Countdown to 35!

I turn 35 in 5 months and I’ve never weighed more.

Well, unless you could when I was pregnant but really that’s more like a person and a half. It’s the post pregnancy weight I’m having the problem with.

I’ve never struggled with exercise. It’s always been something that I enjoyed, and something that I do pretty regularly. Besides twice a week sessions at JTab, I ride my Peloton 2 days a week and do Barre body weight classes at least once. Add in 2 VERY active kids including a 1 year old who seems intent on trying to slide down the stairs head first, and I’m pretty much in constant motion.

My issues with my weight lie solely in my nutrition (or lack there of). Between these wild children, 2 business, and trying to fit in exercise and a social life, that leaves very little time for prepping, cooking and even consuming food. Most of my meals are grabbed out of a cabinet, leftovers my kids didn’t eat, or take out.

It’s this complete lack of regard of what food I’m putting into my body that lead to the position I am now. After having my second baby I just never lost the extra weight that I packed on, and can barely sip most of my jeans up.

So, at the beginning of 2023, after yet another day of staring at my closet and hating everything I put on, I decided to finally do something about it. I am going to be 35 this year. I have 2 young children and 2 growing businesses. I want to be able to keep up and enjoy all of that. Plus I didn’t want to have buy brand new clothes…

With all that in mind, I met with Joey to talk through what steps I could start making to turn things around and feel better at 35 than I did in my 20’s. At first it can feel really overwhelming, but we decided to tackle small pieces at a time, and build on those. While the goal may be to lose weight, it’s also to create a sustainable lifestyle that leads to long term health.

The first think I needed to implement in my routine was structure and accountability. Without a solid plan, or “rules”, around what I was eating, I knew it would be nearly impossible to break all the bad habits I had built over the past year. That’s why I chose Intermittent Fasting (more on that soon). While eventually I will lighten up on things, I know that right now the strict structure around when to eat, how many calories to eat, and how much max’s (or minimums) I needed to hit each day in my Macros is the best chance I have for success. I’ll dive into this plan in future blogs after I get a few weeks under my belt.

The second part of that equation is the accountability part. I also know that if I don’t have someone to answer to, it’s way easier to let things slip. While Joey will be a part of that, this blog (and anyone reading it) will be a part of that also. It’s the idea of telling a group of people what I ate that week, that makes me second guess my portion sizes.

So, with all that set, I’m going to start of this journey by telling you all my current weight and goals. That’s right. I’m going to put my actual weight out on the internet for all to read…… 168.4. Whew. I did it.

Now, with that over, I can look forward to my goal of getting down to 145 by my 35th birthday in May. And you’re coming along for the ride!

How To Deadlift Without Hurting Your Back

Many people are nervous to deadlift heavy weights because they are afraid of hurting their backs. Here is a quick queue from Coach Joey to help you stay in position and get stronger.

A Female Athlete’s Toughest Competitor: Food

Before I begin this blog, I would like to introduce myself. I am Catherine Schultz, a Junior Exercise Science student with a minor in Psychology and Nutrition. I am interning with Joey this summer to complete my second internship required by my college, Endicott College in Beverly, Massachusetts. I am passionate about helping athletes reach their potential whether its in the weight room, nutritionally, or mentally. I have struggled with staying injury-free the past year and a half which is why I care so much about this topic. Eating quality food is what has helped me grow as an athlete on the track/course and in the weight room. I am now able to lift more than I could have imagined (also shoutout to Joey for the guidance) and feel stronger hitting my times on the course. With that being said, I hope that this blog answers some questions you may have and offers guidance to those who need it from someone who has struggled too!

Now, let’s dive into the real topic of this blog: food. I am sure many of you reading this question how, what, and when to eat. Don’t worry I have the same question too, but hopefully I can provide some incite on how I tackle these questions.

As a female college athlete, I have to make sure I fuel properly not only to achieve my potential athletically, but also to succeed in the classroom. If I am not fueling enough to exercise, I will never be able to do well in school. This is why staying on top of eating enough carbohydrates, protein, and fat is critical. Carbohydrates, fats, and proteins are the three key macronutrients and are essential to our body’s functioning. Without them, health issues could occur, too much of them and health issues could occur too. Finding a perfect balance for YOU is going to be a game changer, literally and figuratively.

