As a Doctor of Physical Therapy, I work to stay up-to-date with strength training research. A decade ago, we were taught that you trained different rep ranges to achieve different muscle outcomes.

You would perform:

• Sets of 1 to 5 reps for muscle strength

• Sets of 8 to 12 reps muscle hypertrophy, and

• Sets of 15+ for muscle endurance

Now we know that hypertrophy gains (aka: increasing muscle mass) can be made with pretty much ANY rep range, provided you work close to failure. This has been showed repeatedly in recent studies.123

But what about STRENGTH?

Are sets of 1 to 5 reps the ONLY way to increase strength?

In order to have this conversation we have to first talk about the concept of a “1 Rep Max,” which is how researchers measure strength in the literature.

1 Rep Max (aka: 1RM) simply means the maximum weight that you can complete 1 rep of a movement.

So for example, if you can bench press 135 pounds 1 time, but NOT 2 times, then your 1RM for bench press is 135.

How researchers determine changes in strength is through increases in 1RM.

So continuing with the same example, if someone started the study with a 1RM of 135 for bench press, and by the end of the study their 1RM for bench press was 155, they’ve shown a 15% increase in strength.

In the literature, like this Systematic Review from Schoenfeld et al. (source 1 in the footnotes), we see that lower rep training leads to greater increases in 1RM than higher rep training.

So if you’re training your bench press at 120 lbs for sets of 5 reps, you’ll show greater increases in your 1RM than someone who is training their bench press at 100 lbs for sets of 15 reps.

Now here is where I think we need to really discuss RESEARCH vs. REAL LIFE:

Is 1 Rep Max actually important and/or meaningful to the average person?

Here’s what I mean: As a 32-year-old physical therapist and mom, I care a lot about being strong so that I can feel good and age well.

But you know what I DON’T care about? My 1 Rep Max for bench press!

No really, I literally could not care less what that number is!

So while research NEEDS a way to quantify strength gains, that measurement isn’t really relevant to me and my life.

It’s also not really surprising that training at lower reps increases your 1RM more than higher reps, because of the concept of training specificity.

If you were trying to get better at baseball, it makes sense you’d need to practice baseball.

Now sure, practicing volleyball might increase your overall athleticism and have some transferable skills, but when it comes down to it, you need to actually practice baseball to get better at baseball.

In the same way, training CLOSER to your 1RM through lower repetition training is more specific to that outcome measure. It’s like practicing baseball to get better at baseball.

Higher rep training is less specific to your 1RM, so it’s more like practicing volleyball to get better at baseball.

Now here’s the real kicker for regular people like you and me: Higher rep training STILL increases strength.

How do I know? If you’re going up in weights, then you’re getting stronger.

For example, if last year you were bicep curling 3 sets of 10 with 10-pound dumbbells, and now this year, you can bicep curl 3 sets of 10 with 20-pound dumbbells… you’ve gotten stronger!

You went from lifting 10 pounds to 20 pounds… that’s clearly an increase in strength!

I’ll leave you with one more example to really drive my point home.

When I first took the SAT, I didn’t do great on the math portion, which is weird because math is my favorite subject and I’m pretty good at it.

So before I took the SAT a second time, I bought an SAT study book and really worked on practicing specifically for the types of questions they ask on that test. I was training for that specific test.

Now I didn’t get a perfect score the second time, but I did WAY better than my first time around.

In both situations, I was still good at math, I just worked on training more specifically for the test to achieve a better score.

In the same way, lower rep lifting trains you more specifically for the 1RM test.

Higher rep lifting still gets you strong, it’s just not as reflected in the test.

Bottom Line: Strength train consistently, go up in weight when it starts to get easy, and if you’re a regular person like me, a lot of this nitty gritty nuance isn’t super relevant. There… I said it.

Come workout with me!

As many of you know, I had a baby 2 weeks ago… And my nursing experience has been very different this time around.

My oldest had issues latching, so initially I had to pump and bottle feed her.

With this little guy, I'm able to breastfeed and it's so much more enjoyable- BUT, it did cause an unexpected mental challenge.

How much did he eat? Did he get enough? Am I producing enough milk? How many ounces should he be eating? I need numbers! I need data!!

Pumping gives you exact numbers. Ounces. No guesswork.

Breastfeeding? No idea…

You have to trust your body and your baby.

And I am really struggling with that. Like a lot.

But it reminded me of when I used to feel like this with exercise and eating.

I needed numbers to tell me that my workout was “effective” - I'd use my Apple Watch to track calories burned during my workouts, and I'd use MyFitnessPal to track calories consumed during my meals.

Now I'm not saying tracking these things is inherently bad (I realize this works for some people), but for me, it left me out of touch with what my body was actually feeling/needing.

Nowadays, I have a much greater trust with my body.

I practice what I'm calling INTUITIVE FITNESS.

Here's how it works:

1. I show up for my workouts and work close to muscle failure - meaning I put in high effort, but I don't worry about calories burned or even specific reps! As long as I am struggling to complete the reps toward the end of 1 minute, I know I've challenged my muscles adequately.

2. When it comes to specific movements- if my knees aren't loving a specific lunge variation, I feel confident that I can change the setup or sub for a different movement. I don't “push through” pain, but rather respond to what my body needs to feel good.

3. For nutrition, I focus on balanced meals that nourish my body. My goal is to eat so I FEEL good. And yes, this means including dessert too! No need to track macros or calories- I trust my own intuition and know that my body will tell me what it needs.

Maybe you're not interested in practicing “intuitive fitness” right now. Maybe you're still wanting more numbers and data. And that's okay!

But I DO want you to ask yourself: How can I trust myself MORE when it comes to exercise?

And if you want to be surrounded by a community that is building trust with their bodies, moving to feel GOOD and to age well, then I'd love to have you inside the Loa Community.

There's no pressure to “burn calories” or “torch fat” - just strength training and moving to feel your best NOW, and 10 years from now…

And it's not too late to join our September Walking Challenge.

No need to track mileage or steps. Just get outside and move for 20 minutes 20 days in September.

One winner will receive a $100 Vuori gift card!!

Walk With Us!

About 9 months ago I posted on my Instagram stories about how I don’t understand the weighted vest walking trend.

I got a lot of DM’s back from people saying that it is “backed by research.”

The claim was this: Walking with a weighted vest improves bone density and increases muscle mass.

At the time I hadn’t read any research on the topic, so I believed them.

But then the trend kept popping up.

I heard doctors recommending it on podcasts,

I saw magazine articles saying it’s what women NEED to be doing as they enter perimenopause,

and I’ve experienced an ONSLAUGHT of social media influencers telling me that it’s the single most important thing to add to my wellness routine.

Okay, okay… time to do my own research.

So now, as I’m writing this many months later, I’ve spent HOURS reading full research articles (not just the abstracts), and I want to share with you what I’ve found.

Walking with a Weighted Vest for Improved Bone Density & Increased Muscle Mass

There are several studies that I see cited over and over again to support this claim. The first one is this long-term study by Snow et al.1 that looked at 9 exercisers and 9 controls that used a weighted vest over the course of 5 years.

There’s a few MAJOR things to note here. The first is that the 9 post-menopausal women in the experimental group were NOT walking. They were wearing the weighted vest while performing lower body strengthening exercises and jumping. This is really critical to understand, because it means we can’t draw ANY conclusions about what simply walking with a weighted vest will do.

We already KNOW (from prior research) that strength training is the gold standard for maintaining bone density, so wearing a weighted vest while doing leg exercises is the same as strength training… it’s just choosing to use a vest as resistance versus holding dumbbells.

The other thing to note from this study is that both the 9 exercisers and the 9 controls saw a reduction in bone mineral density (not improvement) in every area except the Femoral Neck, it’s just the exercisers lost less than the controls.

I do still think this is great news, as we typically lose bone mineral density after our mid-20’s, so delaying loss is still a success- BUT, remember, these results were from doing strength exercises and jumping with a vest, not walking!

Another study I commonly see is by Shaw & Snow,2 who looked at the benefits of a weighted vest on reducing fall risk, increasing muscle strength and power, and increasing bone density.

This study, like the last one, can’t be used to make ANY claims about the efficacy of walking with a weighted vest. The 18 post-menopausal women in the experimental group performed 9 months of lower body strength exercises while wearing the vest, including things like squats and lunges.

They were then compared to 22 post-menopausal controls and found that (shocker) strength training was more effective than doing nothing to increase muscle strength and power, as well as reducing falls risk. The study did not find any improvement in bone density.

So again, if you prefer to wear a weighted vest instead of holding dumbbells during you leg workouts, then you have that as an option.

Now I think you get the picture, but I want to quickly highlight 2 more studies that are often being used to support the claim that walking with a weighted vest is beneficial for muscle and bone health.

This study by Klentrou et al.3 compared 9 post-menopausal women to 7 controls, and found that lower body exercises combined with a weighted vest was more effective for building muscle than… doing nothing…

While this study did include walking as part of the protocol, because it was combined with lower body strengthening exercises, it’s impossible to say if there were any added benefits from the walking.

And while there was no significant changes in bone, this is not surprising since it was a 12-week protocol. We typically need at least 9 months to a year to see changes in bone.

The last study by Jessup et al.4 had 9 post-menopausal women participating in a 32-week training program.

The exercise protocol consisted of 3 training sessions per week, lasting 60 to 90 minutes. Within these training sessions, the women used machines to perform strength training exercises, working up to 75% of their 1 Rep Max. They followed this by walking AND stair climbing with a weighted vest (at 10% of their bodyweight) for another 30 to 45 minutes. In addition to exercise, they were supplementing with Calcium and Vitamin D.

This study saw an impressive 11% increase in bone mineral density at the femoral neck, which is fantastic! But, it’s crucial to remember that we have NO idea what factor walking with the weighted vest played. It’s possible they would’ve seen these same improvements with just strength training at 75% of their 1 Rep Max.

It’s also important to note that this is a very small sample size, of only 9 people in the experimental group. A larger study might not have shown nearly as impressive results…

So clearly the 4 studies I showed you all have the same issue- they include strength training, so we don’t know if the walking alone was doing anything.

Let’s look at this study by Tantiwiboonchai et al.5 that compared 24 women who walked with a weighted vest to 24 women who walked WITHOUT a vest.

The study was 12 weeks long, and the women walked for 30 minutes, 3 times per week. The experimental group worked up to wearing a weighted vest that was 8% of their bodyweight, while the control group did not wear a vest.

Their findings? BOTH groups showed a reduction in bone resorption markers and increase in leg muscle strength - there was NO significant difference between groups. Wearing the weighted vest provided no additional benefit.

So, after reading these 5 studies in their entirety, I can’t make any claims about the efficacy of JUST walking with a weighted vest on bone density or muscle strength.

Strength training absolutely should remain the priority.

Walking with a Weighted Vest for Weight Loss / Increased Calorie Burn

Alright, so nothing too compelling about muscle and bone, but does wearing a weighted vest while walking help with weight loss? Or increased calorie burn?

I found two studies that looked at this, but the protocols will surprise you.

The first study by Ohlsson et al.6 looked at 33 obese individuals wearing a weighted vest at 11% of their bodyweight for 8 HOURS A DAY!

They were compared to a group of 36 individuals who were wearing a weighted vest equal to 1% of their bodyweight.

The group wearing the heavier vest lost on average 3.5 pounds over the course of 3 weeks, whereas the lighter vest group only lost about half a pound.

It comes at no surprise that the group wearing the heavier vest for 8 hours a day had significantly higher complaints of pain (swelling in ankles/feet, pain in legs, etc).

So it does appear that you can have a tiny increase in caloric burn / weight loss by wearing a weighted vest, but you’re going to have to wear it for 8 hours a day… which sounds pretty horrible if you ask me!

The second study is a pilot study by Normandin et al.7 looking at the effectiveness of wearing a weighted vest to preserve lean mass during a weight-loss intervention.

(Of note, since this is a pilot study, it’s simply meant to assess the feasibility of a study, and not draw conclusions for the general public.)

In this study, both the experimental and control groups were eating in a calorie deficit for weight loss, but the experimental group was wearing a weighted vest equal to the amount of weight they lost each week to see if this would help prevent loss of fat-free tissue.

