Pam Karkow Lifestyle and Fitness Coach

My parents just completed their 300th workout!!! 🎉

300 times we’ve met over FaceTime to get our heart rates up, lift heavy weights, and work on mobility. I am so incredibly proud of them and honored to be the one guiding them through their movement journey.

When we started this more than five years ago, it was a great way for me to put what I was learning in my personal training studies into practice. Gyms had closed, and my dad no longer had access to the core class he had been attending. My mom was not playing tennis like she used to.

I had no idea then that we’d still be meeting twice a week, more than five years later.

They’ve been through surgeries, setbacks, and plenty of modifications along the way, but they continue to show up every Tuesday and Thursday. We modify when we need to. I push them to lift heavier when I know they can. We work on things that make a difference in everyday life—grip strength, balance, getting up off the floor—but we also do the fun stuff, like bench presses and deadlifts. 😉

They’ve both told me they feel stronger, see more muscle definition in the mirror, and can do things now that they simply couldn’t do before they built this strength.

And honestly, that’s what this is all about.

I’m so proud of you, Mom and Dad. Thank you for showing up, trusting me, and letting me be part of this journey.

Here’s to 300 more!!! 💜💜💪🏻

200 Workouts 💜

Yesterday we celebrated a very special milestone—200 workouts!

I’m thrilled that Kathy has made working out a part of her life. What makes this milestone so meaningful isn’t the number itself. It’s what those 200 workouts have made possible in Kathy’s everyday life.

When I asked her what has changed since she started working out with me, this is what she said:

“I feel the benefits of my workouts daily!! Going up and down my stairs has become easier. I make a practice of rising from a sitting position without using my hands to push off. My stamina has improved dramatically. This summer, hiking and swimming and playing with my grandchildren was a pure joy! No one had to wait for me to catch up!! I feel lighter and stronger and more capable than I have in a long time!”

THIS is why we do the work.💜

It’s not just about lifting heavier weights or getting through another workout. It’s about being able to climb your stairs with confidence. Get up from a chair with ease. Keep up on a hike. Swim. Play with your kids and grandchildren. Say yes to the things you love—and actually enjoy doing them.

And after 200 workouts, Kathy is stronger, more capable, and more confident in her body than she has been in a long time.

I am so incredibly proud of Kathy—not just for showing up 200 times, but for the consistency, determination, and trust she’s brought to every workout along the way.

I’m also so grateful for Kathy—for the trust she puts in me to help her continue building a life where she can trust her body to support her in anything she wants to do. And I’m grateful for the friendship we’ve built along the way.

Congratulations on 200 workouts, Kathy!💪🏻 Here’s to everything your strength makes possible in the next 200. 💜

Funny how a picture can tell one story while real life tells another.

I couldn’t let our family beach trip pass without the tradition of this handstand. It looks like every other summer’s handstand, since I started the tradition years ago—strong and steady.

What you can’t see is that I was (and still am) in the middle of one of the hardest seasons I’ve had in a long time—living with constant nerve pain, navigating doctor’s appointments, and carrying a lot of fear and uncertainty.

Social media captures moments. It rarely captures the whole story.

If this season has reminded me of anything, it’s to be a little gentler with the people around us. We never really know what someone is carrying behind a smile or a picture.

Here’s to extending a little more grace—to others and to ourselves. 💜

I’m still in the middle of this story, but I’m learning that asking for help and accepting kindness are forms of strength, too.

✨ Empower Camp was all about building strong girls—inside and out! 💪💜
This week, my friend and co-coach Heather and I hosted a camp for girls called Empower. The goal of Empower is to give girls tools to help them navigate life. We exposed them to new ways of moving their bodies, relaxing their minds, and fueling for their best performance.
We engaged in various forms of exercise—yoga, strength training, cardio, and partner training. The girls spent time journaling and creating vision boards. They also heard from an inspiring older student who shared honest advice about what to expect in middle school and high school, helping them feel more prepared for the journey ahead (Thank you, Cadence!).

