Beyond the Buzzwords :Cutting Through the Fitness Noise with Personal Trainer Leah Stukov

In this episode of Strength in Numbers, Katie sits down with her friend and fellow trainer, Leah, to unpack the language of the fitness industry the buzzwords, the trends, and the marketing that often leave women confused or misled. Together, they dive into what these terms really mean, how to see through the noise, and how women can confidently navigate their own strength journey without getting caught in the hype.

Whether you’ve ever wondered what “functional,” “toned,” or “lean” actually means  or you’re ready to reclaim your own definition of strong — this episode will leave you feeling informed, empowered, and inspired to own your goals. 

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Transcript

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Welcome back to Strength in Numbers. I'm your host, Katie, and today I am so excited to bring back one of my favorite guests, my friend, my fellow tonal friend, and a personal trainer, Leah. The first time we had her on, we talked a lot about lifting weights and getting stronger, but today we are gonna dive really deep into that. We are going to dive deep into the female voice in training, how it's evolving, what still needs to change, and how women can feel more confident navigating the world of fitness and muscle building from decoding the language of training programs to leaning to trust your body and your goals. This episode is all about helping women take up space, lift heavy, and find their voice in the process. So let's get into it. Welcome, Leah. Thank you, Katie. How are you? I'm good. I am so ready for today's conversation. I'm excited. You're so ready to talk about muscle programming and, uh, lifting heavy stuff, right? To chat about all my favorite things with one of my favorite people. Yeah, I'm psyched. Okay, so let's, let's get into some of the lingo that sometimes that women are trying to navigate in the fitness world, as I've experienced it in early in my training, that kind of. I would say caused issues. You know, I, you know, had an ed. So a lot of times when it comes to the language that is sometimes out there, it kind of can give women either that, oh, I wanted that, or oh my gosh, bulk, you know, the bulky word that we always hear. Right? Yeah. So as somebody, so that somebody that as like you per, you train people in the public and, um, you know, now you're gonna be starting to do, you know, online programming. What is something that, how you personally navigate going against some of these lingo terms that cut sometimes can be harmful to, especially women in the fitness industry? I hear this all the time now, and I, I feel for women because I know you and I started off as all of these women that we're now helping, it can be really overwhelming and confusing because a lot of the lingo out there in the fitness industry, it doesn't make sense. Like one of the terms we're hearing a lot lately is build long, lean muscle, and there's so much more that goes into that. You build leanness in the kitchen with what you eat. You can't build lean muscle. You just build muscle. So right away that's teaching women that like, oh, I have to do this certain type of workout so that I can have my muscle look long and lean, and that's just not how it works. So. It's a big pet peeve of mine when I hear these misleading terms in the fitness industry because people are going to chase something that isn't possible. So like with me personally, the first thing I do, even with clients at the gym, these are my group fitness clients, you have to come 15 minutes early to that first class. Before you and I work together. We're gonna have a 30 minute conversation because I'm gonna let you speak, and then I'm gonna learn what you've been exposed to and what you're expecting. So if someone comes to me, a lot of times I hear the very first conversation. 80% of the time, the woman will tell me she wants to get toned. Why? Because that's what she's hearing out there. That's the look that she sees and she's going for, and that's why I'm so happy we're sitting down today because it is confusing. I've spent the last decade plus of my life studying the nitty gritty of all this stuff. And it's, it's overwhelming. And when we have people in charge, these big famous trainers that are telling you, you know, this is going to build long, lean muscle, it's confusing. So let's, let's break that down today. Yeah. It's very confusing. And I think for like a lot of women that grew up in like our age bracket from, you know, the nineties, how, how detrimental what we saw in a TV in on TV that they would say like, yeah, a woman is like, who was it Jessica Simpson that like all the time was considered. Overweight and she's like a normal sized woman. And I Oh, it was harsh in our times. Yeah. Yes. And I think, I think now, like I had said, I think it's, it's should be more mindful of terminology. A hundred percent used when describing, you know, either a program that somebody's doing or a goal, or like for me, I would never wanna be called lean. Like you call me lean, I'm with Joe, you're calling me small, you know? And that's important too, because it's interpreted different ways and I think when you hear that word lean people take it in very different ways. Some people take that to mean thin. Mm-hmm. Some people take that to mean like your muscle is popping and showing. So again, like it would be so nice to have a more uniform terminology that was clear. So. Right, right. And I think like sometimes when it says like, you're gaining lean muscle, I think the, the, like, it needs another connotation with it. There you go.'cause you can't gain lean muscle. You can gain muscle and you can do a body recon program where you're working in different moves that are going to help you burn the fat that are gonna help you get the heart rate up. So I love getting into the nitty gritty of how these things actually work because it becomes less overwhelming. You start to understand, oh, that's what they mean when they say this term. Right?'cause I think sometimes when they think, oh, you know, my goal is just lean muscle mass, and I'm just like, come here it is, you're, you're in a calorie deficit to show the muscle that you built, quote unquote, the most important part of that, that that needs to be. Nailed is the muscle you have built to shine. Exactly, yes. So you have to have this muscle in order to reveal it. And there's the old school way that works. It's worked for, I don't even know long before I got into this industry, but there's good old bulking and cutting. It's as old as time and there's better ways to do it, and we figured out other ways to do it. But the bulking is putting on the muscle and the cutting is revealing the muscle. So those things work together. You need them both. So are you going to get bulky in a bulk kind of the point. Then you reveal it in the cut. So can you build long, lean muscle through a bulk in cut still? No, because that doesn't exist. But you can build muscle in the bulk and reveal it in the cut and get that aesthetic you're going for. Correct. And those cuts, I think sometimes, especially women stay in them way too long. Like I think they're so, like, they get so driven by that, um, you know, that idea of look, that they're like, oh my gosh, if I make myself the smallest self, I will see. All the muscle and but at at the same time, you know, flip it on its head and be like, well if you build larger muscles, that cut that you have to go on is so minuscule because you have more muscle to show and then you burn more fat because that muscle becomes, guess what ladies? Your engine, you'll burn fat. Yes. I'm like chomping at the bits to say exactly what you said as you're speaking.'cause I'm like, that is the secret sauce. And again, this is why like, I never, like when women come to me and they say these things, I'm never like, I don't cringe because I totally get it. I was where you were. I was chasing skinny for a long time and I was doing that the wrong way. And when I stopped chasing skinny and started chaing strength. Guess what I got lean by, right? Because that muscle is a calorie burning machine. And I think a lot of people don't understand that a lot of that menopausal weight gain that we start gaining in perimenopause, correct. It's just a lot of muscle that we've lost over the years, and that's slowing down our metabolism. So we have to put that muscle back on our bones for bone density too. So like, and I'm someone who likes Pilates, by the way. I think Pilates is great and it has its place. Correct. But if your priority is some kind of training that isn't putting muscle on your body, then you're not strengthening your bones. You're not helping your metabolism get back where it was in your twenties and thirties, and you're not going to get those long-term results you want. So the best way to get lean is to build muscle. Correct. But it is the first step in a long process. And that's