The weighted vest group attempted to wear the vest for 10 HOURS A DAY! As you can imagine, this was extremely hard to do, so most participants averaged around 7 hours a day.

The results? There was NO difference between groups in terms of overall weight loss, preservation of fat-free tissue, or body fat percentage.

The weighted vest group DID however have people reporting lower back pain!

So in conclusion, we don’t really have any evidence showing that wearing a weighted vest during your daily walk can assist in weight loss, but if you’re willing to strap it on for 7+ hours a day, it could maybe help you lose the tiniest bit? Maybe?

Walking with a Weighted Vest for Improved Cardiovascular Fitness

I think wearing a weighted vest for improved cardiovascular fitness is possibly the best/ most compelling argument.

This study by Puthoff et al.8 looked at oxygen consumption and relative exercise intensity while walking at different speeds and wearing a weighted vest.

The study included 7 women and 3 men, and had them walk on a treadmill at 4 different speeds. They tracked relative exercise intensity (based on heart rate) and oxygen consumption while the participants were wearing no vest, a vest that was 10% of their bodyweight, a vest at 15% of bodyweight, and a vest at 20% of bodyweight.

The results DID show that the heavier the vest, the greater increase in heart rate and oxygen consumption.

BUT, before you go out and buy a weighted vest, consider this:

Walking at 1.56 m/sec (which is about 3.5 mph) with NO vest showed HIGHER increase in oxygen consumption than walking at a speed of 1.34 m/sec (about 3 mph) wearing a weighed vest at 20% of your bodyweight!!

And we see the same thing for heart rate:

Quoting the study discussion: “The relative exercise intensity at 1.34 m/s with a vest at 10% of BM is similar to the relative exercise intensity at 1.56 m/s without any mass.”

So what is this saying?

You can wear a really heavy vest, or you can just walk 0.5 a mile an hour faster and you’re going to get similar cardiovascular benefits.

You can also think of it like this:

If wearing a weighed vest slows you down by more than 0.5mph, then it’s probably not doing much for you.

What can you do to increase cardiovascular fitness on your walks?

Walk faster, walk on incline, or add in an occasional jogging interval.

Here’s the thing- I think adding a vest does make a walk *feel* harder from a cardio standpoint. And if it feels harder, it’s probably because it is! But you have to ask yourself: harder than what? If you’re really looking to increase your cardiovascular fitness, add in 10 minutes of sprint interval work to your exercise routine. This is going to have a much larger effect than adding a vest to your walk.

What I’m Seeing in the Research

Okay. Let’s sum it up.

When it comes to increasing bone density and improving muscle mass, research shows you can use a weighted vest instead of holding dumbbells during your lower body workouts.

BUT- as you increase in strength, you’ll need to increase the weight of the vest to continue progressively overloading.

So it will NOT be beneficial if you just continually do lunges and squats while wearing a vest that’s 10% of your bodyweight. You need to increase the load of the vest or pick up some dumbbells once this weight starts getting easy.

Remember- most of the studies look at individuals who were previously not working out at all, so if you’re already strength training, setting your dumbbells down and throwing on a weighted vest could be a step BACKWARDS.

What I’m NOT Seeing in the Research

I haven’t seen any compelling studies that show if I JUST put on a weighted vest for my daily walk that I’ll get any sort of substantial benefits for bone density, muscle mass, calorie burn, or cardiovascular health.

What I WANT to See in the Research

To really make any sort of claims on walking with a weighted vest, here’s the study I’d need to see:

An experimental group AND control group that were BOTH performing the same strength training protocol, BUT, the experimental group was also going on walks with a weighted vest and the control group was not.

If THAT study showed additional benefits (meaning there were benefits from the weighted walks that were not coming from strength training), then I’ll go buy a vest...

But until I see that study, I’m personally not convinced.

No Solutions, Only Trade-Offs: Additional Considerations

As a physical therapist, I do think it’s important to bring up some movement factors that aren’t being talked about.

Weighed vests are going to inevitably change your walking mechanics to some degree. What effects will this have?

Here are 3 questions I have:

1. Do weighted vests decrease ribcage rotation and reduce arm swing? Arm swing is a critical piece of walking mechanics. When we swing our arms and rotate through our ribcage, it drives the rotation that occurs at our pelvis, and therefore influences the mechanics of our hip, knee, and ankle. If we’re putting a heavy vest on our ribcage, how are we influencing arm swing?

2. Do weighted vests increase pelvic floor symptoms? I’ve heard influencers say they love walking with their weighted vest because it encourages them to “suck in” and engage their core while they walk. The issue here is that we don’t want to constantly suck in our core… our core dynamically manages our pressure by alternating between compression and expansion. Constantly engaging the core can mean we’re limiting necessary expansion and encouraging pressure to push downward onto the pelvic floor. This could lead to increased symptoms, like urine leakage.

3. Do weighed vests increase joint pain? If we’re altering our walking mechanics, how does this affect our joints? If we’re reducing rotation at the ribcage, we will pick up the slack somewhere… does this mean we will rotate more through our knees? And then of course the obvious, will this cause a sore lower back?

What I See When I Read Between the Lines

Our culture is terrified of aging. The health and fitness industry preys on women going through menopause, making them feel like they’re NEVER doing enough.

We have bought into this idea that everything needs to be MAX productive.

Going on a walk with friends? Not active enough. You need to add a weighted vest.

Eating balanced meals? Not enough - you need 120 grams of protein per day.

Enjoy lifting weights? Still not enough - you need to be deadlifting 1.5x your bodyweight.

To me, the weighted vest trend is just another way to make women feel like they’re not enough.

If you feel overwhelmed by the noise, try to remember this: The Boring Basics Work.

Prioritize being outside, moving your body, regular strength training, spending time with friends, and getting good sleep.

These things will always matter.

My One Line Takeaway

Alright, if I had to sum this entire post into my “One Line Takeaway” it would be this:

If walking with a weighted vest is something you enjoy, and it encourages you to move more, then PLEASE, by all means, continue, but just remember it’s not a “magic bullet” nor is it an essential/required part of your fitness routine- strength training needs to remain the priority.

If you want an uncomplicated approach to strength training, come take my weekly classes on the Loa Movement platform.

You can tap HERE for 2 weeks free.

And if you enjoyed this blog, please consider subscribing to support my work.

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This is a question I get a lot, and I want to address it in-depth, because context really matters here.

First, let’s talk about targeting the SAME muscle with 2 different exercises.

We’ll use the example of 2 different Chest exercises:

Chest Press & Chest Fly

*there’s a bit of math here, but don’t panic*

When calculating the Torque a dumbbell exerts on a joint, we multiple Force times Distance (Torque = Force x Distance)

In this Chest Press, I’m using “heavy” 30-pound dumbbells. The Torque that my Chest muscles have to overcome is equal to “30d”

In this Chest Fly, I’m holding HALF the weight, but the distance “d” has doubled. So the Torque that my Chest muscles have to overcome is STILL “30d.”

Now this is obviously simplified, but it shows you how the number on the dumbbell is only relative to the specific exercise.

Using a lighter weight with a biomechanically HARDER exercise will challenge the muscle similarly!

My goal here is to simply show you that “light” and “heavy” are always relative to the exercise.

A light weight for a Chest Press might be heavy for a Chest Fly!

Now let’s talk about using different weights for the SAME exercise to build muscle size.

I could do a movement like a Chest Press using super “heavy” 60-pound dumbbells, and it would probably take me about 5 reps to hit muscle failure,

OR, I could Chest Press lighter 30-pound weights and it would take me about 15 reps to hit muscle failure...

Based on this Systematic Review and Meta Analysis1, both of these situations will have similar effects on muscle hypertrophy.

Lifting lighter loads for higher reps compared to heavier loads for lower reps will BOTH increase muscle size, as long as the effort remains high and they approach muscle failure.

So I like to think of it like this:

While it may take longer using lighter weights, the effect on muscle hypertrophy will be similar as long as I’m getting to this “pink” region (see diagram below), where I’m approaching muscle failure - meaning my reps are slowing down and becoming difficult to complete.

(If you’re not familiar, “muscle failure” is when you reach the point that you’re physically unable to complete another rep. “Muscle fatigue” is when you’re approaching or getting a few reps away from muscle failure, and your reps SLOW down in speed and become very challenging. It appears hitting muscle fatigue is a critical point to stimulate gains in muscle strength and hypertrophy.)

Is there a point where light weights are “too light?”

Yes! Ideally we want to stay above 30% of our 1 Rep Max2. A simple way to look at this is choosing a weight where you’re hitting failure in UNDER 30 reps.

So let’s say you’re Chest Pressing 5 lb dumbbells and you can keep going for 35+ reps without hitting muscle failure…

While this is better than doing nothing, it is not as impactful from a muscle building standpoint.

This is why I typically stay away from lifting styles that pulse light weights for 2+ minutes- it’s likely below the threshold to create impactful change, but again, far better than doing nothing!!

Here’s How I like to Define “Light” & “Heavy” (because remember these terms are relative to the person and the specific exercise):

A “light” weight for a movement would be a weight that takes you ~25 reps to hit muscle failure.

A “heavy” weight for a movement would be a weight that takes you ~5 reps to hit muscle failure.

And remember, from a hypertrophy stand point, both of these will provide significant gains!

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Often times when we think about lifting “light” weights, we just automatically think of tiny 2-pound pink dumbbells, but try to remember that it’s ALWAYS relative.

Tiny 2-pound pink dumbbells would actually be FAR too light for me to use for a Chest Press. I could easily do 100+ reps and not hit muscle failure. (Remember, we want to hit failure in 30 reps or less).

Consequently, I could use tiny 2-pound pink dumbbells for a Sidelying Reverse Fly, and probably hit failure in about 25 reps, meaning it actually WOULD be adequate to stimulate muscle growth!

Unfortunately, I do think many group fitness classes geared toward women often use too light of weights, where:

1. They’re not actually hitting muscle failure, and

2. They do sets way beyond 30 reps

So while “light” weights CAN be highly effective, remember to think of this as a weight that takes you close to muscle failure in about 25 reps.

Lastly, let’s talk about this in the context of increasing muscle strength.

While we were just discussing muscle hypertrophy (aka: the growth of muscle tissue), we’re going to pivot and talk about increasing muscle STRENGTH.

Hypertrophy and strength can’t truly be “separated” in the sense that if you hypertrophy your muscles, you WILL increase strength, and vice versa, BUT different training styles can attempt to focus slightly more on one versus the other.

Muscle strength is measured by increasing your 1 Rep Max.

If you’re not familiar with 1 Rep Max, this would be like the maximum weight you could lift to complete one rep of a movement. Like for example, let’s say you could squat 200 pounds one time, but when you tried for a second rep, you failed. That would mean your 1 Rep Max for the squat was 200 pounds.

In the same Systematic Review mentioned earlier (footnote 1), we see that lifting heavier for less reps DOES show larger improvements in 1 Rep Max, BUT lighter weights for higher reps still shows significant improvements in strength!

If you think about this logically, it’s not very surprising:

Lifting closer to your 1 Rep Max will be the most effective at improving your 1 Rep Max. This is a basic example of the SAID principle: Specific Adaptations to Imposed Demands (meaning, you get better at what you train)

BUT, there’s two things pointed out in this Review (footnote 2) that I want to highlight:

Number 1: When the studies used 1 Rep Max testing as the way to measure strength, heavier loads for lower reps was more effective.

BUT, when studies used a neutral device to test strength (like an isometric dynamometer), the difference between training with “heavy weights for low reps” versus “light weights for higher reps” was very minimal.

For example, when the studies used a lab device to test isometric quad strength, both loading schemes were effective at increasing quad strength.

To me this just proves the point that unless you’re a powerlifter or someone competing at your 1 Rep Max, using light or heavy weights are both effective at building strength (*provided that you’re hitting muscle failure in 30 reps or less, like we talked about earlier).

Number 2: Heavier weights with lower rep schemes are not always as tolerated by the participant.

