Science of Strength Training

Resistance training isn’t simply about lifting heavy weights. It’s about building strength reserves that support long-term health, functional capacity, independence, and overall well-being across every woman’s life. Swipe << through all of the slides! If you guys find this valuable, I greatly appreciate a share, a repost, or simply tagging a friend who you think would find it helpful. These posts take hours to put together. Thank you. 🙏 In youth, it’s about building up your strength reserves, bone mineral density, and motor skills. In adulthood, it’s about making the most of your physical, mental, and emotional health. Your ability to be strong, fit, and capable. In older age, it’s about preserving your quality of life, staying independent, and continuing to say “yes” to life. If you need assistance, please don’t hesitate to reach out. I would love to help. Comment the word “INFO” for more information on how to work with me 1-on-1 to help you end the confusion of how to get started toward a stronger, fitter, more capable YOU. ⬇️Comment the word “workout” below, and I will send you a ‘3 Day Full Body Workout Routine’ to help get you started with your workouts. Chat soon, Coach Austin #strengthtrainingforwomen #strength #exerciseforhealth #womenshealth #womenshealthmatters Reference: The Female Strengthspan: A Life Course Perspective on Resistance Exercise” (Faigenbaum, 2026)

After 12 years of coaching, I’ve realized most people don’t need more motivation. They need clarity. Every client you see here started in a similar place — capable, motivated…just stuck. Not because they weren’t working hard, but because they didn’t have a clear path forward. They didn’t know where to go next, and why. This is how it works: 👉 We chat. 👉 We build an approach around your goals and schedule. 👉 We review, adjust, and learn each week — calmly and objectively. The goal isn’t just a better physique. It’s confidence in the gym. Ownership over your health. And results you can actually maintain. The goal isn’t to become obsessed with fitness. It’s to feel strong, capable, and in control of your health again — and learn how to keep it that way. If you’re interested, swipe through the slides to learn more about how it all works. If you’re ready for clarity and real accountability, comment or DM “INFO” and I will send you more details about how to start working together 1-on-1. Looking forward to hearing from you. Chat soon, Coach Austin

Comment the word “calorie1” below, and I can help you calculate how many calories and grams of protein you should generally aim for based on your current goals (lose, maintain, or build). Better yet, it’s all calculated right in our DM conversation — no need to even leave the app. Body composition = the relative ratio of stored body fat to muscle tissue on your body. Body (re)composition (aka, body recomp) = simultaneously gaining muscle tissue while losing stored body fat. A higher amount of body fat and a lower amount of muscle tissue = less favorable body composition. A higher amount of muscle tissue and a lower amount of body fat = a more favorable body composition. Beyond the aesthetic changes this recomposition will cause, a more favorable body composition is associated with improved health outcomes, including better metabolic health and a lower risk of all-cause mortality. When a client comes to me with the goal of “weight loss”, this is when I introduce them to the concept of body recomposition. Because the true goal shouldn’t be to “weigh less”, it should be to improve the ratio of how much muscle versus body fat you have on your frame, improving your overall health in the process. Now, if you’re reading this and haven’t swiped through the post yet, please take the time to do that now. All the info is in there for you to learn more about this process. If it seems too complicated, you’re likely overthinking it. Keep it simple. Start somewhere. Last, take a deep breath. You’ve got this. Questions? Love it. Ask them in the comments. We’ll chat there. Or, if it’s more in-depth or personal, feel free to send me a direct message. Chat soon, Coach Austin #bodycomposition #health #fitness

Longevity isn’t simply about adding years to your life; it’s about adding life to your years. And resistance training isn’t simply about lifting heavy weights; It’s about staying capable, for life. It’s about building strength reserves that support long-term health, functional capacity, independence, and overall well-being across your entire life. Swipe << through all of the slides! If you guys find this valuable, I greatly appreciate a share, a repost, or simply tagging a friend who you think would find it helpful. These posts take hours to put together, and engaging in some way is how you support me and the spread of evidence-based information. Thank you. 🙏 The advice on financial investment for your future is great, but what about your physical investment? I like to think of training as deposits into a physical “retirement account.” The more you build earlier in life — and the longer you keep contributing — the further you stay from the threshold where everyday life becomes too difficult to enjoy. Aging is a beautiful part of life; it’s inevitable. But we can do it on our own terms if we put in some effort. Again, longevity isn’t simply about the number of years you have left; it’s about adding life to those years. Let that sit with you today. And maybe get in a lift. 😉 Best, Coach Austin #strengthtraining #strengthtrainingforwomen #resistancetraining #longevity #health Reference: Fragala, M. S., Cadore, E. L., Dorgo, S., Izquierdo, M., Kraemer, W. J., Peterson, M. D., & Ryan, E. D. (2019). Resistance Training for Older Adults: Position Statement From the National Strength and Conditioning Association. Journal of strength and conditioning research, 33(8), 2019–2052. /10.1519/JSC.0000000000003230