what people have to just be ready and know. This is not an overnight thing. If you want overnight results, they're not gonna last. No, and I think like with some, like what I think with Shelby that made a reel that she talked about, kind of like, like how she does everything. You know, everything has Yes, yes, yes, yes. Everything has its purpose. It's not a mm-hmm. One size fits all. But, but I think sometimes those lines get crossed and the, the, the, like the voices that are in the fitness industry that are, you know, really pro runners or pro Pilates or pro, you know, like me, I'm strength training. You know, I think sometimes that it's. It gets to the point where they're trying to think that you can do one thing and it's going to, you know, be that perfect little package. But it really isn't because I do yoga. Yoga for me works well with my strength training because it helps keep my bones, my flexibility, my uh, you know, hips, feeling healthy, my wrists, you know, from lifting heavy. You know, it's very beneficial for me to do yoga. Would I do yoga all the time? No, because it's an, it, it, it adds to my strength training. It's not a one or all, it just adds two. And I think sometimes, you know, especially with like, you know, Pilates, I think sometimes it's like they, sometimes people get, well, I'm going to only do Pilates because I don't wanna get bulky because for some reason, I don't know why, but some, you know, influencers, you know, that are Pilates, print people, I almost said Princess. That, that they, um, they add that whole, well, you're not gonna get bulky. And I, and I don't like that. Like I don't want theme. I, I don't like that kind of like connection because that's gonna deter women from do, like you said. That's my fear, that it's gonna deter you from doing what's really going to help you stay healthy in the long run. So like you said, I'm so happy that you brought that up. You're adding yoga because it makes your strength training better. That's kind of the whole point. So if you stay in one lane, if you're a runner, but all you ever do is running, you're missing out on being the best runner you can be, because those different modalities are only going to make you a stronger runner. And you love strength training and you understand that yoga is going to help you get the most out of your lifts because if you're not mobile, you're limiting your. Mm-hmm. So I'm like you where strength training is my number one jam. I wanna be strong. I love being that sneaky little ninja. I look small, but I can lift and I can move. And my favorite thing is when people don't know that about me and they find it out. But I, I got sleeper bill babies. Yeah. Like I, because I don't just do the one thing, I've never just done the one thing. I understand how everything works together and it makes everything better. So my mobility work makes me better in yoga. It makes me a better lifter. It helps me feel good when I wake up in the morning. I don't want like you strength training at the same time. It is the top of that pyramid. But if you just do that, you're gonna wake up and not feel great. You're not gonna be able to move your body very well. You're gonna stiffen up. It all works together. That's why I like when voices, you know, like Shelby and Voices, you know, Joe and Akeem and actually, you know, pretty much all the coaches on tonal that you, you know, all the muscle in the world doesn't mean anything if you can't move. Exactly. And that is something that had, like, Hakeem said it in a class and I was like, because I look at, you know, Joe and Hakeem are big men, you know, and for how mobile they are, you know, that is so beautifully and that doesn't come from just retraining. Right, right. And that comes from, you know, Joe doing yoga and Akeem doing yoga and you know, Akeem is like, like he, he is such a, like a great representation of being, you know, and Joe very muscular, and Tim, you know, Tim does kettlebells and a lot of conditioning stuff as well. So it's that really good like thing that women need to see. And that's one thing that, like I know you and I have talked about is that, you know, coach t our love of Coach t. We love us, you know, that her take the wheel for muscle building mommies. Yes. You know, and since she did that next level strength and that was, and that's one of my all time favorite programs on Tonal that was so beautifully written. Like, I think I left love notes everywhere to that program because it was just, it was a work of art. And I think we need, like, we need more of that. Yes. I feel for women. But we can have, we can have the yoga world, we can have the runners, you know, like Casey, that is a huge strength trainer. Huge on power. And you know, running is her, like you said, top of the pyramid for her. But she has the strength training right underneath it and mobility. And she wants to stay healthy and the breath work, like she knows And the breath work, right? Yeah. And she trains smart. And really like the, the hiring committee, I've said it before and I will say it again. They knocked it outta the park with this coaching team because they are all just phenomenal athletes and they're so knowledgeable. They have. So much wealth and knowledge to share with the community, and I'd love to see them do it more. Yes, I would def yeah, because I remember when first time in, you know, on the, you know, OTC when the coaches were very, very, you know, doing ask questions and stuff like that. Mm-hmm. They were very vocal on their training and their expertise, and I'm hoping that some of that like comes back hopefully in the, you know, I know with the holidays things are crazy, but hopefully in the next year they kind of get back to putting those coaches out there talking about, you know, stuff like how Joe used to talk about how, you know, at some point, I think it was at the tonal live that we were at, where Joe talked about at some point women need to focus more on building the muscle. Versus losing weight because at some point your health is dependent on that muscle. Exactly. That's why, because for longevity, for long-term health, for using these wonderful one and only bodies we have for our entire life, we have to fuel ourselves and work our bodies in a way that we're still gonna be able to move in our seventies and eighties and enjoy life. Like I don't want us have to say no and just watch the world from afar because my body's not doing what I need it to do. And I see people even struggling, getting up, struggling walking. I don't wanna end up there. We have like this one precious life I wanna enjoy every last day of it. And that's what motivates my training when I'm not in the mood. I picture Leah at 80 and I'm like, I want Leah at Leah 80 climbing mountains teaching yoga classes. Like right. Super active. Watching the grandkids and playing more with them than my own kids are. Like, that's where I wanna be in 40 years. So I'm training to be there in 40 years and it takes that modalities and I think that conversation needs, you know, it seems like with fitness it's always, it's like a, it's, the conversation is always evolving and you know, it's from, you know, take up space and then it's, you know, then we go back to, you know, doing the whole small thing and, you know, putting muscle on the back burner. Then muscle's important, and then it's like, well, you know what, you know, the, the which get what kind of gets me is like with Pilates is. Like I loath doing core work. I just don't like it. That's fair. That's fair. In fact, like that's important to know because guess what? You don't have to do the stuff you hate. There's so, you know, different ways to do everything that like, you don't like doing specific core work, then you do the sneaky core work. You get the core in different ways and that is perfectly fine. And I'm the same way by the way, I get my core and animal flow and doing like crazy mobility because that's fun for me. And doing a lot of crunches just isn't. So I don't do that. And I think that's like with like sometimes when it comes to like hype of stuff, you know, everybody gets excited. And that's the same thing with like programs is is that for me, like since training in phase, and I don't know if you can, you know, with you with your personal training is that it's hard to go against the grain when the outside noise is so loud. You know, when you feel like, when you're questioning what you are doing because everything else is so loud at the moment and you're just like, well wait a second, should I be doing that? Is that the right thing for me to be doing? And it's like you almost start questioning yourself and you know, I'm sure other women feel the same way, is like, okay, well you know, this is being put up on a pedestal now. Should I be doing everything else that everybody else is doing? You gotta remember on Instagram, TikTok, people are chasing those likes, and how they get them is by doing something a little out there. They can't say like, oh, this old traditional