CLEAN TECHNIQUE ESSENTIALS
The clean, much like snatching in weightlifting, requires not only power and strength, but good rhythm and timing. In order to execute it properly, we are going to go over some key technical aspects as well as some ways to internalize those cues and output them in your training sessions. We will highlight the overall goals first and then break down how we can ensure they're occurring in the lift properly.
PROGRAM OVERVIEW: BARBELL
One of the unique things we have here at PFP is our Olympic Weightlifting Team. Weightlifting is a sport known throughout the world and in the last 10 to 15 years has gained a lot of momentum and attraction in the United States. With over 1 million members in the US, it has truly built itself into something special. Here at PFP, we love to foster weightlifters, new and old. The first step is our barbell assessment, where we meet a new prospective lifter for our team and either view their current technique or teach them for the very first time. Once that process is complete, we enroll them in our Intro Program. Now that may sound like it’s only for beginners, but I assure you it's not. We label it the Intro because it contains all of the essential pieces to help and solidify the core principles of weightlifting: strength, speed, movement consistency, patience, and fun. So let's talk about how it does that.
STRENGTH TRAINING: ESSENTIAL FOR WOMEN AT EVERY STAGE OF LIFE
For years, women stuck to cardio, light weights, and "toning” workouts. Women were afraid of getting “bulky” or bigger, and “gym-timidation” is a real thing for many women when they enter a space full of males. Now, more and more women are shifting away from working out to look a certain way, and instead working out to feel a certain way. Women understand that strength training isn’t just about building muscle or changing how your body looks, but it’s one of the greatest tools women have to support long-term health, confidence, and quality of life.
RETURNING TO SPORT AFTER A BREAK
It's not uncommon that athletes - whether recreational or competitive - take a break from training. In fact, it's quite healthy and is often built in after the end of a sport season, often called an active rest period, which allows the body to recover from the damage incurred during the competitive season, or for sports without a clear “in-season”, after a prolonged intense training phase and competition.
INSIDE GOLDEN GIRLS: OUR 60+ WOMEN’S STRENGTH CLASS
Our 60+ women’s class is designed to help you move better, feel stronger, and stay confident moving through your daily life and activities. This class isn’t about extreme workouts or aesthetics, but about building the qualities that support you now and for years to come: muscle mass, strength, bone density, and more.
STRENGTH TRAINING DURING PREGNANCY
Strength training during pregnancy can be one of the most powerful tools you use to support your body, your baby, and your long-term health. Let’s break down what strength training during pregnancy really looks like, why it’s beneficial, and how to approach it without fear.
HOW PLYOMETRICS & TEMPO TRAINING IMPROVE TENDON HEALTH
We’ve been talking about strength training and joint health recently. Another important aspect of that process involves our tendons. Tendons are tough structures made of cartilage that connect muscles to bones and help your body move. Tendon health is important because it literally helps us move properly and prevents other injuries or falls. So, how can we improve the health of our tendons? Two methods involve plyometrics and tempo training. Let’s look at how each strengthens our tendons.
UNDERSTANDING BAR PATH IN THE CLEAN & SNATCH
The path of the bar in weightlifting is all about moving yourself in accordance with the weight as smoothly and efficiently as possible. When you’re first learning weightlifting, the movements can feel unstable and clunky. The way it is usually taught is in segments to make it easier to understand and process. This process is known to some as the “ top-down” method. Essentially, we are starting from our hip position, where the bar would be just before we extend and move the bar to our overhead position. Every subsequent position down towards the ground, our “start” position for a full lift, adds more complexity and requires us to be more aware of where we and the bar are moving simultaneously. In order to make it easier to understand, we will talk about the path from the floor to overhead to make the sequence one seamless progression to picture the overall lift.
JOINT-FRIENDLY STRENGTH TRAINING: 50+
Most of us will develop some joint aches and pains as we age. While it might seem contradictory, strength training helps preserve joint function and range of motion as you get older. As a follow-up to last week’s blog about strength and longevity, let’s look more specifically at joint-friendly strength training when you are over 50.
SNATCH FOUNDATIONS: BEGINNER MISTAKES & FIXES
Weightlifting is a sport of grace and explosiveness. While those two descriptions may seem odd to master together, they are essential for the two main lifts in weightlifting. The snatch and clean and jerk are the epitome of those two terms, although we are just going to focus on the snatch for today. Let's discuss some common issues and how to fix them.
