Author: tom44

You ever feel like you were finally getting into a good groove with your workouts, only to have life knock you sideways?

Good. That’s how it works.

No, seriously.

In Nerd Fitness Coaching, I tell every new client:

“I don’t know exactly WHEN it will happen, but within the first 3 months, something will knock you off your routine.”

Maybe you get sick. Or slammed with work. Or your kid wakes you up three nights in a row. Maybe your motivation just fades.

Whatever it is, I expect it. And here’s why that’s a good thing:

Consistency is never 100%

Life is unpredictable. Things change.

The sooner we can accept that there is no normal, the sooner we can start practicing two very important skills:

1. How to shorten the disruption (so we bounce back faster)
2. ​How to adjust the dial​ (so we can still do something)

If you normally workout for 2 weeks, then take 4 weeks off, then try again, progress may look like shortening that time off to 1 or 2 weeks. Over the course of a year, this change results in a massive difference in the number of workouts you do!

If you normally stop working out entirely during a particularly hectic season in life, progress may look like treading water with some shorter workouts. You are able to maintain all the progress you’ve previously built without backsliding, and your fitness will continue to improve as a result.

Let’s talk about how to put these practices into action.

Recognize the Pattern

Last week, I received an email from a reader saying how they struggle to stay consistent.

“I can keep things going for 1 or 2 weeks consistently, but then I fall off track and it takes me a while to get started again.”

So I asked them:

When you have tried making changes in the past, what is the most likely thing to “knock you off the wagon”? Does life get really busy, or maybe you get frustrated from a lack of results? Do you notice internal dialogue like “I’ve been killing it, it’s OK if I relax for today”, etc. The more we can learn from your previous attempts, the better we can game plan for next time!

If you look back over the last few months, I bet you’ll notice some repeating challenges:

• Busy work weeks
• Travel
• Family stuff
• A dip in motivation
• Starting too strong and burning out

Once you know your patterns, we can start recognizing them AS they are happening, and practice adjusting your habits in the moment.

Shrink Your Workouts

I mentioned this in a ​previous email​, but did you know you can maintain your strength with ⅓ of your normal training volume?

That means if you normally do 3 sets of each exercise, 1 set is enough to hold steady.

Here are a few common ways I help clients reorganize their workouts when everything feels like it’s on fire:

• Reduce the number of rounds. If you normally do 3 or 4 rounds, try 1 or 2.
• Do a timed, bodyweight circuit instead. With a timed circuit, you know the EXACT amount of time you are committing to, and with bodyweight movements, you can do it anywhere.
• Break it up throughout the day/week. Take little breaks to do a couple of minutes of movement at a time. A few countertop pushups. Some squats after you brush your teeth. It all adds up!

One of my clients, Sean, had a massive work trip coming up and was going to be gone for 2-weeks. In the past, he would put his workouts on hold until he was in a better place to focus on them.

Instead, we planned ahead for 10-minute bodyweight workouts he could do in his hotel room. On a few days, he just did 2 minutes. And it kept his momentum going. He felt noticeably better coming back from his trip, and was able to jump back into workouts without getting overly sore or worn out. #winning

Create some go-to, low prep meals

What about nutrition?

One of the most useful strategies I’ve found is creating some emergency backup meals for when you’re in a pinch that don’t take a lot of extra effort. Try to prioritize protein, fruits and veggies, and hydration. Then, scan local restaurant menus as well as the closest grocery store for some quick grab and go options that fit your eating preferences.

This could look like:

• Mexican – grilled chicken/steak (if you eat meat), rice, beans, fajita veggies and all the salsa your heart could desire!
• American – grilled chicken/steak/fish is often a good bet here. Add a small fry on the side, a fruit cup (if they have one) and a zero calorie beverage of choice
• Grocery store – greek yogurt with some fresh berries and nuts for crunch
• Grocery store – rotisserie chicken, a premade salad bag, and a potato you can microwave for a low prep option.
• Grocery store – keeping some frozen options (Trader Joe’s Tikka Masala is one of my family’s personal favorites) in the freezer that you can just microwave when needed

I put together an entire resource on these low/no-prep meals you can slap together on the fly for some of my coaching clients, but I haven’t shared it with anyone else. If you’d like to take a look, shoot me an email and I’ll send it your way.