stuff is actually great and works really well because it's not gonna get them the attention that they need. It's not gonna get them the engagement they need. They have to say, it's like the same formula. You see it exactly the same over and over again. They demonize something and they tell you not to this and that or that one move. This one move is gonna change every, no, it's not, there's not, there's no one move that you've been missing and is gonna change everything. So like, no, just scroll. Okay, just, just click bait. It's just clickbait. It's, and like what we were talking about, like with Shelby's Real, like Shelby's, like, I'm not gonna demonize Pilates. You know, I'm not gonna jump on the bandwagon of, I'm not gonna demonize anything, because guess what? It's all great. Movement is great. Sometimes we really do get to the point where we just overthink all of this. And the point is, sometimes you're just really busy and you're not doing anything. And then you look at all of this and it can get super overwhelming. And if you go for a walk a day, that's great, right? If you're doing just Pilates, guess what? That's okay. But do you wanna be your best later on in life? Then you do wanna put a little more thought into it. And that's why people like me have jobs because you don't have to worry about it. I'll worry about it for you. You tell me your goals. I'm still gonna slip in some other things, but like, that's it. That's my favorite thing in the world to do is to learn what you want your life to look like and help you get there. Like I think it's just like, almost like looking at a nutrition label. You want that nutrition label, to be honest. Like how you are going to Yes you do. It's not helping you other, it's not helping you, helping you 200 calories, then it's really 300 that is not helping you. Correct. So, you know, you need to get rid of that noise'cause it's just doing a lot more damage than helping you and confusing you. And yeah, we need more like good tonal talks again, because the community was getting so smart and I loved it. And I loved being a part of that. Me too. And now it's like I see a shift. I see a shift. I've like, I've like, I can't tell you how many times like I've. Like sent emails to like tonal.'cause they give this like, for like at the end of the emails and I'll like send stuff back and I'm just like, oh my God. You know? It's like my success and how my mindset shifted was because of those coaches and their words and what they said. Because I took what they said and I applied it. I trusted them and I applied it. And I would never be where I'm at without their guidance because I came from like where you were. I mean, I was 115 pounds when I started on tonal. That's crazy. Because like at my, and I'm like half your height, I was 115 pounds. And I, and I think like, that's why I sh like I, I always share about my story. It's because, you know, people talk about my arms or they talk about my back and I'm like, ladies, this is how I, this is how I did. I'm not gatekeeping anything. I'm not, I'm not doing anything shady. I'm like, the, literally, this is how I did it. I love, that's the way, and I appreciate that so much about you, how you're really out there and you're sharing how you accomplish what you accomplish because then people are really learning from you. And that's, that's what matters, is like a proper education instead of a TikTok education. Right. Because I don't, I don't want, because I, I never had a woman to, I mean, yes, I saw Joe's story and I was inspired by his story, but he's a bro. Okay. He's a dude. It's, it's a lot easier for him. Don't let him know that I said that. Hopefully he doesn't hear it. Cut it out. Cut it out. I didn't say it, but it Fermented is building muscle is. It, it, it comes a little easier than it is for women. You know? It is, it's genetic. They have more testosterone. It's that simple. Right. But like, you're not wrong. But it doesn't, what I love is that it doesn't mean it cannot happen for us too. We just have to work a little harder at it. But we can get just as strong ish. Right. And that, and that's my whole thing. Like when I'm show, when I show stuff, I'm like, it is possible. Look where I started 115 pounds to to now I'm 154 pounds. And I, and I'm sorry, but Katie, you're still not bulky. I'm, I know you're like trying, like you're trying really hard, but it's hard to get bulky. Trying so hard. That's what I'm saying. I'm like, I'm waiting for the day to happen that somebody's like, gosh, Katie, you are so bulky. I'm just like, yes, there is one part of me. I'd love to be bulky. We all know it. Okay. I've been trying so hard to get bulky. It is like that's another thing, and you know when. People ask how I did it, and I tell them, I was like, you know, it's a little, it's a lot of work. It's a little, it's, well, there's a, there's a secret. There's a secret. Oh, do you share? I, yes. That's not a yes. That's what it sees. But that's what people forget. Like that bulkier, that lean word we hear so often. That's diet. That's not happening in your workouts, my friends. Okay. But you know what will happen? This is why it's so hard to get bulky. This is what a lot of people don't under, they're so afraid of getting bulky. It's like, that is so adorable. Like, right, right.'cause the more muscle you put on, the faster your metabolism, metabolism is. So it's harder and harder to keep the weight on. So it's hard. Like the more you're trying to get bulky, the harder it is to actually be bulky. Because when I stopped, finally stopped caring about losing weight and being skinny, and I just wanted to be strong, strong. I started getting skinny and I was like, wait a second. I finally like put that aside and gave up on that journey for myself and like, here I am the size I've always wanted to be kind of by accident. Yeah. And I think that's so true because it is, yeah. Like I tell people all the time, I was like, you don't understand how hard it is Yes. To gain weight. Exactly. And you have to eat till like, you do not wanna eat anymore until you stop enjoying food. To keep that weight on it is not easy because your muscles, it's so hard eating it all up hard. Your muscle wants that protein, it wants those carbs, which I love because I love carbs and I'm very happy to feed my muscles all the carbs it once. And I think that's like important, like, you know, kind of like for more women to share that, like what you just said. Yeah.'cause it, it, it is important that women know, you know, when people say the word bulky to you or they say the word, you know, you don't wanna look like a man, you know, and all this other stuff. Oh, that makes me not that way. I'm trying so hard. Like I, I, yes, I did 250 pounds. I can bench over a hundred pounds. Girl, if you can't do 10 pushups off your knees, don't worry. You are not going to look like a man. No.'cause I think sometimes these women that they're so afraid to either, you know, train chest, train arms, you know, train back. All they wanna do is legs. And they don't, they're like, oh, I, well I don't wanna look like a man in my arms. I'm like, dude, I can do over a hundred pushups. And I, I don't feel like I look like a man. Same girls seem, do. I mean, well, we're not gonna show it I look like, but like, no, I very much don't look like a man. And what makes me mad, I get all the time from people in real life. They're like, careful, you're gonna look like a man.'cause they see me lift what I lift. And they're like, oh, you're starting to get very muscular. And I'm like, that's adorable. As soon as I'm done lifting, I'm gonna look like I never picked up a weight. It's hard, and it's just like, I, I don't, I don't appreciate people telling me how I should look. Right. That's irk for me, right? Like, I'm gonna do what I want because it's my life. Right. And I feel like, you know, that that has a lot to do with like society and how like they, you know, women should be and look and, you know, it kind of like for, for, I don't know what reason, but why women's bodies are trends are, is beyond me. Um, so frustrating. Feels like it changes all the time. Like, I felt like we were kind of going in the right direction where it was, you know, take up space, you know, be your strongest self and you know, it, it seems like it flip flops. Well, that's all the time. That's the trends. Exactly. Because it was a trend and now we're trending back in a very dangerous direction where we grew up. And it's just like, it's hard because as a woman you could become so fixated, like I know so many women and I was one of them. You spend so much of your time, you're wasting so much time on energy and your appearance instead of just like a. Enjoying your life to the fullest, and it's literally in your way. Like you cannot have a good time because you're not happy with how you look. Right. And that's why I, I don't wanna hear men tell us how we're supposed to look. That is not business. That is not for you to decide. It's not for another woman