This highlights a harsh reality: losing weight is challenging, but keeping it off can be even harder. Weight regain is common due to a complex interplay of factors. These include biological changes that slow metabolism after weight loss, the challenge of maintaining new habits long-term, life events that disrupt routines, and unrealistic expectations about the weight loss and maintenance process. 

But the common struggle of weight regain can also be your path to lasting change. 

Jonathan’s Story: A Second Chance at Sustainable Weight Loss

Enter Jonathan. 

We take great pride in leaving our clients better than we found them, including more effective habits, routines, workouts, and diets. And, on the surface, that seemed to be the case with Jonathan. He worked with us, lost nearly 20 pounds, and then graduated to a healthier life.

Or, so we thought. 

In January of 2022, Jonathan returned. That weight he lost had come back. Jonathan was frustrated, and we were hurt because we didn’t complete the job.

“I came back to Born Fitness a second time around after having a lot of success with the team in 2020, losing 15 to 20 lbs and then gaining that back over the course of about a year and half. I had really started to believe this narrative that I had failed, that I couldn’t get back to where I was, and that I had lost the ability to take control of my physical health and appearance.”

Everything in our approach is designed to help people build the skills that allow them to adapt to variations in life. It’s not enough for us to help our clients get results — we want everyone to keep their results and know how to react and thrive when everything isn’t perfect or easy.

So, for round two, we focused more on helping Jonathan be where he wanted but without the weight coming back. 

Focusing on Sustainability in Weight Loss. 

This time, we keyed in not just on what was working for him but what was sustainable. It’s the backbone of our approach, but — sometimes, when you’re seeing results — it’s easy to stop and question if the right habits are being built. It helps you ask, “Are we building this for weight loss, or are we building this for real life?” 

Or, more importantly, it helps to speak with clients to understand “What do you think it will take for you to be healthy now and in the future?”

Jonathan had all the tools, but he started to doubt that he could do it again. His perspective might feel familiar to some of you:

“A lot of my fears and lack of confidence stemmed from unrealistic expectations about what will and won’t work for transforming my body and meeting my goals. 

Eventually, I got tired and as I put weight back on, I started to stop trusting my knowledge of what would work for me. In fact, I was expecting this time around to have to make even bigger changes and adjustments to hit my goals after putting that weight back on.”

You’re taught to believe that great results are the byproduct of extreme sacrifices and behaviors. While the most extreme results (think becoming a professional athlete or competing in a bodybuilding competition) require more sacrifice, the incredible results most people desire don’t require drastic changes.

The Power of Mindset Shift in Weight Loss. 

As Jonathan discovered the second time around, a simple mindset shift can unlock incredible results and life-changing healthy behaviors: 

“I’ve come to embrace the fact that making progress was really more about:

1. Going back to the basics
2. Making several small (but key) changes in my diet
3. Being willing to experiment with things that worked for me (so they would stick!)
4. Giving things proper time to see results (to include the inevitable ups and downs)”

We couldn’t have said it better ourselves, Jonathan. 

Your Journey to Sustainable Weight Loss Starts Here. 

If you want help shifting your mindset and finding the type of changes that deliver results and work with your lifestyle, we’d love to help. Apply to our online coaching program here. 

BJ Ward

B.J. holds a B.S. in Health and Human Performance and multiple certifications, including Precision Nutrition Level 1 and BioForce Certified Conditioning Coach. Over his 14-year coaching career, he’s been fortunate enough to coach a wide range of clients. From online clients looking to get in great shape to CEO Nate Checketts (Rhone) and CEO Marcelo Claure (Softbank), and professional skateboarder Sean Malto. Before beginning his training career, he was a sports science lab research assistant.

The post What Happens When You Gain It All Back? appeared first on Born Fitness.

It’s part of the process. We all experience days and weeks when it’s hard to get your butt in gear, especially when it comes to fat loss.

Overcoming Low Motivation: Key to Sustainable Fat Loss

When it’s been a struggle to start your workouts lately, it doesn’t mean you failed or don’t “want it” bad enough. It means you’re human. 

Welcome to the club.

As we share with our coaching clients, what separates people who build long-term healthy habits for successful fat loss from ones who don’t isn’t motivation. The difference is finding inspiration when low motivation slows you down.

The Secret to Motivation in Your Fat Loss Journey

The “secret” to motivation is that it follows actions. 

Most people wait to feel motivated to take on the challenges of becoming better and losing fat. In reality, you have to push yourself through some tough days when you don’t feel like it, and—if you can—that’s when the motivation will increase.

People who build long-term exercise habits for effective fat loss know you don’t wait for motivation; you create it.

As habit expert James Clear says, “Getting started, even in very small ways, is a form of active inspiration that naturally produces momentum.”

When our clients reach out to us for help “getting motivated” again for their fat loss goals, we usually don’t give them rah-rah speeches. Instead, we work together to discover small action steps they can take today.

The 2-Minute Rule: Jumpstarting Your Fat Loss Workouts

A fantastic way to create a small action step is the 2-minute rule. 

Popularized by the previously mentioned James Clear, the Two-Minute Rule is a proven strategy: ‘When you start a new habit, it should take less than two minutes to do.’ This rule is a reliable way to eliminate obstacles and kickstart action.

If checking off workouts consistently is challenging, the 2-minute rule is about finding ways to get your workout process started quickly. 

Our coaching client Tony was struggling to make his fat loss workouts happen:

“I just am not feeling motivated to train. I wake up in the morning, get my pre-workout, and suddenly just say to myself, nope – not doing it today. Then I mentally have a little tug of war for 5 minutes or so before I commit to skipping out.”

To help him regain momentum for his fat loss journey, I suggested a 2-minute approach: drink his pre-workout, put on his shoes, and get in the car. 

That’s it.

What happens after his 2-minute rule habit might be challenging (the workout), but your 2-minute rule action step should be easy. The idea is to make it easy to start. Once you’ve started, it’s easier to continue. 

Outside of your workout, here are a few more fat loss-specific examples of how to apply the 2-minute rule:

• Meal prep: Spend 2 minutes chopping vegetables or portioning out snacks.
• Hydration: Fill a large water bottle and place it somewhere visible.
• Mindfulness: Do a 2-minute breathing exercise to reduce stress-related cravings.
• Movement: Do 2 minutes of bodyweight exercises like squats or push-ups.
• Planning: Spend 2 minutes writing down your goals for the next day.

These small, 2-minute actions might seem insignificant, but they’re powerful momentum builders. They bypass the need for motivation and create a pathway to consistent action.

Remember, motivation isn’t a prerequisite for action—it’s often a result of it. By focusing on these small, manageable steps, you’re not just waiting for motivation to strike; you’re actively creating it.

So, if you’re feeling stuck in your fat loss journey, don’t wait for the perfect moment or burst of inspiration. Instead, ask yourself: What small action step can I take today to help build momentum?