Schedule a reset check-in

Now that we’ve found ways to lower the barrier to entry and get back on track with some quick workouts and low-prep meal ideas, here’s one more key strategy: Schedule a quick “reset” check-in for right after a known disruption. This could look like doing a self-check in. I.e. writing in a journal or even scheduling some time for yourself on your work calendar to pause, assess, and make a plan.

Or it could be a friend or accountability buddy you hop on a quick call with to check-in. This is actually something I do regularly for my Nerd Fitness Coaching Clients! If they are coming back from a vacation or just finishing “crunch” week at work, we hop on a quick call to reset and get back on track the very next week. It helps shorten that feeling of being “in limbo” and get reoriented and reorganized quickly. Here are some helpful questions to ask:

• What went well? Maybe you were able to complete several short workouts, or prioritize protein at meals, etc.
• What was a challenge? Maybe you felt so scattered at the end of the day, that you didn’t have the energy for even low-prep meals!
• What, if anything, would you do differently next time? Sometimes, there are no major adjustments to make. We just need more practice.

Final Thought

Falling off track isn’t failure. It’s feedback.

And when you start expecting it, you can actually plan for it.

The next time life throws a wrench in your plans? You’ll already know what to do:

Look for your repeat patterns

Shorten your workout

Fall back on your go-to, low-prep meal ideas

Schedule a “reset” check-in for yourself

Progress isn’t about perfection. It’s about shortening disruptions, and adjusting the dial as you go.

And if you need help building your bounce-back plan, just hit reply. I’d love to help.

– Coach Matt

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I’m about to wade into one of the most heated debates in the world of fitness with you.

Does “calories in, calories out” work? Cue two groups of people yelling at each other online.

Group 1: “It’s simple! Just eat less calories than you burn!” Group 2: “It’s not about the calories! That DOESN’T work!”

So what are we to make of that?!

Here’s the thing:

Both sides are kinda right.

And also… they’re arguing past each other in a way that I think is unhelpful for everyone.

Let’s break it down.

Calories In vs. Calories Out: The Principle

From a scientific standpoint, we actually have a ​mountain of evidence​ and studies to support the principle of calories in vs calories out.

The law of thermodynamics still applies to human bodies.

If we were able to perfectly measure calories consumed and calories burned, changes in weight would track.

This part is reliable and repeatable!

But…

When Most People Say “Counting Calories Didn’t Work for Me,” They’re Not Arguing the Principle

They’re saying:

• “Tracking calories made me miserable.”
• “I was always hungry.”
• “I hit a wall I couldn’t push past.”
• “I tracked perfectly and nothing changed.”
• “It was too exhausting to maintain.”

They’re saying the method didn’t work for them.

Not the physics.

Method ≠ Principle

This is where so many people get tripped up.

Calories In / Calories Out = the principle

Tracking calories = a method

You can affect the calories in/calories out equation without ever tracking a single calorie.

You can also track every bite and still feel stuck—because the behavioral side is off:

• Hunger hormones
• Stress levels
• Sleep quality
• Environment and triggers
• Energy to prep or move

It’s not just about knowing the numbers.

It’s about building habits and strategies that help those numbers change.

That’s Why We Say

Weight loss isn’t magic. It’s math + behavior change.

All calories DO matter. AND, there are lots of environmental, physical, and psychological factors that affect how much we eat and how much we move. I’ve always loved this infographic from Precision Nutrition showing all the hidden factors that go into the calories in, calories out equation.

So what’s the “right” strategy?

It’s the one that helps you influence that equation… sustainably.

Some people love tracking. Others hate it.

Some people do great with portion control, or high-protein meals, or reducing takeout.

None of that breaks the principle.

They’re just different tools for the same job.

For one person, tracking calories (the method) may help them be more mindful of their portions and food choices throughout the day. They start to plan ahead for meals, and this results in a slight and sustainable caloric deficit for them. They don’t hit everything perfectly, but over time, they start to see progress. For another person, tracking calories may completely backfire! It makes them feel neurotic and obsessive over the numbers. It’s really difficult to do, and even in the best of scenarios, tracking calories at home is not an exact science. After several weeks, they aren’t seeing progress and it makes the process feel miserable and demoralizing, not empowering. Both of these situations are normal and EXPECTED. We don’t all have the same bodies, the same environments, or live in the same situation!

In fact, once you realize this, it’s like taking the Red Pill in the Matrix. You can see the code everywhere, and apply this same thought process to ANY diet or method out there.

