Exercise equipment is one of those things we tend to accumulate and not use a lot (the Treadmill Coat Rack, for example). However, in times like these, the infamous Portland Snow Days, or times when you just can’t make it to the studio, having some basic equipment can be really helpful. We’re building a lot of bodyweight workouts into the app, and I’m writing a lot of bodyweight workouts for clients that don’t have home equipment, but we thought we’d shoot out a list of equipment we’d recommend you have … you know, just in case! […]

You’ve likely heard it’s important to warm up before a workout—and it is—but why? What exactly should your warm up look like? How long should a warm up last? What are the best movements to do? Should you run, sweat, get your heart rate up? Should you walk, stretch, or work on joint mobility? […]

You step in the gym and are confronted with a myriad of weights, bells, bands, straps, bars, balls, and all sorts of machines that may double as torture contraptions. […]

The holiday season is nearly upon us and so is the influx of parties, busyness, and travel. Having less time to visit the gym doesn’t mean you have to skip your workouts! Modify your routine by implementing these easy to follow, on-the-go workouts. Use the free weight workout when you have access to a simple hotel gym with a few dumbells and some cardio equipment. Utilize the bodyweight workout anywhere from your living room to your hotel room, and anywhere in between! […]

Check out our favorite workout to do while traveling! A tabata is an interval set that is 4:00 minutes long, and includes :20 seconds of full effort followed by :10 seconds of rest (8 rounds total in the 4 minutes). […]

Cardiovascular health is an essential part of fitness. Whether your goal is to lose fat, relieve stress or improve heart health, cardio is key to your training program. The options can be overwhelming and it’s not easy to know the best fit for your fitness level and goals. This article will look at two popular forms of cardio training: High intensity intervals (HIIT) and Low intensity steady state (LISS). […]

The musculature of the core is incredibly important to provide the body with both strength and stability. Throughout our series on the core, we’ve learned that that having a strong trunk is essential for injury prevention, posture, and athletic performance. To finish out our series, we’ll review the three categories of movement that we want to make sure to include in a core training program, and also discuss specific exercises you can try in each one. […]

The morning? Maybe. The afternoon? Maybe. Like everything in health in fitness, it depends. Many things, such as your goals (fat loss, muscle gain, general health), your schedule (it doesn’t matter what time is optimal if only one time is available), and personal preference will all impact what time of day is best for you to workout. Check out this guest post by personal trainer Maya Wright to learn more! […]

Now that we have a better understanding of the musculature of the core from the core anatomy post by Molly, and why a strong core is important to begin with, let’s discuss the core in relation to the planes of motion and a functional training program. Functional training is training for movements that we do in everyday life – carrying heavy grocery bags, going up and down stairs, getting up and down off of the floor, etc. […]