Mike Alexander Training Systems

10/01/2026

Wow. RIP Cronos. This wasn't on my bingo card to start October.

Music video by Venom performing Witching Hour. (P) Sanctuary Record...

09/20/2026

I needed to make a run two days ago. So, I decided to drop by VitaminShoppeLittleFalls and get more of the good stuff by Legion. You know people are realizing how tasty Legion's Whey + protein powder is alone when there's absolutely no chocolate available!

But for the uninitiated, Whey + by Legion is a Whey Isolate powder. An isolated powder one where the powder is filtered repeatedly until all the fat, lactose and sugar is removed. That's why there's about 25g of per scoop for every 100 calories, as it's supposed to be.

You can find Whey + at your local The Vitamin Shoppe, or you can simply click the link in my bio and use the discount code MikeA and get 50% BOGO.

Mike

09/19/2026

Today was one of those sessions that reminded me why I love what I do.

Rita is one of my hybrid clients. Most of our training is done virtually, but today she came to NJ Sports Academy in Ramsey, which meant I could take the foundation we’ve been building at home and challenge her in some completely different ways.

And yes, that included pushing a sled.

Rita finished today’s workout with four rounds of sled pushes with a 45-pound plate. She also tried some new strength work, including dumbbell bench presses with 25-pound dumbbells for two sets of six.

What made me proud wasn’t simply the weight she moved. It was her willingness to try things she hadn’t done before.

That’s something I’ve come to really appreciate about coaching Rita. She shows up. She listens. She asks questions. She practices what I teach her. She does her homework between sessions. And when I put something new in front of her, she’s willing to give it a shot.

That consistency is where progress comes from.

It’s also exactly why I love hybrid training. Our virtual sessions give us the consistency and accountability to keep building week after week. Then when Rita comes to NJ Sports Academy, we can take that foundation and introduce equipment and challenges she simply doesn’t have available at home.

Rita, I’m incredibly proud of the work you’re putting in. Keep showing up, keep trying new things, and keep surprising yourself with what you’re capable of.

If you’re looking for personal training in the Ramsey area, or you need the flexibility of combining in-person and virtual coaching, send me a message. We can build a program around your life instead of expecting your life to revolve around your workouts.

Mike

09/18/2026

Sometimes the best way to move forward is to take a step back first.

When Maureen and I started working on pushups, she couldn't perform a knee pushup with the depth and control I wanted to see. Instead of continuing to force an exercise she wasn't ready for, we regressed it and started building from the ground up.

We went back to wall pushups. We worked on increasing her awareness of the muscles in her back and how they contribute to the movement. We worked on keeping her core tight so her chest and hips moved together instead of separately. Most importantly, she kept putting in the work.

Little by little, the strength and control started catching up.

Today, Maureen gave me 10 knee pushups, and they showed just how far she's come. Good depth, controlled movement, and her chest and hips moving together the way we've been working toward.

I couldn't be prouder of her.

Not because 10 is some magical number, but because I remember where we started. Maureen was willing to work through the regressions, learn the movement properly, get stronger, and earn the progression instead of rushing it.

That's what progress looks like sometimes. You don't keep forcing something that isn't working. You find the right starting point, build what you're missing, and keep working until the thing you couldn't do starts becoming something you can.

If there's an exercise you've convinced yourself you "can't do," don't be so quick to write yourself off. You may just need a better starting point and the right plan to get you from where you are to where you want to be.

If you're ready to get stronger, move better, and start accomplishing things you didn't think you could do, send me a message. We'll start with what you can do today and build from there.

Mike

09/11/2026

CLIENT HIGHLIGHT: RITA 💪

Rita and the cable machine had a disagreement.

Rita won.

During our virtual session, she took on cable rows with 35 pounds—and judging by the determination on her face, those weights were coming back whether they wanted to or not.

What impressed me wasn’t only the weight. It was the intention behind every repetition. No simply going through the motions. Rita stayed focused, worked hard, and completely owned the exercise.

Sometimes progress is the moment a movement stops looking tentative and starts looking confident.

This was one of those moments.

I’m proud of you, Rita. Keep bringing that fight!

Looking for personalized coaching in North Jersey or online? Send me a message.

Mike

09/08/2026

Hello there! If you're on Nextdoor, be sure to follow me. And if you're a current or even former client, I'd absolutely appreciate it if you wrote me up a review for my page. Thank you in advance!

Mike

09/01/2026

Repeat after me:

Summer forever! Fall NEVER!

Mike

08/30/2026

I'd begun reconnecting with my college past two years ago. And it actually felt far better (and cathartic) than I imagined it would. I went into college in 2002 thinking I wanted to be a journalist. Then Kim Crabbe, a career counselor, suggested I try something that would go in to change the trajectory of my college career and even parts of my life. I joined WSIA in April 2004 and there's so much more I can say.

I recently bumped into Marissa Joy, my former music director by chance on a boardwalk. If it was not for that chance encounter I never would've known that WSIA was holding a 45th anniversary party. I'm grateful for that chance encounter and I'm even more grateful I chose to drop by last night. The staff from my era was more than accounted for yesterday, as well as the era that started it all in a closet in 1981.

I enjoyed meeting the current crop of students, as well as seeing all of the renovations that'd been started when I first visited in October 2024. Let's do it again someday.

Mike