Back 40 Fitness

Let's play a quick game. Two people both lose 15 pounds. Person A loses 12 pounds of fat and 3 pounds of muscle. Person B loses 8 pounds of fat and 7 pounds of muscle. The scale celebrates both of them exactly the same. But their bodies? Very different story. Losing weight and improving your body composition aren't always the same thing. That's one of the biggest reasons the scale is only one piece of the puzzle. Your body doesn't know you're trying to "tone up." It knows one thing. Energy is coming in...or it isn't. When you're eating fewer...

We're officially done with the whole "I'll start when I feel more confident." thing, right? Turns out confidence likes to arrive after you've already started. We have the equation backwards. Most of us think confidence works like this: Confidence → Action → Results But life usually works the other way around. Action → Results → Confidence You do the thing. You survive the thing. Maybe you even surprise yourself. Then your brain says... "Huh...maybe we can do that after all." That's where confidence starts. Not before the action. After it. Your brain is paying attention. Every time you try something...

When did "working hard" become "never stop moving?" Some people finish a heavy set of squats, take three deep breaths, check one text, and jump right back under the bar. We get it. It feels productive. But if your goal is actually getting stronger...you might want to hang out for another minute or two. Here's what's happening behind the scenes. Your body has a few different ways of producing energy depending on what you're asking it to do. Heavy lifts (think squats, deadlifts, heavy presses) mostly rely on your "quick burst" energy system. It's designed to produce a lot of force,...

Can we please make a case for the least exciting piece of equipment in the weight room? The 2.5 lb plate. One of the foundational principles in strength training is progressive overload. Fancy term. Simple idea. If you want to get stronger, your body needs a reason to adapt. That might mean doing another rep, adding another set, improving your technique, or lifting a little more weight than you did before. Notice we said a little. People act like progress only counts if you're throwing another 20 pounds on the bar. Your body would respectfully disagree. Tiny jumps are actually really smart....