Choose one 2-minute action and commit to it right now. Your future self will thank you for taking that first step, no matter how small it might seem.

BJ Ward

B.J. holds a B.S. in Health and Human Performance and multiple certifications, including Precision Nutrition Level 1 and BioForce Certified Conditioning Coach. Over his 14-year coaching career, he’s been fortunate enough to coach a wide range of clients. From online clients looking to get in great shape to CEO Nate Checketts (Rhone) and CEO Marcelo Claure (Softbank), and professional skateboarder Sean Malto. Before beginning his training career, he was a sports science lab research assistant.

The post The 2-Minute Motivation Trick appeared first on Born Fitness.

Now that’s a challenge. But, our online coaching client Mitch did just that, dropping 11 pounds over 2 months. 

Mitch got into incredible shape. That much is clear. But there’s more to learn here. Mitch’s story provides the blueprint for losing fat with back pain. All without doing squats or deadlifts.

Fat Loss: No Squats Or Deadlifts Required. 

Mitch was still recovering from a low-back injury when he joined coaching. Per his physical therapist recommendations, all bilateral lifts (think squats on both feet) were out for the time being. 

In his program, this meant we couldn’t use “traditional” squats, deadlifts, or moves like two-arm bent-over rows. And for Mitch, this was even more frustrating as he loved powerlifting training. 

If you’re dealing with lower back pain – and can’t squat or deadlift – the gym offers plenty of alternatives. You can often use machines at the gym that won’t load your back. Think of a leg curl or leg extension here. 

But, as this was during the COVID pandemic, we didn’t have that option. Mitch was training from home, and all we had to work with was a squat rack, barbell, and some weight plates (remember he used to follow powerlifting programs that require minimal equipment).  

My solution for Mitch was a program built around back-friendly landmine exercises. The goal was simple: Stimulate as much muscle as possible (more on that below) in a back-friendly way. 

Here’s a sample upper body pull day that includes a few moves you’ve probably never tried:  

A1. Single Arm Chest Supported Landmine Row 3 x 8-12 reps

B1. Inverted Row 3x 10-15

C1. Barbell Shrug 3x 8-10 reps

D1. Weighted Pull-up 3 x 5-8 reps

E1. Wall Supported Barbell Bicep Curl 2 x 8-15 reps 

E1. Landmine Concentration Curl 2 x 8-15 reps

What about lower body training? Check out this workout pulled directly from Mitch’s training plan: 

A1. Eccentric Only Paper Plate Leg Curls 3 x 8-10 reps

B1. Landmine Rear Foot Elevated Split Squat 4 x 5-7 reps ea 

C1. Landmine Single Leg Glute Bridge 3 x 10-12 reps

D1. Heels Elevated Bodyweight Squat 2 x 15-20 reps 

E1. Wall Sit 3 x 40sec

E2. Shoulder Tap 3 x 8ea

While this landmine-dominant program was fun to build (and he crushed it), the takeaway here differs from what program Mitch followed. Instead, the lesson is that you don’t have to do “traditional” lifts to get in great shape. 

The primary reason you strength train during a fat loss phase is so that you can maintain muscle mass. It’s not so you can burn more calories. 

How do you do that when you’re eating less calories? Keep enough volume (sets x reps) in your program. Get that right and you can maintain muscle mass during a cut even when you’re injured. 

Resistance bands, sandbags, a minimal setup like Mitch’s, or even bodyweight variations pushed to failure can all work. No squats or deadlifts are required. 

How Diet Flexibility and Food Quality Led to Results. 

Lastly, Mitch’s diet also played an important role in his results. No matter what workout plan you follow, you can’t escape the physics of fat loss. To lose fat, you need to consume fewer calories than your body burns every day. 

What was Mitch eating? It varied, but given Mitch’s personal preferences, Coach Natalie created a flexible diet to help with consistency and focused on food quality (to reduce overeating behaviors) while still keeping in foods he loved, including beer. Here’s a sample day:

Breakfast: Scrambled eggs, avocado, and toast

Lunch: High protein/high fiber shake for lunch (Banana Chia Shake)

Dinner: Flexible dinner of his choice with lots of vegetables and some lean protein. Sometimes made at home, but also used take-out options at times. 

Snacks: Fresh fruit, occasional beer

It’s Your Turn. 

If you’re looking for more personalization and hands-on support our online coaching program may be right for you. Every client is assigned two coaches — one for nutrition and one for fitness. Find out more here.

BJ Ward

B.J. holds a B.S. in Health and Human Performance and multiple certifications, including Precision Nutrition Level 1 and BioForce Certified Conditioning Coach. Over his 14-year coaching career, he’s been fortunate enough to coach a wide range of clients. From online clients looking to get in great shape to CEO Nate Checketts (Rhone) and CEO Marcelo Claure (Softbank), and professional skateboarder Sean Malto. Before beginning his training career, he was a sports science lab research assistant.

The post How to Lose Fat Without Squats or Deadlifts appeared first on Born Fitness.

Here’s the key: It’s not about pushing the limits; it’s about learning how to have a great workout every time, no matter what is happening in your life or if you’re not “feeling it.” 

At Born Fitness, we measure success by using a simple hierarchy:

1. Are you consistently exercising? (Consistent can be 2-3 days a week or 4-5; both are good, but the key is whether you hit your goal week-after-week)
2. Are you training with intensity? (intensity is relative to your ability)

That’s it. Sure, given those two details, we’ll make adjustments so that clients can see results, but we don’t worry about things like how long a workout lasts or feel married to specific exercises.

Instead, it’s about finding what works for the client, creating a plan they can follow, and making sure they work hard, whether it’s for 15 minutes or an hour.

But, it also means our clients need to know and understand how to train with intensity.

The Power of Consistency: How To Embrace Good, Bad, and Amazing Workout Days

Now, before you think we’re about to rant about “GO BIG OR GO HOME,” that approach is likely to violate Rule #1 about consistency. We want you to train with intensity given how you feel on any given day.

After all, it’s common for you to feel like crap some days, and the idea of needing to “bring the intensity” can be enough to prevent you from training. That’s what we want to avoid. 

A training plan designed for real life means some days are PRs. Other days might feel like a small step back…but they all add up to consistency and consistent intensity, and that results in some crazy results and amazing transformations. 

Here’s some math that explains why (Don’t worry, it’s not “real” math.)

Assume that approximately 25% of workouts are going to be a struggle, 50% of days are nothing special but lead to small changes, and 25% of days are amazing. If you show up on all of these days, your health will improve in life-changing ways.

The 25% crappy days are crappy, but they are better than nothing. It’s progress because you showed up and worked hard. Even if “on paper” it looks like a step back, this is a HUGE step forward. The 50% of days when you feel human, you’re making those small incremental changes that are the foundation of success in anything. And, the 25% of days where you are superhuman, that’s where you push the limits and expand your “ceiling” of what’s possible.

