Women's Strength Academy

Most women are not bad at planks. They were simply never taught what to look for.

The 3 most common plank mistakes I see are:

1. Hips too high
2. Shoulder blades collapsing toward each other
3. Shoulders positioned too far forward or too far back

A strong plank starts with proper joint stacking.

Your:

* Wrists should be directly under your elbows
* Elbows should be directly under your shoulders
* Shoulder blades should stay active and slightly spread apart
* Core should stay engaged
* Body should form one straight line from head to heels

The goal is not to hold the position longer.

The goal is to create tension in the right places.

When your plank is set up correctly, it strengthens your core, improves shoulder stability, and carries over to almost every other exercise.

Save this video and check your plank next time you train.

Follow for more form fixes and women’s strength fundamentals.

Most women are not bad at Bird Dogs. They were simply never taught what the exercise is actually supposed to do.

The most common mistake is lifting the arm and leg too high.

When that happens, the lower back arches and the exercise turns into spinal extension instead of core stabilization.

The goal of the Bird Dog is not to see how high you can lift your arm and leg.

The goal is to keep your spine completely stable while your opposite arm and leg move away from your body.

How to set it up:

1. Start on your hands and knees.
2. Keep your wrists under your shoulders.
3. Keep your knees under your hips.
4. Tighten your core as if someone is about to poke your stomach.
5. Reach one arm straight forward.
6. Slide the opposite leg straight back.
7. Think out, not up.
8. Keep your hips level and your lower back neutral.
9. Pause briefly.
10. Return with control and switch sides.

Imagine you are trying to make your body longer from fingertips to heel.

Your foot should reach back as if you are sliding it along the floor, not kicking it toward the ceiling.

Your arm should reach forward, not upward.

This simple cue helps you train the deep core muscles, improve spinal stability, and reduce unnecessary compression in the lower back.

Sometimes the best exercise cues are the simplest:

Go out, not up.

Save this post and try it during your next workout.

Follow for more form fixes and foundational strength training for women.

At 57 years old, Melissa performed 13 full push-ups.

When we first met about a year and a half ago, she couldn’t do a single push-up on her own. We started with band-assisted push-ups and foundational strength work.

The strength was there, but it was dormant.

Around age 56, Melissa began bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT). Within a few months, her strength, recovery, and overall vitality improved dramatically.

This is the power of estrogen.

Estrogen plays a critical role in a woman’s body. It helps maintain muscle mass, supports collagen production, protects bone density, improves joint health, and enhances recovery from training.

As estrogen declines during perimenopause and menopause, many women notice:

• Loss of strength
• Slower recovery
• Increased joint pain
• Reduced muscle tone
• Lower energy

The good news is that these changes are not simply a matter of “getting older.”

With properly supervised hormone therapy, progressive strength training, and adequate nutrition, many women regain the ability to build muscle, increase bone density, and feel stronger than they have in years.

Melissa is living proof.

At 57, she is stronger, more capable, and more confident than many women decades younger.

Your hormones matter.
Your training matters.
And it is never too late to rebuild your strength.

Follow for evidence-based strength training and hormone education for women over 40.

Most women are not bad at sumo squats—they were never taught how to set them up.

This video reached over 1 million views for a reason.

The sumo squat can feel awkward if your stance is too narrow or your feet are not positioned correctly. But when the setup matches your body, it often feels dramatically better.

Here is the exact setup I teach in this video:

1. Toes out
2. Heels out
3. Toes out again
4. Align your heels with your toes
5. Open your toes super wide

That simple sequence creates a wide, stable stance that gives your hips more room and helps many women feel their glutes and inner thighs much more effectively.

Then add a small hinge, keep your chest open, and sit straight down.

Sometimes one simple setup cue can turn a movement that feels awkward into one that feels strong and natural.

Try this and tell me if your sumo squat feels better.

Save this for your next lower-body workout and share it with someone who struggles with squats.

Follow for more form fixes and foundational strength education.

Most women are not bad at push-ups.

They were simply never taught how to set up their shoulders.

One of the most common mistakes is flaring the elbows too far out and letting the shoulders roll forward. This puts unnecessary stress on the front of the shoulders and makes push-ups feel much harder.

Try these cues instead:

✅ Place your thumbs next to your armpits
✅ Spread your fingers wide
✅ Rotate your shoulders outward and open your chest
✅ Keep your elbows about 45 degrees out
✅ Inhale
• Exhale and press the floor away

A push-up is not just an arm exercise.

It teaches upper-body strength, shoulder stability, core control, and confidence.

Try these cues and tell me if your push-up feels better.

Save this for your next workout and share it with someone who wants stronger shoulders.

Follow for more movement fixes and strength fundamentals.

Most women are not bad at squats.

They were simply never taught how to set up their body correctly.

In this clip from today’s Women’s Strength & Hormones Workshop in Manhattan, I’m teaching one of my favorite squat variations for many women over 35: the wide squat.

This is not the only way to squat.

But for many women—especially beginners—it can feel more natural, more stable, and more comfortable on the hips, knees, and lower back.

The basic setup:

• Toes out
• Heels out
• Toes out again
• Hinge back slightly
• Bend the knees and sit down

From there, we fine-tune each woman’s stance based on her unique anatomy and mobility.

Some women need to go a little wider.
Some need less toe turnout.
Some need a better hinge before they squat.

Small adjustments can completely change how a squat feels.

Your body is not broken.

Sometimes you just need the right setup.

Save this and try it the next time you squat.

Follow for more form fixes and foundational strength education.