For example, in this study3 they compared groups of men training at 7 sets of 3 reps versus men training at 3 sets of 10 reps. While the men training at 7 sets of 3 reps did show greater improvements in their 1 Rep Max, they also “displayed signs of overtraining and joint-related issues at the study’s end” that were NOT present in the group lifting lighter weights for 3 sets of 10.

This is particularly relevant to me, because I used to train with super “heavy” compound movements, but I was constantly dealing with nagging lower back pain and knee pain.

Now my training uses “lighter” weights for more isolated movements, where I focus on hitting failure in about 10 to 15 reps, and I’ve noticed that I’ve actually been able to increase my strength MORE, because I’m not constantly getting setback by injury.

*Please do not misconstrue this as me saying I’m against heavy, compound lifting. I’m not. It just personally doesn’t feel good in my body, and I’m happy that research shows I can still make significant and meaningful muscle gains at higher rep schemes.

My Key Takeaways:

1. You can use light weights or heavy weights and still show similar gains in muscle hypertrophy provided that you work close to muscle failure in under 30 reps.

2. What constitutes as “light” or “heavy” is always specific to the person and the exercise. For me, I can Chest Press 30-lb dumbbells for about 15 reps (aka: “light”) or I can Chest Press 50-lb dumbbells for 5 reps (aka: “heavy”). Either one works! And I’d use less weight for both rep schemes with a Chest Fly versus a Chest Press.

3. If you are trying to increase your 1 Rep Max for a competition, then you should probably train close to your 1 Rep Max.

4. If you’re not competing and you’re just trying to build strength, using lighter weights for higher reps will still effectively increase strength (just work close to muscle failure to keep effort high, and try to make sure you get there in under 30 reps).

5. If lifting super heavy makes you happy, do that. If lifting lighter (and still working close to failure) makes you happy, do that. No need to overcomplicate it!!

And if you want to be in a fun, supportive environment that removes all the guesswork, come train with me inside the Loa Movement App!

Tap HERE for 2 weeks FREE!

Both Moderate Intensity AND High Intensity strength training lead to improvements in bone density. (Click HERE for detailed breakdown of the research).

But is a moderate intensity workout “easier”??

Let’s talk about it.

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Research uses “Intensity” to describe the relative resistance that the subjects lifted.

They do this by using a Percentage of their 1 Rep Max (1RM).

This means if the MAX weight a subject can complete 1 squat is 100 pounds, then,

Squatting at 85% of their 1RM would be using 85 lbs.

For example, in the meta analysis by Kistler-Fischbacher et al1, they defined lifting intensity as:

High Intensity: > 80% of 1RM

Moderate Intensity: 65 - 80% of 1RM

Low Intensity: < 65% of 1RM

This is NOT the same as saying “I did an intense workout”- meaning it was very challenging.

Your workout can be challenging working at any % of your 1 Rep Max, as long as you’re working toward muscle failure.

Lifting at Moderate Intensity just means you have to perform MORE reps to reach muscle failure.

Let me show you.

If you’re familiar with the Holten Diagram, then lifting at 85% of your 1RM typically means you can do about 7 reps before hitting muscle failure.

Lifting at a lower intensity (let’s say 70% of your 1RM) means you can typically do 22 reps before hitting muscle failure.

In both situations, the overall “effort” should be similar since you’re achieving muscle failure.

So lifting at “moderate intensity” does not mean putting forth “moderate effort” or doing an “easier” workout.

It just means you’re lifting weights at a lower % of your 1RM, and therefore performing more reps to fatigue the muscle.

And Side Note: this is also NOT the same as “high intensity” cardio. High Intensity Cardio is defined as a % of Heart Rate Max (which DOES correspond with Rating of Perceived Exertion, and more closely matches “effort” or “difficulty”).

In my personal experience, I far prefer Moderate Intensity Lifting because:

1. I can safely and easily perform these lifts at my house

2. It provides less compressive loads in unwanted areas (like my spine or other joints) &

3. I feel comfortable achieving muscle failure without the fear of injuring myself

Now this doesn’t mean it’s better, it’s just better for me!

And ultimately that’s what I want everyone to be able to do- strength train consistently in a way that works best for them!

Peri-menopausal and post-menopausal women are being inundated with this message that they HAVE to perform heavy compound lifts to protect their bones.

If you listen to any “healthy aging” podcast, the message will probably be the same:

The ONLY way to stave off osteoporosis is by performing Deadlifts and Back Squats at 85% of your 1 Rep Max (1RM).

While I think this absolutely IS an effective way to improve bone mineral density (BMD), I DON’T think it’s the ONLY way.

Moderate intensity lifting can also be effective!

**To be clear, in this post I’ll be talking about high, moderate, and low intensity weight training. In this context, intensity is always referring to percentage of 1 Rep Max. Typically high intensity is around 85% of 1RM, moderate intensity is around 50-75% of 1RM, and low intensity is less than 50% of 1RM - but the exact breakdown will depend on the study.

So buckle up, because we’re about to do a deep dive in the research!

First off, where do we get this recommendation that we HAVE to do compound lifts at 85% of our 1RM?

A study with a catchy name swept the scene in 2018: it’s the LIFTMOR randomized control trial.1 Anytime I even MENTION bone density on Instagram, I get an onslaught of comments about the LIFTMOR trial.

They almost always go something like this:

The general understanding (from this commenter and many others) is that while we might be able to improve MUSCLE by lifting light to moderate loads, this is NOT true for bone. Improving bone health REQUIRES heavier loads - and the conclusion is always that the LIFTMOR trial is what proves this. (Spoiler Alert- This isn’t what the research says)

So let’s look at the LIFTMOR study!

The Experimental Group did a warm-up at 50-70% of their 1RM, and then followed it by 5 sets of 5 reps at 85% of their 1RM for the following movements:

• Deadlifts

• Back Squats

• Overhead Presses

The experimental group ALSO did impact loading via “drop landings” where they held onto a bar overhead, and then intentionally landed heavily for max impact.

On the other hand, the Control Group did walking, low intensity exercises (calf raises, lunges, shrugs, standing forward raises), and stretching. The researchers state that the Control Group protocol was “designed to improve balance and mobility but provide minimal stimulus to bone.” This group ended the study lifting a total of only 3 kg (or 6.6 lbs).

The study results? The group that did heavy lifting (Experimental Group) showed a 2.9% increase in Lumbar Spine BMD and a 0.3% increase in Femoral Neck BMD.

And it comes at NO surprise that the Control Group did NOT show improvements in BMD, because they specifically designed their workout to “provide minimal stimulus to bone.”

So while the LIFTMOR trial is GREAT, and it DOES show the benefits of compound heavy lifting, it does NOT disprove (or make ANY claim) about lifting at moderate intensities (65-80% of 1RM) to muscle fatigue.

I think it’s also important to note that they didn’t ONLY perform heavy lifting. They also included fairly intense impact training through the “drop landing” exercises. So it’s impossible to say that the changes in BMD were from the resistance training alone.

I want to reiterate that I am absolutely a fan of the LIFTMOR trial. It’s a really well-designed study, and I think it shows the effectiveness of heavy, compound lifts. I just don’t think we can use this study to say that moderate lifting or other modalities AREN’T effective.

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We need to look at research COMPARING moderate & heavy intensity lifting and their effects on bone density.

The first study I want to show you is this systematic review and meta analysis from Souza et al. in 2020 titled “High and low-load resistance training produce similar effects on bone mineral density of middle-aged and older people”2

They point out in this study that “it is generally recommended that aging individuals should perform Resistance Training using higher loads (≥70% 1RM)… However, since these studies compared training with non-exercise or usual care controls, it is difficult to determine if high-load Resistance Training presents greater effectiveness than low-load.” - aka: they’re mostly designed similarly to the LIFTMOR trial, where the control group is minimally loaded.

So what did they do? They looked at 6 different randomized clinical and controlled trials to compare the effects of moderate intensity lifting (which they define as training at less than 70% of 1RM) and high intensity lifting (training above 70% of their 1RM) on bone mineral density.

They concluded from these studies that “both high- and low-load Resistance Training protocols provide similar effects in BMD, which suggests that the intensity threshold to provide adaptations might be as low as 40% of 1RM, as long as effort is adequate.” ** (We’re going to touch on this effort piece in a bit, so stay with me)

Let’s look at another one:

I present to you this systematic review and meta analysis from Kistler-Fischbacher et al in 2021 titled “The effect of exercise intensity on bone in postmenopausal women.”34

This analysis compared 100 different research studies (yup… way more than 6) and compared low, moderate, and high intensity training. Here was how they defined the resistance training:

So the LIFTMOR trial would fall under that “high intensity" category because they lifted at 85% of their 1RM, and how I personally train would fall in the “moderate intensity” category, working around 65-80% of my 1RM (**I’ll make a comment on the rep scheme later, when we address the “effort” piece… )

What did their data show?

Bone density was IMPROVED in ALL categories: low, moderate, AND high intensity.

Let’s look at the Femoral Neck BMD measures:

The bold black diamond is representing the summation of all the data for that category, and in each category you can see that the diamond is shifted so that it favors the exercise group over the control. In fact, the high intensity group was the least favorable for the Femoral Neck BMD.

I’ll spare you more screenshots from the data, but this study also demonstrated improvements in Lumbar Spine BMD for all 3 intensity categories, and favored moderate intensity training for Total Hip BMD.

In their conclusion, the authors state, “the optimal exercise prescription for postmenopausal bone health in healthy individual should include moderate to high intensity progressive resistance training alone or in combination with weight bearing impact training.”

So after looking at 100 different studies, we see that BOTH moderate AND high intensity was effective at improving BMD. (and even some low intensity!)

7 Additional Considerations (because there’s always nuance):

1. Effort Matters

Many of the studies that compare high and low intensity training try to match “training volume” - so for example, in this study by Bemben & Bemben,5 they had the High Intensity training group lift at 80% of their 1RM and perform 3 sets of 8 reps, and they had the Low Intensity training group lift 40% of their 1RM for 3 sets of 16 reps.

While I can understand the logic from a “training volume” standpoint (if you’re training at half the intensity, then you’d double the reps), this is actually really different from an EFFORT standpoint.

Here’s what I mean.

If you’re familiar with the Holten Diagram (shown below), then lifting at 80% of your 1RM typically means you can do about 11 reps before hitting muscle failure.

And if you’re training at 40% of your 1RM, then you can do 30+ reps before hitting muscle failure… (40% of your 1RM isn’t even shown on this chart, but you can see what I mean…)

Why does this matter? Well when a study simply doubles the reps, it doesn’t take into account EFFORT. It doesn’t factor into the equation that this relationship between “% of your 1 Rep Max” and “Reps to Muscle Failure” isn’t linear!

Someone training at 40% of their 1 Rep Max and only doing 16 reps has MANY more reps in the tank before hitting muscle failure.

This is why I don’t like to necessarily go by reps, but instead, I encourage people to choose weights and work to muscle fatigue (meaning just several reps away from failure). This ensures that the EFFORT remains high, no matter what weight they’re using!

I think it’s also important to note that this Bemben & Bemben study STILL showed improvements in bone density for the group that was only lifting 40% of their 1RM and not getting close to muscle failure. Here are their results:

You can see by this chart, that High Intensity (80% of 1RM) showed better improvements for Spine BMD, but actually Low Intensity (40% of 1RM) showed better improvements for Femoral Neck BMD.

Still, when in doubt, I like effort to remain high, and I encourage people to work close to muscle failure since we see this as being an important factor for muscle strength.6

2. The Presence of Muscle Mass is Protective to Bone

One of the most interesting things I’ve read while researching for this post is that the actual PRESENCE of muscle tissue is protective to bone tissue.

Simply put, having muscle mass is good for your bones!

No, I’m NOT just saying that if you lift weights, the effect of lifting is good for both muscles and bones. I’m literally saying that the muscle tissue ITSELF plays a role in bone health.

Muscle tissue can communicate to bone through the release of Myokines, which are modulated by exercise. These Myokines have the ability to positively influence bone formation. Resistance training INHIBITS a Myokine called Myostatin, which is involved in the formation of osteoclasts and the breaking down of bone tissue.7

Quoting Souza et al. (2020), “Previous studies showed that muscle tissue seems to influence bone health and factors produced by muscle contractions, such as myokines, might also contribute to bone formation. Considering that these factors might be influenced by different loading conditions, these evidences suggest that triggers for bone synthesis involve more than only mechanical factors; therefore, the load threshold for inducing osteogenic response may be smaller than previously thought.”