STRENGTH FOR LONGEVITY
As we age, everyone loses muscle mass at about 5% per decade, starting at age 30. That rate of loss accelerates after age 60. With that loss of muscle mass comes a decrease in strength and function. For older people, this can lead to disability and inactivity. So, how do you promote strength for longevity? Let’s look at how you can maintain muscle mass and functioning as you age.
TRAINING AS THINGS CHANGE
“You can’t train 10 times a week anymore.” That’s what my trainer at PFP, Caleb, kept telling me. Of course, I didn’t want to hear it. I wanted to work out, run, and take classes like I was 29, instead of my actual age - 59. So this year, I’ve decided to do something about it - I’m entering the world of becoming a personal trainer!
STRENGTH TRAINING OVER 50: THE BEST ANTI-AGING TOOL
Aging is inevitable, but feeling weak, stiff, and limited as you age is simply not. If you’ve ever been told “just wait until you’re my age”, then this post is for you. You do not have to “feel old”, just because you are aging. If there’s one habit that has the biggest return on investment for health, independence, and confidence after 50, it’s strength training. Whether your goal is to stay active, reduce aches and pains, improve bone health, or simply feel strong in your own body, resistance training is one of the most powerful anti-aging tools available.
STRENGTH TRAINING & NUTRITION FOR WOMEN IN PERI & POST MENOPAUSE
Research shows that the perimenopausal years (typically in your late 30s to early 50s) are the years with the most pronounced shifts in body composition: increased fat mass, reduced muscle mass, and elevated abdominal. As if we needed any more barriers, most research in health and fitness is done on men. Let’s dive into what research on women of this age group recommends.
BUILDING STRENGTH WITH OLYMPIC WEIGHTLIFTING
Building strength is one of the top reasons anyone goes to the gym. Building strength makes your mind and body feel better, builds your confidence, and makes actions in our daily life easier. One of the ways this is commonly done is through forms of resistance training, or as many understand it, lifting weights. Today we are going to talk about how one style, Olympic Weightlifting, can help you build up your strength and some tips for how to train for it.
PFP BARBELL METHOD: WHAT IS IT? WHO IS IT FOR?
Something new we are introducing at PFP in 2025 will be our PFP Barbell Method class. For current members, this may sound familiar, like PFP Method, our group fitness class we hold throughout the week at PFP. It is similar in terms of the length of the class and has a structure that should feel very recognizable.
THE BENEFITS OF RESISTANCE TRAINING FOR WOMEN OVER 60
As women age, staying active and maintaining overall health becomes increasingly important, especially when it comes to resistance training. Resistance training is often overlooked by both women and men over a certain age, and instead, increased fear happens when it comes to daily tasks, like walking up and down the stairs or moving something that is too heavy. Lifting weights can be a game-changer for women 60+ and those navigating perimenopause or menopause.
THE GREATEST GIFT
The greatest gift I’ve ever received that didn’t come wrapped in a check would definitely be my coaches! When I first walked into PFP, I was a stay-at-home mom in desperate need of an escape from my own four walls. Enter Gina and Caleb—two wonderful humans who convinced me to get back into fitness after I’d let it all go (you know, thanks to the magic of having babies).
TRAP BAR & BARBELL DEADLIFTS: WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?
Deadlifts are a foundational movement that many people will encounter in a gym setting. Whether it is in a class setting or doing it on your own, deadlifts can be a very helpful total body movement that everyone should become familiar with. The movement transfers to our daily lives as often as squatting or walking. When you bend over to pick up a heavy box or object you are using the same movement pattern as a deadlift. There’s many variations of the exercise but today we will be talking about two: the trap bar deadlift and the barbell deadlift. How are they fundamentally different and what crossover do they share?
WHAT IS WEIGHTLIFTING?
You, or someone you know, have either gone to a gym or still go to a gym to work out a few times a week. They might do some cardio on the treadmill and in addition they might “lift weights” to build strength, but this is not what the rest of the world knows as “Weightlifting”. Lifting weights is what most people do at a gym when they have some sets of bicep curls and lunges. Weightlifting is an international sport done by people worldwide, and it is featured at the Summer Olympic Games.