First off, sorry this week’s Weekly Rep is coming out a little late. I figured half of you are probably checking your fantasy football lineups, watching the NFL, or figuring out why your team is already ruining your Sunday anyway.

A few weeks ago, I completed the Chicago Marathon, and I’ve had some time to sit with the experience. I can confidently say it was one of the most physically and mentally challenging things I’ve ever done. I’ve competed in strength events, Apex Athlete, and plenty of other competitions over the years, but 26.2 miles was an entirely different animal.

Going into the race, I had a pacing strategy and felt pretty confident about what I needed to do. Unfortunately, my watch died around mile nine, and the beautiful 75 degree weather that everyone was enjoying wasn’t exactly doing me any favors. By the halfway point, my plan had pretty much gone out the window, and I was left figuring things out as I went.

Then came Chinatown around mile 21, and holy shit was it hot. I remember thinking about how much further I still had to go while my legs were already completely cooked. Those final five miles turned into one of the biggest mental battles I’ve ever experienced. At that point, I wasn’t thinking about my pace or my finishing time. I just wanted to keep moving forward and cross that finish line with a smile on my face.

Looking back, my biggest takeaway is that you have to respect the preparation just as much as the goal itself. I trained for this marathon, but I also realized that if I want to come back and perform at a higher level, I need to build a much bigger running foundation. That means more consistent weekly mileage, more time on my feet, and a better understanding of what my body needs to handle that distance. I already know that next time around, increasing my weekly mileage is going to be one of my biggest priorities, and I’ll have to build toward that intelligently.

As a strength and conditioning coach, this experience was a great reminder that being strong and being prepared for a specific challenge are two different things. You can have a great engine in one area of fitness and still get absolutely humbled in another. The marathon exposed some weaknesses, but it also gave me a much clearer picture of what I need to improve.

I’m incredibly thankful for my family and everyone who came out to support me. I’m also thankful that I got to experience something that pushed me so far outside my comfort zone. Finishing was an accomplishment I’ll always be proud of, but I think the lessons I learned throughout the process are going to stick with me even longer.

There’s something special about setting a goal that scares you a little bit, committing to it, and seeing what you’re capable of. Even when things don’t go according to plan, you walk away with something valuable.

And to everyone who has ever completed a marathon, I have an entirely new level of respect for you.

Your Weekly Rep

Focus: Respect the preparation required for the goals you set.

Standard: Identify one goal you’re working toward and one specific thing you can improve in your preparation this week. Then put it on your calendar.

I’ve spent the last few months thinking about what I want my kettlebell app to become, and I kept coming back to the same problem. I don’t want to sell you another folder full of workouts.

There are plenty of apps that can give you exercises, sets, reps, and a timer. That isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but I think coaching should offer more. If you’re investing your time into learning kettlebells, I want you to understand what you’re practicing, have a clear path forward, and have somewhere to go when you need help.

That’s why I’m relaunching the Kettlebell Strength Collective.

One of the biggest changes is how beginners will start. Instead of trying to learn every kettlebell skill at once, the introductory programming will focus on a smaller number of skills at a time. You’ll practice them consistently, build confidence, and progress when you’re ready. I’ve always believed that getting really good at the basics will take you much further than constantly chasing new exercises.

If you already have kettlebell experience, you don’t need to start from zero. You can join the Collective, get into the programming, and become part of the community.

The programming is only one piece of the relaunch. I’m adding weekly office hours so you have regular access to me for questions and form checks. Once a month, we’ll get together for a team Q&A to talk about training, programming, and whatever the group is working through. I also want members sending me technique videos. If your clean feels off, send it. If you’re learning to snatch, let me see it. If you hit something you’re proud of, I want to see that too.

I want this to become a community of people who actually enjoy practicing kettlebells. You might be training in Chicago, another state, or eventually somewhere on the other side of the world. The common thread is that you want to get stronger and continue improving your kettlebell skills.

I’ve also been simplifying the other ways you can work with me. I recently lowered my small group training rates here in Chicago because I want that to be an accessible option for people who want more hands-on coaching and enjoy training alongside others. If you need something completely individualized around your goals, schedule, or equipment, custom programming is available as my higher-touch coaching option.

The Collective sits in a different place. It’s for the person who doesn’t necessarily need everything built specifically for them but wants good programming, coaching access, skill development, and a community to train with.

Ultimately, I want working with me to be simple. You shouldn’t have to figure out which package or program you need before we’ve even talked.

If you’re interested in the Collective, small group training, or more individualized coaching, start here and schedule a call with me. Tell me what you’re working toward, and we’ll figure out the right place for you to start.

The goal of this relaunch isn’t to give you more workouts.

It’s to give you a better place to train.

Your Weekly Rep

Focus: Practice fewer things well instead of trying to improve everything at once.

Standard: Choose one skill you want to improve and practice it intentionally at least twice this week.

Nutrition can get complicated very quickly. Macros, meal timing, supplements, fasting, food quality, and a hundred different diets can make it difficult to know where to start. Before worrying about any of that, I think it’s important to understand one of the fundamentals: your caloric state.

At a basic level, you’re generally in one of three states over time. You’re eating fewer calories than your body is using, roughly the same amount, or more. We call these a calorie deficit, calorie maintenance, and a calorie surplus. None of them is automatically better than the others. The right choice depends on what you’re trying to accomplish.

A calorie deficit means you’re consuming less energy than your body is using over time. If your goal is losing body weight and body fat, this is generally where you need to be. The mistake I often see is assuming a bigger deficit will automatically produce a better result. The goal shouldn’t be to eat as little as possible. You still need enough food to support training, recovery, and everyday life while creating a sustainable deficit.

Calorie maintenance is where your intake roughly matches what you’re expending and your body weight tends to remain relatively stable over time. Maintenance is underrated. You don’t always need to be trying to lose or gain weight. Maintenance can be a great place to focus on performance, build consistent nutrition habits, recover from a period of dieting, and simply enjoy training without constantly chasing a change on the scale.