Add it all up, and you see that even if 75% of days are less than how you wish you felt, you’re 150% getting better. Trust me, it’s science.

Measuring and Maximizing Workout Intensity: Using RPE and Reps in Reserve

Now that we’ve made that clear, you might still be wondering how to judge or measure your workout intensity. That’s natural because there are many different ways for a workout to feel hard. Taking minimal rest periods is hard. So is lifting heavy weight, combining multiple exercises into one circuit, or even trying a new exercise that is more challenging.

When I ask clients if they’re training hard enough, I’m talking about the difficulty on each set.

Rate Of Perceived Exertion

One of the best ways to do this is gauging your rate of perceived exertion (or RPE) on each set. RPE is a great way to help you make the most of each set, no matter what you’re going through in life.

While it’d be nice to see progress on each and every workout, that’s not practical or realistic. On any given day, your body might feel different based on what’s happening in your life. Maybe your toddler was up all night, or you’re fighting a cold. You could be stressed from work or not locked in with your nutrition. All of these variables impact your training, but you don’t want it to lead to a bad workout.

Using an RPE for your lifts gives you the freedom to adjust the weight down (or up) and still get in a great workout based on how you’re feeling.

Usually, your RPE is listed on a scale from 1-10.  It’s important to learn how to measure intensity because if you think you’re training at a level “10” but you’re really pushing at a level “4,” chances are you’re not going to see the results you want.

But thinking in numbers on a scale after your set can be confusing, and for most of our clients, hard to quantify. How are you supposed to know what a 7 feels like?

To start, check out this chart from Brad Loomis’s excellent blog post:

Instead of thinking about how you feel, you shift the focus to how the exercise was performed. Did you have weights move efficiently or were you struggling? Could you feel your muscles working or was the load as light as an empty laundry basket?

Reps In Reserve

Another way to think of RPE is “reps in reserve” (or RIR). 

RIR shines when time is limited, and your workouts might only take 15 minutes (like the ones we include in The Fit Father Guide). You can push the intensity by squeezing out all the reps you can within a workout without hitting failure. 

For most movements, your goal is to stop every set with 1 or 2 reps in reserve. This keeps the challenge high yet makes sure you’re training smart as well. Pushing sets to failure often enough is a recipe for injury. 

As an example, let’s say you just finished a set of lunges (because we don’t skip leg day). You’re pretty sure that you could have maybe done 2 more reps. We might call that 8.5 out of 10.

Whether you prefer reps in reserve or how the weight moves (my personal preference), keeping your workout in that 8-10 range is a great way to guarantee that you’re always maximizing intensity on each set and making your workouts a success. 

If you struggle with knowing if you’re on the right track, this gives you a straightforward way to know how hard you pushed. 

And, when you keep pushing hard and stay healthy enough to be consistent, it’s almost inevitable that you’ll build strength, gain endurance, make progress, and see your body change in positive ways.

BJ Ward

B.J. holds a B.S. in Health and Human Performance and multiple certifications, including Precision Nutrition Level 1 and BioForce Certified Conditioning Coach. Over his 14-year coaching career, he’s been fortunate enough to coach a wide range of clients. From online clients looking to get in great shape to CEO Nate Checketts (Rhone) and CEO Marcelo Claure (Softbank), and professional skateboarder Sean Malto. Before beginning his training career, he was a sports science lab research assistant.

The post How To Have a Great Workout, Every Workout appeared first on Born Fitness.

For some clients (mainly those dealing with chronic pain), this was the right call. But, for the rest, it meant that we didn’t spend enough time actually training. More importantly, it was probably the wrong decision.

Unless you’re dealing with injuries or other pre-existing conditions, there’s likely nothing to worry about if you’re following a good training plan (more on that below). 

As human beings, we’re built to move through life asymmetrically. Slight differences in strength (and stability) side-to-side are entirely normal. And if you’re an athlete, trying to correct or remove asymmetries or imbalances might actually hurt your performance. 

However, if you have a significant strength deficit on one side, it could also lead to injury down the road as it’s highly likely the weaker side is also not as stable.

So, where do you draw the line? An easy test is judging your workouts based on 3 variables. 

You probably don’t need to worry if you’re following a solid training plan because a good workout program is corrective. It ensures that significant balances are unlikely, and that you’re training in a way that will adjust for all of the most common deficiencies.

As long as your workout checks the following 3 boxes with your training, you’ll likely clean up most muscle imbalances over time.

Variable #1: Do your workouts include reaching exercises?

Because we spend so much time in front of computers and sitting, you’ll often hear that a 2:1 pull-to-push ratio is about right. So, for example, you should do at least 2 sets of rows for every bench press set. 

While this can help you correct any strength imbalance you might have (and that’s important), we have to dig deeper if you want a healthy, pain-free upper body. 

During a bench press setup (using a barbell or a dumbbell), we’re taught to squeeze our shoulder blades together on the bench. This position of retraction (pulled together) and compression creates a solid shelf to press from. 

The problem is that the exercises meant to balance out your bench pressing – pulling exercises like seated rows – finish with your shoulder blades pulled together and your back compressed. 

In other words, if we look at the position of your shoulder blades during many pushing and pulling exercises, there’s not much difference. 

That’s why it’s important to shift some of your push exercises, which are often geared towards barbell or dumbbell pressing, to reaching exercises like pushups and landmine presses. 

Where bench pressing and rowing squeeze the shoulder blades back, reaching movements open the shoulder blades (called protraction). That means they oppose (or balance) both pushing and pulling exercises. 

Variable #2: Does your workout include single-leg (and single-arm) training?

Are your workouts built only on compound exercises like back squats and barbell bench presses? In that case, you likely allow subtle strength and stability imbalances to develop. These can lead to injury down the road. 

If you want to build balanced strength side-to-side, you need to add single-limb movements. Need some inspiration? Here are a few ideas to help you get started. 

Single-Leg Exercises:

Single-Arm Exercises:

Pro tip: When picking weights, let your weaker side guide the load selection. That might mean it’s easier at first for your stronger arm, but this will even out. Don’t bump the weight up until both arms (or legs) can do the same amount of weight for the same number of reps.

Variable #3: Does your warm-up include mobility movements?

Muscle imbalances can develop when your movement is restricted or you spend hours stuck in the same posture. The solution: include exercises in your warm-up that improve your mobility to help with a more comfortable range of motion.

That doesn’t mean you need a 20-minute long warm-up.

Here’s one move that targets the ankles, hips, and thoracic spine, three areas of the body that tend to be the most restricted.

Or, try this ground prep series pre-training to open up your back and hips. 

If you check those boxes and stay consistent, you might have some slight variations, but they likely won’t be enough to cause a problem or lead to injury. 