to decide either. It's for you and yourself, and that is it. And no one else has the business to tell you how you should look. You know? Because like, you know, being at 115 pounds, I was my most unhealthiest self. I was exercising a lot, I was doing a lot of, a lot of everything. And I was 115 pounds. And the damage that I did to my gut, my, uh, just my whole body in general for abusing it for so many years because nobody was honest with me. What I was doing was never gonna get me there. And I think that's what hurts me the most. And I, and I don't know if women. You know, I hope that, that there's someday that they feel this, that like, if people are not being honest with you on how you want to either A, achieve your goals, be healthy, what, what you should and need to prioritize as like us, as we're getting up in age and going through the change of life and stuff like that, what is going to help you longevity wise? What do you need to prioritize now? Like I, it hurts me so bad that for like six years there was like, like no, like no one ever said, you know, because I didn't know what I was doing. Aaron certainly isn't a trainer. He doesn't know anything about exercise. He thought I knew what I, what I was doing and not one person said, looking at me being 115 pounds and said. Damn that Katie, that's really not healthy. But I had abs though. You could see my abs. And that's, and that's what like, and, and it was like what led driver and that's what, that was healthy. Yeah. I mean, seeing abs, that just means that your body fat is very, very low. That's what seeing abs means or you know, we all have different body compositions. Some people, their skinniest still will never see abs and some people a little heavier wool. And it's just, that's the problem with comparing yourself to someone else. And even if you train exactly like them, you're not going to look exactly like them Genetically, we're all just built so differently. We're gonna respond to different modalities differently. Some people put on muscle really easily and some don. Right. And that was kind of like, uh, rock did this whole Dwayne, the Johnson Rock mm-hmm. Talked about like how he would never have abs because hi, his genetics, like his dad didn't have abs. And then the rock, you look at him, he doesn't have like really visual etched out abs. Does that mean the rock is not strong? Yeah, there's a lot more to it than abs and that, and again, this is part of education because you know, you just. Like the image and the words out there don't always align with the truth. Like you said, like I had three personal trainers before I became certified, and they were, I won't name names, but they did not know what they were talking about. Okay. It's not that hard to get certified. Right. The trick is to keep educating yourself once you're certified. So like, there's plenty of trainers, even like, forget influencers and your friends, like, there's a lot of trainers that are really misguiding people. Right. And I think, and I think that's, IM like, it's so important to have that honest ear, that honest person in your ear. Because when I first started training with Joe and, um, I start, I think it was in Divide and Conquer, I wanna level up that I was in that program and I remember messaging him saying, I'm feeling fluffy. And I, you know, that, that, because you know, that small, that like, oh my gosh, I'm ga I'm gaining weight. Oh my gosh, I'm, I'm going to, you know that the thoughts that go through our brains. And he's like, that needs to happen. Like for you to build muscle, you're, you're gonna feel fluffy. He's like, that's when you switch up your phase to cut that, that's gonna burn more. And then long and behold, yeah, there's that muscle that you were building in that hypertrophy phase. And I think that's the biggest hurdle when it, for me, that I see when it comes to, you know, when I talk to women about strength training and building muscle is getting through that wall of saying, you're, you're gonna feel fluffy, honey. It's, it's fine. It's totally fine. You're gonna, you're just gonna feel a little fluff. Fluff. But we, you switch the phase. That's why we have phases. Yeah. And if you stick in the same phase for a really long time, you're going to lose benefits like. Yep. That's part of training. And you could have a specific goal, but you're still gonna have to alter those phases a little. And that's where all those different,'cause I have a lot of people and when I break down, like all the things you really wanna do, they're like, that's a lot. How do I, you don't do it all at the same time. Right. That would be really hard. There is not no time in the day, like I'm a huge person on focusing at one thing at a time. Mm-hmm. Like my brain cannot handle multiple things at once. Like tell me like, one thing that I'm gonna be focusing on this program, like what is the one thing that is the goal there? Yes to that is going to be our, you know, something that is going to, you know, be successful of the program that we are going towards. Because I can't do the multi thing. That's what, that's what you're saying is true. Like even when it comes to strength alone, and my only goal is strength, I still cannot strengthen every single muscle in my body at the same time. That's too much wear and tear. That's over training, right? So when I'm in my strength phases, which are my favorite, and I'll own it, I spend too long there. But I do visit my other friends, but I have a priority. Like I will focus in on three muscles at a time, and the rest are in maintenance because I know my body and I know my little joints don't love to be pushed that hard and I have to really prioritize. So right now it's just back and booty. I just came outta always. But now, now legs is and maintenance. But like, let's be honest, there's always gonna be, they're always legs. There's always legs I share, uh, it'll be arms and booty or chest and back and booty, but now it's chest and back and booty. So what's So I can do it all at the same time? That's just not, that's too much. Right. So what's one thing that you would say? Let's just say it's me and I am like flipping out over, you know, I, I'm second guessing what I'm doing. I'm second guessing, you know, what my goals should be and I'm afraid of like putting weight on size on. And how would you like address that person that is questioning themselves? That person is literally every person I know. Except for maybe you and me, so, well, the first, you just gotta break it down. That's part of this whole thing being feeling very overwhelming, which it can be if you're trying to do a hundred things at once. So we gotta start focusing in on something smaller. What is your big goal? Is it aesthetics? Is it racing, running a race? Is it you wanna be able to do a pushup? Is it lifting your kid over your head? Like, what is that one first big goal? Let's, let's focus in on that. Let's get rid of all of the noise. And you have to say like, like if I were to ask you right now, what is your biggest fitness goal right now? To bench old Katie at 115 pounds old Katie. So then you just right there told me everything I need to know. We're gonna forget about the weight for a little bit. You can talk to a nutritionist, you know, you can work on that. We're gonna focus on making sure you get enough protein so you can bench old Katie. And we're gonna aim with these workouts. We're going to focus in on strength, on that chest stress, but not just chest. We're gonna also focus in on the triceps that are gonna help you. You're gonna have to work some quads because you're gonna have to dig those feet into the floor. So right away you told me what I'm prioritizing now in your programming. And then we're also gonna work on the mobility. The mobility that's gonna help you drive those elbows back into the floor to shoulders that are gonna push it up powerfully. That's all I need to know. I need to know your big goal. And that's where we start. And guess what? It's gonna change. Right. Of course we're gonna change the programming, but that's it. Like, that's what you have to focus on and not get overwhelmed. You have to say, this is my biggest goal right now. Tell me the other priorities. Sure, we'll get to all of that, but that's it. You gotta focus in on that one thing and then make sure you're taking care of the body as a whole. So what do you think is the biggest myth that women sometimes hear, uh, in the fitness industry of the, like, strength training in general? Lifting heavy is gonna make you bulky when it's the polar opposite, because my fear is, and even today I was having a conversation with someone in my class and she's like, we were talking about joint health. And she's like, yeah, that's why I stopped lifting heavy. And I pick up lighter weights now and do more reps, and I'm like, Hmm. Let's chat because what I think a lot of people don't understand, I totally get it. You see pushing very heavy weight, being taxing on the joints and you're not wrong, except at the same