A calorie surplus means you’re consistently consuming more energy than you’re using. This can be useful when the goal is gaining body mass and supporting muscle growth alongside good strength training. Just like a deficit, more isn’t automatically better. A huge surplus doesn’t mean dramatically faster muscle growth. It generally means gaining more body weight, including more body fat. The goal is to give your body enough additional energy to support the goal without turning eating more into a competition.

What I want you to understand is that these are tools. A deficit isn’t “good” because you’re losing weight, and a surplus isn’t “bad” because you’re gaining it. Maintenance isn’t failing to make progress either. Each one has a purpose, and your nutrition should reflect the goal you’re actually working toward.

If fat loss, weight gain, or building muscle is one of your goals, I also think it’s worth spending at least one week measuring what you’re currently eating before immediately changing everything. Track honestly and learn what your normal intake actually looks like. That information gives you a starting point and makes it much easier to make intentional adjustments instead of guessing.

You don’t need to track your food forever. But understanding what you’re currently doing can be incredibly valuable. Once you know your baseline and know your goal, nutrition becomes much simpler.

Your Weekly Rep

Focus: Understand your current nutrition before trying to change it.

Standard: If changing your body composition is a current goal, track your normal food intake for seven days without intentionally changing how you eat. Use that week to establish a baseline.

We like to think our habits come down to discipline. If you want something badly enough, you’ll make it happen. You’ll get the workout in, prepare your meals, drink enough water, and go to bed on time. I don’t think it’s that simple. You can have all the motivation in the world, but if your environment constantly works against you, eventually your environment usually wins.

Think about training. If you wait until Tuesday afternoon to decide when you’re going to work out that week, there’s a good chance something else will take that time. Work runs late, someone asks you to dinner, or you’re simply tired after a long day. Suddenly it’s Friday and you’ve trained once. Compare that to putting three workouts on your calendar before the week begins. The decision has already been made. You know where you’re going to be and when you’re going to train. You’ve removed some of the friction before life has a chance to get in the way.

Nutrition works the same way. It’s much harder to make a good decision when you’re starving at 7 PM and there’s nothing in the refrigerator. If you have protein, vegetables, fruit, and a few meals you actually enjoy ready to go, eating well requires a lot less willpower. The same principle applies to walking, hydration, and sleep. Leave your walking shoes by the door. Keep a water bottle on your desk. Put your kettlebell somewhere you’ll actually see it. Charge your phone outside the bedroom if scrolling is keeping you awake.

None of these things are impressive, but that’s the point. I’ve found that people who stay consistent with fitness aren’t constantly winning battles against themselves. They’ve slowly built routines and environments where the better decision becomes the easier decision. Instead of relying on motivation every day, they’ve removed some of the decisions altogether.

This becomes even more important as we move into fall. Schedules change, the days get shorter, the weather gets colder, and before long the holidays are here. Instead of waiting until January to rebuild your routine, take a look at what’s around you now. Ask yourself where you’re creating unnecessary friction and what you could change to make taking care of yourself easier.

You don’t always need more discipline. Sometimes you just need a better setup. Make the behaviors you want easier to repeat and the behaviors you’re trying to change a little harder to access. Small changes to your environment may not feel significant today, but repeated over months and years, they can completely change your habits.

Your Weekly Rep

Focus: Make the healthy choice easier.

Standard: Change one thing in your environment this week that makes training, eating well, walking, or sleeping easier to repeat.

This past weekend I got my ass absolutely kicked at the Athalon Games.

I’m finishing up training for the Chicago Marathon, so most of my training right now has been built around running. Then I showed up to The Garage Chicago with my team and quickly remembered that being in shape doesn’t necessarily mean you’re prepared for everything.

Our team of four had to split up 150 calories on the bike, push a 150 lb sled as far as possible in 8 minutes, then knock out AMRAP deadlifts at 315 lbs and AMRAP bench press at 155 lbs. Then came the team relay: 1500m ski, 1500m row, and 1500m run.

It was a completely different stress than what I’ve been training for. My body was not prepared for the combination of heavy lifting, sled work, machines, and trying to recover quickly between efforts.

And honestly, that was the best part.

As a coach, I spend a lot of time telling people that training should prepare you for life, not just make you good at one specific workout. Every once in a while, it’s good to put yourself in a situation where you’re the one who feels like a beginner again.

You learn pretty quickly where your strengths are, where your weaknesses are, and

what you need to work on.

We ended up finishing 4th out of 16 teams, which isn’t too shabby. But next year, we’re coming for gold.

Huge shout out to the Synergy Spine and Performance team, Monica, Adam, and Kait, for inviting me to be on their team. I’m grateful we got to be a part of it.

Getting your ass kicked every once in a while is good for you.

It reminds you that there is always another level to chase.

Your Weekly Rep

Focus: Do something you’re not already good at.

Standard: Put one unfamiliar challenge on your calendar this week. Try a new class, learn a new movement, play a sport, or do something that makes you feel like a beginner again.

One of the first things I look at when someone tells me they want to get stronger is how often they’re actually training. Not how hard the workouts are or how sore they feel afterward. I want to know how frequently they’re giving their body an opportunity to practice and improve.

For many people, three to four training days per week is a great place to be. That doesn’t mean four brutal workouts. I’d rather see you train three or four times at a sustainable effort than crush yourself once or twice and spend the rest of the week recovering.

Frequency matters because strength is a skill. If you’re learning a kettlebell swing, improving your squat, or working on your press, more frequent exposure gives you more opportunities to practice the movement and reinforce good technique. It’s similar to learning an instrument. Practicing for a shorter period several times per week will usually get you further than one massive practice session on Saturday.

Training more frequently also lets you spread the work out. One day might focus on strength, another on technique, and another on conditioning. This is also why not every workout needs to be hard. Some days you push, while others are about accumulating quality reps and leaving a little in the tank.