Muscle, strength, and power are the currency that make up your physical retirement account. As we get older, we lose muscle, strength, and power. Most people are familiar with muscle loss (sarcopenia) and strength loss (dynapenia). Recently, researchers introduced another term: powerpenia — the age-related loss of muscular power. Why does that matter? Becuase the dynamic aspect of muscular function — the ability to generate force quickly (force x velocity) — may be more critical for long-term survival and functional independence than static maximal force alone. And muscular power tends to decline earlier and faster than muscle mass and strength. Power is what helps you: – Catch yourself if you trip. – Get up from a chair quickly. – Climb stairs with confidence. It’s not just about how much force you can produce. It’s about how quickly you can produce it. The good news: power can be trained. Moving the concentric portion of a lift with intent — as fast as possible while maintaining good form — has been shown to be a safe and effective way to improve physical function and independence in older adults. If you’re new to strength training, start slow. Bodyweight and resistance bands are a great entry point. Then, progressing to machines at a gym can help introduce more load while remaining secure with a fixed path of motion. Then, once you’re ready (and have the desire), you can advance to free weights, helping introduce more exercise freedom and variety. And remember: Strength training isn’t just about looking better; it’s about staying strong, fit, and capable — for life. Chat soon, Coach Austin #strength #strengthtrainingforwomen #strengthtraining #resistancetraining #health

Women should lift heavy. But it’s not that simple. Here’s the part that gets missed in most conversations around this topic: Women may have different goals than men when it comes to lifting, but they respond the same when given similar training approaches. And we can all adapt to strength training, no matter our age. What matters more than sex or your biological age? Your training age. Your starting point and your skill level. (and your specific goals) The popular “just do 5 sets of 5 reps” message often comes from the LIFTMOR trial, which did show benefits for bone density in postmenopausal women. Which is GREAT! But here’s what’s rarely mentioned: Participants didn’t jump straight into heavy 5 sets of 5 reps of squats, overhead presses, and deadlifts. They spent the first phase learning. Practicing and building the prerequisite skills. They eased into it over two months. Heavy lifting (1–6 reps) requires skill. And skill takes time to develop. It takes consistent practice. With newer lifters — especially women who’ve been told to avoid lifting heavy for years — we focus first on: • Foundational movement patterns • Exercise Technique • Confidence under load • Gradual exposure to heavier loads Once those are in place? Yes — train heavier. Challenge yourself and build strength reserves that carry you into your 40s, 50s, 60s, and beyond. The goal isn’t extremes. It’s progression. There’s a big difference between: “Lift as heavy as possible right now” and “Build the capacity to lift heavy safely over time.” Turn the dial. Don’t flip the switch. Training smarter allows you to train harder. We want to do both. Thanks for being here. Chat soon, Coach Austin #strength #strengthtraining #strengthtrainingforwomen #womenshealth #health All images sourced from @barbellfilms . If you’re into the history of physical culture, he’s a great follow.

⬇️ Comment the word “WORKOUT,” and I will send you a 3-day workout routine to get you started back in the gym with a structure that makes sense! We don’t have a training-optimization problem; we have a training-participation problem. My goal with every client I work with is to ensure that they hit the recommended guidelines for staying healthy and fit. For resistance training, that’s at least 2 days per week. For some, that’s nothing. For others, we really have to take a look at the calendar and restructure some things to create consistency and momentum. But we make it happen. The key? We don’t overthink it. We just start. Then we adjust as we go. One foot in front of the other. The internet likes to scream at you to “optimize, optimize, optimize”. And to be honest, we’re missing the forest for the trees in this industry. We’re hyper-focused on the 1% and have really lost touch with the 99% who need our help the most. It’s my mission to change that. And that work has started with the clients I’ve worked with each and every week for the past 13 years. And I plan for it to continue for as long as I can do it. Never hesitate to reach out, I’m here to help in any way I can. Chat soon, Coach Austin #strengthtraining #strength #weighttraining #fitness