Let’s break it down further and give you a run down of how a day could go. I typically have classes in the morning to mid-afternoon. Starting off the day right with a bowl of oatmeal and some fruit like an apple or orange are my go-to. The oatmeal offers carbohydrates, more specifically with a low glycemic index to give me energy (carbohydrates are your main source of energy and low glycemic foods are able to be digested slower and cause a slow progression of sugar into the blood stream), adding a scoop of protein power or some nuts cover your protein needs (this helps with muscle growth, cell growth, hormones, and basically keep your body functioning), and finally adding some honey for fat (also helps with cell function and energy). In between my classes I try to add in a protein bar or a banana for a quick source of protein or carbohydrates. After my classes I eat a pretty big lunch before I do homework and then practice around 5. Making sure I properly fuel for practice is very important so I can run the times I want to. I try to eat a salad with some chicken and almonds for protein, quinoa for carbohydrates, and some vegetables too. I will also add in a small sandwich with meat, cheese, lettuce, and tomato to cover the remaining needs. Right before practice typically 30 minutes before, I will either eat a high glycemic index carbohydrates (these cause a rapid rise in blood sugar and are digested rapidly) to provide a quick energy boost such as a fruit snack or a banana, but if I feel like I will not digest it in time, I will take a few sips of a Gatorade. After practice is the most important time to fuel! Helping your body’s muscles synthesize or in more simple terms heal and grow stronger is protein’s main job. A key point to understand though is to eat carbohydrates before you eat protein or your protein that you just consumed will be utilized as restoring energy. Carbohydrates are prioritized over any other macronutrient. On top of that, it is recommended that you consume about 20-30 grams of protein per meal to make sure you can achieve your nutritional needs. To achieve this, I may eat some salmon for my protein needs, rice or quinoa for my carbohydrate needs, and peanut butter for my fat needs. Finally, a tip to adding remaining protein may be eating a smoothie bowl or protein shake before bed.

To wrap this up, I would like to point out a few key takeaways. First, eating is personalized, no one person is going to be the same. With that in mind, you may think that you are eating too much, but trust me, you probably need to eat more than you think you do. Second, timing is important! Eating carbohydrates before you eat protein. Eating high glycemic index carbohydrates before you work out and low glycemic index foods at night and morning to help with your body’s processing of energy. Lastly, make it fun. If you eat the same food all day every day, it may be difficult to stay disciplined to eat the amount of carbohydrates, protein, and fat you need. Cancel

Thank you for taking the time to read this! I hope you enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed writing this blog

 if you have any comments or concerns feel free to contact me at:

Cschultz@mail.endicott.edu or (401) 644-2859

Men: Unique Nutrition and Training Needs

When it comes to nutrition and men, it’s more than just counting calories. Hormone levels, especially testosterone, can play a huge role in things like muscle mass, fat loss and energy levels.

Testosteron, combined with insulin, ghrelin and cortisol (among others) are important hormones/functions that men should be paying close attention to when it comes to their training and nutrition programs.

With that in mind, Jtab is excited to announce a new Men’s Health Program. In this group we will be tackling the unique needs of men when it comes to getting healthier. If you’re sick and tired of being sick and tired, are uncomfortable in your own skin, or lack confidence, keep an eye out for more details coming soon.

I’m excited to not only be the leader of this group, but participate in it as well. Let’s go, Guys!

Protein.... Again

We talking about Protein again, Coach?

 Yes, yes we are!

I think this shows you how important the topic is to. Today I wanted to break it down a little to help you figure out how to get more protein in your diet. Here’s a simple way to look at it.

On a typical day you eat 4 meals a day: either 2 snack and 2 meals, 3 meals and 1 snack, or 4 smaller meals.

The Goal for everyone at least should be 100 grams of protein a day. That’s at least 25 grams of good quality protein per “meal”. But attempting to meet that goal each meal, you can get so much closer to that 100 gram benchmark.

Now, obviously not every meal is going to be the same every single time. Most people’s dinners are slightly higher in both calories and protein, so one of your smaller meals could be slightly less. As an example, Greek Yogurt at 15-17grams of Protein is a great snack, if your dinner makes up the other 7-10 grams missing.

So, why is protein soo important, especially to people over 30? It’s called sarcopenia, age related muscle loss and muscle protein synthesis. What all these big words mean is that you start to lose muscle mass over 30 with inactivity and also don’t break down protein as well as you did when you were younger. So even though you may be consuming the same amount of protein as when you were younger, you’re no longer able to use all of it for muscle preservation.