The goal is to accumulate quality work over time. Three sessions per week gives you more than 150 opportunities to train over the course of a year. You don’t need every one of those workouts to be incredible. You just need enough of them to be productive.

I’ve seen this with clients for years. Once training becomes part of the rhythm of their week, they stop constantly negotiating with themselves about whether they’re going to work out. Monday is a training day. Wednesday is a training day. Saturday is a training day. It becomes part of what they do.

Three to four days isn’t a magic number, and if you’re currently training once a week, you don’t need to immediately jump to four. Start with two. Make that consistent. Then add another day when you’re ready.

You don’t need to do everything in one workout. Give yourself more opportunities to practice, keep the quality high, and let those sessions compound over time.

If you’re looking for programming that gives each training day a purpose, my Kettlebell App is built around simple, progressive training you can consistently work into your week.

Kettlebell App: https://tr.ee/rIuYtHwO15

Your Weekly Rep

Focus: Build a training rhythm you can repeat.

Standard: Schedule three training sessions for next week and put them on your calendar before Sunday night.

Something I see all the time in my training sessions, especially when I first start working with someone, is the perception that workouts need to be really difficult to be effective. There’s an assumption that if you train harder, sweat more, or leave completely exhausted, you’ll get to your goal faster.

That’s not necessarily the case.

A workout should be judged by the intention of the session, not by how tired you are when it’s over. If we’re working on strength, the goal might be high-quality reps with plenty of recovery between sets. If we’re practicing a skill, I want you fresh enough to actually learn and improve the movement. If it’s a conditioning day, then yes, there may be an opportunity to push harder and spend some time being uncomfortable. All of those sessions can move you forward, even though they feel completely different.

This is something I spend a lot of time teaching my clients. The clients who listen, trust the process, and spend longer periods of time working at submaximal efforts tend to see some of the best results. They aren’t trying to set a personal record every Tuesday. They’re accumulating quality work, getting stronger, recovering, and coming back ready to train again.

I’ve also noticed that those clients tend to develop a much healthier relationship with training.

When every workout has to destroy you, training eventually becomes something you have to mentally prepare yourself to survive. That’s difficult to sustain for years. When you understand that different sessions have different purposes, you stop needing every workout to prove how fit you are. You can appreciate a day of quality strength work just as much as the conditioning session that leaves you lying on the floor.

That doesn’t mean training should always be easy. Training should challenge you. There are going to be days when I want you to push hard. There are times when testing yourself, lifting heavier, or digging deep during conditioning is exactly what the session calls for. Those days are valuable, but they’re even more valuable when they’re surrounded by weeks of intentional training that prepared you for them.

Think about the difference between training and testing. Training is where you build your abilities. Testing is where you find out what those abilities currently are. If you’re constantly testing yourself, you don’t leave yourself much time to actually improve.

The longer I coach, the more I believe that one of the most important skills you can develop is understanding the intention behind your training. Before every session, you should know what you’re trying to accomplish. Sometimes that’s improving technique. Sometimes it’s accumulating volume. Sometimes it’s getting stronger. Sometimes it’s conditioning. And occasionally, it’s seeing how hard you can push.

Once you understand that, you stop chasing exhaustion and start chasing progress.

That’s a much better relationship to have with fitness, especially if you want training to remain part of your life for decades.

If you’re looking for structured training that gives each session a purpose instead of simply trying to make every workout harder, my Kettlebell App is built around progressive training and long-term improvement.

Kettlebell App: https://tr.ee/rIuYtHwO15

Your Weekly Rep

Focus: Understand the intention of the workout before deciding how hard it needs to be.

Standard: Before each training session this week, identify the goal of the workout in one sentence. Then train according to that goal instead of judging the session by how exhausted you feel afterward.

Every workout is an opportunity to make a decision. Not just about how much weight you’ll lift or how many repetitions you’ll complete, but about the standard you’re willing to hold yourself to.

I think we spend too much time chasing motivation and not enough time defining our standards. Motivation comes and goes. Some days you’ll wake up excited to train, and other days you’ll have every reason to skip it. If your training depends entirely on how you feel, your progress will always be inconsistent. Standards are different. They don’t ask whether you feel motivated. They simply ask whether you’ll do what you said you were going to do.

As a coach, I’ve realized that the strongest people I know aren’t necessarily the most talented. They’re the people who consistently hold themselves to a standard. They show up when it’s inconvenient. They take the time to move well instead of rushing through their workouts. They don’t cut corners just because no one is watching. Over time, those small decisions become part of who they are.

That’s part of the idea behind our upcoming Third Coast Kettlebell event, The Standard.

The Standard is a testing day. We’ve selected a handful of movements that give you an opportunity to test different qualities of your strength and conditioning. We’ll test your max chin-ups, a 3:30 single-arm kettlebell swing test using 16 kg for women and 24 kg for men, a max Turkish get-up, a 5-rep max double kettlebell front squat, and a 1-rep max strict press. If you’re still working toward your first chin-up, we’ll also have a banded option.

None of these movements are complicated, and that’s intentional. We’re testing the basics. Can you pull your own body weight? Can you maintain your power and technique when you’re tired? Can you control a heavy kettlebell through a get-up? Can you squat and press with strength and quality? These are simple movements, but together they give you a pretty good picture of where your training currently stands.

There’s also something valuable about having a date on the calendar when you know you’re going to test yourself.

Training without a goal can eventually turn into going through the motions. You show up, complete your workout, and go home. There’s nothing inherently wrong with that, but having something to prepare for changes the way you approach your training. Suddenly those chin-ups have a purpose. The heavier front squats matter. You start paying attention to your swing conditioning because you know there’s a day coming when you’ll have to put it to the test.

You don’t need to compete with anyone else in the room either. That’s not what this is about. Your numbers give you a baseline. Maybe you get three chin-ups today. Maybe you press a kettlebell you’ve never pressed before. Maybe the swing test exposes an area of your conditioning that needs work. Great. Now you have information you can use.