Keto. Paleo. Intermittent Fasting. For some people, these methods create the behavior changes that lead to sustainable differences in calories in, calories out. For others, they don’t.

So if you’ve ever had a coworker say: “I lost so much weight just doing X! You should try it!” And then you DID try it and it didn’t work for you – you’re not broken, it just wasn’t the right strategy for YOU at that time.

The Bottom Line

Let’s stop debating whether the principle works.

Instead, let’s start asking:

What’s the best method for this individual person to put that principle into action, without burning out?

You don’t need to count every calorie.

You can count calories if it helps.

And you can absolutely make progress by focusing on the habits and behaviors that affect that equation in a sustainable way.

We put together our ​own TDEE calculator ​– which helps you ballpark the daily calories you need based on your activity levels. Steve and I also put together a guide ​on the 10 Nerd Fitness Nutrition levels​ – these are practical skills that are focused on behaviors first and foremost, for those that feel overwhelmed and aren’t sure where to start. Both are great tools in your fitness journey!

And if you want help figuring out what method fits your brain, your life, and your goals, I’m just a reply away.

– Coach Matt

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You’re mid-workout, feeling good… and then something tweaks.

A shoulder twinge. A weird pinch in your hip. A move that suddenly feels off.

Now you’re stuck in the moment we all dread:

“Should I push through this… or stop?”

As a coach (and someone who used to ignore those signals way too often), I can tell you—how you respond here makes all the difference.

Push blindly and risk a setback… or make one smart adjustment and keep moving forward.

Let’s talk about how to do the second one.

1. Don’t push through pain

Strength training can be uncomfortable—that’s normal. But pain is different.

If discomfort gets worse as you warm up or increase weight, that’s your sign to back off immediately and proceed to the next step.

2. Re-evaluate your warm-up

If you’re feeling those little “tweaks” as you work out, make sure you have these elements in your warm up!

• Light general activity (3–5 min to elevate your heart rate)
• 1 to 3 warm-up sets for your main strength exercises using lighter weights that progressively get a bit more challenging. (For specifics, check out our ​free Warm Up guide​!).

If you’ve been skipping this, or rushing through it, tightness or discomfort could just be your body saying, “I’m not ready yet.”

3. Check your technique

Film yourself or have someone else watch your form.

Sometimes discomfort comes from a technique breakdown you don’t realize is happening, especially as fatigue or weight increases.

​Check out this guide​ on how to perform the major strength training lifts like squats, deadlifts, and presses!

4. Try these quick adjustments

If you’ve warmed up properly and your form looks decent, try this checklist:

Decrease the weight – Does that reduce the discomfort?

Adjust the angle – Change your grip, handle, or cable setup

Change tempo or range – Slightly shorten the movement or slow it down

If none of those are working, it’s time to make a smart swap.

5. Swap movements strategically

If it still feels off, here’s how we think about substitutions:

1. Find a similar (but different) movement pattern → Bench press bothering your shoulder? Try an incline dumbbell press or push-up.
2. Target the same general muscles, but use a different movement → Lat pulldown not working? Try a row instead.
3. Switch muscle groups altogether → Upper body not cooperating? Focus on legs or core that day.

In other words: Don’t force it. Find a nearby alternative. And if nothing feels good, it may be time to go home and get some extra rest and recovery!

6. Reassess the next day

Once things calm down, test the area with:

• Controlled joint circles or range-of-motion drills
• Light corrective movements (band work, activation drills)
• Careful reintroduction of movements with low to zero load

You’re not trying to “fix it” immediately. You’re gathering feedback and giving your body space to adapt.

A Real-Life Example: Meet Vaughn

I want to tell you about one of my long-term clients, Vaughn.

Vaughn is one of the nicest guys I know – and one of the strongest!

But here’s what really stuck with me about Vaughn after working with him for years:

Every once in a while, something would just feel off during his workout. His form looked great. Nothing had changed. But he could tell something wasn’t right.

So he did exactly what we just talked about:

• He’d test his warm-up
• Try backing off the weight
• Reassess how things felt

And if it still didn’t feel right?

He’d say, “You know what, I’m going to call it for today. I’ll be back tomorrow.”

And he was.

That ability to listen to his body without ego made him one of the most consistent people in the gym. He rarely got injured. He kept showing up. And he stayed strong because of it.

Vaughn taught me that knowing when to back off is just as important as knowing when to push.

Final Thought

One of the best things you can do for long-term training?

Learn to listen to your body (without panicking).