Empower Camp was more than just a week of activities—it was a chance to grow stronger, dream bigger, build friendships, and leave feeling confident and ready to take on new challenges.
We are so proud of these amazing girls and can’t wait to see all they accomplish!

💜✨

🏋️‍♀️ **Vital Sign #7: The Squat**

When most people hear the word *squat*, they think about lifting weights in the gym. But the truth is, squats are one of the most important movements we use every single day.

Every time you get up from the couch, pick up a toddler, unload groceries, tie your shoes, work in the yard, grab something from a low cabinet, or get down on the floor to play with your kids (or your dog!), you’re squatting.

It’s not just an exercise—it’s a life skill.

One of our clients, Barbara, reminded me of that recently.

She and her husband were watching their grandchildren when their six-year-old grandson fell asleep in her husband’s lap. He needed help getting him to bed, and Barbara’s first thought was, *”I’m not sure I can do this.”*

Then she remembered all the work she’d been putting in—not just strength training, but Pilates, walking, and making movement a regular part of her life.

She picked up her grandson and carried him to bed.

And while Barbara deserves all the credit for putting in the work, she didn’t do it alone. Week after week, she’s shown up alongside her gym partners—encouraging each other, celebrating progress, and staying accountable. Having people in your corner makes it easier to stay consistent, and consistency is what builds strength over time.

That story stuck with me because **that’s exactly why we train.**

Sure, it’s fun to celebrate lifting a heavier weight or hitting a new personal best. But what really matters is having the strength and confidence to handle whatever life throws your way—whether that’s carrying a sleepy child, hauling bags of mulch, moving furniture, chasing your kids around the backyard, hiking your favorite trail, or simply getting up off the floor with ease.

Those everyday moments are what we’re really training for.

Throughout July, we’re focusing on improving the squat by building mobility, stability, strength, and confidence. The goal isn’t just a better squat in the gym—it’s moving better in the moments that make up your life.

Because the best kind of fitness doesn’t just help you work out. It helps you live well. 💜💪🏻

✨ CONFIDENCE STARTS HERE.✨

💪 EMPOWER: Helping Girls Build Confidence Through Movement

📅 July 20–23
🕕 6:00–7:30 PM
👧 For girls ages 9–14

We’re so excited to bring back EMPOWER—and it’s better than ever!🎉

You asked, we listened! This year we’ve:
⭐ Added an extra day
⭐ Expanded our strength training sessions
⭐ Created even more opportunities for girls to build confidence, resilience, and healthy habits

Each evening includes:
🧘‍♀️ Yoga
🏋️‍♀️ Strength Training
❤️ Cardio & Partner Workouts
🥗 Nutrition Education
🧠 Mental Health & Confidence-Building Activities

🎁 Plus, we’ll be giving away a prize every night to help girls continue their healthy habits long after camp ends!

This is more than a camp—it’s a place where girls can discover their strength, build confidence, make new friends, and leave feeling empowered.

✨ Registration is NOW OPEN! Spots are limited, so don’t wait!

💕 Tag a parent who has a daughter ages 9–14 that would love this experience, and help us spread the word!

⚽️PBPK Soccer Camp T-shirts through the years!

Which one was your favorite?

It’s fun to reflect on how far we’ve come as a soccer camp. Scroll to the last slide and you’ll see how it all started.💜

Which year was your favorite shirt? In year 2, when Chou designed my camp logo and all I had to do was swap out the color and year, it was a game-changer! I still absolutely love the design of my soccer camp logo. I am so thankful to have worked with such a talented designer. Thank you, Chou!

In year five, we started working with SE Logowear. It didn’t take long to know we had a company we could count on to deliver quality shirts, who was also easy to work with! Selo Logowear also designs my swag each year—from drawstring bags to headbands to sweattowels, they have done a phenomenal job delivering well-made products. Thank you, Carlton, for answering my late-night texts when I need to add just one more shirt to my already abundant order!

Drop a note in the comments (you can put the year or color) to let us know which shirt was your favorite!

2026-kelly green
2025-light blue
2024-purple
2023-teal
2022- gray with soccer camp logo
2021-gray with poweredbypk logo
2020-gray with soccer ball logo