That’s one of the reasons I believe everyone should train for something occasionally. A race, a competition, a testing day, a hiking trip, or simply a personal goal with a deadline can give direction to months of training. It turns “I want to get stronger” into something you can actually measure.

Then you go back to work.

That’s where standards become valuable. Your standard isn’t the number you hit on testing day. It’s what you’re willing to do consistently afterward to improve it.

If you’ve never tested yourself like this, I’d love for you to join us. You don’t need to be the strongest person in the room, and you don’t need to hit some arbitrary number to belong. Come establish your baseline, challenge yourself, train alongside a great community, and leave with something new to work toward.

The Standard
August 16 at 11:00 AM
Chicago Strength Logan Square

Event Details: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-standard-event-hosted-by-third-coast-kettlebell-tickets-1991922823787

Your Weekly Rep

Focus: Give your training something to work toward.

Standard: Put one measurable physical goal on your calendar with a deadline. Write down where you are today, then start training toward it.

One of the biggest obstacles to making progress isn’t a lack of motivation or discipline. It’s believing that every decision has to be perfect. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve heard someone say, “I’ll start again on Monday.” Maybe they missed a workout. Maybe they had pizza on Friday night or enjoyed themselves at a family barbecue over the weekend. Somewhere along the way, one imperfect choice became permission to abandon the entire plan.

I’ve been there too.

The funny thing is, we rarely apply that kind of thinking anywhere else in life. If you’re running late for work, you don’t decide to skip the entire day. If you forget to brush your teeth one night, you don’t stop brushing them forever. You simply pick back up where you left off. Yet when it comes to fitness, we often convince ourselves that one bad meal or one missed workout erases all of our progress. It doesn’t.

Over the years, I’ve realized that consistency has very little to do with perfection. Consistency is about returning. It’s about showing up again after vacation, after a stressful week at work, after an illness, or after the workout you never got around to doing. The people I’ve coached who have experienced the greatest transformations aren’t the ones who never miss. They’re the ones who refuse to let one missed workout become two weeks. They understand that progress isn’t built by perfect months. It’s built by good enough days repeated over and over again.

I think perfection is one of the most overlooked obstacles in fitness. When your goal is perfection, every mistake feels like failure. Missing one workout suddenly feels like you’ve fallen off track. Eating one meal that wasn’t part of the plan turns into an excuse to “start over” next week. But when your goal shifts from being perfect to simply being consistent, those same moments lose their power. You stop chasing flawless weeks and start focusing on making the next good decision.

One of the biggest mindset shifts I’ve made, both personally and as a coach, is encouraging people to stop thinking about fitness as something they’re trying to accomplish and start thinking about it as part of who they are. Healthy people don’t eat perfectly every day. Strong people don’t have incredible workouts every week. Disciplined people don’t always feel motivated. What separates them isn’t perfection. It’s their willingness to come back. They understand that one off day doesn’t change their identity because they’ve already decided who they are.

That’s the identity worth building.

Your success won’t be determined by your best week of training. It will be determined by what you do after an imperfect one. Every time you choose to come back instead of starting over, you’re reinforcing the kind of person you want to become. Those small decisions may not feel significant in the moment, but over months and years they shape your habits, your confidence, and ultimately your life.

The next time your routine gets interrupted, don’t waste energy trying to make up for what happened yesterday. Instead, ask yourself one simple question: What’s the next good decision I can make? Maybe it’s drinking a glass of water, taking a twenty-minute walk, preparing a healthy dinner, or making it to your next workout. It doesn’t have to be perfect. It just has to move you forward.

If you’re tired of the all-or-nothing cycle and want a plan that’s built around real life instead of perfection, I’d love to help. My coaching is designed to simplify fitness so you can build habits that actually last.

Coaching: https://tr.ee/z5gRhJQmEH

Your Weekly Rep

Focus: Let consistency, not perfection, define your progress.

Standard: If your routine gets interrupted this week, make one healthy decision within the next 24 hours instead of waiting for a fresh start.

People often ask me what certifications I’ve earned or what courses I’d recommend to become a better coach. Those experiences have absolutely shaped me, but if I’m being honest, some of the biggest shifts in my life didn’t happen in a classroom. They happened because I picked up the right book at the right time.

A good book doesn’t tell you how to live your life. It changes the way you think about the challenges you’re already facing. A new perspective leads to different decisions, and over time, those decisions shape who you become. Looking back, there are five books that had an undeniable impact on the person I am today.

The first is The Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fck* by Mark Manson. I found this book during a season when I felt stuck, especially in my relationships. I expected a book about caring less, but that’s not what I got. What I learned was that my time and energy are limited resources. Every commitment, every relationship, and every responsibility asks something of you, so it’s important to be intentional about where you invest yourself. Creating space in your life isn’t selfish. It’s healthy. That lesson changed the way I approach relationships, coaching, and even the way I structure my days.

The second is Atomic Habits by James Clear, and it’s probably the book I’ve recommended more than any other. Before reading it, I thought meaningful change came from big moments of motivation. James Clear completely flipped that idea on its head. He showed that lasting progress comes from small improvements repeated consistently. That’s exactly what I see every day as a coach. The clients who make the greatest progress aren’t necessarily the most talented or the most motivated. They’re the ones who continue showing up. They understand that consistency compounds, just like money in an investment account. A one percent improvement doesn’t seem significant today, but over months and years it can completely change your life.

The third book is Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki. I know Robert has become a controversial figure over the years, and I don’t agree with everything he says. That doesn’t take away from the impact this book had on me. It fundamentally changed the way I thought about money, ownership, and creating value. Instead of viewing income as the finish line, I started thinking about assets, investments, and building things that continue to serve you long after the work is done. More importantly, it taught me to think independently. Learn the principles, ask questions, and make decisions based on what you believe has value instead of blindly following someone else’s opinion. That mindset has influenced everything from starting my coaching business to making financial decisions today.

