Exercise

What I Wish I Knew When I Started My Fitness Journey

"fit geek" "allie q" "fitness beginner"

The start date on my gym membership card is 4/20/2000. I was 15. My attendance was spotty those first few years, but around the time I was 19 I started going to the gym regularly. I’m in my 30s now and I don’t think I’ve ever gone longer than a week without working out. It’s […] Read more…

The 5 best core exercises you aren’t doing

Forget crunches and sit-ups. Those exercises are so ’90s. And even though the ’90s have made a comeback, the exercise methods of that decade should stay in the past. Despite what you might’ve learned in PE or at a Body Pump class at your local gym, crunches and sit-ups aren’t ideal core exercises. They put […] Read more…

Why should women build muscle?

During a recent discussion, my mom mentioned that she never wanted to put on any muscle. Although I’m on a crusade against this sentiment, I still understand where she’s coming from. The idea of women wanting to build muscle is a relatively new concept for the general population. And an athletic or sculpted figure was […] Read more…

3 Reasons You Can’t Do Pull-ups

girl pull-ups

Ah, pull-ups, the holy grail of upper body movements. They’re a benchmark of strength for many. Getting your first rep can feel like you’ve finally gotten on the list at Club Strong.   Now, this club isn’t as exclusive as some might think, especially when it comes to pull-ups. Getting into it isn’t so much […] Read more…

5 Reasons You’re Not Getting Stronger

flexing girl

In the beginning, there was negligible muscle on my doughy, 19-year-old body. At this point, I didn’t have the information. Then I did, thanks to FigureAthlete.com (RIP). I started to lift free weights in an effort to get stronger and more muscular. I followed 5×5 for a while. I played around with set and rep […] Read more…

Strength training is the thinking person’s sport – Part I

dumbbell outdoors

I recently read this article about how strength training is seen as a lower class pursuit. To quote the article: “Upper middle class Americans avoid “excessive displays of strength,” viewing the bodybuilder look as vulgar overcompensation for wounded manhood.” The author goes on to present mostly anecdotal evidence that educated urban professionals tend to snub […] Read more…

Where do I even start? – Workout guidelines for beginners

fitness girl tricep dips

So you want to start working out and get in better shape or maybe just be healthier. You might not necessarily be interested in getting super strong or muscular, but you wouldn’t mind tightening up a few spots, feeling better, or dropping a couple of pounds. You’re ready to take the dive, but there’s just […] Read more…