Not every tweak is an injury. But every tweak deserves a bit more investigation and attention.

And if you ever need help figuring out what to sub, tweak, or focus on, I’m here to help!

– Coach Matt  

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A reader recently sent me a great question:

“I’m always wondering if I’m pushing hard enough during strength training. My goals are to build strength and muscle—and not be a fragile old lady.”

This kind of question is more common than you might think! It’s something almost everyone wonders at some point: “How hard should I be working when I lift?”

Let’s break it down.

1. Do your muscles feel used during and after your workout?

You don’t need to destroy yourself to make progress, but you should feel like your muscles did some meaningful work.

That might show up as:

• Feeling tension and “work” in your muscles as you lift
• Feeling the weight start to unintentionally slow down as you fatigue in the middle of your set
• A light muscle “pump” post-workout
• Slight muscle soreness the next day (but nothing brutal)
• Feeling like you challenged yourself by the end of each set

If you finish your workout and feel like you could do the whole thing again immediately… that might be a sign it’s time to increase reps, weight, or sets.

2. What kind of soreness do you get (if any)?

Contrary to popular belief, soreness isn’t the only sign of progress, but it can give us clues.

Here’s what I look for:

• Mild soreness for 1–2 days? Great! You’re likely getting enough work in.
• Extreme soreness that lasts 4–5 days or more? That’s too much. Dial it back.
• Never sore at all? It might be time to push things a bit more intentionally, or switch up exercises.

Again, soreness is a signal, not a scorecard. It’s not something to chase NO MATTER WHAT, but it’s another piece of the puzzle in understanding what’s working and not working for you.

3. Are you seeing progression over time?

Strength training is about challenging your body and then ​gradually increasing that challenge over time​.

• Are you lifting heavier weights than you were 4–6 weeks ago?
• Are you doing more reps or more sets with the same weight?
• Are your movements feeling more stable, confident, or controlled?

If the answer is yes, you’re getting stronger. And that’s exactly what we want.

If not, it might be time to shift into a more structured plan, like a ​periodized program​ that gradually increases volume (sets and reps) or intensity (amount of weight lifted) over 6–12 weeks.

Note: as we age, we will naturally lose some amount of muscle and strength. This is totally normal! However, we can help reduce that loss with smart strength training.

Even though you may be lifting less in your 70s than you were in your 30s, you can still progress WITHIN a workout program to gradually increase the challenge. The principle of progressive overload still applies, you just adjust your starting point to whatever your body is capable of right now.

Want to test your strength in a safe way?

Another way to check if you’re working hard enough?

Try what I call a litmus set.

Here’s how it works:

1. Pick an exercise you’ve been doing consistently—something like bodyweight squats, push-ups, dumbbell rows, or a machine press.
2. Do a solid warm-up. Get your body moving and your joints feeling good.
3. Then go all out: Do as many quality reps as you can with good form. Stop when you know you can’t complete another clean rep.

This is easiest (and safest) with:

• Machines (you’re already “spotted”)
• Bodyweight movements (you can just stop without risk)

Less ideal:

• Free weight movements like barbell back squats or heavy bench press (unless you’ve got a spotter and plenty of experience)

What are we looking for?

Compare your litmus set to your usual working sets.

Example:

• If you usually do 3 sets of 10 reps and your litmus set gets you 12–13 reps, you’re right in that sweet spot within a few reps of failure.
• If you hit 20+ reps, on the other hand, you’re leaving 10+ reps in the tank during your normal workouts. That means it’s time to increase weight or reps to keep progressing.

Most muscle-building happens when you’re within ​1–4 reps of failure​ on a working set. But if you don’t know what failure feels like, it’s easy to stop short.

A litmus set helps recalibrate your effort and builds confidence that you can push harder (safely) when it makes sense to.

The Bottom Line

You don’t need to crush yourself to get stronger. But you do want your workouts to be purposeful and challenging enough to require your body to adapt.

Look for:

• Muscle tension (during the set)
• Muscle fatigue (after your workout)
• Mild soreness (especially at the beginning of a new workout program)
• Progress over time (reps, weight, technique)
• …and the occasional litmus set for clarity

And if you’re not seeing those? Let’s tweak your approach and help you find that sweet spot.

And remember! If you’re asking this question, that means you are already working out which is AMAZING!

You’ve got this.

– Coach Matt P.S. Need help finding the next step to progress in your workouts? Shoot me an email and I’ll see how I can help!   