The fourth book is Can’t Hurt Me by David Goggins. David’s story is extraordinary, and I don’t think his lifestyle is meant to be copied exactly. That wasn’t my takeaway. What stuck with me was the realization that we’re capable of far more than we usually believe. When life gets uncomfortable, our instinct is often to back away. This book reminded me that growth usually exists on the other side of discomfort. You don’t have to embrace suffering for the sake of suffering, but you do have to become comfortable doing hard things if you want to continue growing.

The final book is The Infinite Game by Simon Sinek, and it’s probably the one that most closely aligns with how I coach today. Simon argues that some games have winners and losers, while others are meant to be played indefinitely. Fitness is an infinite game. There isn’t a finish line where you’ve officially “won” your health. There isn’t a point where you no longer need to move your body, strength train, or take care of yourself. The goal isn’t to beat someone else. The goal is to keep playing. That idea changed how I think about training. I don’t want quick fixes or short bursts of motivation. I want habits that I can sustain for decades, and that’s exactly what I want for every client I coach.

None of these books changed my life overnight. They changed the way I looked at the world, and that changed the choices I made afterward. That’s why I still make reading a priority. You never know when one idea, one chapter, or even one sentence will completely shift your perspective.

If you’re looking for a place to start, I’d recommend Atomic Habits. It’s practical, easy to read, and full of ideas you can apply immediately. But honestly, you can’t go wrong with any book on this list. Each one found me at a different stage of life, and each one gave me exactly what I needed at the time.

Your Weekly Rep

Focus: Invest in your mindset the same way you invest in your health.

Standard: Read at least ten pages every day this week from a book that challenges the way you think.

Before I wrap up this week’s newsletter, I’d love to hear from you.

Reading has had a bigger impact on my life than almost anything outside of the people around me. The right book at the right time has challenged the way I think, helped me through difficult seasons, and shaped the coach and person I’m still becoming.

Now I’m looking for my next great read.

What’s one book that has deeply inspired you or changed the way you think?

It doesn’t have to be a fitness book. In fact, I’d love recommendations outside of fitness. It could be about business, relationships, psychology, leadership, philosophy, or simply a book that found you at exactly the right time in your life.

Hit reply and let me know the title and, if you’re willing, tell me why it mattered to you. I’d love to add a few of your recommendations to my reading list, and who knows, maybe I’ll even share some of the community’s favorites in a future edition of The Weekly Rep.

Leave a comment

One of the hardest lessons to accept in strength training is that progress often looks repetitive. Social media has convinced us that every workout needs a new exercise, a new challenge, or a new piece of equipment to keep things interesting. In reality, the strongest people I know built their strength by doing the same fundamental movements over and over again. They didn’t get bored with the basics. They got better at them.

As a coach, I hear a similar question all the time. “What’s the next exercise?” My answer is usually another question. “Have you mastered the one you’re already doing?” There’s a big difference between completing an exercise and performing it well. A swing with crisp timing, a squat with full control, or a press with a stable overhead position will always do more for your progress than rushing through heavier weights with sloppy technique.

Heavy doesn’t always mean better.

One of the biggest mistakes I see is people increasing the weight before they’ve earned it. They sacrifice range of motion, lose control of the movement, or rely on momentum just to finish the rep. It feels impressive because the number is bigger, but the quality of the movement has gone backwards.

The goal isn’t to lift the heaviest kettlebell you can survive. The goal is to own the weight you’re using.

When your technique is consistent, your reps are controlled, and every repetition looks nearly identical, you’ve built a foundation that’s ready for more weight. Progression should be the reward for mastering the movement, not the shortcut to mastering it.

This is one of the reasons I enjoy coaching kettlebells. The bell doesn’t hide poor movement. If your timing is off, your grip isn’t connected, or your body isn’t creating tension where it should, you’ll know right away. The feedback is immediate, which makes it an incredible tool for learning how to move well before chasing heavier loads.

Strength isn’t built by constantly proving how much you can lift. It’s built by stacking thousands of quality repetitions over time. Those repetitions may look boring from the outside, but they’re exactly what create lasting progress.

If you’re looking for a program that takes the guesswork out of training and helps you focus on mastering the fundamentals, my kettlebell programming is built around progressive overload without sacrificing movement quality. The goal isn’t simply to lift heavier. It’s to become stronger through better movement.

Kettlebell App: https://tr.ee/rIuYtHwO15

Your Weekly Rep

Focus: Earn the next weight instead of rushing to it.

Standard: For one exercise this week, don’t increase the load until every repetition is smooth, controlled, and technically consistent.

People often ask me what certifications I’ve earned or what courses I’d recommend to become a better coach. Those experiences have absolutely shaped me, but if I’m being honest, some of the biggest shifts in my life didn’t happen in a classroom. They happened because I picked up the right book at the right time.

A good book doesn’t tell you how to live your life. It changes the way you think about the challenges you’re already facing. A new perspective leads to different decisions, and over time, those decisions shape who you become. Looking back, there are five books that had an undeniable impact on the person I am today.

The first is The Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fck* by Mark Manson. I found this book during a season when I felt stuck, especially in my relationships. I expected a book about caring less, but that’s not what I got. What I learned was that my time and energy are limited resources. Every commitment, every relationship, and every responsibility asks something of you, so it’s important to be intentional about where you invest yourself. Creating space in your life isn’t selfish. It’s healthy. That lesson changed the way I approach relationships, coaching, and even the way I structure my days.

The second is Atomic Habits by James Clear, and it’s probably the book I’ve recommended more than any other. Before reading it, I thought meaningful change came from big moments of motivation. James Clear completely flipped that idea on its head. He showed that lasting progress comes from small improvements repeated consistently. That’s exactly what I see every day as a coach. The clients who make the greatest progress aren’t necessarily the most talented or the most motivated. They’re the ones who continue showing up. They understand that consistency compounds, just like money in an investment account. A one percent improvement doesn’t seem significant today, but over months and years it can completely change your life.

