Built by Shind

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Built by Shind Hi, I'm Amanda! A NASM Certified Personal Trainer, and RN, based out of Protivin, Iowa. I specialize in strength training! I am also a mom of 6!

You can't tone a muscle you haven't BUILT. If you want that more "toned" look, focus on building muscle and getting stro...
10/20/2026

You can't tone a muscle you haven't BUILT.

If you want that more "toned" look, focus on building muscle and getting stronger.

That means lifting weights that challenge you, progressively getting stronger, and being consistent over time.

Don't just go through the motions. Train with purpose, build strength, and let the aesthetics follow.




Halfway through this session of the Girls Classes! After practicing dumbbell RDLs over the past month, the girls progres...
10/19/2026

Halfway through this session of the Girls Classes! After practicing dumbbell RDLs over the past month, the girls progressed and used the barbell for them! They learned another cable movement-which usually is their favorite exercise of the day. And we celebrated Bria's birthday on Saturday! There's no class next weekend due to softball, but I'm looking forward to introducing more barbell work in a couple weeks! 💪

10/15/2026

6 kids. Sports practices. Games. School activities. Two jobs. A business. A house to keep up with. And a never-ending to-do list!

Some weeks I get all my workouts in. Other weeks I'm squeezing in 20–30 minutes wherever I can. And some weeks things just don't go as planned.

It's hard. And honestly, there are plenty of days I don't feel like working out either!

But I've learned that if I wait for life to slow down or for my schedule to be less crazy, it's probably never going to happen. 😂

Not every week is going to look the same. Sometimes I have to move workouts around, cut them short, or miss one altogether.

I think we get so caught up in what consistency is supposed to look like that we forget it doesn't have to be perfect to count.

I'm just trying to make it work in the season of life I'm in. And some weeks that looks a whole lot different than others-and the workouts include the kids!!





What if we stopped looking at exercise only in terms of how many calories it burns?Because strength training does SO muc...
10/14/2026

What if we stopped looking at exercise only in terms of how many calories it burns?

Because strength training does SO much more than that.

It builds muscle. It helps maintain bone density. It improves your ability to do everyday activities. It supports metabolic health. It helps you stay strong and independent as you age.

And yes, it can change the way your body looks, too.
But the benefits go far beyond aesthetics.

Stop measuring the value of your workout by how exhausted you feel or how many calories you burned.

Start paying attention to what your body is becoming capable of!





Another weekend of Girls Classes!! They did some power moves, like accelerations and med ball slams. For the strength tr...
10/12/2026

Another weekend of Girls Classes!! They did some power moves, like accelerations and med ball slams. For the strength training moves, they repeated RDLs for more practice; learned how to do lat pulldowns; learned how to load legs for a (landmine) squat; did unilateral stability work through lateral eccentric step downs; and did some shoulder presses. The sled push is always a hit for the girls too 💪

We had another great weekend of my 'Girls Class"! We used my new "Performance Training" area upstairs! The Saturday morn...
10/05/2026

We had another great weekend of my 'Girls Class"! We used my new "Performance Training" area upstairs! The Saturday morning girls actually got to use the weight sled before I did! 😊 Everyone was able to push the 91.5 #! 💪

142 pounds. 15 reps. Calf raises. 🔥A little reminder: your calves may be capable of handling a LOT more load than you th...
09/30/2026

142 pounds. 15 reps. Calf raises. 🔥

A little reminder: your calves may be capable of handling a LOT more load than you think.

If you've been grabbing the same 15- or 20-pound dumbbells for calf raises for months and easily knocking out your reps…it might be time to challenge them. Especially as you get older.

Strong calves contribute to ankle strength and stability, balance, walking and stair climbing, and our ability to push off the ground when we run, jump or move quickly.

And just like your glutes, quads, back or shoulders, your calves need enough resistance to keep getting stronger.

But here's another benefit of going heavier:
Jamie's not only training her calves when she's holding 142 pounds. She's also challenging her grip, bracing her trunk, maintaining her posture and controlling a significant amount of weight through the entire set. That's a lot of strength being built from one pretty simple exercise.

Find a weight that challenges YOU while still allowing controlled reps and a full range of motion. Don't use the same weight over months and months.

Jamie's capable of 142 pounds for 15 reps after progressive overloading over months.

And she's building strength to keep for decades.





09/25/2026

Turns out running a business, training clients, raising kids, chasing sports schedules, and trying to fit in my own workouts leaves a little less time for making content! Sorry!!

…I’m kinda busy.

Still here. Still coaching. Still building. Still lifting
Just maybe not posting about all of it. 🤣

P.S. Go lift some heavy weights!





Women don’t need to stop lifting heavy as they get older.They need strength more than ever!As we age, maintaining muscle...
09/18/2026

Women don’t need to stop lifting heavy as they get older.
They need strength more than ever!

As we age, maintaining muscle becomes increasingly important- not just for how our bodies look, but for how we live.

Strength training helps us hold onto muscle, maintain bone strength, stay capable and independent, and keep doing the things we want to do for decades to come.

And “lifting heavy” doesn’t mean chasing a max or lifting recklessly. It means gradually challenging your muscles with weights that are appropriately heavy for you-and getting stronger over time.

Carry the groceries.
Get up off the floor.
Get out of a chair without armrests.
Climb the stairs.
Travel.
Play with your grandkids.
Keep doing life without needing someone else to do it for you.

Muscle isn’t just about aesthetics. It’s an investment in your future.

Build strength now. Keep it as long as you can.

Shout out to Julie Lyn Meirick with her 122 # deadlifts 💪

If you've ever struggled to learn an RDL… you're in good company. 😂The hip hinge is one of those movements that looks SO...
09/13/2026

If you've ever struggled to learn an RDL… you're in good company. 😂

The hip hinge is one of those movements that looks SO simple-- until you actually try to do it.

Pretty much every new client I work with has a moment of: “Wait… you want my hips to go WHERE?” 😆

Once you remember all of the cues and it clicks, it CLICKS.

The Romanian deadlift is one of my favorite movements for building a strong posterior chain-- especially the glutes and hamstrings--while teaching you how to properly load and move through the hips.

The goal isn't just to get the weight toward the floor.

Think:
→ Hips BACK
→ Soft knees
→ Weight stays close
→ Keep your torso strong
→ Feel the hamstrings load
→ Drive the hips forward to stand

And then, over time, we add weight.
Like 105 lbs for Samantha and Lynda! 💪🏼

Because you don't have to walk into the gym already knowing how to lift.
You learn the movement.
You practice it.
You get stronger.

And eventually the exercise that once felt awkward becomes one of your strongest lifts.




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Protivin, IA

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