BJ Ward

B.J. holds a B.S. in Health and Human Performance and multiple certifications, including Precision Nutrition Level 1 and BioForce Certified Conditioning Coach. Over his 14-year coaching career, he’s been fortunate enough to coach a wide range of clients. From online clients looking to get in great shape to CEO Nate Checketts (Rhone) and CEO Marcelo Claure (Softbank), and professional skateboarder Sean Malto. Before beginning his training career, he was a sports science lab research assistant.

The post How To Fix Muscle Imbalances appeared first on Born Fitness.

John was a busy pre-med student tired of feeling skinny and slim. He wanted to add size. And he wanted to feel strong. The challenge is that John is what we call a “hardgainer.” Long and lean, with less than optimal genes for building muscle quickly. 

But being a hardgainer isn’t a muscle-building curse. While genetics inevitably do make a difference, your genetics are not preventing you from adding on pounds of muscle. With our help, John layered on 20+ pounds in just over seven months. Throw the excuses out because that’s incredible progress. 

How did John finally break through for more growth – and how can you achieve similar results? If you want to transform your body there are two muscle growth breakthroughs you need to know. 

Muscle Growth Breakthrough #1: Focus on Progression

We kept John’s training simple. But don’t mistake simple for effective. If you want to build muscle, it comes down to getting stronger and progressively doing more work month after month. 

And if muscle-building is the goal, then variety is your friend. This doesn’t mean altering up your workouts every day, but it does mean going through cycles where you rotate your reps and the movements you perform.

In John’s training plan, we alternated between strength-focused plans for one month, emphasizing lower reps and increasing weight each week. Then, the next month, we’d emphasize higher sets and reps, but with moderate weight (instead of max). 

To help illustrate what these plans might look like, here is a simplified example of how you could set up each training month: 

Month 1 – Lower Reps, Increasing Weight

Week 1:

• Exercise 1 – Squats: 4 sets x 6 reps (70% of your one-rep max)
• Exercise 2 – Bench Press: 4 sets x 6 reps (70% of your one-rep max)
• Exercise 3 – Deadlifts: 4 sets x 6 reps (70% of your one-rep max)

Week 2:

Increase the weight by 5-10 pounds (depending on your strength level) for each exercise compared to Week 1.

• Exercise 1 – Squats: 3-4 sets x 6 reps (75% of your one-rep max)
• Exercise 2 – Bench Press: 3-4 sets x 6 reps (75% of your one-rep max)
• Exercise 3 – Deadlifts: 3-4 sets x 6 reps (75% of your one-rep max)

Weeks 3 and 4 would continue this progression, eventually ending at 85% of your one-rep max. 

Month 2 – Higher Sets and Reps, Moderate Weight

Week 1:

• Exercise 1 – Reverse Lunge: 4-5 sets x 10 reps (60% of your one-rep max)
• Exercise 2 – Dumbbell Incline Press: 4-5 sets x 10 reps (60% of your one-rep max)
• Exercise 3 – Prone Leg: 4-5 sets x 10 reps (60% of your one-rep max)

Week 2:

Increase the weight by 5-10 pounds for each exercise compared to Week 1.

• Exercise 1 – Reverse Lunge: 4-5 sets x 10 reps (65% of your one-rep max)
• Exercise 2 – Dumbbell Incline Press: 4-5 sets x 10 reps (65% of your one-rep max)
• Exercise 3 – Prone Leg Curl: 4-5 sets x 10 reps (65% of your one-rep max)

Weeks 3 and 4 would continue this progression, eventually ending at 75% of your one-rep max. 

It’s a good reminder that multiple rep ranges can lead to growth, but it’s important to focus on a specific goal and make it easy to see progress. Dramatically changing your workouts each session might seem like a good idea, but not if it makes it hard to track progress and improve in the ways that allow you to pack on muscle. 

Muscle Growth Breakthrough #2: Pushing the Calorie Threshold

Like most hardgainers, John’s biggest challenge was eating enough. If your goal is to build muscle, you need to eat more calories than you burn (plus consume adequate protein). These are the raw materials for new growth. 

Sounds great, right? You get to eat more food! 

But, this isn’t always easy or as fun as it sounds when you’re naturally very lean like John. “Hardgainers” like John often feel full before hitting their target calories for the day. Eating becomes a chore. 

That’s why you need to change the rules of eating for muscle building. You might need to eat past your hunger to put on new muscle. (Note: this is very different when focusing on fat loss and body recomposition, which is shifting your body fat percentage.)

High-quality foods should form the base of any good diet, think your protein, produce, and fiber-rich carbs). Yet, we often suggest adding higher-calorie foods traditionally labeled as “unhealthy” for clients struggling to eat enough.

Finding ways to sneak in extra calories in ways that are fun and enjoyable can make eating less of a chore, and help pack on the necessary calories. 

Little wins can be healthy-ish behaviors, like adding extra peanut butter to your smoothies or having a second serving of pasta. But, it can also mean hitting up Shake Shack and enjoying a milkshake. 

We’re not encouraging a free for all, but these foods provide a ton of calories and take up less volume in the stomach (meaning you feel less full). And that gets the job done and presses the right buttons so your training turns into muscle. And, when done right, it means more muscle without much added fat. 

Ready to create your own muscle growth breakthrough?

With Born Fitness Online Coaching, you’ll have not one, but two dedicated coaches – one for fitness and one for diet. Say goodbye to generic muscle-building workout plans and cookie-cutter meal plans that don’t work. We’ll help you create a customized plan that challenges you and helps you build muscle effectively. You can apply here if interested.

BJ Ward

B.J. holds a B.S. in Health and Human Performance and multiple certifications, including Precision Nutrition Level 1 and BioForce Certified Conditioning Coach. Over his 14-year coaching career, he’s been fortunate enough to coach a wide range of clients. From online clients looking to get in great shape to CEO Nate Checketts (Rhone) and CEO Marcelo Claure (Softbank), and professional skateboarder Sean Malto. Before beginning his training career, he was a sports science lab research assistant.

The post How To Build Muscle As A Hardgainer appeared first on Born Fitness.

Like Indy, you’ve lived a little. 

But, getting older doesn’t mean it’s time to sit on the sidelines. You don’t have to grow weaker and give up what you love. No matter how many miles are on the odometer, you can get older and stronger. 

And this strength can impact your healthy lifespan in powerful ways. As we’ll show you below, getting stronger is associated with better aging and mortality, stronger bones and heart, and improved quality of life. 

The best news? It’s never too late to add strength and experience the benefits of exercise. But if you want to stay fit (get in even better shape) as you age, you need to start thinking about your training differently. 

Aging and Body Changes: What To Expect

The reality is that growing older brings the possibility of age-related changes. Left unchecked, they can alter your quality of life and even contribute to a shortened lifespan.