time, the heavier that weight is, that's when you start strengthening your bones. That's when you're building that bone density. It's not gonna come from the lightweights, and that's why you're always gonna need more than Pilates and body weight. Right? It's just you've got, especially as an older woman, I'm not saying you have to do it every day, you know, but you're going to have to lift heavy a little bit. It's important for your joint health, it's important for your bone health. It's important to build back that muscle. We're losing. It doesn't have to be all you do. It can be a very small piece of what you do, but we all need it. And I think it's important. Like what we, we have been doing in our accountability group is I think the intimidation of lifting heavier, especially with women, that they're going to hurt themselves. Or chat about that. No, I'm serious. I'm like, this is like if you train with me, this is such a big thing because it breaks my heart when I see people get injured and it's just education. You can lift that heavy weight safely when you do it right. But you don't just grab that heavy weight and throw it over your head. That's how you get hurt. Right? Believe it or not, it's the lighter weight for like extensive reps. That's that wear and tear on the joints. But what you said there is workarounds. You have to have that proper warmup, not a one minute warmup, not going on the treadmill for five minutes. What are you working, if you're working shoulders, you gotta warm up that shoulder joint properly through mobility. Mm-hmm. And you. Mm-hmm. My favorite thing, like, it's not really a thing, but it's what I do in my training is I call it ramp up sets. So if we're going to be pressing 25 pounds on your shoulders, right? And you're a little lady like me, I am five two. I've not been 120 pounds, like I gotta warm that joint up. I can't just go pick that 25 up. I do a set with 10. I do a set with 18, and then I do a set with 25. And those first two sets are my warmup sets. If I have enough time, I'll do three. That's what I call a ramp up set. I have like a third of what I'll be lifting about half of what I'll be lifting, three quarters of what I'll be lifting. That's all my warmup and that's keeping my joints protected. When I go pick up that super heavy weight, I do it for all my big lifts and I would never, and I think pick it up. Yeah. And I, because I think with like, and that's kind of like I said with, with what we've been talking about in our group. Is, you know, help supporting people with lifting heavier and feeling confident in doing so. Yeah. And because I think having that open space to like ask questions, you know, about form or about, you know, doing something different because everybody's, every body body is different when it comes to walking up to tonal. Like you and I have talked about with being connected to tonal versus not being connected to tonal. How sometimes, you know, the form is trickier than it is if you were just picking up a dumbbell. Mm-hmm. Um, so, so I feel like taking that aspect of being in, you know, kind of like our little private space hub that, you know, people can post a question and be like, okay, how's this for my form and blah, blah, blah. Or like, what I've been doing with somebody that I've been helping, Amy is. If you are not feeling the muscle engaged in this move, let's, let's, let's do something. Let's figure it out. Let's change it. Let's move your body a different way and get that muscle to activate. Because I am, like I had talked about earlier, I am not a person that will just go through the motions. I don't have, I don't have any desire to do that. I, I, I want the muscle to work like my, my glutes on Tuesday on a class that I was taking, literally slept through the whole class. They were sleepy. Sleep. Yeah. They love, they're so lazy. They're love to just sit it out and pass it on. Lazy. They're like, I don't wanna, they're so lazy. Yes, a hundred percent. So I think, you know, it's almost like, you know, with me going through my personal training thing and then like how I attack each class and program with Joe is I kind of put that personal training hat on and that I take this as a personal training session. And I think a lot of people should look at programs and classes as such. Because if you're doing a move, let's just just use the hip thrust. Okay? And you take that class and all you felt were your quads, like your glutes just did not show up well, your feet weren't in the right place. Then if all you feel is your quads, I guess it all the time, like my, my glutes just don't like hip thrust. I don't know why. Well, it's always form first. I mean all, everything I'm saying is assuming your form is perfect, because until you get that form done, you have no business picking up anything heavy. Yeah. So that's always number one. And the programs like if you're listening to this and you have a tonal, those beginner programs are absolute gold. They break down that form so beautifully. Even if you're not a beginner, like even now, sometimes I like beginner programs because Me too. I like these little reminders and there's little things I've forgotten. I'm like, you know what? I feel that more now, like I need School of Gains to be a trilogy. Like I need School of Gains to like just like be like a long, like there's so room there, especially with how it was programmed. Like you can make a part two that really focuses on different muscles and I'd love to see it. Like elementary, middle school, high school. Yes. Let's ask me, let's go off to grad school. I love that idea. Right. And then like, then go for your doctorate. And Joe just goes, absolutely boners. Yes. I love this idea. Let's do it. Let's go through the whole school process all over again for fitness. Be like you. I agree. I agree. Going back, even as like, I still see myself as an intermediate lifter because there's still so much I need to learn, but I find so much value in going back to those beginner programs, dialing the volume down, just fo doing what? Just to make the body feel good and focus on those form stuff. Because I think sometimes, you know, we get used to our bodies being fatigued and we start doing all these heavy volume programs and the form goes, I mean, as, as, as strong as we wanna think that we are there. There, there's times when that form goes and you pick up those bad habits. You carry it on from program to program. So I, I like hundred percent. Yeah. That's why I think I, me personally, and this probably is too much, but it depends on your goal. Every other month I'm in strength. I like, that's too much. I like to like really hone in the form. That's my biggest goal. I wanna be strong. Size is a great bonus. Endurance is a great bonus, but like, that's my number one priority when I start, when I first started training in phases, I did three intensification phases. I did power build one, power build two, and then power build again. I did, I did three months of intensification. I love that. I, I love strength with a little power on the side that is just, and I think it, and like you, it's, it's, you can like play around with it because like you said, your goals will change. And I never want my body to get used to a stimulus because the way I train, I love, love. The way I train. So I don't want my body to be like, you know what, that's not gonna work for us anymore because I'll be like, devastated. No, it's just like, well, you'll know because you're, you've, you've been in it long enough at this point. When you stay in one phase for too long, you're just gonna plateau. Like nothing terrible is gonna happen. You're just, you're not gonna get the most benefit.'cause you've kind of taken that phase as far as you can go. And that's again, what we said with the different modalities. So now you have to focus in on other things to make that next phase better. Yeah, because I think like sometimes when, you know,'cause I remember like on tonal, like when we were talking about how they had the, the coach chats like, it, it was all like, for a while it was always talking about like phase training and um, you know, repeating programs were like a good thing. And, um, you know, it, it's, as much as I, like I say this all the time and Erin laughs at me. I'm like, as much as I really hoped that tonal would just totally program for me, save girl, save, because I love working out with the coaches. I really do. But like when the programming's not right for me, it's not going to work. It hurts. I'm all by myself. It pulls. It pulls at my heartstrings every time and I like, I hope the coaches know, I'm just gonna say this'cause I don't know if the coaches listen to my podcast, but I just want you to know how badly my heart aches every single time that I can't do a challenge or whatever because it just doesn't, it's not what I need. It's the same, like I get so much joy in those challenge groups. Like I, I'm obsessed with Tonal for reason. I love these coaches, I love these members. This community