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Have you downloaded your free Nerd Fitness Starter Guide yet? I put it together a few months ago, and it’s one of my favorite things we’ve created.
​
I wrote this guide to answer one question I hear all the time:

“There’s so much conflicting information out there. Can you just tell me what ACTUALLY matters when I’m getting started?”

Challenge accepted!

If you’ve already got it, awesome! This email is your reminder to actually crack it open. If not, you can grab your copy here:

​Download the Free Starter Guide​

I took 15+ years of Nerd Fitness research combined with 15+ years of coaching experience and smashed them together in the Hadron Collider.

There’s no fluff. No gimmicks. Just the essentials that help people make progress, even with a busy schedule, fleeting motivation, or years of false starts behind them.

Inside, you’ll learn:

Why weight loss isn’t magic (and what it actually takes)

How to build better nutrition habits step-by-step

The easiest way to get started with strength training

Why all movement counts (yes, even a 10-minute walk)

How to make changes that actually stick this time

I’ve also linked to a bunch of done-for-you templates, resources, and workout routines that we’ve put together over the years.

These are the exact same principles we’ve used to help thousands of coaching clients lose weight, build strength, create lasting habits, and feel good in their bodies again.

If you’ve struggled to stick with fitness before, consider this guide your reset button.

And it’s totally free.

​Grab your Starter Guide​

I hope you get as much out of it as I enjoyed making it.

– Coach Matt
​

P.S. What questions do you have about fitness, nutrition, and making it all stick? I read and respond to every message personally, and I’d love to hear from you. 

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In case you missed my email from a couple of weeks ago, Steve asked me to write some more focused fitness and nutrition content for the Rebellion.

And since then, I received a TON of emails from people circling around the same thing: a lack of belief they can actually make change work this time! I bet you can relate:

“Biggest challenge – losing trust in the process and myself.”

“Having trouble believing that being consistent will actually help and being scared that no matter what I do I’ll fail.“

“I’m afraid of failing, I’m trying to not set myself up to fail but it all seems so daunting. I know all the words for the “right” mindset, but I just can’t seem to find the will/energy/desire to go and do anything after work.”

These fears are very, VERY normal. (Though that doesn’t make them any less sucky to deal with!)

So, what do we do when we are feeling stuck and scared of how overwhelming this all feels?

The Most Important Thing

While every story is different, there’s one thing I’ve noticed that really helps you have a higher chance of success:

Building momentum early – and then protecting that momentum.

Early wins make the rest of the journey easier.

And sure, an early win MIGHT look like seeing the scale move or getting stronger in the gym.

But those things are results that come weeks or even months later, AFTER doing “the thing” consistently. That isn’t helpful in the moment when we are feeling uncertain and overwhelmed.

That’s why I like to start by tracking and celebrating effort.

Picking 1-2 repeatable actions that you can practice each day:

• Taking a short walk during your lunch break
• Adding in some fruits and veggies to each meal
• Following a ​short strength training plan​​
• Fixing a plate that matches our ​meal template​​

Each action is a WIN, which is a small sign of progress.

And if we can recognize and celebrate each action, it starts to build proof that “I am the type of person who can do this, even when it’s hard.”

And that little bit of hope?

It can be enough to keep going through the tough parts.

A Real-Life Example

Let’s take my client Ben, for example. He was in this exact same boat when we started working together.

• Super busy work schedule with an hour commute each way
• 4 young kids at home
• Had a recent health scare that made him realize it was time to make a change
• Not sure where to start, and really afraid this would be another attempt that he tried and failed at

So we talked about all those things openly – the REAL constraints on his time and energy, the fear that this wouldn’t work, and his hope for a future where he felt better and fitness didn’t feel so hard to stick with.

And then we picked a few things that we thought could be a good place to start.

A 10min walk during his lunch break

A list of go-to orders at restaurants around his work – so he would always have a good option even in a pinch

Push-ups off the countertop every time he brushed his teeth.

And while these actions may seem small, they had an outsized impact. They allowed us to build consistency and practice overcoming obstacles FIRST, then we could worry about optimizing for outcomes LATER.

And that’s where the real magic happens—not just in physical change, but in mindset:

“I’m the kind of person who shows up.”

“I can trust myself to follow through.”

“I know how to get back on track when life happens.”

Ask ​any of our most successful clients​, and they’ll say the biggest change wasn’t just in their body.