Since we KNOW that we can improve muscle mass with many different loading intensities and frequencies, (check out this meta analysis if you don’t believe me8) then it makes sense to conclude that this protective effect of muscle to bone doesn’t require lifting at 85% of your 1RM.

3. “Segmented Sets” Can Make Lifting at Higher Intensities More Accessible

While obviously after all this I’m not saying you HAVE to lift at 85% of your 1RM, I do want to offer a suggestion to Loa Movement members (and at-home weight lifters) that can help include some higher intensity lifts.

You’ve probably heard of the concept of “drop sets'“ - where you lift a heavy weight to your max, and then drop the weight and grab a lighter set and lift to your max again.

Well I’m taking this concept and re-coining it as Segmented Sets.

Here’s Why: In Loa Movement classes we use 1 minute sets, meaning we don’t count our reps, but rather we choose a weight and attempt to work close to muscle failure within 1 minute. (You can read why we do this HERE).

I’ve had members say in the past “I feel like I want to go up in weight for this movement, but I can’t make it the full minute.” Enter Segmented Sets.

Start off the minute with a heavy weight and go as long as you can, and then when you can’t go anymore, grab a lighter weight to finish the minute.

I actually see this concept used in a study by Holubiac at el.9 where they made the participants perform 6 reps at 70% of 1RM and then immediately 6 reps at 50% of their 1RM. At the end of the study, participants saw a 1.8% increase in Lumbar Spine BMD.

I actually just did this today when I was teaching Lower Body - I started my Rear Foot Elevated Split Squat holding 30 lbs, and when my body couldn’t continue, I quickly swapped it out for a 20 lb dumbbell. This meant I was getting the stimulus at lifting around 80% of my 1RM, and then finishing the minute at a lower intensity.

Again, I don’t think this is REQUIRED, but I do think it’s a fun way to challenge yourself, keep effort high, and add in some higher intensity lifts.

4. Weighted Vests Can Be A Good Thing, But Beware of Trade-offs

I feel like I couldn’t write this post and NOT include SOMETHING about weighted vests. This seems to be all the rage for influencers in peri-menopause… or at least that’s what my Instagram algorithm is making me believe!

I wasn’t able to find a solid study that JUST looked at the use of weighted vests. Most studies combined weighted vest walking with some other modality (like weight training or jumping).

For example, the study by Jessup at al.10 had participants weightlifting at 50-70% of their 1RM and wearing a weighted vest for walks. They started the weighted vests light, but worked up to 10% of bodyweight by the end of the study. Participants saw an unexpectedly LARGE increase in BMD (11% increase… which is around 4x more than the LIFTMOR trial).

Another study by Snow et al.11 combined walking with a weighted vest and jump training. While this study only had 18 participants (9 in experimental group and 9 in control) they did conduct the study over the course of 5 years and found improvements in hip BMD.

Overall, the research does seem suggestive that supplementing your training with walking using a weighted vest (around 10% of your bodyweight) may have a positive influence on bone density, BUT, it’s always important to weigh the trade-offs.

Here’s what I mean: If walking with a weighted vest leaves your back sore or your knees hurting, it’s probably NOT worth it! This will inevitably affect your ability to be consistent with your workouts.

We also don’t know how wearing a weighted vest will affect your walking mechanics: such as arm swing or ribcage expansion.

So my advice concerning weighted vests: Try it out (if you want)! If it doesn’t give you pain, it could be a good option, but also it’s not REQUIRED to improve bone density.

5. Fueling Matters (Both macro and micro nutrients)

I’m not going to go in detail here because nutrition is NOT my speciality, but I do think it’s important to occasionally zoom out and look at the body as a whole.

Obviously exercise is not the ONLY thing that influences bone density.

When women train in a state of Low Energy Availability (aka: inadequate caloric intake to fuel their training), it is detrimental to their bone health.12

I think this is very person-dependent (based on genetics, activity levels, etc), and I’d recommend working with a dietician if this is something you need more guidance around.

When it comes to micronutrients, we know that calcium and vitamin D are incredibly important for our bones! Supplementation may be the correct route, but I’m also always going to advocate for getting it the old-fashioned way: outside! We need sunshine!

6. Multimodal Exercise Might Be More Effective

What do I mean by “multimodal?” Including a variety of forms of movement in your life!

You’ll notice that studies looking at bone density often include more than JUST weight training.

For example, the LIFTMOR trial did “drop training” for impact. Many studies include jumping, weighted-vest walking, or even dancing!

If you’re new to exercise, first and foremost I would prioritize resistance training. Lifting weights definitely seems to be the most beneficial in terms of longevity across the board.

But, if you’re already in a routine of lifting, consider adding other forms of movements! Especially movement that provides some impact, such as: jumping (if you’re a Loa Member, take our BURST classes!), playing tennis, walking, jumping rope, hiking, or dancing.

Movement is medicine!

7. Consistency is Key

Want to know something that I think is WILDLY overlooked in exercise? ENJOYMENT.

If you enjoy your workouts, you’re going to be more consistent. Plain and simple.

And consistency REALLY REALLY matters.

In order to make necessary changes at the bone, we really need to be training around 2-3x per week… for life.

We see that when training stops, bone density will decline back to baseline,13 so a routine that allows you to be consistent is absolutely key for lasting change.

Pain and injury also play a major role in consistency.

For me personally, I loved CrossFit style workouts and barbell movements (similar to what you see in the LIFTMOR trial), but my body didn’t love it…

I was constantly dealing with back injuries, knee injuries… you name it! (And this was in my 20’s! When I was supposed to be pain-free and loving life!)

These days, I do more isolated movements using dumbbells, working around 60-70% of my 1RM. (aka: I teach classes for Loa Movement 4-5 days a week!) And you know what? I feel a million times better. I can actually go on walks, hike, and do MORE activities that I love.

So if you’re someone that feels like your workouts are limiting the rest of your life, I urge you to find a way to workout that allows you to do MORE, not less.

I’d rather “do more” than LIFTMOR ;)

Now I understand some people CAN do barbell movements at 85% of their 1RM and be just fine, and that’s great too! No need to change. I just hope you read this and realize that’s not the ONLY way to improve bone density.

In conclusion, lifting at high intensity is effective for improving bone density, BUT, so is lifting with high effort at lower intensities!

Find a plan that you enjoy, where you can put in high effort and be consistent.

This is why I try to design every Loa class based on the 3 E’s: effective, efficient, and enjoyable - because that’s what allows me to show up week in, week out.

You can workout with me for 2 weeks free- just click HERE!

You might think lifting heavy means moving around 150+ lb barbells,

But let me shift your perspective…

Let’s use the example of your Glutes.

(because who doesn’t want to grow a peach??)

You can certainly load your Glutes with a barbell back squat.

I used to load up the bar with 135+ lbs to really hit failure in 10 or so reps.

When I did this, the amount of weight often meant that I’d hit failure… but not because of my glutes…

Usually my back was sore from the massive amount of compression, and my knees would give out due to the heavy load… but my glutes could have kept going…

Now, let’s use a different exercise.

What if I hold a 30+ lb dumbbell while performing a Rear Foot Elevated Split Squats.

I can hit muscle failure in my Glutes in about 10 to 15 reps- but since I’m holding a lighter weight I’m not limited due to lower back pain or knee pain.

Here’s the thing: my glutes don’t know the number on the weight- they only know effort and fatigue!

So using less weight to perform a biomechanically more challenging movement, can allow me to load my muscles without sacrificing other parts of my body!

This is STILL “lifting heavy” because I’m taking my Glutes to muscle failure in 10-15 reps, which is what matters for muscle growth and hypertrophy.

Don’t believe me? Check out this study.

The researchers found compelling evidence that “lower load (i.e., <50% of 1RM) resistance training can be a viable and effective method of developing muscle hypertrophy and strength.”

They also concluded that the intensity does matter: “to maximize the benefits of lower load resistance training, high levels of effort and training in close proximity to concentric failure are required.”

To translate: Using a weight that takes you CLOSE to muscle failure in about 30 reps or less IS enough resistance to build muscle strength and size.

Does this mean heavy compound lifts are bad (think: deadlifts, barbell back squats)? Absolutely not!

I would never say that- in fact, I don’t think ANY movements are inherently bad…

BUT for many people, myself included, working out this way just left me chronically injured.

Reminder… Not EVERYTHING will work for EVERYBODY!

So if you love heavy compound lifts and they feel good for you, GO FOR IT! Truly.

But if that’s not the case, don’t get discouraged! Research shows there is another way to train that will still build muscle with lower stress to your body- and that’s exactly what I do inside Loa Movement.

If you want to try my approach to “heavy” lifting, tap HERE for a FREE Lower Body Burn class (no credit card required!!)

And if you’re wondering if this approach is also effective for bone health… I’ve got a post coming soon, so stay tuned!!

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If you’re like me, you see a lot of fitness content on Instagram. And some of this content shows people pulsing 1 to 2 pound dumbbells for super high repetitions, while other posts show people max deadlifting for less than 5 reps.

So which is best?

In order to answer this question we have to define “best,” because this is going to vary depending on your goals.

At Loa, our goal is longevity-focused fitness — meaning we train to increase strength and build muscle (hypertrophy) for the sake of improving quality of life and slowing the effects of aging.

So for Loa members, the “best” way to strength train is effectively and efficiently building muscle in the safest way possible.

When we look to the research, most studies point to needing at least 30% of our 1 Rep Max (1RM) and working to the point of muscle fatigue in order to increase strength and induce hypertrophy.

So let’s say you’re bicep curling a 5 pound dumbbell. Is this enough?

We want 5 pounds to be at least 30% of your 1RM, so this would make your 1RM about 16.6 pounds.

(16.6 lbs X 30% = 5 lbs )

So it totally depends. If you can curl 17 lbs more than once… then 5 lbs is most likely too light to create significant muscular adaptions.

And to be clear, this doesn’t make pulsing light weights bad! It just hasn’t been shown to be as effective when it comes to improving muscle strength and hypertrophy.

So does this mean we need to be using super heavy weights (above 70% of our 1RM) to create change?

Actually, no…

Many studies (like this Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis), show significant increases in BOTH muscle strength and hypertrophy in individuals who trained for high reps at 30% of their 1RM and those who trained for lower reps at 70% of their 1RM.

To quote the discussion of this study:

“The findings therefore indicate that both heavy and light loads can be equally effective in promoting muscle growth provided training is carried out with a high level of effort.”

The one difference that we DO see in those who lift closer to their 1RM (70% or higher) is that they have greater improvements in their 1 Rep Max…

Which makes total sense due to the S.A.I.D. Principle (which stands for “Specific Adaptations to Imposed Demands”). Basically, if you want to get better at lifting super heavy, the best way to do that is lift super heavy.

But in my opinion, this isn’t the ultimate goal of longevity-focused fitness. I’m not training for an Olympic Weightlifting competition. I’m training to steadily increase my strength in a manner I can sustain.

This means as long as I’m lifting above 30% of my 1RM, I’m going to achieve that goal.

So do you need to be doing tons of math to calculate your 1RM for your workouts?

Actually, no again…

This is why we teach 1-Minute sets to the point of muscle fatigue in Loa Movement classes.

If you average between 2 and 4 seconds for each rep, this means you’re performing anywhere between 15 and 30 reps within the minute. #math

2 seconds per rep X 30 reps = 60 seconds

4 seconds per rep X 15 reps = 60 seconds

(depending on the movement, certain reps may take longer than others).

Based on this knowledge, we can use the Holten Diagram (below), showing that we’re lifting anywhere between 60 and 75% of our 1RM.

This puts us well above the 30% threshold, and takes less time (aka: more efficient) to get to muscle fatigue, than say lifting right at that threshold.

So in conclusion, if your goal is longevity (improving muscle strength and hypertrophy to minimize aging and feel your best), then choosing a weight that gets you close to muscle failure within a 1-Minute set will accomplish this!

No math required!

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You can do so HERE!