is unmatched. Like I genuinely love them so much. Mm-hmm. That like I want to, I wanna be a part of that challenge group, but it's not the right fit for me. Most of the time I have to be better. See it almost, I mean, I don't know if it would be like too much, but it would almost be like having, like when they do monthly challenge, have a get lean challenge and have a muscle building challenge. Oh, oh, I love this. Did, I'm sorry. Did you say could, can we, that a great idea. I really think you did. Why? There's so many coaches and there's so many We could do two at the same time. You could do, I love it could be a get lean challenge and it could even be one of the older programs. Like, it doesn't have to be a new program, but it would give people the opportunity that are muscle building or, you know, that their goals are getting That is so fair because we're not always in the same phase at the same time. You know, because there's, and that's like, there's more get lean challenges than there are muscle building challenges, you know, there, there's a lot of'em. And like, I just, I just wish that they kind of like, like I said, did both to give more people opportunities to, to be involved in the challenges.'cause I've never done a challenge in three and a half years. Oh, that was me for a very long time. I only did my first challenge like a year or so ago. So my first three years on tonal, I was just doing my own thing and then I discovered the OTC and all of y'all. And I just like wanna play with my friends and it's very hard to, it is, and that's, and I think for like, when we talk, talking about like for women in the, the, the, uh, challenge thing because it does, it helps them be consistent. It helps them to have people comradery and that whole like, support system is there on Facebook and stuff like that. And you know, I think if they gave both options, you know, yeah, you have your people that have, get lean goals, but then, you know, you could also cater to those people that have the muscle building and they might be more apt to take the muscle building classes to, to build the muscle because they have another option instead of just doing get leans all the time. Wait, I got an idea with that. This is what I wanted tonal to do. I want tonal to really put some thought into 2026. We have these challenges every month, right? What if they game planned that these phases were naturally built into the challenges? Because there's a lot of people that take challenge to challenge and they don't always make sense training, right? I swear like this would be such a game changer. Let's do, that's such a game changer. Let's do some solid training. Let's have our strength phase, our hypertrophy. Let's do it all in a way that makes sense. And you can follow those challenge groups all year long like so many people do, and they're gonna come outta that year, the best athlete they've ever been. And then have the deload, have she, yes. Have that all built in. Like, let's, let's think big. That's, that's what I'm all, let's now 12 months. This is my whole mo like, okay, not these little bits. Like I told people, like when I first started training, you know, like you have someone, they wanna get arms for a wedding, they wanna abs for summer. And I'm like, yeah, I got you. No, I don't do that shit anymore. I hope we can curse it. I love that idea because it's long term baby. I love that idea. Why can't that happen? It should happen. Yeah. Because you could, I mean, you could have all your phases, you could have, you know, your intensification, your strength phase. You could do a, you know, hypertrophy phase then, then your, um, you could do your, you could even do a functional one if you wanted to. And then a, uh, accumulation and then go start back again in intensification again. I think like, I, I, we think a lot of different ways to make it work too. Yeah. Like you could play around with the, the, the, you know, the order of the phases, but I mean that would get people not taking like five get lis in a row. Yeah. It would take all the randomness out of the training, which is kind of why you end up staying the same. So it's just like when you have a chance to like really hone in and build your body up properly sequentially. Mm-hmm. Oh, that's when the magic happens. Now I have a que'cause I've never taken a get lean program. Um, how does that, can, can, let's see. When they talk about, like, get leans, is that like the body recons like they're talking about like you can lose fat and. Build muscle or is it only That's a great question. I, I really would have to look at the programming'cause I, when I hear,'cause their definition of get lean is very different than mine. When you tell me you wanna get lean, my brain goes, oh, let's build some muscle. Muscle. You get long term, but I think theirs is more like either body recomp or we're gonna go into those longer, like the more strength endurance where that heart rate is up the whole time you're lifting and maybe you're not building the muscle as much like interval training. You're like getting the bigger, yeah, there you go. Okay. Maybe similar and just like more endurance style. When I get too, when I get too much of that, like, uh, con I guess conditioning when it comes to weightlifting, I burn way too much fat. Like I, I like it, it goes so like I, that's why I've never taken a get lean program because I know I would lose too much of the weight that I'm trying to put on. So I've always wondered if like the get lean, um, you know, is it, could it be, you know, more geared towards body recomp than, versus like interval training? Like I think it should, I think get leans or get lean should be almost labeled as conditioning and then body recomp something else. Like I, I feel like get lean is too broad of a term. That's what I'll be honest. All I know is that get lean does not mean strength in the tonal world. Like you're not gonna build strength in a get lean program. And ever since I saw the programming that way, I have, when I hear, get lean, I don't even bother looking'cause I know it's not gonna be for me. Right. I always, because I always like, I always like think about, like you said with the get lean. I'm like, gosh, that, well, that could mean like multiple things. That's how they interpret it. Exactly. So when you hear get lean, it's so open interpretation and there's so many different ways to achieve leanness. Like if I say that word, I know I literally lean as aesthetics and everybody's interpretation of aesthetics is different. Like how I see skinny or fat is different than someone else. How I see lean and bulky is different than someone else. Like we all have an image in our head when we hear that word and it's not the same. Mm-hmm. And I think it, like, I, I don't know, like I sometimes, like when we were talking about like the terminology and stuff like that, like I just almost wish that it wasn't like, like just say muscle. Yes. This is my whole issue with the whole industry. It is Just be clear. In a way that everyone interprets the same way because all of this language is just super confusing. It is. It is. And that's why I'm just like, I'm like, yes, just be clear. Like you're going to build muscle or you're going to burn fat. That would be so much clearer than get lean or you're going to build muscle while burning fat. Say that. Like that's what muscle Recomp is, right? And I think like they do both together, but it's just not as efficient. Like I want to build muscle. Like I'm not building lean muscle. I'm building muscle because there's no such thing as lean muscle muscle and by definition is lean, fat is bulk or what? I don't know. Again, this is also an open to interpretation, but muscle is muscle. There's not lean or bulky muscle. It's just muscle. And again, why, I hate to use that word tied with muscle because it just doesn't, it just adds to like, it's almost like it gives me, well, for me,'cause of my history, it gives me the ick. It's an aesthetic look of your muscles, I guess is how I would have to interpret that if you force me to, right? Because it's the appearance. But like Right. Internally it's all exactly the same. Like, like it's like, I think with like programming and to, you know, kind of like entice or to, uh, inspire more women to lift heavy and to build muscle is focus more on like strength and strong terminology. Focus more on, um, you know, longevity, focus more on the aspects that are, are going to improve your life. Um, and you know, it, it's, there's other ways of, uh, you know,'cause a lot of these people in the tonal community, they also run also. They're, yeah, there's a lot of runners. Y'all are weird. I love you, but like, ew, I hate running. I haven't ran in like a long time, so I don't think, I don't think I miss it. Love walking. I think I miss it. Like, no, I just, I don't enjoy running. I really wish I did. Like, people are like, yeah, you just, you gotta get the runners high. I am like, no, I just get cramps. Like I don't get it. So I think with like, when they, when they, the, the, with women, I think using different terminology would help. Yeah. I think, and that's when I start to become like protective mama, bear of the community and just women in general because Right. The language is messed up. I don't like language where it's telling you you're supposed to be smaller because then it makes you, it's not just physically, it starts to get mentally like you feel like you have to shrink yourself in this world and that, no, I want you to be big. I want you to take up space. And that doesn't mean you have to be a big size person. Right. It's just, it's really mental. Right. That language. It affects you mentally as much as physically and it starts telling you to shrink yourself and no stand tall in your two feet. Stand big and proud, whatever size you are. Mm-hmm. Yep. And I think that's what was was like, so changing for me is with like Joe, like I would've thought, like who would've thought. That. How much does Joe weigh? 