Heart disease is the number one killer of men and women in the United States. And according to the National Institute on Aging, older adults (people 65+) are at higher risk. 

Why does this happen? As we age, fatty deposits can build up in the walls of our arteries. Over time, these deposits (called plaque) can harden and slowly narrow the arteries. This process, called arteriosclerosis, reduces blood flow and oxygen to the heart, leading to an increased chance of a heart attack. 

Age-related changes happen in your skeletal system as well. Bone is a living tissue. Although changes might not occur as rapidly as they do elsewhere in the body, bone tissue is broken down by the body and replaced. 

At around age 50, our body starts breaking down more bone tissue than it replaces. This process, called osteoporosis, weakens your bones and can lead to increased chances of fractures or falls. 

Do you know what doesn’t change all that much as you age? Your metabolism. New research published in Science showed that when you account for differences in body size, your metabolism does not change between the ages of 20 and 60.

(Let that sink in.)

For years (maybe forever?), the assumption was that our metabolism slows down as we age. But, the ground-breaking study, which combined the work of more than 80 scientists, 6,500 participants (aged 8 days to 95 years old), and the gold standard methods of testing metabolism, shook the foundations of weight loss science.

Some rules still hold. Despite the common belief that lean people have faster metabolisms, the heavier you are, the more calories you burn. But, once you account for the differences in size, metabolism doesn’t change as much as we thought, and that applies to men and women.

After age 60, metabolism does start to decrease about 1 percent per year. Maybe not surprisingly, this appears to be correlated with a reduction in activity. So, the more active you stay as you age, the better. 

Maintaining Mobility: The Best Way To Stay Injury Free

If you can’t move your joints freely through their range of motion (and control it), your chance of injury or dangerous falls increases. 

If you’re injured, it’s hard to do regular exercise. And if you can’t exercise, that’s when muscle loss begins. Why does this matter? Muscle loss is strongly correlated with a lower (or shorter) lifespan.

Avoiding injury also plays an indirect role in weight loss. Regular physical activity outside the gym (called NEAT) can help maintain your body weight in a healthy range. Move less during the day, and the pounds could sneak up on you like the decades. 

So, mobility is essential to a higher quality of life and a longer life. 

Unlike strength training (which we’ll explore more below), there’s an inverse relationship between mobility and aging. You likely need to invest more weekly time to maintain mobility as you age. 

How much? Strength Coach Mike Boyle once suggested that you should base your mobility sessions per week on every decade you’ve lived. If you just turned 50, that would mean mobility work five times a week. 

That doesn’t mean you need to spend an hour a day stretching. After all, getting older doesn’t mean you have fewer time constraints on your day. For most people, 10-15 minutes a day is enough. 

Not sure where to start? Try extending your warm-up before strength training sessions. By piggybacking on an existing habit (your workout), you’re more likely to make mobility a habit. 

For most of our clients, I suggest a 4:1 work-to-mobility ratio. So, if your workout takes 40 minutes, you should start with 10 minutes of mobility and flexibility work. 

You could also pair mobility with cardio on rest days. Before you head out on a walk (you are walking every day, right?), do 6 reps on each side of a move like the Squat Strider Kick-Through Flow. You’ll loosen up your entire body and elevate your heart rate. 

Strength Training: What Should Change And What Should Stay The Same With Age

Your workout needs to shift as you age. It was fun while it lasted, but the days of maxing your bench press or squat and training heavy every day are likely gone. Your goal now is training for longevity. 

What do I mean by longevity? You lose a few things as you age – and I’m not talking about your memory. 

Muscle loss can begin as early as your 30s if you’re sedentary and will continue yearly at a rate of 1-2% per year. As life expectancy increases, this can lead to a severe amount of muscle lost in your 60s and beyond.  

Over the decades, you’ll also lose what we call power, or the ability to move quickly. Think of things like jumping or throwing a medicine ball. 

The best way to fight this loss of muscle and power? Lifting weights and safe plyometric training. When combined with regular physical activity, there’s no better way to keep you moving well throughout your entire life. 

So, how should your program change? If you’re 55+, it’s time to embrace bodybuilding. In other words, your goal is now to build lean muscle mass with your workouts. We call this “hypertrophy” training. And yes, you can add muscle at any age. 

It’s not that strength isn’t essential, and getting older doesn’t mean you have to get weaker. A new study out of Norway suggests you can continue getting stronger well into your 70s by lifting weights. And those results applied to both men and women. 

But low reps and heavy weight beats you up, and it also increases your chance of injury. As I often tell my clients, the risk-reward ratio is no longer in your favor. 

The solution? Shift your definition of strength.  

Research suggests higher volumes (sets x reps) are better for hypertrophy in aging adults. When training for hypertrophy, the goal is to add more sets and reps to your workout. 

Here’s what most people miss – if you’re able to add weight each week and do the same amount of reps, you’re building muscle and getting stronger as you age. 

Your Age-Proof Training Plan

You’ll likely feel best – and make the most progress – by training hard 3 times per week. As we age, our ability to work hard in the gym doesn’t diminish nearly as much as our ability to recover from those sessions. 

So, for most people, 3 full-body workouts each week. Keep these workouts simple. Choose an upper-body pull, upper-body push, squat (or single-leg movement), hinge, and carry. Do 2-3 challenging sets of 8-12 reps. 

Finish each workout with 1 or 2 of your favorite isolation movements. If you’re 55+, I’d argue you need to do more isolation work. Remember, we’re fighting to hold onto as much lean muscle mass as possible, and isolation moves can help you do that. Plus, they’re easier on your joints. 

That’s right. I’ve given you the green light to do more curls, lateral raises, and tricep press downs. You’re welcome. 

We hammered this point home earlier, but it’s worth mentioning again: Start each workout with quick mobility work. Mobility isn’t a one-off thing; it’s an ongoing process, a daily habit.

Remember that loss of power we discussed earlier? After you warm up, do 1-2 power movements to keep this at bay. Things like low box jumps, med ball throw variations, or even landmine clean to presses work well. 

Finally, Add LISS (low-intensity steady state) cardio 1-2x a week for 20-40 minutes, plus stay as active as possible during the day. The best choice? Long walks. 

What To Be Cautious Of

Do you remember LifeAlert commercials? If you’ve seen them, you’ll know they’re famous for one line (and quality acting): “I’ve fallen, and I can’t get up.”

While you might laugh at the overacting in the commercials, the risk of falls as you age is no joke. According to the CDC, falls are the leading cause of injury and death in people aged 65+. Not heart disease or cancer. Falling. 

The best way to avoid falling? We discussed the basics: strength training (don’t ignore single-leg movements), power development, and a daily mobility habit. It’s also essential to learn how to fall safely. 