The third book is Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki. I know Robert has become a controversial figure over the years, and I don’t agree with everything he says. That doesn’t take away from the impact this book had on me. It fundamentally changed the way I thought about money, ownership, and creating value. Instead of viewing income as the finish line, I started thinking about assets, investments, and building things that continue to serve you long after the work is done. More importantly, it taught me to think independently. Learn the principles, ask questions, and make decisions based on what you believe has value instead of blindly following someone else’s opinion. That mindset has influenced everything from starting my coaching business to making financial decisions today.

The fourth book is Can’t Hurt Me by David Goggins. David’s story is extraordinary, and I don’t think his lifestyle is meant to be copied exactly. That wasn’t my takeaway. What stuck with me was the realization that we’re capable of far more than we usually believe. When life gets uncomfortable, our instinct is often to back away. This book reminded me that growth usually exists on the other side of discomfort. You don’t have to embrace suffering for the sake of suffering, but you do have to become comfortable doing hard things if you want to continue growing.

The final book is The Infinite Game by Simon Sinek, and it’s probably the one that most closely aligns with how I coach today. Simon argues that some games have winners and losers, while others are meant to be played indefinitely. Fitness is an infinite game. There isn’t a finish line where you’ve officially “won” your health. There isn’t a point where you no longer need to move your body, strength train, or take care of yourself. The goal isn’t to beat someone else. The goal is to keep playing. That idea changed how I think about training. I don’t want quick fixes or short bursts of motivation. I want habits that I can sustain for decades, and that’s exactly what I want for every client I coach.

None of these books changed my life overnight. They changed the way I looked at the world, and that changed the choices I made afterward. That’s why I still make reading a priority. You never know when one idea, one chapter, or even one sentence will completely shift your perspective.

If you’re looking for a place to start, I’d recommend Atomic Habits. It’s practical, easy to read, and full of ideas you can apply immediately. But honestly, you can’t go wrong with any book on this list. Each one found me at a different stage of life, and each one gave me exactly what I needed at the time.

Your Weekly Rep

Focus: Invest in your mindset the same way you invest in your health.

Standard: Read at least ten pages every day this week from a book that challenges the way you think.

Before I wrap up this week’s newsletter, I’d love to hear from you.

Reading has had a bigger impact on my life than almost anything outside of the people around me. The right book at the right time has challenged the way I think, helped me through difficult seasons, and shaped the coach and person I’m still becoming.

Now I’m looking for my next great read.

What’s one book that has deeply inspired you or changed the way you think?

It doesn’t have to be a fitness book. In fact, I’d love recommendations outside of fitness. It could be about business, relationships, psychology, leadership, philosophy, or simply a book that found you at exactly the right time in your life.

Hit reply and let me know the title and, if you’re willing, tell me why it mattered to you. I’d love to add a few of your recommendations to my reading list, and who knows, maybe I’ll even share some of the community’s favorites in a future edition of The Weekly Rep.

Leave a comment

One of the biggest misconceptions in fitness is that every day has to feel productive in the same way. We celebrate hard workouts, personal records, and pushing through discomfort because those moments are easy to recognize. Recovery, on the other hand, is quiet. It doesn’t leave you drenched in sweat or give you a new number to post online, which makes it easy to overlook. But without recovery, your body never gets the chance to adapt to the work you’ve put in.

When you strength train, you’re creating stress. That stress is necessary, but it’s only half of the equation. Your muscles, joints, and nervous system need time to recover before they can come back stronger. If you continue to pile on more and more work without allowing that process to happen, progress eventually slows down and training starts to feel harder than it should.

One of the simplest recovery tools is something almost everyone has access to: walking. It doesn’t require special equipment, an expensive membership, or an hour of your day. A twenty or thirty minute walk can help you loosen up after lifting, clear your mind after work, and keep you moving without adding unnecessary fatigue. During the summer, it’s even easier to make it part of your routine. Walk before the day heats up, after dinner with your family, or while listening to a podcast instead of scrolling through your phone.

I think we’ve reached a point where every habit has to be optimized. If a walk doesn’t burn enough calories or elevate your heart rate enough, it’s often dismissed as not being “worth it.” I see it differently. Walking isn’t supposed to replace your workouts. It’s there to support them. It helps you recover, manage stress, and stay active on the days when life doesn’t leave room for a full training session.

The longer I coach, the more I appreciate the habits that people can repeat for years. Recovery isn’t a reward you earn after working hard. It’s part of the work itself. The people who continue making progress aren’t always the ones training the hardest.

They’re the ones who understand that showing up consistently also means knowing when to slow down.

If you’re looking for a simple strength program that fits alongside everyday habits like walking, my kettlebell programming is built around sustainable progress. The goal isn’t to do more. It’s to help you do the right things consistently.

Kettlebell App: https://tr.ee/rIuYtHwO15

Your Weekly Rep

Focus: Build recovery into your routine instead of treating it as an afterthought.

Standard: Walk for at least 20 minutes on five days this week, whether it’s after dinner, before work, or between meetings.

There seems to be something magical about Mondays.

It’s the day people promise they’ll eat better, get back to the gym, and finally stick to a routine.

But here’s the problem.

Life doesn’t always wait for Monday.

Maybe you had a barbecue on Saturday.

Maybe you stayed out later than planned.

Maybe your workout got skipped because family came into town.

None of those things erase your progress.

What gets in the way isn’t one missed workout or one indulgent meal. It’s believing you’ve fallen so far off track that you need to “start over.”

The truth is, there isn’t a reset button.

There are only decisions.

Every meal is another opportunity to make a choice.

Every day is another chance to move your body.

Every workout is an opportunity to build on what you’ve already done.