2 75? 2 65. I don't know a lot. I can lift that man, but I will try one day. He's beefy, he's a big dude. And it took him for me as a woman to be like, wow, I, I can, I can, I can totally do this. And he took, he took all of the, the term, the terminology and noise and he took it out of my ears. And the only, the thing that has stuck with me from training from day one until now is two words be different. I love that. Live your life and be different. And I, and I, and I, and I love that because it can mean so many things and be applied to so many aspects of our lives. Because I think with women, we're always trying to do what everybody else is trying. You know, we are people pleasers. Yes. Women are a lot. That, like what you said, be different, be unique, be you. Right. That's the whole thing. Don't try to be somebody else. Right. That's what messes us up. Don't look at anybody else and try to, but you can say like, I like how they do this. I wanna do that more. I love how they do this X, Y, ZI wanna start doing X, Y, and Z. If that makes you healthier and better, but don't chase somebody else. Okay? You are amazing how you are. You are meant to be who you are. You're not meant to be anybody else. So find out right. What's gonna make you the happiest? What's going to make you your best self? And do that. Don't try to be somebody else.'cause you're not, you never will be. And then you'll never be happy. Right. Because you'll you'll be chasing somebody else's it. Exactly. And you gotta be your own it, right? Because you're the. H at D. Yes. You can say should just the way You're alright. I already did so I'm sorry. You're getting me after classes and I curse a lot in class. Oh my God, you're so funny. I think that's it before the kids get home, but I think that's like for women, we wanna, people please and we wanna, yeah. Feel, feel included. We wanna feel involved. And I think a lot of emotions from women, I think that we are, you know, we get. Too soaked into what everybody else is doing and worrying that we're not involved. And I think that's kind of like what we've done in our accountability group, which I think is important, is everybody is involved. It doesn't matter what your goal is. It doesn't matter what program you're doing, it doesn't matter. We're doing different things, but we're all supporting each other and that's what it's about. We're all supporting each other. And I think that's like so important because it gives women the, the, like I said, what Joe helped me with is silencing that noise and you being like. Okay, well, I love what Katie's doing, but you know what, it's really not my goal. It's not really my cup of tea, but I can do this. But you know what? She can help me with maybe my form and she can help with other things. And Leah, wow, she's really great at strength and programming and asking questions for, I can go to her. You know? And I think that's like so important to have those spaces where it's not so loud and you're not dealing with, oh my gosh, everybody's doing this, so I need to do it. But when you, you're able to, like, that's what you say, like get rid of that noise and get a little internal and find out what do I really want? And when you live like your truest self, you're gonna see like you're, you're going to meet the people that are going to truly support you as your true self. And that's the trick.'cause if you're not yourself, then you're not gonna be surrounded by the right people and you're never gonna feel fully comfortable. So like, it's just. Time to get internal, man. It is. And, and, and that's what like with like yoga has helped me with Shelby is because I'm terrible at it. Like, I, I'm like, I, I, I, it's humorous because I'm like, I don't know what, I joke with Shelby all the time. Like, I don't know what to do with my hands and I don't record myself for a reason. Okay. You see it, I give you so much credit for that. But it's stepping, like even me trying Pilates, like I've never touched anything like that or even thought about doing anything like that. And, you know, just like yoga. Mm-hmm. And it, and it's important to, you know, for, for, you know, like I, I said in our group is showing that doing the uncomfortable things is good because it, it's a good way of showing what you truly like. And what you don't like because it's okay to say something isn't for you. And I think that was another thing that is, is still hard to me sometimes is to this day is saying something isn't for me because I want everything to be for me, like we said, total program. It's hard for me. Yeah. But it's, that's, that's life. Right. We gotta, we gotta find the things that are for us, embrace them, and then know like we can't do everything. That's okay. Yeah. Because getting every trying to do everything and be everything is, is just not the way. And it is okay to say something's not for you and to focus on your goals and what you are going after. And that support system will find you, I promise you. Exactly. That's it. That's it. Because if you're not being your most authentic self, you are never going to be in the right room with the right people. Never because it's, it's, it's gonna be, it's gonna be a, a reflection of somebody else and not yourself. Exactly. And you'll be miserable and you'll never know why you're unhappy. You'll just be deeply unsatisfied. We need more, what is it like genuine, I think is the word. We need more. We need a lot more. Just, just be genuine and just do the things that you're really passionate about. And you know, there, there will be people to support you so you don't have to do everything that everybody else is doing. Or you don't have to love everything that everybody else is doing. You don't have to, your goals don't have to match somebody else's. Um, you know, you can, like, there's a lot of people that are different than me. I don't understand some of the things that they like hundred percent, but I fully support that for them. But doing something that makes you happy, I could not be happier for you. Right. Exactly. I do not care if your trading looks anything like my trading. That's not, in fact, like I'd be a little disappointed'cause I'd be like, is this really what you want? Like, or are you chasing what you think you're supposed to do? All right, so let's wrap this up with one last question. What is one thing coming from your previous, like what you went through in your training, what is something now that you kind of use as maybe a motivator, an inspirational thing that you say to yourself to kind of keep your head going in the right direction? That might help somebody that's listening. Mm. Really it all comes down. I know a big thing people hear is like knowing your why. It's also just like what we said before, knowing your goal and honing in, because we all want a lot of things out of life, but you really have to pick your priority. So focusing on what your priority is right now, you're always gonna have time for one thing. You might not have time for everything. So no matter what's going on on the side, as long as you're focusing on that one priority at a time, and that priority is always gonna change, but then you are always gonna feel accomplished. That's so important is, is feeling that accomplishment. Even the smallest accomplishments. Mm-hmm. Add up over time and become huge. It's just gonna help you stand taller, smile bigger, sleep better. When you feel unaccomplished or you feel like you failed the day, you know, like you're lying there in bed with regret. You wanna go to bed with a happy heart. So even like at the start of your day, like what's gonna make you go to bed that night with a happy heart? You never fail. You never fail if you don't stop trying that. Yeah, and that's the thing also, like I hear people like when they're disappointing themselves. If you showed up that day, you won. Right? Right. We don't have a hundred percent every day. That's okay. No. If you give all you have and you still show up, you won. Period. A hundred per a hundred percent