How do you combat this aging issue?

1)     First and foremost make sure you are getting in well over 100 grams of protein a day! This is really why I suggest EVERYONE make a protein shake a day to bump up your numbers so it doesn’t all have to come from food. They are quick, easy and very tasty when made right! They also help you add large amounts of protein to your diet, without adding too many additional calories.

2)     Next, make sure you are strength training to prevent muscle loss (if you don’t use it, you lose it principle).

3)     The third thing that isn’t talked about lots is adding a digestive enzyme/HCL supplement to the mix. I take these with meals that have high fat. My go to is Body Health’s Full Spectrum Digestive Support. This gives you all the “tools” to digest proteins, fats and even carbs better. It will make you less bloated after even a big meal and you will actually “use” the protein you are eating/drinking.

So get in that protein people! And keep an eye here on the bog for more protein tips and tricks, because you can be guaranteed I will be talking about it again!

Myth Busters: Working out only once a week isn't worth it

Everyone thinks that in order for exercising out to be effective, or “worth it”, you have to do it multiple times a week. And while that would be ideal, for many of us our schedule doesn’t allow us to take the time to get a gym more than once a week.

So, if you fall into that category and you can’t workout with a trainer or at a gym more than once a week, you might as well just give up right?

WRONG. Hear me out. 1 Workout a week (consistently EVERY week) = 52 workouts a year. Not doing anything because you don’t think it would be “worth it” = 0 Workouts a Year. What’s better 52 or 0?

Now, more the science (and some psychology). Most people begin a workout routine in an attempt to lose weight. Because I don’t like the term “weight loss”, I like to turn it around and say we should only be focusing on fat loss and muscle gain. Because this is what most people really mean when they mean “lose weight”. Often our goal is to change our bodies, which means taking down the fat, and  replacing it with lean muscle.

When reframing your goals this way, they actually make a lot more sense. Because in order to most effectively burn fat, you need that muscle mass. Muscle burns through calories at a much more efficient rate.

Although those lines, building or keeping muscle mass through strength training has also been proven to help lose fat better than only doing cardio. Building muscle will continue to burn calories long after the workout is over. And the even better news? It only takes one heavy workout a week to keep strength/gain strength effectively. One workout of heavy weight lifting a week will put you on the right track to succeed in your goals.

In addition, staying consistent with that ONE workout a week will put you on track to making healthier choices the rest of the time. You will “want” to eat better and move more on the days you’re not in the gym. Your other “workouts” don’t need to be inside the gym either. You can walk, jump rope, do bodyweight workout circuits or anything else that gets you moving and feeling motivated.

This is CRITICAL for long lasting fat loss and health. The more you move, the better for every aspect of health. All it takes is starting with that ONE heavy strength workout a week. Trust me. It builds character as much as it builds strength and resiliency.  

The top at home exercises you shouldn't be doing (plus alternatives)

Today I’m back, and I may be bringing some crushing news for some.

If you’ve been in the gym you’ve probably noticed there are a few “common” exercises that I never include in my programs. Whether it is because most people get the form wrong, or it just trains your body in a counter productive way, these are moves that I try to keep out of the gym and keep away from those working out at home.

These moves are usually very common in home workout programs, and most likely you’ve done them before, a few times. But don’t worry, I’ve provided alternatives you can do to get just as good a workout, without all the bad stuff.

Check them out below! If you have any questions, are unsure about form, or are looking for a more customized at home, or in the gym program, reach out to jtabtraining@gmail.com!

But I don't have time...

This week we have business owner, toddler mom and Jtab member, Amy Fields, jumping in with a guest blog about how she makes time to show up to workout.

Going to the gym twice a week doesn’t seem like a huge accomplishment. Most of the people that you think of who are accomplished in the area of fitness are showing up 4-5 times a week, working out for hours at a time.

But for me twice a week is something to celebrate.

My life looks like so many others. I have to drag myself out of bed at 7am - anything earlier is simply not going to happen. The next hour looks like chaos as I attempt to dress myself, my 2 year old, take the dog out and chug down a cup of coffee.

After wrestling a toddler in the car and into daycare, it’s off to the office for a steady stream of client work, admin work, and meetings. My meals usually are a series of snacks in between tasks, and I power through until about 4:30/5pm where I attempt to finish a last few tasks before rushing out to pick my daughter up at daycare before it gets too late.