Joint pain can be another reality of getting older. While your training can cause this, it’s often due to a lack of movement. Getting stronger with smart training as you age will help you avoid age-related joint pain. 

That said, this isn’t the Marines. Pain isn’t weakness leaving the body. If something doesn’t feel right, don’t push through it. Try modifying the movements or get coaching to refine your technique. 

Finally, you’ll also want to consult your doctor before starting any new exercise program. If you experience shortness of breath or chest pain, stop exercising immediately and seek medical attention. 

A Workout For All Ages

The goal here is simple: build muscle in a joint-friendly way. We’ll do that by training your entire body three times a week. 

Outside of the final group of exercises each day (where we do some “pump” type training), the goal is general fatigue instead of local fatigue. In other words, unless you’re doing curls, no single body part will ever feel like it’s “done.” This helps keep the technique sharp and reduces the chance of injury. 

Use this template as inspiration. While you can follow the workouts as written, feel free to plug in movements you’re more comfortable with. As long as you’ve got the foundation of the recipe, you can play around with ingredients. 

Warm Up: 

Cat Camel 8

Leg Lowering 8ea side

Split Quadruped Adductor Mob 8ea side

Walkout Strider + Reach 3ea side

Walking Knee to Chest 10 yards

Day 1

A1. Box Jump (low box) 2 x 5 reps

A2. Med Ball Chest Pass 2 x 10 reps 

B1. Goblet Squat 3 x 8-10 reps 

B2. Tall Kneeling Chop 3 x 8-10 reps

C1. Prone Leg Curl Machine 3 x 10-12 

C2. Resistance Band Anti-Rotation Press 3 x 10 ea

C3. Lat Pulldown 3 x 6-8 reps

D1. Single Arm Dumbbell Row R Arm  3×6-8 reps

D2. Pushup 3×8-12 reps 

D3. Single Arm Dumbbell Row L Arm 3×6-8 reps 

D4: Rack Pec Stretch 3×3:5 holds ea arm 

Day 2

A1. Hinge Cable Pulldown 2 x 10 reps 

A2. Glute Bridge 2 x 15 reps 

B1. Deadlift 3 x 6 @ 75% effort

B2. Bear Crawl 3 x 5 yards

C1. Reverse Lunge 3 x 8-10 reps 

C2. Dumbbell Bench Press 3 x 8-10 reps

C3. Plank Hold

Set a timer for 8 minutes. For both of the exercises below, select a weight you can do for 8 reps. Now, here’s the key – you’re only going to do 5 controlled reps each set. Complete each exercise back and forth (only taking rest when you need to) for the full 8 minutes.

D1. Biceps Curls

D2. Triceps Extension

Day 3

A1. Resistance Band Monster Walk 2 x 10ea

A2. Shoulder Tap 2 x 8ea

B1. Low Cable Split Squat 3 x 8-10 ea 

B2. Bench Press 3 x 6 @ 75% effort

C1. Sumo Lateral Squat 3 x 8ea

C2. Straight Leg Situp 3 x 8 reps

C3. Offset Pushups 3 x 5ea

Perform the following 3 exercises as a circuit, which means completing one exercise after another. Try to keep moving the entire 40 seconds. Then, rest for 20 seconds as you move on to the next exercise. After you complete all 3 exercises, rest 1 minute and then repeat for a second round.

D1. TRX Face Pull 40 seconds (20 seconds rest)

D2. Dumbbell Lateral Raise 40 seconds (20 seconds rest) 

D3. TRX Hip Thrust 40 seconds (20 seconds rest)

BJ Ward

B.J. holds a B.S. in Health and Human Performance and multiple certifications, including Precision Nutrition Level 1 and BioForce Certified Conditioning Coach. Over his 14-year coaching career, he’s been fortunate enough to coach a wide range of clients. From online clients looking to get in great shape to CEO Nate Checketts (Rhone) and CEO Marcelo Claure (Softbank), and professional skateboarder Sean Malto. Before beginning his training career, he was a sports science lab research assistant.

The post How To Get Stronger As You Age appeared first on Born Fitness.

There’s nothing quite like a deadline to get your butt in gear. Sparta was highly motivated, crushing gym workouts and diving into tracking his food (something that works well for him). 

But, after losing weight initially, Sparta’s progress stalled…and stalled. The scale didn’t budge for almost 6 weeks. 

The funny thing? This isn’t abnormal. 

Most people freak out when the scale gets stuck and assume something is broken. Yet, plateaus are part of the process of long-term, sustainable weight loss. 

Sometimes the scale isn’t moving simply because your body is adjusting to change. Your body needs time to recalibrate to your new lower weight. This is a process known as set point theory. 

But, when the scale is stuck, it can still be frustrating. So Sparta’s story is one of patience and reward. When things don’t keep going your way, don’t quit. As you can see, Sparta reaped the rewards. 

What led to Sparta’s plateau-busting success? Patience, a great plan by Coach Natalie, and a few minor adjustments led to major results.

Don’t Trust Activity Trackers. 

First, he learned not to rely on activity trackers. Many people (like Sparta) use these tools to gauge how much they can eat and still be in a deficit. 

Activity trackers are notoriously inaccurate, so if you use them to adjust how many calories you can eat per day, you’re likely to overeat and gain weight. 

A study published in the Journal of Personalized Medicine found that the numbers given for energy expenditure (calories burned) by a variety of wrist-worn devices were off by 27.4% to 93%.

In the study, the Fitbit Surge provided the most “accurate” reports on calories burned, but it still overestimated how many calories you burned by an average of 27.4%. Yikes. (For context, The Apple Watch was overestimated by 40%.) 

Here’s why this is a big deal. Fat loss occurs when you consume fewer calories than you burn (no matter what diet or workout program you follow). This is hard for many people, but it’s much harder if you’re overeating the calories you think you’re burning during your workouts. 

Let’s say your FitBit reports that you burned ~650 calories during your workout (you got after it) and you decided to reward yourself with a 600-calorie meal. After all, you earned it. On the surface, this is fine.

But, according to the research above, you likely only burned around 435 calories during the workout, meaning you just overate by 150 calories. And that’s using the most accurate tracker in the study. 

Additionally, if you’re also tracking your macros, most fat-loss calorie equations already include your activity in their formula. They’ve factored in your workouts (and daily movement) so you don’t have to. So, if you’re adding calories from your workout, it means that you’re even more likely to overeat. 

This isn’t to say that activity trackers aren’t valuable. Your workout data can serve as a benchmark instead of a calorie measurement. This will give you a good idea of if you did more or less activity than yesterday (or last week). 

But, don’t let this data factor too heavily into the number of calories you eat. Keep your diet plan consistent.

Coach Natalie asked Sparta only to use the activity tracker as a “movement metric.” By comparing how much he moved from day to day and week to week, he could ensure he was staying active outside the gym. These non-workout “workouts” are a fat loss “hack” that works wonders. 

