouts (what I usually recommend), 1-3 days/week.

• Beginners can see progress in 1 day/week, but more advanced movers will need more stimulus to see progress. 2-3 days/week is a good goal.

How many exercise should I do in a strength workout?

• Do one exercise from each of the 5 main movement patterns: Squat, Deadlift, Push, Pull, Carry. See the workout below for an example.

• If you have time, add on accessory movements — these can be specific to your preferred sport; physical therapy exercises that help you avoid injury; or exercises you really like (for me, it’s incline bicep curls & Copenhagen planks).

How many repetitions and sets should I do?

• Research shows that there is benefit to almost any rep range. What’s important is that the exercise challenges you. A good starting place is 2 sets of 10 repetitions. Every week or two, increase weight, add another set, change your pace (slower is usually harder!), or do more reps.

• Yes, you can get stronger doing light weights at high repetitions, but it takes a lot longer to get to fatigue, and doing high reps can be harder on your joints.

What weights should I use?

• Pick a weight where you only have 1-2 “Reps in Reserve” — you could only do 1-2 more reps with good form by the end. If you could do 10 more, the weight is too light or the movement is too easy. It will take some trial and error to find this weight at the beginning, which is why…

Track your progress! Write it down.

• I use an old-fashioned paper workout journal. You could use an app, a Google doc, anything that you have easy access to and that you’ll use consistently.

• If I am following a program and know what I did last week, I don’t have to think too hard about what I’m going to do this week. I get in the gym, repeat the workout, and push a little harder or heavier if I’m feeling good.

• I can also see when I’m struggling to lift the same weight (usually the week of my period, but not always).

• Keep track of personal bests and milestones — it’s really motivating to see progress!

How do I see progress?

• Be consistent. That’s it. After many years in this job, this is the one thing I can say is more important than anything else. I could go on and on about progressive overload and periodization and sport-specific programming, but when it comes down to it, being consistent with ONE thing for at least 6-8 weeks at a time will get your further than anything else.

BENCH PRESS + FULL BODY WORKOUT

Equipment needed: Heavy-for-you weights (barbell + plates or dumbbells), bench.

If you are new to strength training, stick with the lower rep and set range. You can also start out with a lighter weight, to get the feel of each exercise, and to give your joints time to adjust. Slow & steady is great!

Part 1: 2-5 rounds

Pick one:

• Barbell Bench Press x 3-8 reps (the heavier you go, the fewer reps you do). Get a spotter if you are unsure if you can lift the weight! For more experienced lifters.

• Dumbbell Bench Press x 10-14 reps — for newbies or anyone with shoulder issues.

Between sets:

• Rear-foot-elevated Split Squat (RFESS) x 8/side

*Note, you can also separate these and rest 1-3 minutes between all your sets, instead of alternating exercises. However, I find most people don’t have time or patience for that.

Part 2: 2-3 rounds

Alternate exercises. Rest between sets as needed.

• Sumo Squats x 10-20

• Alternating Y-Raise x 10/side

Part 3: 2-3 rounds

• Heavy Farmer Carry x 1 lap (about 45 seconds)

• Fisher Row x 10/side

• Side Plank + Rotation x 10/side

Save the date for my first-ever Women’s Wellness Weekend—Sept. 25-28, 2025 in beautiful northern Minnesota. More details coming soon!

Strength & Conditioning Sundays

8:30-9:30 AM SUNDAYS — Indoors @ Ripple Effect

*Upcoming Classes: 3/9, 3/16, 3/23, 3/30

"I say if I'm beautiful. I say if I'm strong. You will not determine my story — I will." 

-Amy Schumer, actor