FREE TIPS

When you think of someone who is a runner—maybe that’s a friend, or maybe that’s you—do you also think of them as a weightlifter? Do you think of them as someone who consistently strength trains at the gym? Many of us don’t. We keep those two worlds separate. Runners run. Weight lifters lift weights. There...Read More

Keith turned his key inside the lock of his apartment door and kicked it open with his foot. He let it slam behind him. Then he tossed his keys on the granite counter. Wow. What an awful day. Thank goodness that’s over—dammit. I told myself I was going to go on a walk after work....Read More

“Self-talk is a ubiquitous human phenomenon. We all have an internal monologue that we engage in from time to time.” -Ethan Kross How do you talk to yourself? And when you do talk to yourself—and we all do, whether we’re aware of it or not—what do you say? Are you kind to yourself? Mean? Judgmental?...Read More

Have you been told that it’s important to stretch? Maybe you heard this from an old P.E. teacher you had growing up. Maybe it was from a doctor, personal trainer, or just a friend that mentioned it. Regardless of who told you, it’s a common recommendation: you should stretch because stretching is good for you....Read More

Standing there in the middle of Wegmans, a couple of bags of dinner rolls in his shopping cart, Jake wore a frown on his face. He felt his knuckles tighten around the shopping cart as stress started sliding up to the surface. Why does tomorrow have to be Thanksgiving? My diet has been going so...Read More

For many of us, especially those of us who have been at home more and had less access to equipment, the push-up has been a great training option. All you need is your body. And since most of us have our bodies with us most of the time, that makes push-ups a convenient exercise. We...Read More

Taking in a deep, anxiety filled breath, she stepped onto the cool, metal plate in her bathroom. A second passed. Then a few more. Finally a number appeared between her feet, and it was a number she didn’t want to see. What the hell? That can’t be right. I’m fatter today? But I did everything...Read More

Does this situation sound familiar to you? One day, you’re going about your business, when suddenly—ow! Your back starts hurting. What gives? You were doing things you normally do.   Maybe you bent down to pick up your kid. Maybe it was while playing a game of pool. Maybe it was while you deadlifted or...Read More

When you walk into most gyms around the world, you’ll see numerous core exercises being performed. Typically, you’ll see people doing sit ups and crunches (and maybe some planks). This isn’t surprising. You learned that the key to washboard abs is doing sit ups and crunches; that those exercises were the best ones to get...Read More

What are your goals? Most of us have been asked that question before—maybe by friends, employers, a personal trainer. It’s a decent question. It shouldn’t be the last question that gets asked with regard to your goals though. Beyond just declaring what your goal is, there’s another question you should consider: why is achieving this...Read More

How long does it take to form a habit? You’ve likely heard different time frames: 21, 66, or 90 days. Maybe longer. Maybe shorter. Either way, the idea that habits take a certain amount of time to form has been talked about for years. So, how long must you continually do something for it to...Read More

A year ago, I was sitting across from a BSP client, who I’ll call Jill, chatting with her about her nutrition, when I noticed she seemed upset. We were discussing what she had been working on and how it was going, and it sounded as if she was crushing it. She was doing everything she...Read More

Do squats frustrate you? You work and work and work on your form, yet they still feel off. Something just doesn’t click. If so, it is likely not your fault, because you’ve been misled. You were lied to. Someone told you false information about squatting, which led you to performing a common squat mistake—a myth,...Read More

What would you say if I could take your stress away? Imagine it for a second: no more stressing about work, your kids, significant other, or friends… no more stressing about anything. There’s just one condition though. The next time your child, significant other, or friend comes to you feeling stressed—worried, anxious, afraid—you will have...Read More

Do these thoughts seem familiar to you? I’m not smart enough. I’m not attractive enough. I’m not strong enough. I’m not good enough. The theme of these messages—not good enough—is common. It’s normal. All of us, no matter who we are, what we do, or where we’re from, feel as though we’re not good enough...Read More

Neal was overweight and out of shape. And he hated that. What upset him most though, was that he let this happen. Just a year ago he was leaner. Not washboard abs level of lean, but non-overweight level of lean. Neal wanted to get back to that weight. He used to exercise consistently. He used...Read More

Has life ever metaphorically kicked you in the face? A time where, everything was going fine, and bam! life got harder. Personally, one moment in particular comes to mind, and it happened in my middle school years. Growing up, I was a pretty normal kid…or so I like to think. I loved Spider-Man and other...Read More

“Other gyms I’ve been to in the past don’t care what I do, as long as I’m paying my monthly fee. At BSP NOVA, I feel like I’m visiting my family when I walk in to workout.” -Danielle Does this sound familiar to you? You pull up to an empty parking spot, step out of...Read More

“What do I do on my off days?” Members of Beyond Strength asked that question often in the past. They would come in, crush their small group training, and then… that was it. There was uncertainty around what to do in between sessions. And while we gave some recommendations (do some mobility work, go for...Read More

Bob Fisher, a member of Beyond Strength for over two years now, is a confident and strong guy. He likes long walks on the baseball field, picking heavy weight up off the floor, and wearing his patriotic Speedo (don’t ask). He’s a fit dude. But he wasn’t always this way. If you saw Bob two...Read More