Time to get real (with yourself). 

More importantly, Sparta made a mental shift. 

With Coach Natalie’s help, he took a step back and leaned into identifying what habits were keeping him stuck. He quickly realized he wasn’t being honest with himself. 

“I was making excuses about my diet. I always seemed to justify eating like a garbage barge because it was “infrequent” (Narrator: It wasn’t), or a “special occasion,” or…or…or. What I realized was I eat when I get bored, and I’m inherently lazy, so I would always opt for what was easiest.”

Together, Sparta and his fiance worked to hold each other accountable. He also limited eating out to once per week and recreated routines from pre-COVID (when he would prepare meals to take to work) that worked in his new work-from-home reality. 

The results? 

“Honestly, it feels good to get my sexy back. I now have more energy, more strength, and I’m quite a bit leaner. In general, my attire is more fitted, which is also more confidence-boosting. And when I walk past a window, I now see someone who looks healthier. And my ass looks better too.” 

Interested in learning more about coaching? You can explore our personalized coaching program here.

BJ Ward

B.J. holds a B.S. in Health and Human Performance and multiple certifications, including Precision Nutrition Level 1 and BioForce Certified Conditioning Coach. Over his 14-year coaching career, he’s been fortunate enough to coach a wide range of clients. From online clients looking to get in great shape to CEO Nate Checketts (Rhone) and CEO Marcelo Claure (Softbank), and professional skateboarder Sean Malto. Before beginning his training career, he was a sports science lab research assistant.

The post How to Turn Plateau Into Progress appeared first on Born Fitness.

Although controlled reps are a great way to create muscle tension and have a great workout, doing exercises explosively adds other benefits that shouldn’t be overlooked.

Explosive training can help you build more muscle and strengthen all your muscle groups by targeting your fast-twitch fibers. And, training with speed builds power, which is something that becomes more important as you age. Not to mention, more power helps with popular exercises like deadlifts, squats, and bench press,

However, most people aren’t sure how to move explosively without putting safety at risk. The answer is exercise selection.

Many traditional full-body power moves — such as barbell cleans — carry an increased chance of injury. It can take time and practice to develop upper body mobility, or hours of in-person coaching with a personal trainer to learn the finer points of very technical lifts. But, that doesn’t mean you need to abandon “power” movements in your workouts.

You can simply do bodyweight exercises more explosively, including things like jumps (with a bodyweight squat or lunge), bodyweight rows, or pushups. Or, you can select variations of power movements that are a little less complicated to learn, and, therefore, safer for you to perform. Enter the kettlebell goblet clean.

Why Kettlebell Goblet Clean Is So Effective

Kettlebells can be confusing for some people because of the handle, but they also provide a lot of variety that can make it easier to learn or modify exercises.

Unlike barbell cleans (or even the kettlebell clean), a kettlebell goblet clean helps you train explosive leg drive with minimal upper body movement. With most clean exercises, you have to “catch” the bell or bar in what’s called the rack position (resting on your arm and upper chest). This is the same position as barbell front squats, only, instead of starting with the bar in position, you need to catch it during the lift.

The kettlebell goblet clean doesn’t require finishing in the rack, which is what makes it difficult for some and can lead to injury. Whenever you hear the term “goblet,” it means you’ll hold the KB with both hands in front of your chest.

Here’s what makes this movement so effective: taking the kettlebell from the floor to the goblet position only requires relaxing your grip. That’s it. You won’t need to bang up your wrists and forearms for weeks while you learn it.

This makes it an ideal move for beginners. You’ll be on your way to mastering the lift your first day. And you’ll learn how to safely get a heavy bell into the starting position for goblet squats without tweaking your lower back. Win-win.

The entire movement is great for building lower-body explosiveness that will strengthen your hamstrings and glutes. As you get better, you can try “catching” a single kettlebell or progress to a double-kettlebell clean. Or, you can just keep adding weight and never have to worry about the “catch” aspect. The variety is part of what makes the exercise so effective.

How To Do It

1. Stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width. The kettlebell should be centered between your legs.
2. Unlock your knees and push your hips back until you can grip the kettlebell handle. The starting position will be very similar to a deadlift.
3. Driving through your legs and butt, stand up quickly. Keep your arms close to the body. The kettlebell will travel straight up like it’s on an elevator.
4. If you provide the pop with your legs, the bell should be “floating” now and feel weightless. As it reaches your chest, relax your grip and rotate your elbows around the kettlebell. Your hands will slide slightly down the handle.
5. Relax your grip again to return to the start position by reversing the steps.

Most of the time we want to train power at the beginning of the workout (after a warmup). That’s when you’re fresh, have less fatigue (which can lead to fatigue), and your technique is likely to be sharper. It’s why 50 reps of box jumps (a power exercise) likely isn’t a good idea at the end of your workout (not to mention, 50 reps of any power exercise probably isn’t a good idea).

Working on explosive movement at the beginning of a workout can also prime your muscles as you progress to working with heavier weights (to focus on building strength) or moderately heavy weights with more reps to build muscle.

As you progress and master the movement, you can also integrate explosive movements into a  complex or circuit, typically keeping the reps a little lower.

Try this workout

After a warmup, do 5 reps of kettlebell goblet cleans, 5 goblet squats, and then 5 kettlebell swings without setting the bell down.

Rest 1 minute.

Complete 5-10 rounds for a quick, do-anywhere lower body blast.

READ MORE

1. 5-Minute Finishers: How To Speed Progress
2. Tension Lifting Technique (Make Every Exercise More Effective)
3. A Better Way To Perform Circuit Training

BJ Ward

B.J. holds a B.S. in Health and Human Performance and multiple certifications, including Precision Nutrition Level 1 and BioForce Certified Conditioning Coach. Over his 14-year coaching career, he’s been fortunate enough to coach a wide range of clients. From online clients looking to get in great shape to CEO Nate Checketts (Rhone) and CEO Marcelo Claure (Softbank), and professional skateboarder Sean Malto. Before beginning his training career, he was a sports science lab research assistant.

The post Exercise We Love: The Kettlebell Goblet Clean appeared first on Born Fitness.

Squats are one of the most controversial exercises. Some people suggest they are the best movement (period), whereas others – most notably, respected coach Mike Boyle – suggest they are oftentimes abused and unnecessary. 

At Born Fitness, we work with our online coaching clients to determine what movement is best for them. We love squats, but not everyone needs to do them. Blanket recommendations are dangerous. One person’s path to better performance can be another person’s path to injury.

And, if you do, it certainly doesn’t have to be on two legs (you can do 1-leg variations) or with a barbell on your back. 

Let’s assume you want to squat (remember, it’s still a primary movement). All you need to do is figure out how deep you should go, and what is dangerous for your body. 

Many people will suggest any type of “butt wink” – a rounding of your lower back – is dangerous. 