Their biggest change was actually in how they thought about fitness, habits, and who they believed they could become.

The Pitfall

When we start with trying to optimize, doing everything “perfectly” right from the get-go, it can feel like we’re drowning and not able to keep up.

That just reinforces the belief that we aren’t able to make any changes. That we’re just one of the people who “this stuff doesn’t work for.”

That’s the exact trap we are trying to avoid!

Of course, everyone’s starting point is different. You may be able to jump right into a multiple day per week workout routine, or more aggressive nutrition changes.

The point isn’t to FORCE yourself to take on less than you are capable of – it’s to make sure you can balance “challenging” with “doable” so you can build belief in yourself and the process.

Fast forward two years, and Ben’s routine looks much different from where we started.

• He now does a strength workout 4x/week in the morning before work
• He goes through periods where he tracks his calories and macros, and others where we take a more relaxed approach with a general focus on getting plenty of protein, fruits and vegetables each day
• He prioritizes sleep and gets over 8,000 steps each day

While Ben has gotten stronger, lost over 30lbs, and seen his blood markers improve – it all started with the most important thing: building momentum.

Where do I start?

So where does that leave you, today? Here’s how I’d approach it.

Acknowledge the real challenges and constraints on your time and energy.

This isn’t a “rah-rah” approach to ignore all the hard stuff. Recognize that it’s OK and NORMAL to feel this way. (Steve actually just wrote about the ​“Notice and Name” concept​ here.)

Start with practice—not perfection.

Focus on a repeatable action (like a short strength session, or protein at two meals), not just the result you want. Think of it like practice. You won’t be perfect. You’ll make mistakes. And that’s all part of it.

Create visual proof of your effort.

In our coaching program, clients check off tasks each day and we can see visible progress of their effort.

If you don’t have a coach, we love using something we call the Jar of Awesome:

Drop a marble (or paperclip, or coin) in a jar every time you do something aligned with your goals.

It’s a way to see your consistency and progress, even before the mirror or the scale reflects it.

Celebrate the small wins.

You walked today?

Ate mindfully?

Skipped the all-or-nothing spiral after a rough day?

That’s a win worth acknowledging. The process leads to the result.

---

If you’re feeling stuck right now, or even hopeless, let’s see if we can flip the script.

We’ll start small. We’ll celebrate the effort.

And we’ll build that momentum back together.

You’ve got this.

And if you want help choosing your first “quick win,” just shoot me a message and I’ll help you find it.

– Coach Matt

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I’ve dealt with back pain for over 20 years.

It started back in high school—warming up for a soccer match, everything felt fine… and then *SNAP*, my back seized up. I had no idea what had happened. All I knew was: it hurt, I could barely move, and I was scared.

That moment started a lifelong journey of learning about fitness, mobility, injury prevention—and also, learning how to cope when you realize that not everything is within your control.

I learned how to train better. I ate a nutritious diet. I prioritized sleep and regularly kept up with the corrective exercises prescribed by my doctors and physical therapists. But even though I was doing “everything right” – every 6–24 months, I’d get hit with a serious back flare-up. Sometimes it would last for a couple of days. Sometimes, I would wrestle with it for YEARS.

The last one was the worst.

I spent months twisted in a literal C-shape. I couldn’t stand up straight. I couldn’t move like I wanted to. And more than the physical pain, it was the mental spiral that got me.

“Am I going to be stuck like this?”

“How long will it take this time?”

“Who even am I if I can’t move or teach or coach like I used to?”

It messed with my identity in a way I wasn’t even fully aware of in the beginning.

I’m the trainer. The coach. The guy who teaches others how to move well. I’m the dad who wrestles on the floor with his kids. Who takes care of the physical labor around our home.

Now I was working from bed and questioning if I’d ever feel “normal” again.

Eventually, I did get out of pain again (not everyone does). And it taught me some valuable lessons.

What I’ve learned:

Playing the hand you’re dealt.

Turns out I have congenital spinal stenosis (a narrowing of the spinal canal). I didn’t cause it. I can’t “fix” it. But I can build a plan around it. Physical therapy and strength training are a lot alike! In it’s simplest form, it’s all a version of “exposure therapy.” Stress your body just enough, and in the right ways, to get the response you want. Not too much, not too little.

Over time, I’ve learned the movements that are more likely to cause a flare-up. And I can organize my training to build a bigger “buffer” of strength and mobility in that area.