Sources:

Burd, N. A., Mitchell, C. J., Churchward-Venne, T. A., & Phillips, S. M. (2012). Bigger weights may not beget bigger muscles: evidence from acute muscle protein synthetic responses after resistance exercise. Applied physiology, nutrition, and metabolism, 37(3), 551-554.

Schoenfeld, B. J., Grgic, J., Ogborn, D., & Krieger, J. W. (2017). Strength and hypertrophy adaptations between low-vs. high-load resistance training: a systematic review and meta-analysis. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 31(12), 3508-3523.

Weakley, J., Schoenfeld, B. J., Ljungberg, J., Halson, S. L., & Phillips, S. M. (2023). Physiological responses and adaptations to lower load resistance training: Implications for health and performance. Sports Medicine-Open, 9(1), 28.

There’s nothing worse than wanting to crush your Glutes in a workout, but instead you just feel lower back soreness... and maybe even pain.

I like to teach a wide variety of Glute exercises inside of Loa Movement classes, and one you’ll see is the Kickstand Deadlift (or Hinge).

Learning to properly Hinge is a great way to find length in the Glutes, and then use that length to drive hip extension.

Recently I have had several members reach out and say they’re having a hard time feeling their Glutes in a Hinge, and just feel their back muscles kicking on.

So I wanted to write a post addressing this specifically.

First, whats the difference between a Hinge and a Squat?

A Hinge is a hip dominate movement, focused on getting the hips to move BACK in space.

A Squat has more knee contribution, focusing on the hips to drop DOWN in space.

To perform a Kickstand Deadlift / Hinge, we want to:

1. Get our weight into our front foot

2. Have a soft bend in the front knee

3. Maintain a relatively neutral spine

4. Send our hips BACK (without letting the knee come back)

5. Push through the front foot to stand back up

Seems simple, but there are many “common pitfalls” that occur when performing a Hinge, so we’re going to break them down one by one, with pictures, because you know I love a good visual.

[During the Setup:]

Common Pitfall #1: Too much weight on the back leg

The back leg is primarily for balance. You want to think about 95% of your weight being on your front leg.

Weight that’s shifted into the back leg will look like this:

At any point you should be able to pick up your back leg and not fall, because ALL your weight is supported by the front leg, allowing you to really load that Glute fibers.

Common Pitfall #2: Letting the pelvis turn away from the working leg

Once your weight is securely on the front leg, check in with the position of your pelvis.

You don’t want your pelvis to be turned AWAY from the standing leg. This starts the hip in external rotation, shortening the Glute muscle fibers.

Instead, turn your hips slightly to your standing leg. Slightly. Nothing major here- I often see people overdo this and start to rotate from the lumbar spine instead of the pelvis.

[As the hips are moving back:]

Common Pitfall #3: Folding forward instead of sending the hips back

If you fold forward without sending your hips BACK, this is not a hinge. You’re putting yourself in a position where your back extensors are going to take a majority of the load, which is probably not your goal.

I like to think about my sternum (or breastbone) being over my shoe. If it’s way out in front of my shoe, I’m too far.

Common Pitfall #4: Sending the knee back with the hips

When we setup, we want a soft bend at the knee, so that the knee moves toward the shoe laces, versus being directly stacked over the ankle.

The key is keeping the knee here.

As you send your hips back, your knee should stay in line with your shoe laces.

We don’t want to see the knee straightening and going back with the hip- this will create more Hamstring tension and less Glute tension (which is what we’re going for here!!)

Common Pitfall #5: Extending through the spine versus opening the hip

This one is probably the trickiest.

If you’re lacking some abdominal control, or you have hypermobility and have a hard time controlling your movement, you may accidentally let your pelvis dump forward (in an anterior pelvic tilt).

If it is an abdominal control issue, it may help you to inhale during the setup, and then as you Hinge, exhale through pursed lips to help you maintain a relative “stack” of the ribcage and pelvis. Continue exhaling through the entire movement, until you’ve returned to standing.

If this doesn’t help, it could be due to a “space” issue.

For many people, they may start to anteriorly tilt their pelvis or extend their spine because they’re lacking space in the back of their hip.

When we’re relatively extended, and our center of mass is shifted forward, the back of the hips will be compressed.

When you Hinge your hips back, you want to allow the structures in the back of the hip to lengthen and “open.”

The “sit bones” of the pelvis move away from each other. I like to call this “getting into your hip.”

If you have a tight Posterior Hip Capsule or Posterior Pelvic Floor, you might not feel you like have the ability to “get into your hip.”

As a result, you may start to let your pelvis tip forward (in an anterior pelvic tilt) to try to make space.

A great way to open up the hip is through breathing techniques!

4 TECHNIQUES for Opening the Back of the Hip:

1. Hip Hinge Booty Opener

I learned this from my friend Joy Black (@climbingwithjoy on IG) and it’s a great way to get the sit bones to “spread apart” and lengthen the back of the pelvis and hip.

In an All-4’s position with feet against the wall, you’re inhaling to sit back and open the pelvis. The goal is to maintain a neutral spine and let the movement happen at the pelvis.

2. Biasing One Side Booty Opener

In a similar position as above, you can place a folded blanket, or a couple of books underneath one knee to help bias opening of the pelvis to that one side.

When we take into account concepts of asymmetry (as described by the Postural Restoration Institute), typically we see the need to place the blanket under the Left knee, due to the more shortened Left posterior hip capsule. BUT, we can also see individuals who are need additional length on both sides.

3. Respiratory Scissor Slide

This is a Postural Restoration technique that I love to help restore the ability to “hip shift.”

You can appreciate how the pelvis turns down toward the Left leg (lengthening the back of the Left hip) when the knee is shifts forward, and then comes back to neutral when the knee slides back.

4. Breathing in a Hinge

This may sound obvious, but one of the best things to help find your Booty in your Hinge, is spend time in a Hinge.

Actually get into the position and breathe there!!

If you’re a Loa Movement member, I walk you through these techniques step-by-step in the Hinging Workshop class (LIVE in your library).

And lastly, Returning to Standing:

Common Pitfall #6: Lifting up instead of pushing down

Once you’re in the Hinge, really focus on your front foot.

Instead of lifting up from your spine, you want to think about pushing down through the ground with your foot.

You’re using that connection with your foot on the ground to bring you back to standing.

So think, push down to stand up!

In conclusion,

Hinging is a challenging movement to master.

These common pitfalls are common for a reason.

Little changes can be the big difference between feeling this movement in your Glutes, or defaulting to your dominant strategy: your Back Extensors.

Spend time practicing bodyweight hinges, and really master the movement before adding any load.

We go through EVERYTHING mentioned in this post (with step-by-step instructions) inside the “Hinging Workshop” class (located under the Body & Breath carousel in your Loa Movement app).

And while I don’t think these exercise are inherently BAD, I want to talk about why this isn’t my primary approach to Glute strengthening.

To do this, let me illustrate how we train our Diaphragm, as it parallels beautifully with my approach to Glute training.

Breathing techniques are all the rage right now, and rightfully so.

Learning how to take a FULL inhale and utilizing your Diaphragm (instead of your neck muscles or back extensors) is an essential skill that can optimize the body’s movement and pressure management.

When someone struggles to take full inhales, we focus on restoring their ability to EXHALE.

Why is this?

The Diaphragm’s relationship to the inner aspect of the thoracic cavity allows it to work as a “piston,” pumping air in and out.

It contracts and flattens as it pumps air in, and relaxes and returns to its dome position as it pumps air out.

When this relationship is lost, we see a Diaphragm that remains “flattened.”

It stays in a relatively “inhaled” state.

From this state of inhalation, we have a hard time taking another full, complete inhale. We can’t go somewhere we already are.

To restore effective pumping, the Diaphragm needs to regain proper leverage by re-establishing its relationship with the inner aspect of the thoracic cavity and returning to a domed position.

We accomplish this through a full exhale by:

• Getting the Internal Obliques and Transverse Abdominis onboard, which

• Pulls the front of the ribcage into internal rotation,

• Re-establishing the juxtaposition of the Diaphragm and the inside of the thoracic cavity to,

• Restore the Diaphragm’s DOMED POSITION, aka: a state of exhalation

  

The key to restoring a full INHALE, is mastering a full EXHALE.

Now let’s relate this back to your Booty.

Remember, the Glute Max and Thoracic Diaphragm are both skeletal muscle tissue. They work the same way, using contractile fibers that shorten to create movement.

The Glute Max primarily performs Hip Extension and External Rotation.

These movements are essential at the end of the gait cycle, allowing us to push-off one leg and onto the other.

Performing a Glute Kickback means we are loading the Glute in a position of hip extension and external rotation.

Remember, we can’t go somewhere we already are.

So if we’re already in extension and external rotation at the hip, it’s hard for the Glute Max to really get leverage and work effectively from this position.

Same is true for a Banded Monster Walk.

In order to feel the load of the band, we have to drive our hips out, into external rotation.

This compresses the back of the hip, and shortens the Glute Max fibers.

If you’re trying to strengthen hip extension and external rotation (the movements of the Glute Max)…

You need to find the OPPOSITE position.

(just like you needed to find an EXHALE to allow for a better INHALE)

The opposite position for Hip Extension and External Rotation is: Hip Flexion and Internal Rotation

Movements like a Reverse Lunge or Kickstand Deadlift get the hip into this position, requiring the Glutes to LENGTHEN.

This creates space in the back of the hip,

Allowing the contractile properties of the Glute Max fibers to work how they were intended.

In Hip Flexion (and Internal Rotation) we can create tension of the Glute muscle fibers, and then use that tension to drive out of this position.

So while you might feel a “burning” sensation in Glute Kickbacks and Monster Walks, this sensation doesn’t necessarily equate to effective loading.

Effective loading requires understanding of the muscle fibers and movement it creates at the joint.

The key to a better inhale is training an effective exhale // The key to strong hip extension is training hip flexion.

If you want to work on your Booty AND your Breath, I create new classes for you every week inside the Loa Movement membership.

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There’s a lot of marketing directed at people who constantly feel “tight” in their hamstrings.

There’s products to help you stretch…

There’s businesses that will literally stretch you…

And there’s plenty of yoga and fitness classes centered around “releasing” your hamstrings.

But for the majority of people, the “tightness” they feel from their hamstrings is actually due to over-stretching.

Normal Hamstring Flexibility

Grab a belt and lie on your back. Use the belt to passively pull your leg up - this is your passive hamstring flexibility.

Go until you feel resistance from your Hamstrings, or they start to feel “tight.”

We consider normal hamstring flexibility to be around 80 to 90 degrees of Hip Flexion.

Anything beyond 90 degrees is considered excessive.

Anything less than 80 degrees is considered limited.

If you have excessive or limited hamstring flexibility… don’t fret!! You can easily adapt and change (so keep reading!)

Hamstring Anatomy

The hamstrings attach onto the pelvis (at the ischial tuberosity).

If you have “limited” hamstring flexibility, it could very likely be due to the position of the pelvis.

When the pelvis is tilted forward, the attachment of the hamstrings is now raised.

In this position your hamstrings may FEEL tight, because there is a constant “stretch” on the muscle, creating tension.

Testing your hamstring length when your pelvis is in this position will make it appear limited, because you’re stretching a muscle that is already stretched. The muscle is starting in a lengthened position, so it doesn’t have much more to go!

If this is you, try this:

Lie on your back with your hip and knees bent at 90 degrees and your feet securely on a wall.

Imagine you’re dragging your feet down the wall, making sure you can feel your hamstrings. Your pelvis may lift slightly, but keep your spine resting on the ground.

Take 5 rounds of 5 breaths in this position- really focusing on lengthening your exhale and melting your lower ribcage to the floor.

Now re-test your hamstring length.

If your limitation is due to the position of your pelvis, you’ll probably notice a huge improvement in your flexibility!

Now remember, we didn’t actually change the flexibility of the hamstrings, we just changed the position of the pelvis.

If you’re someone with EXCESSIVE flexibility (past 90 degrees of hip flexion), it doesn’t necessarily mean your pelvis is in a good position…

It may indicate that you’ve actually OVERSTRETCHED your hamstrings. This is very common, and was true in my personal case, so let’s talk about it!