The people who stay healthy for years aren’t perfect. They’re just really good at returning to the basics.

I’ve seen this over and over while coaching.

The clients who make the most progress aren’t the ones who never miss a workout. They’re the ones who don’t let one missed workout become two weeks.

They understand that consistency isn’t about never getting off track.

It’s about getting back on track quickly.

Summer can make this feel harder.

Vacations, weddings, cookouts, and long weekends are all part of the season. They should be enjoyed, not feared.

Fitness should fit into your life, not force your life to revolve around fitness.

Instead of asking yourself, “How do I make up for this weekend?”

Ask yourself, “What’s the next healthy choice I can make?”

That question is much easier to answer.

Go for a walk.

Drink a glass of water.

Cook a balanced dinner.

Complete your next scheduled workout.

Small actions don’t seem significant in the moment, but repeated over months and years, they build the habits that last.

You don’t need a perfect Monday.

You just need your next good decision.

If you’d like help building a plan around this, I’d love to help.

Coaching: https://tr.ee/z5gRhJQmEH

Your Weekly Rep

Focus: Make your next healthy choice instead of waiting for Monday.

Standard: Complete your next scheduled workout, no matter what happened this past weekend.

Last weekend I competed at Apex Athlete Chicago.

The competition was designed to test multiple qualities of fitness, not just one.

Speed.
Power.
Strength.
Endurance.

Throughout the day we completed:

Speed
40 meter sprint

Power
Medicine ball toss
Broad jump
Vertical jump

Strength
405 lb deadlift for max reps
225 lb bench press for max reps

Endurance
1 mile run for time

I really enjoyed the format because it rewarded well rounded athletes.

You couldn’t rely on just one strength.

You had to be capable across the board.

It reminded me why I train the way I do.

I love building strength with kettlebells.

I enjoy running.

I want to move well.

I want to stay athletic.

Not just be good at one thing.

That philosophy is also why we created The Standard at Third Coast Kettlebell.

The Standard isn’t about comparing yourself to someone else.

It’s about building a level of strength, conditioning, and skill that you can be proud of.

Link to sign-up here.

The older I get, the more I appreciate putting challenging things on my calendar.

Not because I need another medal.

Because having a challenge changes how I show up every day.

Training becomes intentional.

Recovery becomes important.

Nutrition improves.

Consistency follows.

Now that Apex Athlete is behind me, my next challenge is the Chicago Marathon.

A new goal.

A new training cycle.

Another opportunity to grow.

We’re already halfway through the year.

This is a great time to ask yourself:

What are you training for?

If nothing comes to mind, maybe it’s time to put something on the calendar.

A race.

A kettlebell class.

A hiking trip.

A lifting meet.

A personal challenge.

The event itself isn’t the point.

The commitment is.

Your Weekly Rep

Before this week ends, commit to one challenge.

Pick something that excites you enough to start preparing today.

Your future self will thank you for making the decision now instead of waiting for the “perfect” time.

Focus: Train with purpose.

Standard: You have one event or challenge on your calendar before the end of the week.

If you’re looking for a place to start, join us for a Third Coast Kettlebell class.

It’s a great way to challenge yourself, learn new skills, and train alongside a community that’s committed to getting better together.

I’ll see you there.

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You already know enough to make progress.

You do not need another:

• workout split

• supplement stack

• morning routine

• fitness trend

You need more reps with the basics.

Scrolling through fitness content can feel productive.

But consuming information is not the same thing as applying it.

Jumping from method to method creates noise.

And noise kills consistency.

Instead of asking:

“What is the best program?”

Ask:

“What can I stick with long enough to improve?”

That question changes everything.

Real progress usually looks boring.

Repeating the same movements.
Eating similar meals.
Walking consistently.
Sleeping enough.
Getting slightly better over time.

That is the work.

Not chasing novelty every week.

You do not need to constantly restart.

You need to stay with something long enough to build skill and confidence.

This is especially true with kettlebells.

The swing gets better with reps.
The press gets stronger with practice.
The get up gets smoother with time.

You cannot rush that process.

The basics work.

They have always worked.

If you want a simple place to start without overcomplicating your training, my kettlebell app is built around mastering the fundamentals and progressing them over time.

Simple structure.
Clear direction.
No fluff.

You can check it out here:
https://tr.ee/rIuYtHwO15

Your Weekly Rep

This week, stop searching for something new.

Pick:

• one training plan

• one nutrition habit

• one recovery habit

And stay with them for the entire week.

No switching.
No adding more.

Just practice consistency.

Focus: Apply instead of consume

Standard: You follow through without changing the plan halfway through the week

Discipline matters.

But your environment usually wins.

If your mornings are chaotic
your meals are random
your workouts feel complicated
and your phone constantly pulls your attention away

Consistency becomes much harder than it needs to be.

A lot of people are trying to force better habits into a system that works against them.

That is exhausting.

The goal is not to become more extreme.

The goal is to make good decisions easier.

That starts with reducing friction.

Small improvements to your environment can completely change your consistency.

Lay your clothes out the night before.

Now you remove one decision in the morning.

Prep simple meals ahead of time.

Now you are less likely to grab random food when life gets busy.

Reduce screen time before bed.

Now your sleep improves
which improves your recovery
which improves your training.

Simplify your workouts.

You do not need:

• 15 exercises

• perfect conditions

• a 90 minute session

You need a plan you can actually repeat consistently.

This is why simple systems work.

Less thinking.
Less friction.
More follow through.

The people who stay in shape long term are usually not relying on motivation every day.

They build systems that make consistency easier.

That is the real goal.

Not perfection.

Consistency.

If you feel like your training and routines constantly fall apart, this is exactly what I help people work through with coaching.

We simplify the process
remove unnecessary obstacles
and build a structure that actually fits your life.

You can apply for coaching here:
https://tr.ee/z5gRhJQmEH

Your Weekly Rep

This week, remove one obstacle from your routine.