It’s not what I would have chosen for myself. But it’s the best way I know how to respond.

Recovery is mental as much as it is physical.

Don’t discount the mental and emotional toll that an injury takes on you or a loved one. You can do all the “right things” and still feel like you’re not making progress if your brain is flooded with pain, fear, frustration, or shame. You may not even recognize the impact it’s having on you! I often felt like I was handling everything great. But my loved ones could see the toll the mental stress (let alone the physical pain) was taking on me.

I learned this phrase from a mentor of mine, and it still resonates with me to this day. “Start where you are. Do what you can. Use what you have.” It’s way easier said than done, but falling back on this mindset helped me in some of my darkest moments.

Movement is still worth fighting for.

Even when it takes months. Even when it’s slower than I’d like. Even if exercise doesn’t look the same as it did before. It’s still worth working towards.

The mental and physical benefits of movement, in any form I can do it, are too powerful to ignore.

The same solution doesn’t work every time.

This was one of the hardest ones to learn. There was no “one size fits all” solution to my pain.

• Sometimes heat helped. Sometimes it didn’t.
• Sometimes an exercise would feel GREAT. Sometimes, it would feel AWFUL.
• Sometimes, anti-inflammatory oral steroids helped. Sometimes they didn’t.

This made me learn to approach each new flare-up like an experiment. To take each DAY as a small test of what I could do. And this is the same approach we’ve learned to take with our own clients – even those not dealing with an injury or chronic condition. What worked for them in the past can give us clues, but it might not be the best current solution for what they need.

More than anything, this made me a better coach.

I understand now—really understand—how people with chronic pain or injuries feel.

The fear, the doubt, the grief of losing part of what makes you you.

That perspective made me more empathetic, more flexible, and more helpful–and it’s something I’ve tried to pass on to our entire coaching staff here at Nerd Fitness.

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If you’re dealing with pain, setbacks, or feel like your body’s betrayed you lately, I see you.

It might take longer than you’d like.

It might look different than it used to.

But you can still build strength, confidence, and momentum even now.

And if you ever need help figuring out how to do that in a way that fits your body, your history, and your reality? I’d love to help.

Just shoot me a message.

– Coach Matt

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Coach Matt Myers from Team Nerd Fitness here.

In case you missed my email from a couple of weeks ago, Steve asked me to write some more focused fitness and nutrition content for the Rebellion.

Last time, I talked about 3 Key Lessons I’ve learned from over 15 years of coaching – and how they can set you up for success.

This week, I want to highlight some significant updates to two of our most popular articles on building muscle:

• ​The Beginner’s Guide to Building Muscle​
• ​A Skinny Guy’s Guide to Bulking Up​

And honestly? These changes are long overdue.

If you’ve ever felt confused about what to do in the gym—or frustrated by conflicting advice—this email is for you.

Let’s break down the two biggest updates:

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Machines vs. Free Weights: Both Are Awesome

We used to be a little snobby about free weights.

(Don’t worry, past us. We forgive you.)

But new research^{[1] [2][3]} and years of coaching experience have made one thing clear:

Machines and free weights are both great tools.

Machines can be:

• Safer for beginners
• Easier to learn
• And just as effective for building muscle

So, if you’re working out in a gym and feel more comfortable using machines? That’s totally valid.
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Of course, free weights are also awesome.

The best tool is the one that works for you.

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Reps: You’ve Got More Range Than You Think

For years, we stuck with the standard advice given in most textbooks:

“Lift in the 8–12 rep range for muscle growth.”

That’s still a great range—but it’s not the only one.

New studies show that you can build just as much muscle doing anywhere between 5 and 30 reps—as long as you’re pushing yourself close to failure (within 1-3 reps) by the end of each set.

So whether you’re lifting heavier weights for fewer reps, or lighter weights for more reps… you’re on the right track if you’re working hard.

This change opens up a lot more flexibility in how you train—and makes strength training feel way more accessible (especially if you have limited access to different weights, machines, etc.!)

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We break all of this down (and more) in the updated articles.

And if you want the quick summary?

I put together a free 1-page Muscle Building FAQ with everything you need to remember.

Want a copy? Sign up for our newsletter and we’ll send you a link to all of our free guides.

Let’s build some strength together.

You’ve got this!

– Coach Matt

P.S. Want some help putting together a plan to build muscle and stay consistent? Take our coaching quiz to see who your fitness Yoda could be!

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