First, WHY you don’t want to over-stretch your hamstrings:

Our hamstrings are the “anchor” of our pelvis. They help pull the pelvis underneath the ribcage into a “stacked” position for optimal breathing and pressure management.

In this “stacked” position, the diaphragm can leverage the inner aspect of the abdominal cavity to pump air, and the pelvic floor and diaphragm can work in synchrony.

As we inhale, the pelvic floor and diaphragm drop down.

As we exhale, they rise up.

If our hamstrings are overstretched, we lack our pelvic anchor, and we see a ribcage and pelvis position that are sub-optimal for breathing.

In this position, the Diaphragm lacks proper leverage and can’t pump as effectively.

We begin to take short, shallow breaths.

These shallow breaths may increase anxiety and make it hard to have restful sleep. It can also show up as “pelvic floor” issues - like leaking when you cough or sneeze. AND I’d also make the claim that this position influences “orthopedic” issues such knee pain, back pain, hip pain, etc… but I’ll save this for another post.

We need our Hamstring anchors to help us breathe, move, sleep, and more! It’s all connected.

Excessively flexible hamstrings can still FEEL tight.

Many people who are overly extended in their position feel constant tension in their hamstrings (remember how the attachment sites of the muscle are lifted up, meaning they’re lengthened all the time).

Because they feel this tension, they stretch.

They do deep hamstring stretches and releases.

This creates more laxity, and more tension.

As a result, the tightness sensation increases.

So they stretch more.

We’re left with a pelvis that is still positioned forward and hamstrings that are now over-stretched and neurologically inhibited.

(Here’s what I mean by “neurologically inhibited”: stretching has a LARGE effect on the nervous system. In order to get into a deep stretch without tearing muscle fibers, the brain has to tell the muscle to “turn off” and stop contracting, which inhibits the muscle’s contractile properties.)

I want to point out that stretching typically DOES provide temporary relief - primarily due to this neurological effect.

Our nervous system tells the muscle to relax to allow for the deep stretch. This movement and relaxation feels good. But then the tightness sensation returns…

So while stretching may FEEL good, it might not be the best long-term solution.

The Lasting Solution to Hamstring Tightness:

Step 1: Stop Stretching

If you have excessive hamstring flexibility, you don’t need to keep stretching. If you’re limited in hamstring flexibility, there are better ways to improve it… like Step 2!

This is why you’ll never see static hamstring stretches or exercises that place the hamstrings in an overly lengthened positioned inside of my classes.

Step 2: Address the Position

Whether you’re limited OR have excessive hamstring flexibility, we need to address the overall pelvic position. For some, this step alone will reduce the tightness sensation.

Addressing position allows for optimal breathing.

The hamstrings anchor and pull the pelvis under the ribcage so the Diaphragms (Thoracic Diaphragm and Pelvic Floor Diaphragm) can work together to properly manage pressure within the body.

Remember, this will take time (and more time depending how “over-stretched” your hamstrings are)

You’ll see this position a lot in my teaching, as we use it frequently to warm-up, as well as during exercises, such as a 90/90 Alternating Chest Press.

Step 3: Get Hamstrings Back on Board

This step is important for everyone, but especially if you have excessive hamstring flexibility.

We want to work on building strength in the hamstrings while maintaining a good pelvic position- loading the hamstrings to build strength and improve neurologic facilitation.

One of my favorite exercises right now is this Hamstring Ball Curl. So much harder than it looks!!!

Over time, you will test your passive hamstring flexibility and they’ll “tighten” or stop you at 90 degrees of hip flexion.

This is GOOD!

It means you successfully have your pelvic anchors back on board, and you might even notice you no longer pee when you sneeze.

Of Note: You can have a posteriorly positioned pelvis, where the hamstring muscles are actually shortened, BUT, this is much less common. From treating patients, I can tell you I saw this almost exclusively in men with lumbar pathology, such as lumbar stenosis. The key here is restoring movement to the pelvis- helping them move into an anterior pelvic tilt and back. And while stretching can be implemented in this population, I find eccentric loading to be more effective at simultaneously increasing hamstring length and strength.

1. Black Balsam Knob

Easily my favorite hike near Asheville, and not just because it holds so many special memories, but primarily because the panoramic sweeping views are 10/10.

But in terms of personal meaning, it’s a 12/10.

I had my first date (with my now husband) here, we took engagement pictures here, hiked up this trail on our wedding day (dress and all!), and have taken our daughter countless times.

A good thing about Black Balsam is you can kind of “choose your own adventure” in terms of how long you want to hike. You’ll have sweeping views after about 10 min of hiking, and then you can continue on the ridge for as long as you’d like. We love to hike all the way out to Shining Rock - this is about 9 miles roundtrip, so pack snacks.

THE DETAILS: Turn off the Blue Ridge Parkway at the huge sign that says Black Balsam, and park along the road where it says Art Loeb Trail. This will take you straight up to Black Balsam Knob.

You can also continue down this same road and you’ll see a parking area. Here you can take the Art Loeb Connector Trail to go up to Black Balsam. (Just don’t hike down the wide, rocky road called Ivestor Gap… you’ll miss all the great views!)

This parking lot also takes you to my second favorite hike:

2. Sam’s Knob

This hike is gorgeous! The wildflower meadow is lovely and the views at the top are well worth the hike. It’s around 4.5 miles or so roundtrip.

THE DETAILS: Turn off the Blue Ridge Parkway where it says Black Balsam and drive all the way to the parking lot. Take the trailhead that’s to the right of the bathroom. This trail is well marked and you’ll have no problem making your way to the peak.

And another beloved hike is:

3. Looking Glass Rock

This hike is a great distance (about 6 miles roundtrip) and has a very rewarding view at the end. Unlike Black Balsam, there aren’t really views along the way, so make sure you’re committed to going the entire 6 miles if you choose this one!

THE DETAILS: Typing in “Looking Glass Rock Trail” into your GPS will take you directly to the parking lot. It’s well marked and very easy to find.

Pro Tip: On the way back out of Pisgah National Forest, we love to stop at Ecusta Brewing in Brevard, NC. My fav is the Pink Beds Sour.

EAT

1. Nine Mile

This is a local gem. When I first moved to Asheville I asked several co-workers their favorite restaurant and they all said Nine Mile. It NEVER disappoints.

At first look, the menu may not sound appealing (or so I thought), but at this point I’ve had nearly everything on the menu and it’s all divine. You can’t go wrong.

I’ve actually had people visit and they’ve liked it so much I had to bring them a second time during their stay. It’s that good.

MY ORDER: Cool Runnings is my go-to, and if I’m okay with dropping a little more $$ then I order The Nolan. Pro Tip: the “His Majesty” salad dressing is unreal.

2. MOTHER

Don’t leave Asheville without going here. Fresh bread abound and every menu item is carefully curated and delish.

Pro Tip: It opens at 10am, so I love to get there at 9:55am and be the first one to get dibs on bread (I take my bread seriously, if you can’t tell)

MY ORDER: The French Toast is one of the best things I’ve ever eaten. I also love the French Omelette. It’s best to go with a friend who likes to share so you can get multiple things and split.

3. Tall John’s

This is an upscale American restaurant. It a bit more $$, but delicious. I love the neighborhood feel, and Montford is a great neighborhood to go for a stroll if there’s a long wait.

MY ORDER: The cheeseburger (I know, I know, but it’s the best cheeseburger I’ve ever had) and I sub the fries for their beets and goat cheese. I also get their Nadler (non-alcoholic Radler).

4. Taco Billy

This place slaps. Great portions and so creative. I love that they have breakfast tacos, vegan tacos, and extra meaty tacos- really something for everyone.

Pro Tip: Place a to-go order online, grab your tacos and then head a half mile down the road to New Belgium. Tacos & beer with a killer view (you can thank me later).

MY ORDER: 1 Morita & 1 Support Group

5. All Day Darling

This isn’t really somewhere I’d recommend for a full meal, but it’s such a great place to curb your hunger after a long hike, or for a quick latte and breakfast bite. They have amazing smoothies, and anything on their menu with their homemade turmeric granola is so good.

MY ORDER: Miel Latte (or Yum Yum Smoothie) and the Almond Butter Toast

DRINK

1. New Belgium Brewing

Wildly popular for a reason. Amazing beer, but even better venue and setting. It’s on the French Broad River and there’s plenty of space to let kids or dogs run around. I’ve been here more times than I can count, and I’ll continue to go.

Pro Tip: don’t forget to snag your tacos from Taco Billy (I’ve never loved the food trucks at New Belgium)

MY ORDER: I love so many things here, but I always come back to Fat Tire.

2. Little Jumbo

Some of my favorite cocktails EVER, and the vibe is equally as perfect. This is my place of choice for some fun girl talk with my Asheville besties. (They also have a killer Halloween party)

MY ORDER: Get the Spicy Dead Lady. If you love margaritas, this is like an upscale cocktail version.

TREAT

1. Hole Donuts

The thing that sets Hole apart is they make your donuts to order… and I think we can all agree that donuts are only good unless they’re FRESH.

This place gets busy but the line is fast and worth it.

MY ORDER: Cinnamon Sugar Donut

2. French Broad Chocolate Lounge

This place is classic Asheville and attracts lots of tourists, but it really is so good.

Pro Tip: If the downtown location is overrun, head to their other location on Riverside Drive - it closes earlier, but if you make it before close it’s always WAY less crowded. (also conveniently near Tall John’s and Nine Mile)

MY ORDER: Either the Buddha Ice Cream (vegan chocolate) or a decaf Affogato with vanilla ice cream, OR the Nibby Brownie.

Overrated

Alright, so I don’t mean to be rude… but it makes me sad when tourists line up at these places and they’re just… fine…

If you’ve come all this way to beautiful Western NC, I don’t want you to be disappointed, so here are a list of places I personally think are way overrated:

1. White Duck Taco Shop

So average and Taco Billy is 10x better. I really don’t understand the hype. I’ve been several times (because I used to live like 5 min away from it) and it always let me down.

2. Sierra Nevada Brewing

This is probably an unpopular opinion, but the location is SO far outside of Asheville, the beer is average, and the venue is so big it’s overwhelming. I know a lot of people love this place, but personally if you’re visiting for a few days it would NOT make my list of priorities.

3. Biscuit Head

People stand in line for ages here and it’s fine. Not bad, but fine. Please go to MOTHER instead. I promise you won’t regret it.

4. Sunny Point Cafe

Again, people wait HOURS on the weekend to eat here and it’s like food you could make at your house? Some scrambled eggs and plain biscuits? I really don’t get the hype. I’ve been several times and I just wouldn’t say it’s worth the wait.

WEEKEND ITINERARY

Alright, I know this is extreme, but since I gave so many recommendations I wanted to show you a general outline of a great Asheville weekend:

Friday Evening: Grab an early dinner at either Nine Mile or Tall John’s, then walk around Montford neighborhood while food digests. End with a cocktail at Little Jumbo.

Saturday Morning: Grab a quick bite at All Day Darling, and then drive to Black Balsam and either hike Black Balsam, Sam’s Knob, or both. Make it a long day of hiking and enjoying the outdoors.

Saturday Late Afternoon: While in the car driving back from Black Balsam, place a to-go order at Taco Billy. Grab your tacos and head to New Belgium. Hit up French Broad Chocolate Lounge for dessert.

Sunday Morning: Brunch at MOTHER, and maybe fit in another hike if you’re not planning to leave till evening.

—

Okay, I know that was a lot, but I hope you’ll feel extra prepared for your Asheville vacation, and go home with zero regrets (because you chose MOTHER over Biscuit Head).

Let me know how your trip goes!

Xx,

Lauren

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When it comes to breathing, there’s A LOT of information out there…

So, I want to help simplify things a bit. 

Breathing relies on a change in pressure.

Air will move from high to low pressure.

So when the pressure in the atmosphere is HIGHER than the pressure in our body, air will rush into our lungs.

When the pressure in the atmosphere is LOWER than the pressure in our body, air rushes out.

This is why we NEED our ribcage to move, because it helps create this pressure gradient. 

