The Strength Parlor

SEASONS

Big PR for Katie this week!

And honestly, that means more now than it would have 10 years ago.

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When we're new to training, PRs seem to come all the time.

As the years pass, they become harder to earn.

A 20-pound PR might happen quickly when someone is new to lifting.

Years later, a 2.5-pound PR can feel just as meaningful.

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Not to mention...

life happens.

Careers.

Kids.

Busy schedules.

Different priorities.

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For Katie, strength hasn't always been the primary goal.

There have been seasons focused on raising three kids.

Seasons focused on body composition.

Seasons where simply finding enough time and energy to train felt like a victory in itself.

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But one thing never changed.

She kept training.

She kept showing up.

The goals evolved.

The priorities shifted.

The training adapted.

But strength training remained part of her life.

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As we train for decades instead of months, progress rarely happens in a straight line.

Sometimes we're pushing hard.

Sometimes we're maintaining.

Sometimes we're rebuilding.

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That's what made this PR so cool.

Not just the weight on the bar.

The fact that after all these years, there's still room to improve.

That's what keeps so many of us coming back.

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And judging by how quickly she sprinted to the PR bell afterward... 😂🔔

I'd say she was pretty excited about it too.

THE GOAL ISN’T ONLY TO GO FARTHER

The ab wheel rollout is one of the more unique core exercises out there.

Not because it works the abs…

But because it challenges your ability to maintain position while the lever arm gets longer and longer.

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As the wheel rolls away from the body, the demand on the trunk increases dramatically.

The wheel is essentially trying to pull you out of position.

Your job is to resist.

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For Martin, we’re trying to maintain the same basic posture from start to finish:

* ribs down
* abs engaged
* hips extended

Think of a solid push-up position (from the knees in this case).

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One of the most common mistakes is focusing on rolling farther than you’re ready for.

Another is relaxing at the top and losing the position you started with.

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We’re usually less concerned with how far someone rolls…

and more concerned with whether they can maintain the position throughout the rep.

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A simple trick is to set up in the same spot every time and use a line on the floor, a crack in the concrete, or even a tape measure to track progress.

Sometimes getting stronger means rolling just one inch farther while maintaining the same quality position.

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We also tend to treat these more like a strength exercise than a conditioning exercise.

Build strength first.

Own the position.

Then worry about adding reps later.

GLUTE HAM RAISES

This is a band-assisted Glute Ham Raise.

And even with assistance…these are no joke.

⸻

Think of it like a bodyweight hamstring curl.

Except the hamstrings are working both at the knee and the hip simultaneously.

That’s part of what makes these so challenging—and so effective.

⸻

The lowering phase (eccentric) is especially important here.

Controlling your body against gravity takes a ton of strength.

That same “braking” effect is a big reason exercises like Nordic curls have shown promising effects for reducing hamstring strain risk.

⸻

But the ascent is no cake-walk either.

You’re essentially curling and extending your entire bodyweight through space.

⸻

Band assistance simply helps scale the movement to a smarter starting point.

Over time, the goal would be:

• lighter bands
• less assistance
• more control

⸻

Exercises like this can be fantastic for building the posterior chain without heavily loading the lower back or requiring a barbell.

And to be clear—that doesn’t mean loading the lower back is bad.

Far from it.

⸻

Usually we’d first want someone to develop a solid base with things like:

• hip extensions
• back extensions
• hinges / RDLs
• other hamstring-focused work

⸻

Then gradually build toward something like this over time.

⸻

Exercises like this are a great reminder that bodyweight training can become brutally effective when the leverage and range of motion are demanding enough.

GLUTE HAM RAISES

This is a band-assisted Glute Ham Raise.

And even with assistance…these are no joke.

—

Think of it like a bodyweight hamstring curl.

Except the hamstrings are working both at the knee and the hip simultaneously.

That’s part of what makes these so challenging—and so effective.

—

The lowering phase (eccentric) is especially important here.

Controlling your body against gravity takes a ton of strength.

That same “braking” effect is a big reason exercises like Nordic curls have shown promising effects for reducing hamstring strain risk.

—

But the ascent is no cake-walk either.

You’re essentially curling and extending your entire bodyweight through space.

—

Band assistance simply helps scale the movement to a smarter starting point.

Over time, the goal would be:

• lighter bands
• less assistance
• more control

—

Exercises like this can be fantastic for building the posterior chain without heavily loading the lower back or requiring a barbell.

And to be clear—that doesn’t mean loading the lower back is bad.

Far from it.

—

Usually we’d first want someone to develop a solid base with things like:

• hip extensions
• back extensions
• hinges / RDLs
• other hamstring-focused work

—

Then gradually build toward something like this over time.

—

Exercises like this are a great reminder that bodyweight training can become brutally effective when the leverage and range of motion are demanding enough.

AGING IS OFTEN A SLOW LOSS OF OPTIONS

Not usually one catastrophic event.

Just a gradual narrowing of what feels possible.

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At some point, people stop:

Running
Lifting
Getting on the floor
Playing sports
Trusting their bodies

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And over time…

life tends to get a little smaller.

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That’s a huge part of why we value exercise so highly.

Not because everyone needs to become elite.

But because maintaining strength, mobility, balance, aerobic fitness, and power helps keep options open.

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Options to:

Travel
Play with kids and grandkids
Carry things confidently
Hike
Get up off the floor
Try new things
Continue doing the hobbies you enjoy

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Deep down, isn’t that the real goal for most of us?

Living longer is great.

But remaining capable while continuing to do the things that make life fulfilling…

that’s real longevity.

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The encouraging part?

The body tends to hold onto what it’s repeatedly asked to do.

And slowly lose what it no longer uses.

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That’s why continuing to move matters so much.

Not perfectly.

Not obsessively.

Just consistently enough to keep your body familiar with being capable.

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And if you currently feel like you’ve lost a lot of those options already…

don’t underestimate how much can come back with the right starting point and enough patience.