Then it’s home, and the negotiations around getting a toddler to eat dinner, take a bath, get in PJ’s, brush teeth, read a book, and go to bed begin. This 2.5 hour process ends around 8pm when I scour the pantry for something quick for dinner (because I’m starving at this point). Then I grab my computer and shoot out a last few emails, watch a few episodes of something on Netflix and then head upstairs for bed around 10pm.

This repeats itself throughout the week. Then the weekends hit and those are usually filled with trying to think of fun things for a toddler to do, cleaning, and working on our 1960’s house that we purchased a few months ago.

Basically I’m exhausted - but I’m not special in this schedule. Almost everyone’s day is filled to the brim like mine, and it often can feel impossible to fit one more thing in. Especially something that is going to require a lot of time, energy and effort on your part.

Yet, despite being perpetually tired, and really not being a fan of hard physical work, I’ve shown up at Jtab training, twice a week, pretty much every week for 5 years now.

There’s no special secret to showing up. It’s hard when my daughter has a bad night and is up multiple times. It’s hard when it’s cold outside and the covers feels so warm. It’s hard when yet ANOTHER daycare cold sweeps through the house and we’re all sick, AGAIN. And it’s hard when I see the emails rolling in with client work that I know I will have to stay up late to do if I take time out of my day to go to the gym.

It’s hard. And sometimes it sucks. And sometimes I don’t want to do it.

But I push through those feelings and show up anyways because I like how I feel when I’m done. I like being able to help out with projects around the house. I like being able to carry in all my grocery bags in in one trip. I like having time carved out in my week to do something that makes me feel like a human again (and not just a mom). And I like being able to pick up my ever growing kid without worrying about hurting my knees or back.

So, moral of the story is that 5 years in, it’s still hard. It’s not easy for me to weave in going to the gym in my incredibly packed schedule. But it’s become a major priority in my life - so I make time in my weekly calendar to show up and get it done.

And then I celebrate myself for doing it. Because for someone like me (and you!), going to the gym twice a week takes a MASSIVE effort and it deserves to be celebrated.

Your One-Stop Fitness and Nutrition Coach

Nowadays everyone like the one stop shop idea, cause everyone is super busy with life. Between the internet, social media, and binging Netflix our days are chock full. So a one stop shop for your fitness would be a great idea, right? Well if you go into your local favorite strength facility and work with a good strength coach, you get that…. Let me explain.

Strength coaches aren’t just useful when it comes to picking up heavy things. We’re also good at a few others:

1)    We make you strong(er)..  duhhh. That’s the obvious one so we will start here. Tendons, ligaments, bones, muscles, all connective tissues will become strong(er) using a simple progressive overload principle that most strength coaches employ.

2)    We help with Mobility/Yoga Flexibility. Would you believe me if I said stretching/moving through a range of motion under load is more beneficial than just stretching normally? It’s amazing when people say they are more mobile/looser after strength training. We also include some “traditional” stretches before you start or in between your heavy lifts to put the icing on the flexibility cake!

3)   We give you power. Why do we need power as we get older? We are not playing HS sports anymore, so it’s not important, right? Absolutely wrong and maybe more wrong than you think. Adults need MORE power work than HS athletes that have optimal power output due to their younger age. We lose power as we age, which is super important to try to maintain. Power output will help you go up stairs, help you catch yourself from falling down, and help you keep up with your Grandkids as best as you can. It also lets you create lots of “energy” or “force” with what you muscle you have. Power also helps with elasticity of your tendons and muscles. It helps your muscles bounce back and power forward when you have to go up multiple stairs or do multiples of the same movement.

4)    We teach you nutrition basics. There is tons of nutrition “info” out there but it can be really confusing. There are also many people that aren’t totally sure what a carb/protein/fat macronutrients are and why each one is important for proper health. That is where a Strength Coach comes in. How can you expect to eat “healthy” if you have no idea what to eat or what’s the best for your goals? We can go over the basics while lifting to get you a some great knowledge of how to fuel your body. If you want more info or a custom plan we can sit down together and map it out. Start with knowing the basics and it will lead to better nutritional health right away!