It’s not quite that simple, but we can offer an easy way to help you figure out what’s best for your body. 

Is The Butt Wink Bad?

Some coaches want you to squat ass to grass (ATG). While others, notably Dr. Joel Seedman (screenshot from https://www.advancedhumanperformance.com/blog/squats-truths below), claim that you should stop your squat around 90 degrees. 

The two camps primarily disagree about what is dangerous for your spine. And, the movement most often in question is the “butt wink.”

As you lower into a squat, there’s a moment when you get so deep that your lower back (lumber spine) starts to round. 

If you want to see what this looks like on your own body, find a mirror and it’s easy to assess. Turn sideways to the mirror and then slowly lower into a bodyweight squat. As you reach the bottom of the squat, watch your lower back. If you’re like most people, you’ll see this area slowly “wink” as you go deeper.  

This rounding of the spine, called spinal flexion, isn’t inherently dangerous. Our spines are made to flex, extend, and rotate as human beings. That’s why you likely don’t need to worry about this rounding during movements like that bodyweight squat.  

So, what’s the big deal? Rounding with no weight on your back is not much of a problem. But, once you start adding flexion with weight on your back – and doing it for many reps – such as during a heavy back squat, that’s when the story changes.

Most spine experts consider rounding your low back with load (such as a barbell) to be a risk for your lumbar spine, which means you’re at higher risk of disk injury and back pain. 

Here’s why: Between each bone segment (the vertebrae) of your spine is a gel-filled disk that helps absorb shock. This means when there’s weight on your back, you can transfer it safely throughout your spine. 

When you load your spine, you create a compression force that pushes the vertebrae together and squeezes the intervertebral disks. This isn’t dangerous if you have a healthy spine. (Fun fact: your spine is quite resilient to compression.) 

The issue is when you compress and flex your spine at the same time. This combination of load and flexion increases another force (shear) on your spine. And shear plus compression could increase your chance of injury. 

We all have different anatomy, so for you, that injury might not happen for years. But, flex your spine under load for rep after rep, and eventually, you might have a problem on your hands. 

That’s why a butt wink while squatting under load isn’t a good idea for the vast majority of us. 

What causes butt wink? 

People love to blame “tight hamstrings” for difficulty squatting. It’s likely not the cause of the butt wink, so stretching them out before your lifts isn’t going to help you avoid it. 

As Dr. Aaron Horshig breaks down in this video, your hamstrings attach to both your pelvis and your knee, which means they don’t actually lengthen much during your squat. 

Try this: Lay on your back with your legs straight. Now, lock your knees out and slowly lift one leg up. 

I’m guessing you didn’t get very high? That’s because with your leg straight, you are lengthening your hamstring, and eventually, you hit your end range. 

Do it again, but allow your knee to bend 90 degrees as you lift your leg up. 

Feel the difference? You have more range of motion because as you flex your hip (lengthening the hamstring), you also bend the knee (shortening the hamstring). Your entire muscle stays relatively the same length, just like during a squat. 

Instead, the butt wink often comes down to your squat stance and ankle mobility. And to know about both, it’s time to analyze how you move.

Shakira would be proud, but your hips don’t lie. 

Each of us has a unique angle that our femur (the big bone in your thigh) fits into our hip socket. And this angle determines your squat stance. 

Suppose your stance is too narrow or wide (based on your individual hip genetics). In that case, you’ll run out of room in your hip socket when you drive your legs into hip flexion (lowering into the squat). 

When you try to force range of motion, your body compensates. As you run out of room in your hips at the bottom of the squat, your pelvis tilts backward (called posterior pelvic tilt), and your lower back rounds. Hey, butt wink. 

You got to the bottom, but was it really worth it? (more on this in a moment).

Butt wink can also be caused by ankle mobility issues. If you lack the range of motion at your ankle, your body can’t drive your knees forwards as you sit into the squat. Just like when you run out of room in your hips, your body has to find the range of motion somewhere else and prefers your lower back. 

How To Fix Butt Wink

Before we show you how to fix butt wink, we need to talk about the neutral spine. Since that sounds painfully boring, just think of this as your “safe to squat” zone. (Or STS Zone)

When we refer to your STS (aka neutral spine), we’re referring to the position of your lower back during movement. For most, this means a slight curve in your lower back.

Most coaches and physical therapists encourage finding your STS because it offers the most protection to your spine during loaded movement. But, and this is important, it does not entirely reduce the risk of injury. You’ll still need to leave your ego at the door and be smart with progressively overloading your movements. 

Your spine moves a small degree during exercises, even if you’re in your STS zone. Things become dangerous when you stray too far out of this zone. In other words, that’s when the butt wink becomes more aggressive.

Our goal is to squat as deep as possible without your lower back rounding too much. You’ll need to find the right squat stance for you to do this.  

Here’s how to do this: 

• Sit into a bodyweight squat. Don’t worry about your back rounding; just drop to the bottom. 
• Play around with your squat width and the angle of your feet until you find what feels most comfortable. 
• Keep this stance and do a couple of squats to see how the full range of motion feels. 

Sitting into the bottom of the squat like this won’t be comfortable for some. Feel free to grab on to a support. Want to see this process in action? Check out our Instagram post here. 

You’ll also want to experiment with different squat variations. Unless you’re a powerlifter, there’s no rule that you have to back squat. 

If you love the back squats, try to slide small plates (like 2.5 or 5 pounds) underneath your heels, or stand on a wedge. This changes the angle of your hips and allows you to get deeper into a squat without worrying about the wink. 

If you’re looking for squat alternatives, the goblet squat is a better fit for most. This is a variation of the front squat, which helps activate your core and maintain that neutral spine. Once you’re comfortable with the goblet squat, you can also do the more traditional version of the front squat.

You can also try any endless variations of single-leg movements, such as split-squats or Bulgarian split squats, which help reduce the likelihood of the butt wink. 

No matter what, your best guide is usually comfort and pain. If something feels off, don’t force the movement. Find a way to move pain-free, and then add load to make it harder. 

READ MORE

1. Why Do Squats Hurt? (And How To Fix The Problems)
2. Valsalva Maneuver: A Technique That Can Save You From Back Pain
3. The Mystery of Squat Form: How Low Should You Go, Really?  

BJ Ward

B.J. holds a B.S. in Health and Human Performance and multiple certifications, including Precision Nutrition Level 1 and BioForce Certified Conditioning Coach. Over his 14-year coaching career, he’s been fortunate enough to coach a wide range of clients. From online clients looking to get in great shape to CEO Nate Checketts (Rhone) and CEO Marcelo Claure (Softbank), and professional skateboarder Sean Malto. Before beginning his training career, he was a sports science lab research assistant.

The post The Right Way to Squat (And Solve The “Butt Wink” Issue) appeared first on Born Fitness.