Now let’s talk about DIAPHRAGMATIC BREATHING, or as I like to call it, 360 BREATHING. This is how you would breathe during a breathing technique (not necessarily quiet respiration).

When we inhale, our Diaphragm will contract and flatten. This causes us to visibly see our belly RISE.

This should be immediately followed by our ribcage expanding in all directions (360 degrees).

The expansion of the ribcage REDUCES the pressure inside the thoracic cavity, resulting in air rushing to fill our lungs.

On the exhale, our Diaphragm relaxes and returns to its “dome” shape. This causes are belly to fall.

Our ribcage compresses and gets smaller, causing the pressure inside the thoracic cavity to increase, resulting in air leaving our body.

This beautiful process is what allows gas exchange to occur, meaning our tissues can receive Oxygen and remove excess Carbon Dioxide.

To simplify:

When we inhale we want:

1. Belly to rise

2. Ribcage to expand

3. Lungs to fill with air

When we exhale we want:

1. Belly to fall

2. Ribcage to compress

3. Lungs to deflate

But you may hear a lot of additional breathing cues, so let’s discuss a few of them:

1. “Pause at the end of an exhale”

You may see this in PRI techniques, and I often cue this in class, so what does it mean?

The cue is something like this: Inhale through your nose, take a long slow exhale through your mouth, pause 4 seconds at the end of the exhale.

The pause can help ensure you’re getting a FULL exhale, and actually allowing your ribcage to move into a position of exhalation. This means the lower portion of the front of your ribcage moves into internal rotation (the opposite of a “rib flare” position).

 This position is important because it helps establish a proper Zone of Apposition between the inside of your ribcage and your Diaphragm, allowing your Diaphragm to pump more effectively.

Pausing at the end of the exhale can also stimulate your Parasympathetic Nervous System, shown by increased Heart Rate Variability (HRV).

2. “Keep your abs ON as you inhale”

This cue can be a little more confusing because normally you’d want your Abdominal Wall relaxing as your lungs fill with air…

BUT, the goal of this cue is to help individuals who tend to JUST move from their lower ribs, and have a hard time expanding their apical lungs.

When we take a full exhale during a breathing technique, we should feel our obliques turn on, as they assist in pulling the ribcage into a position of exhalation.

By continuing to maintain some tension in the obliques during the inhale, we can keep the lower ribs down, sending air to expand the upper chest wall.

This can help improve shoulder mobility by altering the orientation of the scapula on the ribcage. It can also help inhibit a neck that is maybe working too hard to “pull” air in.

 3. “Don’t lift your chest”

So this cue has caused many people to incorrectly believe they should be belly breathing. But let me explain… 

Belly Breathing occurs when our belly rises on an inhale and falls on an exhale, but there’s NO ribcage movement. This is ineffective breathing.

 Yes, we do want the belly to rise and fall, but it MUST be accompanied by ribcage expansion and compression.

Neck Breathing occurs when we have a hard time moving our ribcage or effectively getting air in. As a result, on an inhale, our neck muscles LIFT our upper ribs in attempts to create ribcage expansion and pull air in…

But this is also ineffective breathing. We want our Diaphragm pump to work so our neck can relax. 

The cue “don’t lift your chest” is meant to prevent people from over-utilizing the neck to pull air in.

But don’t be fooled…

This doesn’t mean your ribcage shouldn’t move. It absolutely should. We just don’t want it to happen by way of the neck.

Breathing… clear as mud, right?!

Want more?

Watch the videos “Breathing: Explained” and “Hip Lift” under the Body & Breath carousel inside the Loa Movement membership.

I personally dealt with Right-sided SIJ pain on and off again for several years.

It was a nagging cluster of SI pain (Sacroiliac Joint pain), Piriformis pain, and lower back pain that flared up when I would walk or sit for long periods.

I tried all the traditional physical therapy treatments, but nothing seemed to make a lasting difference.

Fast forward to today- I haven’t had the slightest bit of this pain in well over a year! - Ever since I started appreciating the body’s asymmetries and understanding how to treat this from a more global approach.

So let’s break it down.

For most of us, our pelvis tends to be “more forward” on one or both sides. (Forward meaning the pelvis is relatively flexed, or anteriorly tilted) And even when a pelvis is tipped forward on BOTH sides, we still see one side more than the other, typically the Left.

Why is this?

This goes back to the fact that our body is inherently asymmetrical. The Right and Left sides of the body are not mirror images of one another. We have a liver on the right side, a heart on the left, a larger right diaphragm… just to name a few.

And this is reflected in all of our body systems.

Neurologically our brain is not the same on both sides. Each side has dominant roles- an example being our left brain housing our language centers.

This asymmetry is explained in-depth through the Postural Restoration Institute, and if you’re a provider, I highly recommend taking a course.

Now because of these asymmetries, we tend to see a pelvis that is more forward on the left, compared to the right.  (and to clarify, this is not a movement that is happening solely at the SIJ, but it’s a rotational component happening at the spine, SIJ, and hip.)

These asymmetries can often be seen, but when you work with a Postural Restoration Provider they will perform objective tests to confirm the position of the pelvis, because it’s always better to TEST NOT GUESS!

Now we could talk for hours about WHY we see a pelvis that is typically more forward on the Left, but let’s save that for another day.

Let’s get into how we can help your “pain in the butt!”

When we have a pelvis that’s more forward on the Left, this causes compression in the Left SI region, shortening of the Left Piriformis muscle, and overall shortening of the back of the Left hip soft tissue structures.

In this same presentation, we will ALSO see Right side distraction of the SIJ, lengthening of the Right Piriformis muscle, and overall lengthening of the back of the Right hip soft tissue structures.

Now imagine you have Right-sided Piriformis pain- can you see how all the half pigeon poses and figure-4 stretches in the world won’t fix this problem?

And sure, deep stretching CAN temporarily relieve symptoms, due to its effect on the nervous system, but much to our dismay, it typically comes back in a few hours… am I right?

Now traditionally it would make sense to think we need to strengthen the Right Piriformis to encourage “shortening” and “force closure” of the Right SIJ.

And this isn’t wrong, BUT to effectively do this…

We have to make sure we’re addressing the POSITION of the pelvis first.

Because of the asymmetrical position of the pelvis, the muscles are at poor length/tension relationships and are not positioned to function optimally.

Addressing positioning first will lead to more lasting outcomes.

So in the case of our pelvis being more forward on the Left, we need to help shift into our left hip, getting our Left pelvis BACK, and our Right pelvis FORWARD. Essentially finding the opposite position of what we’re used to.

One of my all-time favorite Postural Restoration techniques to address this:

Left Sidelying Resisted Right Glute Max  

In this technique, you’re shifting your Right knee forward, as you “scoop” your knee up into the resistance of the band (We go over this technique in PRI: Pelvis Repositioning 2.0 inside of the Loa Movement membership)

Okay, so you try this and you feel like you can’t “shift your Right knee forward” – it’s almost like your left hip is stopping this movement?

Now what?

For many of us, we’ve been in this position where our Left pelvis is more forward for long enough that our soft tissue structures on the back our Left hip have shortened.

We have a tight posterior hip capsule that won’t allow us to move into this new pelvic position.

If this is you, you need to inhibit the Left Posterior Hip Capsule BEFORE you attempt to better position the pelvis.

Think of it like you need to make space for the movement FIRST.

This Left Hip Capsule Inhibition from Postural Restoration helps you make space in the back of the left hip:

In this technique, you’re breathing and finding length in the back of the Left hip (this technique is also included in the class I mentioned above!)

So now that you’ve made space in the back of the Left hip, go back to the first technique and see how it feels!

You may be able to shift into your left hip easier, and better sense the Right Glute Max, due to improved pelvic position.

The Right Glute Max muscle functions as the critical “glue” to maintaining this new pelvic position. And maintaining this position equals happier SI joints and Piriformis muscles!

If you want more on this topic, check out the Body & Breath class titled PRI: Pelvis Repositioning 2.0 (unlocks Sunday 9/8)

We will walk through the education explained here using a pelvis model, and then I’ll lead you through these techniques!

Want to take class with me for 2 weeks free?

Tap HERE!!

So much of the current advice we use for weight training is given to us by bodybuilders and powerlifters.

But many things that apply to these individuals don’t necessarily apply to us. You know, regular people who weight train for longevity, and not for competition.

During a movement like a Barbell Bench Press or Dumbbell Chest Press, you’ll often see people really arching their backs, and squeezing their shoulder blades together as they press.

And for a competitor, this makes a lot of sense. Let me show you why.

When we arch our back, lifting our ribcage up, our range of motion for pressing becomes less.

You can see here on the left I’m arching my back, and on the right I’m not. Hopefully, you can clearly see the difference in reach.

When you’re arching your spine and squeezing your shoulder blades together, you quite literally don’t have to press the weight as far.

And these few inches can make a BIG difference when you’re competing and lifting hundreds of pounds.

BUT, if you’re not competing, I think it’s far more important that we consider which position is best for the shoulder joint, than which position allows you to put up the biggest numbers…

So, let’s talk about why your shoulders might not love the “arch-backed position”

When we arch our back, our ribcage lifts up, putting it in a flared position (meaning the ribs are externally rotated).

This puts our humerus (upper arm bone) in a position of relative extension and internal rotation, compared to the position of the ribcage.

You can test this yourself by trying to internally rotate your shoulder in this position.

You’ll most likely feel that this movement is limited.

It’s limited because you’ve STARTED in a position of relative internal rotation. You’ve already taken up some of that range at the starting point.

Now take some deep exhales, reaching your finger tips toward the ceiling on the exhale.

You should feel your spine and lower ribs melt down toward the mat.

Now go ahead and retest your shoulder internal rotation. You’ll most likely have more, because you’re starting from a neutral position.

Okay, but why do I care?

Now that we’ve established that arching our back puts us in relative internal rotation at the shoulder, it makes sense that we wouldn’t want to repeatedly chest press from this position.

Pressing weight when the shoulder is internally rotated can lead to potentially higher risk for rotator cuff irritation and shoulder impingement.

Now let’s move onto “squeezing the shoulder blades”

This one is a bit simpler to understand. When we reach forward to press, our shoulder blade should protract (meaning it moves away from the spine).

When we move our arm back, the shoulder blade should retract (meaning it moves back toward the spine).

By squeezing our shoulder blades together, we prevent normal scapula rhythm.

And for some people, this can cause shoulder irritation.

So what SHOULD I do?

When starting to Chest Press, I like to cue individuals to take a nice deep exhale, and feel their spine and ribs melt down. This ensures they’re starting from a neutral position.

Then, instead of pressing BOTH weights at the same time, I encourage an alternating press- meaning as one arm is pressing the weight up, the other arm is lowering the weight back down.

When we press bilaterally (both arms together), it often encourages us to go back into that extended spine position.

By alternating, we encourage more natural, reciprocal movement- creating ribcage rotation.

And while I don’t always love the phrase “functional training,” I do think an Alternating Chest Press is truly “functional” when it comes to human movement.

What do your arms do during walking, running, or punching?

They alternate.

One goes forward, as one goes back.

People are obsessed with “fixing” Forward Head Posture.

“Text Neck” or “Upper Crossed Syndrome” or “Forward Head, Rounded Shoulders” - these are all terms that describe the same phenomenon: a head position that’s shifted forward, along with rounded shoulders and a “slumped” upper back appearance.

I see 2 common strategies to fix Forward Head Posture - so let’s break them down together… and then talk about what I recommend instead.

Strategy #1: Extension Exercises

At first glance, it may appear that since the body is slumped over, we need to train extension-based movements to pull us back upright. Typically I’ll see Back exercises prescribed: such as rowing movements, deadlifts, Supermans, etc.

I see a couple issues with this.

First, posture has very little to do with actual strength. It’s a result of the body’s resting POSITION.

Think of how many people you’ve seen deadlift hundreds of pounds and then they walk out of the gym with a head that’s jutting forward…

It’s not a strength issue. It a position issue.

The second issue is that working on extension can actually drive you MORE into a “Forward Head” position.

When you think of how you hold yourself (aka: your resting posture), it’s dictated by gravity and its effect on your Center of Mass (COM).

Think of your COM as a “balancing point” - where you evenly hold your weight so you don’t fall forwards or backwards.