looks different every day. Mm-hmm. And even the best of lifters. Even, you know, the coaches, even you know us, you know, um, you know, everybody there. There's days where the lifts how you feel. Everything is just, it's not, the cards are not gonna be there for you. But you know what? If you show up and you move your body in some kind of way, that is success. Because you did more than somebody that just sat on the couch. Exactly. And that's the problem. Like, when you give up on yourself, it's very hard to build that momentum again. Right? So once you have that momentum, just keep it going. That's literally your only job. Don't quit. Never quit. You show up with what you have. It could be a five minute walk, but you do a little something for your body each day. Maybe you reach for your toes before you go to bed, and that's all you got that day, but you did something. Right. Because the expenditures that we spend out throughout the day, I think a lot of times people don't take that into, into, oh yes, you know what they have done throughout the day. Watch my training. Mm-hmm. I've had people say stuff to me. I'm like, do do, do you realize how much you just like walked around? Like people that go to Disney? Oh, yes. Like, you don't, like, that's like when you skip the gym because like you're getting plenty of that. You're getting plenty of that because the, the percentage of your exercise on what matters in the big picture, I think it's like 10%. That adds to your, that's true. That workout is such a little part of your day. It's the need, like just what you're doing, what your day looks like. And that's another thing because like if you. Are someone who's very active and then you're hitting the gym and doing conditioning. Your body's going to like revolt and you're going to get inflamed. It's too much. It's over training. And you're like, but, but I just did 20 minutes a couple days. Right? How am I, your entire day is over training. Right? And if someone else who sits on the couch, their training's gonna look very different than yours. Or you're sitting at a desk all day at a computer. Their training needs to look different than yours. Yeah. And I think that's so important for mm-hmm. You know, like I said, our listeners to hear that because I think sometimes we have that more as best mentality. No, not always. And I, and, and that's something that I know I push against very highly, and I know you talk about it a lot because it really, it is not helpful. It is not, um, beneficial. Um, you know, training should always bring you joy. Should not make you feel broken down. Should not tear you down if you, if, if, if you don't feel sore the next day, you know what, that's a good workout too. Being sore isn't a definition of a great workout. Sometimes my easiest, I, I will go down swinging s saying, when I take School of Gains beginner program, I feel absolutely swollen. And that's a beginner program. Mm-hmm. And it's three days a week, like 35 days and three days a week. So just because you see people doing crazy, like sometimes you'll see me or Aaliyah doing crazy amounts of volume. That doesn't mean not always though. Right. Not always. Very rare. Yeah. That's important to see too. Like you and I will do that. We will rock it out. I'll do, we'll rock it out. You won't see me do that several months in a row. You sure won't. No, no. And I think that, and I, because that comparison, I, we didn't get on that topic because it is important, that comparison thing and um, you know,'cause it kind of gets like that in the OTC sometimes. And I've had that happen to me where I'm like, why am I not? Because I can do that. Why am I not doing that? And I gotta remind myself, Katie, that's not where you're at right now. That's not what you, you are needing right now. Also, the only person you should be comparing yourself to you is your old self is yourself. That's it. Because everybody else is a very different person with a very different life. So what they're doing is nothing to do with your journey. Right. And that's, that's so important. I mean,'cause that was like, like with me on like Peloton. Like I was constantly chasing that leaderboard. And I'm just like, I'm like, how are these people doing some of these numbers? And I'm just like, I'm like, it, it was mind, it was messing with the mind. Yeah. That can Comparison is never good. It's not good. Good. It's always gonna hurt your journey. Don't worry. Don't worry about your volume. Yeah. That's the one time you need blinders. Like, because I could push what, like 3000 pounds or, you know, 6,000 pounds and I'll be swollen, but I could lift 50,000 on a leg day and not, not have the as gains that I did with a 6,000 pound, excuse me, workout. So I think it's all, it's, it's all, it's all the reasons behind that volume. Mm-hmm.'cause 50,000 pounds pushing that your endurance. That's what I was gonna say too, like when you said that, I was like, you're probably not gaining a lot of strength if you're pushing 50,000 pounds. Right. It's, it's building, lifting, endurance. Yes, exactly. If you're pushing like six, 10,000 in upper body days and back days and those leg days, you are lifting heavy on those lower volume days. So don't compare your lower volume to somebody else's because you're, you're, you're to, you're two totally different places, and I think that's so important. Like I said, comparison is the thief. Comparison is the thief of joy. But I wanna thank you Leah, for doing this chat with me. I so much appreciate, I really hope that women take this, what we've talked about coming from two women, that strength train. We are, um, you know, we come from, you know, I am newly, I still think I'm a newbie with strength training being, you know, only lifting for like three years, almost four. And I forget that.'cause you are incredible. You have learned so much in such a short time. Like it's incredible to watch. I'll say that much. And like I was gonna say too, like you're incredible at helping, like we both, I know like anybody listening, you can inbox either of us, like we love to help you because we know this can be overwhelming and confusing and like all we want is to help you on your journey. So that a hundred percent, 110%. Uh, on Instagram. I'm on Instagram, we're in the OTC. We don't really use Facebook Messenger or stuff like that, but we are like, I'm not on Facebook other than the o OTC tc. Me either. I don't see everything on the OTC either. So sometimes if you like put a question, not that you need me to answer it, but like I'm not in there quite every day, but. Instagram, I check that inbox daily. You can reach out to me. I'm happy to help with anything. I know Katie's the same way. Yeah. And I'll put Leah's link to her Instagram so that you're able to, you know, if you wanna ask her questions and stuff like that.'cause she's got a lot of exciting stuff that's gonna be going on. And, you know, I'm always available for, you know, help and you know, stuff on Instagram. So it kind of, the door is open, the door is always open. Mm-hmm. Um, you are not alone in this process. You are not alone in the way you feel. You are not alone in, you know, the, the, the noise that sometimes that comes in the fitness industry. We all feel it. Um, we all go through it still. It's just with women. We have to be able to rise above the terminology and flip it on its head and change our mindsets. And what we look at is longevity is health. Yeah. Playing with our grandkids to, to, yeah. To be able to travel the world when we want to. And if we, oh heck yeah. Fall we catch ourselves. Mm-hmm. So change, changing the mindset I know is the hardest thing. But there are many women like Leah and myself that are here for you, that know, that have been through it. And we are always here to support you. We're always here to ask questions. You can reach, like I said, reach out to Leah or myself on Instagram. And I just wanna thank everybody for listening today. And if this changed somebody's mindset, please send it to somebody else that you think may need to hear this message from two women that absolutely love strength training. Love talking about muscle mobility. Yeah, we do. Yes we do. Like we could do this like 20 more times and still have more to say. Of course we could. So thank you again for everybody for joining for Strength in Numbers, and I will see you again. Um, there will be more trainers. Coming on the Instagram channel. So I am excited to be talking to more people in the fitness industry, talking about especially, you know, building muscle with women and kind of just like the fitness industry in general to kind of, you know, make the conversation more, I would say, easy for women to not feel intimidated by and it not being so scientific all the time because it really doesn't need to be like that. It really can be nonchalant, like Leah and I just talked, and it doesn't have to be that difficult. So we are here to support you and thank you again for listening to Strength in Numbers. We will see you again.