5)    We get you some great cardio work. Look no further than some finishers from your local strength coach AFTER you lift for your strength and hypertrophy work. Or you can include/count your hypertrophy work as your cardio if done correctly for more conditioning emphasis. Either way, a good Coach should be able to give you enough conditioning work for general fitness while still keeping it under your time constraints/needs. If you are training for a marathon or long race, it might need to be longer on some days keep in mind but for general “cardio” health it can and should be able to be completed within 15 minutes of your strength work.

Ready to dive in? Shoot Coach Joey an email at jtabtraining@gmail.com to schedule a time to come in!

A Quick Circuit to Regulate Hormones

This circuit hits all the major exercises for maximum exertion and hormone regulation. High intensity workouts (like this one) help increase a variety of different hormones to help decrease stress, improve sleep, and balancing mood swings. It works all areas of the body and gives a great overall workout that you can do when you’re short on time.

It combines 4 different exercises that you should do in 12 reps for 4 sets.

1 - Goblet squats with moderately heavy weight - 12x4

2 - Bench press - 12x4

3 - RDL’s into Rows - 12x4

4 - Push Press - 12x4

Benefits of Strength Training Part 1

Yes, strength training can help you to look like a jacked superhero. I’m going to talk about some of the lesser known or even more important reasons we all SHOULD be strength training. Time to dive right in.

1)    Body awareness- We learn much about our bodies while exercising, and weight training might be teaching us the most. Learning to move well, with a good range of motion under load, teaches us coordination and movement patterns that will keep us limber.

As an example: We pick up objects up off the ground all day long, and probably use our lower backs every time. When you strength train, you learn through dead lifting how to move through your hips and pick things up with your legs, instead of your back. By bracing for external loads, strength training teaches body awareness better than any other type of exercise.

2)   Calories in/calories out, right? Not so fast Batman. Intense strength training also helps burn more calories in EPOC than most other forms of exercise. After a heavy strength training session, your body now has to repair muscle fibers which is metabolically demanding on your body. This in turn means your body continues to burn calories long after your workout has finished. It also helps you keep your muscle during a “cut” or “fat loss” period. As my friend Tony Gentilcore says, “What makes muscle, keeps muscle”. Strength training does both pretty well!

3)    Weight lifting helps your body use and burn off extra blood sugars and gives your body a better response to insulin. Blood sugars are the main sugars in your body from the foods you eat. Your body uses these sugars for most of its energy production. Weight lifting helps your body normalize blood sugars better than someone who is not strength training. Insulin is the hormone that controls how your body uses your glucose (blood sugars). Strength training improves your body’s sensitivity to insulin, thus creating a properly functioning system. When these things get out of whack, you increase bodyfat. (I am not getting into Type 1 Diabetes here).

4)     Self confidence. Like I said above, strength/weight training obviously helps you look more like a jacked superhero. But, even if this isn’t your aesthetic goal, you will notice differences in the way you carry yourself. Either from the pure fact you will be strong(er) and lifting some good weight, or from the small changes in your body composition, you will hold your head a little higher overall. Trust me, start hitting PR’s in the gym and see how your confidence goes up. Start seeing some muscles pop where they didn’t before and see how your confidence goes up. And to all this I say, “It’s ok to want to look better!” Working out doesn’t just have to be for your health (although that is an important reason)! Looking better and increased self confidence are amazing side effects as well.

There you have it, part 1 of my blog on the benefits of strength training. Join me back here soon for part 2!

Jtabs New Favorite Snack

Snack is a funny word. Us fitness professionals and nutritionists can’t decide if snacking is healthy or not (but that’s another blog for another week). But for those of us in the real world, snacks are a part of life. Especially mid afternoon or late night, when you need something to carry you through to you next meal. Here is a snack I’ve been loving lately (particularly late night) and wanted to share. This recipe can be adjusted slightly to feet any macro need you may have.

Yogurt “Slop”

Best name ever, remember it’s MY concoction so I can call it anything I want.

• ½ cup (half serving) of PLAIN Organic Greek Yogurt from Stonyfield Farms (10 grams of Protein, 4 grams of Sugar, 0 )

• 2 Heaping TBSP of Organic Peanut Butter from Trader Joe’s (10-12 grams of Protein, 20ish Grams of Fat, 4ish grams of Sugar)

• 1 serving of Carob Chips (1 serving is 5 grams of fat, 9 carbs, 0 sugar) (I usually use unsweetened but also have Chatfield’s and that brand is 10grams of sugar and 5 grams of fat per serving), could use Blueberries as well here for more phytos

• 1 serving of Purely Elizabeth plain granola (use plain oats for lower calories or omit altogether for way less carbs and added fats)

• A few ounces of Walnut (or any other nut based milk is fine) to add some liquid to consistency (I use about 1/3 serving so negligible calories)

Got pain in your hands? Try this!