One of the greatest gifts I was given was my family pushing me to play organized sports, and my brother introducing me to resistance training. I was somewhere between 5 and 6 years old when I started playing organized sports. I was somewhere between 11 and 12 years old when I started resistance training with my older brother. Aside from the direct health benefits I was getting from this, most importantly, I was developing coordination, physical competency, and overall confidence to physically move through the world as I desired. Building your strength reserves (and avoiding strength deficits) is one of the most important things you do in your life, and it starts in your youth. 👉 It equips you with the physical abilities to actively participate in your life. 👉 It allows you to say “yes” to more things in life becuase you’re strong, fit, and capable. 👉 It puts you in the best position to live a long, healthy, and functionally independent life. If you’ve got kids, this is one of the most important things you can teach them. And it starts with you. Kids are more likely to mirror their parents’ behavior. If you want your kids to be healthy and active as they grow up, be the example that encourages them. Best, Coach Austin #strength #strengthtraining #youthsportstraining #health #fitness Reference paper: Faigenbaum, A. D., Ratamess, N. A., Kang, J., Bush, J. A., & Rial Rebullido, T. (2023). May the Force Be with Youth: Foundational Strength for Lifelong Development. Current Sports Medicine Reports, 22(12), 414–422.

If you’re arguing with people about whether they should be using free weights or machines, you’re missing the entire point — honestly, grow up. The lens I like to look through is: what advice would I want to give my parents or grandparents to keep them strong, fit, and capable as they age? As it pertains to resistance training, it comes down to three things: 1. What can you consistently show up and do right now with any amount of effort? Great, start there. 2. Which of those things do you enjoy doing the most? Great, refine things down and focus your efforts, which leads us to 3. Work to progress things as you can, for as long as you can. Don’t overthink it. Let’s stop creating arbitrary rules that keep the barriers to fitness higher than they should be for the people who need it most. Chat soon, Coach Austin ⬇️ Comment the word “FRAME15” to grab your free copy of my 15-question framework to build more practical training programs for you or your clients. It walks you through my thought process step by step. ⬇️ If you’re a gym-goer looking for a plan to get back into the gym, comment the word “WORKOUT,” and I will send you a 3-day workout routine.

The benefits of strength training and physical activity are evident. Nearly 80% of people aren’t hitting the recommended physical activity guidelines. And as we age, the consequences of these decisions grow and become life-threatening. A sedentary lifestyle is a growing epidemic around the globe and has contributed to an increase in obesity and other physical and mental health-related illnesses, such as cardiovascular disease, Type 2 Diabetes, cancer, depression, and anxiety, among others. To me, this visual says it all. It shows the clear dose-response relationship between our participation in challenging our bodies with strength training and general exercise and our overall physical and cognitive health as we age. This engagement with exercise can help prevent at least 40 chronic conditions and diseases leading to increased medical bills, disability, anxiety, depression, loss of independence, and loss of life. And THIS is what’s important. The challenge becomes performing this activity consistently throughout one’s lifespan to reap its benefits. If you or someone you know has been taking a hiatus from an exercise routine, consider getting back into it. It’s not just for aesthetics; it’s THE THING that will help you live a long, functional, independent life. If you need help setting up a practical and effective approach that fits into your life, reach out. I’d love to chat and see how I can help. Chat soon, Coach Austin #strength #strengthtrainingforwomen #strengthtraining #health #muscle

Let’s set the record straight: “All muscle on women is feminine muscle.” — @doclyssfitness In this post, we set the record straight on 8 female strength training myths, thanks to the work of @afaigenbaum , @dr.tamararial , and @silviagiagio.physio in their new paper, The Female Strengthspan: A Life Course Perspective on Resistance Exercise. Swipe << through all of the slides! If you guys find this valuable, I greatly appreciate a share, a repost, or simply tagging a friend who you think would find it helpful. These posts take hours to put together. Thank you. 🙏 ⬇️ Comment the word “STUDY” below, and I will DM you the direct link to the paper so you can read it and reference it yourself! Chat soon, Coach Austin #strengthtrainingforwomen #strength #exerciseforhealth The original list of myths are referenced from the paper, The Female Strengthspan: A Life Course Perspective on Resistance Exercise” (Faigenbaum, 2026).

⬇️ Comment the word “FRAME15” to grab your free copy of my 15-question framework to build more practical training programs for you or your clients. It walks you through my thought process step by step. Optimal is overrated. It’s overrated for you, and it’s certainly overrated for the clients you’re coaching. A training program that puts you or your clients in a position to show up and work hard consistently should be the gold standard. If you have any questions, pop them in the comments below, and we can chat about them. ⬇️ Comment the word “FRAME15” to grab your free copy of my 15-question framework to build more practical training programs for you or your clients. It walks you through my thought process step by step. Chat soon, Coach Austin PS: If you’re using a single research study to define your entire ethos on training, you’ve lost the plot. #strength #strengthtraining #trainingprogram #lifting #weightlifting