Dr. Lauren Shelton at Loa Movement

Ever push through an exercise that burns so much it must be working, only to wonder later if you were actually doing anything useful?

Feelings can be deceiving!

Just because a movement feels hard or creates a burning sensation doesn't necessarily mean it's effective.

Here's a great example using the hamstrings: This muscle's job is to extend the hip and bend the knee.
In an exercise like the "ball squeeze," in the reel, the hip is extended and the knee is bent, which actually puts the hamstring in an overly shortened position.

When a muscle is that shortened, it can't produce much force.
There's simply too much slack in the system.

Compare that to the "ball curl," where the hip is flexed and the knee is straightening.
This puts more length into the hamstring, positioning it to actually produce force.
Same muscle, same general movement pattern, completely different result, all because of position.

Position plays a huge role in whether an exercise is truly loading the muscle you're trying to target.
Have you ever caught yourself doing an exercise that felt intense but turned out to be missing the mark?

Think squats are the only way to build strong glutes?

Good news, they're not, and you've got way more options than you might realize.

Here's what actually matters most for muscle growth: adequately loading the muscle:
That means getting to a point where you're just a few reps away from muscle failure, roughly around the one-minute mark of continuous effort.

There's no single "holy grail" exercise you must do to build strong glutes.

You just need to load them to fatigue, and there are plenty of ways to get there.

Here are 5 exercises we love teaching inside Loa Movement classes to do exactly that, starting with the wall hinge.

Which of these do you already have in your routine, and which one are you adding next? Let me know below!

Have you ever caught yourself sucking in your stomach just to look or "feel" a little smaller, even when you're just standing at the sink doing dishes?

I vividly remember a friend in college telling me her mom told her to suck in her stomach when wearing jeans so her belly would look flatter.

I have a *lot* of thoughts on that, but let's just talk about what it does to the physical body:

Constantly tensing any muscle isn't ideal, but this is especially true for your abdominals.

When you hold them tense all the time, it can affect your body's ability to manage pressure, which can show up as issues with pelvic floor function and even your breathing.

Here's the piece that's easy to miss: When your deep abs contract and compress your ribcage, it can create the appearance of a smaller waist.
But proper pressure management does not mean staying in that compressed position all the time.

Your body needs the ability to expand and release, not just hold and brace.

Next time you catch yourself sucking it in out of habit, let it go, and let your body breathe the way it's meant to.

Have you noticed yourself doing this without even realizing it? Let us know below!

Running a web-based fitness app sure looks a lot different than I once imagined it might.

My days are filled with so much diversity, and although the to-do list never really stops, I couldn't love it more.

Every minute spent behind the scenes is a minute spent bringing you all my very best.

From building the workouts and picking the playlists we move to in class, to the filming, tech and video editing with Kevin in Production, and planning community challenges and events alongside Courtney in Operations, it all means so much to me.

Getting to build something like this, and getting to share it with you, is a gift the Loa team doesn’t take for granted.

So next time you're in class, know there's a whole lot of heart (and a lot of behind-the-scenes hustle) that goes into making it happen!

What is a fun but unexpected part of your job? Share below, I’d love to hear about it!

Ever notice how a walk outside just feels different than a walk on a treadmill? Turns out your brain notices too!

There's a lot of research showing exercise is good for brain function.

But one study found something more specific and honestly, pretty fascinating.

After just 15 minutes of walking, only the people who walked outside showed an increase in a brain marker linked to attention and working memory.

The indoor walkers didn't see the same boost.

So what's actually behind it?

The researchers themselves asked whether nature or exercise plays the bigger role here, and there are a few different theories worth considering: it could be sun exposure, it could be walking on an uneven trail versus a flat track, or it could simply be stepping out of a perfectly climate-controlled room.

Whatever the exact reason turns out to be, here's the takeaway we keep coming back to: nothing beats time outside.

Next time you're deciding between the treadmill and a walk around the block, let this be your sign to head outdoors.

Where's your favorite spot to get outside and move?

Ever feel like one entire side of your body is tight and compressed?

It might be your QL, your lats, your intercostals, or honestly, all of them.

When your ribcage can't fully expand on one side, it puts a whole chain of muscles into a shortened position.

Here's a simple technique to lengthen and open up that side of the body: the standing QL and intercostal stretch.

The key is to breathe deeply so you can actually feel your ribcage expanding and compressing as you move.

Stand up and give it a try, it's one of my faves!

(credit to for this one)

Ever feel like one entire side of your body is tight and compressed?

It might be your QL, your lats, your intercostals, or honestly, all of them.

When your ribcage can't fully expand on one side, it puts a whole chain of muscles into a shortened position.

Here's a simple technique to lengthen and open up that side of the body: the standing QL and intercostal stretch.

The key is to breathe deeply so you can actually feel your ribcage expanding and compressing as you move.

Stand up and give it a try!

(credit to for this one)

Do you have to be sore for a workout to "count"?

Short answer: no.

Here's what the research actually tells us about muscle soreness (DOMS):

Soreness is highly subjective, so it's not a reliable way to measure whether a workout worked.

We also don't fully understand what causes it, whether it's muscle damage, connective tissue changes, or sensitized receptors in the muscle.

What we do know is that more intense soreness tends to show up when you're new to exercise, when you significantly increase your training volume, when you jump up in weight, or when a workout involves a lot of slow, controlled lowering movements (like a 5-second eccentric tempo).

My Take:
Soreness can be a sign you challenged your muscles with something new, but it is not a requirement for your workout to be effective.
If you're training consistently and making small, steady increases over time, you likely won't be sore very often, because DOMS mainly comes from new stimulus, not from a well-established routine.

And honestly, being constantly, extremely sore isn't the goal either. It limits how you move in daily life.
I'd rather be able to run around with my daughter and go on my daily walks than feel sidelined by soreness, that's for sure!

What's your take on soreness? Drop it below and let's talk about it!