Examples:

• prep breakfast the night before

• set your training clothes out early

• put your phone away an hour before bed

• schedule your workouts into your calendar

Pick one thing that makes consistency easier.

Focus: Reduce friction

Standard: Your habits feel easier to follow through on this week

Most people wait until dinner to eat enough protein.

That is usually too late.

How you start your day matters.

Your first meal sets the tone for:

• energy

• hunger

• focus

• training capacity

• recovery

And for most people, breakfast is where nutrition falls apart.

Coffee and a protein bar is not a meal.

Neither is skipping breakfast completely and trying to “catch up later.”

If you train regularly and want to:

• build muscle

• recover better

• manage hunger

• improve body composition

You need more protein.

Especially earlier in the day.

Your body needs protein to synthesize and repair muscle tissue.

Training is the stimulus.

Protein is part of the building material.

Without enough of it, recovery and progress become much harder.

A good target:

40 to 50 grams of protein in your first meal.

Not perfection.

Just a strong start.

And honestly, one of the most underrated things you can do is make breakfast consistent.

Most people make too many decisions throughout the day.

Consistency removes friction.

When your breakfast is predictable:

• your nutrition improves

• your mornings feel more stable

• your training goals stay easier to support

You stop guessing.

You start building momentum.

Protein helps:

• support muscle recovery

• stabilize energy

• keep you full longer

• reduce unnecessary snacking later in the day

It is one of the simplest nutritional upgrades you can make.

And it does not need to be complicated.

Here are a few simple ideas:

Option 1

Greek yogurt + protein powder + mixed fruit

Easy. Fast. High protein.

For vegans:
Use a plant based yogurt and protein powder.

Option 2

Eggs + cottage cheese + toast + fruit (the Eliana special)

Simple and filling.

The cottage cheese adds an easy protein boost without much effort.

Option 3

Protein smoothie

Protein powder
fruit
milk or almond milk
ice

Done in 2 minutes.

Option 4

Leftovers

People overthink breakfast.

If it has protein and supports your goals, it works.

Most people do not need a more advanced diet.

They need a more consistent structure.

And breakfast is one of the easiest places to start.

If you want more simple nutrition and training structure without overcomplicating things, my kettlebell app is designed exactly for that.

Simple training.
Clear structure.
Built for consistency.

You can check it out here:
https://tr.ee/rIuYtHwO15

Your Weekly Rep

This week, aim for 40 to 50 grams of protein in your first meal of the day.

Do it at least 4 times this week.

Pay attention to:

• your hunger

• your energy

• your recovery

• your cravings later in the day

Focus: Build consistency first

Standard: You feel more energized, more stable, and less hungry throughout the day

Do not over complicate conditioning.

You do not need:

• longer workouts

• more exercises

• more intensity

Most of the time, you just need consistency.

The kettlebell swing is one of the simplest and most effective tools for building:

• power

• conditioning

• endurance

• grip strength

• hip strength

And you do not need an hour to benefit from it.

So here is the challenge.

3 days this week.

Simple structure.

Get the work done.

Day 1

50 swings

Day 2

100 swings

Day 3

150 swings

The structure:

10 swings every minute on the minute.

That means:

• 5 rounds for Day 1

• 10 rounds for Day 2

• 15 rounds for Day 3

Simple.

Focus on:

• intentional set-up

• strong hip drive

• breathe with your hip snap

• staying relaxed between sets

• stand tall

Do not rush the swings.

Own them.

If your swings do not feel right or you are unsure about your technique, message me on Instagram @nathanbanuelos_

I am happy to help you clean them up.

Sometimes one small adjustment changes everything.

If you want more structure like this, my kettlebell app is built around simple, repeatable training that actually fits into real life.

You can check it out here:
https://tr.ee/rIuYtHwO15

Your Weekly Rep

Complete all 3 swing sessions this week.

Track:

• how your conditioning feels

• how your grip holds up

• how your swings look by Day 3

Focus: Quality swings under fatigue

Standard: Your last reps look almost as clean as your first reps

Pictured above: The Third Coast Kettlebell crew at the beach owning our Sunday the best way we know possible.

The later the day gets
the less control you have.

Work happens.
Stress happens.
Life starts pulling at your attention from every direction.

That is why I value the morning so much.

It is one of the only parts of the day that still feels fully yours.

Training in the morning is not just about discipline.

It is about creating momentum before the world starts demanding things from you.

You get the hard part done first.

You move.
You think clearly.
You start the day with intention instead of reaction.

And honestly, the biggest change for me lately has not even been training.

It has been removing distractions.

My wife bought me a Brick
and it has completely changed my evenings and mornings.

I lock my phone from 9pm to 7am.

No social media.
No scrolling.
No random dopamine hits before bed or first thing in the morning.

At first it felt uncomfortable.

Now it feels freeing.

The quality of my sleep improved.
My mornings feel quieter.
Training feels more focused.

And the biggest thing:

My attention feels like my own again.

There is something different about training early in the morning.

No notifications.
No noise.
No pressure to respond to everyone immediately.

Just movement.
Breathing.
Focus.

Most people wake up and immediately give their attention away.

Email.
Instagram.
Text messages.
News.

Before they have even checked in with themselves.

Owning your morning changes that.

You stop reacting to the day
and start leading it.

Also, our only Third Coast Kettlebell Beach Class of the year is officially on sale.

We’ll be training at Montrose Beach on June 14th.

Good people
kettlebells
lakefront training
and one of the best mornings of the summer.

If you want to move, train, and spend a morning around strong people, come join us.

Link here to sign-up!

Your Weekly Rep

This week, create one distraction free morning hour.

No social media.
No scrolling.
No unnecessary noise.

Use that time to:

• Train

• Walk

• Read

• Think

• Plan your day

Protect your attention before the world takes it.

Focus: Start your morning intentionally

Standard: You feel calmer, clearer, and more focused going into your day