Today at home exercise is a super simple one that can really make a big difference in your day-to-day.

In today’s world we’re constantly on our computers or phones. We’re typing, texting, watching videos and scrolling through social media for hours a day. These things can take a big toll on our hands (those have muscles too, you know!) and can leave them tight, achey and uncomfortable.

All you need for this super simple roll out is a golf ball (or tennis ball) and a flat surface. Check it out!

Diet and Training or is it Training and Diet?

Which one is more important?

Age old question asked and answered by many different fitness and nutrition professionals. So, I figured I would take a crack at it. There are a few different people:

Some tend to want to “just” go go go and not focus on diet or use food as a reward for all the hard work they’ve put in. Sometimes they feel that working out gives them a license to eat whatever they want. However, chances are you won’t find them on the cover of a fitness magazine anytime soon. As the great Strength Coach Mike Boyle says “You can’t out train a bad diet”.  

Some “diet” yet don’t want to “sweat” or lift any weights or only see exercise needed for athletes. These people will probably lose muscle mass (and trust me you want to keep and make as much of it as you humanely can!) by not taxing the muscles to at least stay strong and big. As we all know, “Muscle burns more than fat!”

Coach Joey has a pecking order for overall health. It is as follows:

1)     Strength Train 2-4 times a week. This will tell your body that you “need” the muscle you already have and encourage some new muscle hypertrophy (growth) to be able to keep moving the way you want and stay active for years to come

2)     Keep your protein high for 2 main reasons…. Higher protein will help you keep muscle and aid muscle hypertrophy. It also serves as a satiety trigger which is super important because if you don’t feel full or satisfied you WILL overeat and probably gain lots of fat. Having trouble getting in the right amount of protein? Consider an Amino drink or chewable pills. It provides you with all the amino acids. You can find my favorite, and the best cleanest ones are here: Amino Pills + Amino Powder

3)     Get your phytos in! Vitamins and Minerals from food first then supplement when needed. Fruits, veggies make up your phyto nutrients. For now don’t worry about how much (although 5 servings of fruit at a time might be a little too much for most). Veggies as much as possible as long as each vegetable isn’t covered in cheese sauce (toppings add lots of unnecessary calories). This will help ensure your body functions properly and overall health is optimized. Not getting all your phytos in? Consider an organic greens powder to drink to fill in gaps.

4)     Make sure you move each and every day (and no getting in and out of the car doesn’t count as movement haha). Should be Yoga, walking, light stretching, basketball game or similar, cardio strength circuit, etc) This will not only burn a few extra calories but will also keep you mobile and encourage your body to keep joints mobile and strong.

5)     Calories NEED to match your activity level and your level of fitness. It also has to match your body composition currently. Example a super muscular person probably needs more calories than the person with the same height and weight that thinks playing video games is a strenuous form of activity.

To answer the question, like most things in life is a good balance of exercise and “diet”. Just don’t be all one sided if you want a balanced healthy body.

It's Glute Season!

It’s summer, which means it’s shorts and bathing suit season. With more skin exposed, everyone wants a nice pair of glutes, right? Everything about Summer screams glutes. And you either have been building them all year or not. Even if you haven’t been, Coach Joey has you covered for a quick but effective Glute Workout you can do all at home! It might even leave you breathing heavier and get some fat burning effect. The video below will show you the sequence of moves to get those glutes you want for the Summertime!

1a) Squats 10

1b) Lateral Walks 10 Left/10 Right

1c) Forward Sweep Steps 10 Left and 10 Right

1d) Backwards Sweep Steps 10 Left and 10 Right

1e) Squats 10

Do 2-5 circuits a few times a week and you’re glutes will be ready for the beach, pool party, or just wearing shorts!

Need the band that is in the video? Click this link and order it right from Jtab’s Favorites on Amazon! 

A Brand New Offering from Coach Joey!

Conjugate: combining two or more parts to form a single bigger piece.

When it comes to lifting, I’m always striving to find new ways to combine different techniques (or conjugate them) to make unique, fun and of course most effective workouts for my clients.