Now stand upright and let your weight shift toward your toes.

Your COM has now shifted forward, and you’re having to recruit MORE work from your extensor muscles to not fall on your face.

Now let your weight shift toward your heels.

Your COM has shifted backward, and you’re going to recruit more work from the muscles that flex the body to prevent you from not falling on your butt.

This visual is another way to visualize what I mean:

When we’re living in a “Forward Head Posture Position” our Center of Mass is actually shifted forward.

So in this position our Back Extensor Muscles and Calf Muscles are chronically “ON” and working to prevent us from falling forward. Doing more extension-based movements will just continue to strengthen this pattern.

Strategy #2: Chin Tuck Exercises

If you’ve ever searched for solutions for Forward Head Posture on Google, I can guarantee you saw some sort of “Chin Tuck” exercise.

The premise makes sense- the head is forward, so we need to tuck the chin to get the head back in line with the body.

But remember how I talked about the problem being a POSITION issue, NOT a strength issue?

For most people, the POSITION is driven by airflow.

Most humans take around 22,000 breaths a day. It happens on autopilot. We inhale, we exhale.

But just because we breathe, doesn’t mean we breathe WELL.

When we have poor ability to expand the ribcage and leverage the diaphragm, our body will employ other strategies to get air in and out.

One strategy is letting the head move forward in an effort to gape open the airway.

So again, the Forward Head Posture is a position, that’s ultimately driven by AIRFLOW.

Prescribing Chin Tuck exercises will actually constrict the airway, making it harder to breathe.

So instead of Chin Tucks, we need to address the BREATH!

Let’s Take a Different Approach

In order to address our position, we have to address the underlying airflow patterns. We have to learn to breathe well.

So let’s dive in.

The spine is designed to have an “S” appearance. The neck and lower back (cervical and lumbar spine) have “lordosis,” meaning it dips inward, and the midback (thoracic spine) has “kyphosis,” meaning it rounds backward.

These spinal curves are essential for normal, effective breathing patterns.

For many of us, we’ve adapted to a modern lifestyle of sitting in front of a screen all day - tapping at a computer or scrolling on our cell phones.

We lack variability. We aren’t spending time in the woods walking on uneven surfaces.

These lifestyle changes result in adaptations. Our body adapts to the demands we place on it.

Our Spine begins to lose its functional “S” and it becomes flat and straightened.

Our neck loses its natural “lordosis” and our upper back is now hinging at one point.

Even though the upper back appears hunched over, it has very limited ability to get air in (limited back body expansion), and it’s reacting to a COM that is chronically shifted forward.

So what do we need to do to address this?

Solution #1: Get Air Into the Upper Back

By expanding the BACK of the ribcage, we can help restore functional spinal curves. We’re no longer “hinging” at one point as a result of our forward COM, but restoring our COM back to the center of our body.

I love the Standing Serratus Squat from Postural Restoration, because it addresses this beautifully.

In this technique, the position inhibits our Back Extensors and our Calf Muscles, allowing us to get air into the back of the ribcage, and encourages our Center of Mass to move back.

Solution #2: Open the Airway and Expand the Upper Chest

When our Diaphragm is in a poor position, it doesn’t have proper leverage to effectively move air.

As a result, we take shallow, ineffective breaths. And, we don’t get air into the top portion of our lungs, the apical region.

Poor apical expansion can result in our shoulders caving forward and our sternum dropping down as a compensation to “push” air out.

This Sternal Positional Stretch from Postural Restoration will help to open up the airway (tipping the head back), and get air into the apical lungs.

While breathing in this position, it’s important to lengthen the exhales, PAUSING for 5 seconds at the end.

This pause helps to recruit our Obliques to internally rotate and compress our lower ribcage, allowing air to move upwards into our Apical lungs.

So in conclusion,

Your posture is a complex, dynamic system that is shaped by inner airflow patterns.

Addressing our posture requires addressing the underlying breathing patterns, AS WELL AS…

Addressing lifestyle factors that may be causing you to default into these compensatory airflow patterns.

If you’re a Loa Movement member, you can perform the techniques mentioned in this post with my guidance by taking our Forward Head Posture class under the Body & Breath carousel (drops on Sunday 8/25)

You’ll also notice that our strength training classes include alternation. This helps to keep us out of our constant, extension-based patterns, which can drive us further into a “Forward Head” position.

But remember, it’s also crucial that we get off our screens, get outside, and move in a variety of ways!!

It’s all connected!

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I’ve worked in the fitness industry for over 12 years, and there’s nothing more powerful than a “Before & After” picture.

But, I can assure you, I will never use these types of photos to market my fitness business and here’s why:

1. You can’t know anything about someone’s relationship with food or movement through a photo.

So the “After” photo shows someone with low body fat and defined muscles- cool.

But does this person obsess over food?

Do they look up restaurant menus beforehand to make sure there are items that “fit their macros?”

Are they able to enjoy their life outside of the gym, or are they constantly obsessed with maintaining a perfect physique and controlling their caloric intake?

Honestly, I’ve been there. And it was miserable.

Could I have shown you a great “Before & After”??… you bet!

But I was at my lowest low and no photo could capture that.

2. It gives ZERO credibility to the actual fitness program.

If you ate the Special K diet (remember that horrific diet that was plastered on the side of the Special K box? It was basically telling you to skip meals and eat a 150-calorie bowl of Special K instead) you’d probably have some dramatic Before & After photos.

Why?

Because most people in a massive calorie deficit will lose weight. And losing weight can appear to make your muscles look more defined… even if you never lifted a single dumbbell during this time.

So when fitness programs market using Before & After photos, but don’t talk anything about the nutrition aspect, it’s pretty scammy.

You’re not getting the full story.

Their “transformation” could have NOTHING to do with working out, so judging the effectiveness of a program off of these photos doesn’t make sense.

3. You don’t know if the “After” photo is sustainable.

I’m obsessed with this concept of “sustainable movement.”

It’s a large part of why I started my business.

You see, I used to do CrossFit style workouts at extremely high intensity levels. And I’d leave class nearly limping because I had pushed myself to the limit. And I loved it! It was enjoyable for me, but it wasn’t sustainable.

I was constantly getting injured and having to take countless weeks off to nurse my nagging lower back pain.

If you got to a certain “look” through a fitness and nutrition program that wasn’t sustainable, then that “look” is certainly not sustainable either.

In fact, it’s setting an unrealistic body standard for yourself.

In my opinion, you should not need to take drastic measures to maintain your body size! If you eat nutrient-dense foods and move your body regularly, then however your body looks is probably how it’s supposed to look…

I think one of the greatest things I have EVER learned was how to accept my body for how it is with a balanced lifestyle, not how it looked when I was taking extreme measures.

Not gonna lie, it feels pretty freeing to even write this.

So the next time you are “doom scrolling” on Instagram and you see an influencer posting Before & After pics - just remember, it’s a single photo and not the whole story.

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YESSSS fresh photossss!

Y’all. The amount of photos I use for my business is WILD.

Every single week when I unlock the new classes I use at least 6 pictures for the cover photos - and then I am constantly using pictures for IG reel covers and IG stories. So essentially I’m using 15+ photos a week for my job.

I typically try to shoot with my photographer (Lauren V. Allen) every 3-4 months, to make sure we have fresh content that matches the seasons.

So we shot fall colors last week, and it’s always a struggle to find outfits that aren’t $ - and that I’ll actually enjoy teaching in after the shoot.

I feel like this time I really hit the ball out of the park with outfits I love, so I wanted to share them with you.

(Ps. These are NOT commissionable links. I’m just sharing them for funsies)

Outfit #1: Royal Blue Beyond Yoga Set

Links: Top // Pants

Style: Studio Crop Tank // At Your Leisure Space Dye High Waist Midi Leggings

Color: Vibrant Royal

Notes: If you’re in between sizes, size up!

I got this during the Nordstrom Sale (and as I’m writing this it’s still on sale). This spacedye fabric from Beyond Yoga is one of my absolute favorite. I think it’s some of the best quality activewear, as it lasts for years. This color is perfection.

Outfit #2: Green Vuori Set

Links: Top // Pants

Style: Elevation Square Neck Tank // Clean Elevation Legging

Color: Pistachio Heather

Notes: If in between sizes, size up!

I like this set because it’s thick and soft, but I feel like the fit isn’t 100% perfect for me. I want the waistband to be a tad tighter, but if I go down a size then it’s too tight through the legs. Overall, I know I’ll enjoy teaching in this, but not my personal favorite.

Outfit #3: Blue Beyond Yoga Jumpsuit

Links: Jumpsuit

Style: Spacedye Uplevel Midi Jumpsuit

Color: Blue Gem Heather

Notes: If in between sizes, size up!

Okay so this jumpsuit is gorgeous, but it’s PRICEY. I actually got mine on sale for 50% off during BY’s Memorial Day Sale, so while I love it, I feel like the regular price is high. Would buy again though…

Outfit #4: Brown Vuori Set

Links: Top // Pants

Style: Yosemite Longline Bra // Daily Pocket Legging

Color: Clove

Notes: If in between sizes, size up! (this is becoming a theme…)

The Daily Legging from Vuori is fantastic. I love it. If you’re looking for a nice pair of leggings to literally wear daily, I’d get a black pair. They’re a staple. The Yosemite Bra is very cute, but probably not the best for biggest chests (which clearly doesn’t include me LOL)

So does this make me a fashion blogger now?

Pretty ironic, honestly, because all my friends know how much I hate clothes, fashion, and shopping…

But athleisure? That’s another story.

Did you know I worked at Lululemon for several years? Not surprised? Yeah, I didn’t think so.

Oh, And I saved the best for last.

Here’s the meal I devoured after this shoot. Everything bagel with Chevre cream cheese, pesto, and heirloom tomatoes from Monuts in Durham, NC. And I crushed it. Every. Last. Bite.

I know this because I was following her 2 weeks ago and she had about 700,000 and now she’s sitting at 2 million.

And personally I think she is SO DESERVING of this publicity because she’s spreading such a valuable message:

“all body types matter”

“all body types are worthy”

“from the smallest gymnast, to the tallest volleyball player, from a rugby player, to a shot putter, to a sprinter.”

“all body types can be Olympians”

She explained that one of the reasons she is so relentless with this message is because she wished she had a role model promoting it when she was in high school.

I think the fitness industry needs the same message.

Ilona is talking about athletes. How someone who is an athlete (even at the level of an Olympian) can look a million different ways.

But the same thing is 100000% true for someone who is working out to be “fit” and healthy… and not necessarily for athletic performance.

This is why you hear me saying: FIT DOESN’T HAVE A LOOK.

Because a “fit” body is one that has a high capacity for fitness.

It really has NOTHING to do with how the physical body LOOKS.

And yet, we are constantly judging people based on how “fit” their body looks.

It’s just so confusing… how can you know if someone has excellent strength or endurance based on how they look?

I would love if we stopped saying that someone “looks fit” and started really embracing the idea that “all body types can be fit bodies.”

Let’s be the Ilona Mahers of the fitness industry. You in?

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Where do I begin?

I've been wanting an outlet for a while. I constantly write posts and captions for social media, but it's gotten old. I have to play the algorithm game and talk about things that I know perform well... *gag*

And sometimes I want to just talk about how upsetting the fitness industry is, or share my journey from being an athlete to becoming a NARP (non-athletic regular person, in case you didn’t know). On Instagram, I feel like no matter what I say, I’ll be attacked. Which makes we want to post less and less about my personal life.

I’ve also been told (repeatedly) by trolls that “people don’t read captions, YoU ShOuLd kNoW tHaT” - so I figured I’d take to a platform where people seem to actually read.

It might be a mixture.

I can’t promise a consistent publishing schedule. And I can’t promise I will stick to one topic.

But my goal is to share some behind the scenes of my business, my personal experience in the fitness industry, the many woes of working in healthcare, and more.

Education isn’t really the goal.

If you want strictly educational content, you can find that on the Loa Movement Blog. Here, it’s going to be much more chill. Much more unfiltered. Hopefully enjoyable, but definitely less educational.

If you think this sounds fun, press subscribe, and let’s figure this thing out together.

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