I am offering a variation of the conjugate method to my clients already doing 2+ days a week. The complete program is 4 days per week. For those unable to commit to that, I have a 3 day version condensed as well.

Spring is here, Summer is coming, and I want to offer a different approach in getting strong and lean with more days/week. It’s time to up the anti and fast track your results. For those wanting to try it, you have to be able to commit at least 3 days a week and optimally 4 - and the program runs mid April through Mid July, perfect for getting you summer ready.

What is the conjugate program exactly? It is a Strength and Hypertrophy Program with dedicated days for each “function”. There are 4 days, alternating upper and lower body (2 lower, 2 upper per week or 1 upper, 1 lower and 1 longer full body day). Each day has a specific focus, which makes the conjugate different than other programs. One lower body day is all about hitting a 5 or 3 rep max of the squat or deadlift for that day (max effort lower), one upper body day tries to find your 5 or 3 rep max for the bench press (max effort upper body), etc. The other day(s) are rep(hypertrophy) work or dynamic effort days. On the other 2 days there is a dedicated day for high rep lower body work and a day dedicated to high rep upper body work. In layman’s terms, you alternate between days where you max out heavy lifting, and days with lighter way and higher reps.

Not only is this aimed towards getting you summer ready quickly, but I am offering this at a MASSIVE discount. Please reach out to me for more information on pricing, but let’s just say you’ll be getting even more workouts, for less money. It’s a win/win for all!

A couple of disclaimers: This is not for beginner (and tif that is you and you’re not ready yet for a more advanced program and that is totally fine). You also have to have an idea of basic movements in order to switch out different exercises weekly or monthly. Remember this is a huge discount for more days so there will be some more autonomy on your part if you (chose) to do it.

For the right people it will create a great growth and strength stimulus and also added bonus of burning lots of calories from added lifting days (and intensity).

Who’s ready to start cranking up the intensity at Jtab? Whoever wants to give it a go and can COMMIT to at least 3 days(better with 4), then let me know!  Stop by and see me at the gym, send me a DM on Facebook, or email jtabtraining@gmail.com for more information, pricing and to sign up!

Hip Mobility

Today I’ve got a few different exercises and stretches for you to do to increase your hip mobility, loosen your hips, and set your self up for better squats in the future. Increasing your hip mobility can also help protect your lower back and relieve back pain, as well as increase athletic performance. Check them out below!

Band Zercher Good Mornings

We’re back with another at home exercise this week. These Band Zercher Good Mornings are easy to do at home with minimal equipment (all you need is a band). Not only does the “zercher” part strengthen your core, but this movement also promotes lower back health and strength, glute and hamstring development, and upper back strength. Check it out!

Glute March

Ready to really rock those glutes? Today we're bringing you the advanced Glute March. It's excellent for when you're ready to move past the standard glute exercises and on to something more challenging.

A few things to note, make sure to keep your hips high and your core tight to avoid using your lower back (not only will this cause stress on the area but you'll be working an area you don't want to!

Also, before lifting your leg up, makes sure you drive your other foot into the ground to really make sure you activate your backside.

Don't Got Glutes? Glute Camp Will Help!

Struggling to get a set of glutes or wish to naturally “enhance” what you have already? Enter
Jtab’s Glute Camp! 3 Days a week on top of your normal workouts will get your glutes to
where you want them! Best part of it is they can all can be done at home with just a few simple
pieces of equipment!

After purchasing this program everything will be laid out for you and includes:

• Complete weekly workouts included a different one for each day of the week,
• An online tracking sheet to keep track of your progress and what day you're on,
• Videos showing proper form so you can maximize your workouts, 
• And a private FB group with Joey answering any questions glute related.

3 extra days a week of dedicated glutes will really help focus on developing the glutes to not only look great but perform more optimally. This will make your squats, deadlifts and lunges better and you they will look better in jeans, bathing suites, dresses, khakis, yoga pants, and sweatpants even! Done right, training your glutes more often will ALSO ease or prevent back pain, knee pain and keep your hips more healthy. It is a WIN/WIN situation. Look better, perform better and feel better! Let’s do this glute thing!

The cost of the program is $25 per month. There is no long term commitment and each month a new workout will be created! Those that are local can save their spot by bringing payment direct to Joey at the gym. To register via PayPal Click Here!