Most Improved Athlete April
We wanted to congratulate Luis on building amazing strength in ground breaking time. Barbell clean weight up 75% in 4 weeks. Luis completed one of our must challenging beginner programs. Congratulations Luis!
Health and Fitness Newsletter #10
April 22 Newsletter: 75% Off Drinks, Money Back Guarantee, Memorial Day Sessions, Pride Month, Luis Transformation Story
CrossFit Scaling Course Certification Review by Paul Roberts
The CrossFit Scaling Course teaches and tests CrossFit coaches on how to scale exercises and workouts. I finished the course, and here’s what I thought and what I learned.
Read moreCrossFit Scaling Course Certification Review by Paul Roberts
Brute Force Sandbag Exercise Equipment
An in-depth review of the Brute Force Sandbag Exercise Equipment + access to our full database on Sandbag Exercises. We’ll be reviewing the Brute Force Brand Sandbag and comparing it to its close competitors Ultimate Sandbag and the Rogue Sandbag. Our Exercise Database features exercises and techniques (over 15 videos). Finally, we cover one of our favorite workouts 📺 using the Brute Force Sandbag.
MWOD Certification Review Movement & Mobility 101
The MWOD Certification Review by Paul on Movement & Mobility 101. Kelly Starrett’s Movement & Mobility certification is my fifth certification in mobility. Here’s my review of the certification, plus a list of new things I learned from the man himself, Kelly Starrett.
If you are a mobility and movement coach, the MWOD Movement and Mobility Certification is a must have. Yes, it will take some work to finish, but it will help you become a better personal trainer. You will be able to take care of your athletes better and keep them moving safely for years to come.
Chris Willever
Bodybuilding Personal Trainer
Since completing my transformation I have gained happiness and confidence. I began working as a personal trainer to motivate and inspire others.
Standing Yoga Poses Part 2
Standing Yoga Poses Part 2
The Standing Yoga Poses from the Crescent family (indudalasana) may be used to mobilize the obliques and lats. Single leg variations are also useful for building balance. The asanas (poses) shown in this article help mobilize the spine both from a side bend and various extensions.
Locked and Loaded Dumbbell Workout
The Locked and Loaded Dumbbell Workout – Strength and Conditioning Program. Torch the entire body using only one piece of equipment: The Dumbbell
Rent Massage Space Alexandria VA
Professional and private massage therapy room available for rent in Old Town Alexandria. If you are looking to Rent Massage Space in Alexandria VA, this is the place to check out. We offer free or discounted rents with massage trades, access to our client network to help you get started, plus utilities and taxes included.
Yoga Adjustment to Improve your Health
Practicing yoga is a deeply intimate, personal experience, which is why many people choose to start a home practice. This is where you get to be one with your body. It’s a place to move into the breath and release tension in the muscles that so easily gather throughout your days. To really let go, though, you need a little help from someone else; you need a yoga adjustment.
Personal Trainer for Seniors
Personal Training for Seniors and Older Adults Program. Everyday we work hard for the seniors in Alexandria VA to help them move better and live their life without limitations. Whether your goals are combating arthritis through joint distraction to preventing bone loss through functional strength training, we are going to build an age-appropriate program for you. We help clients improve aerobic capacity, increase engagement with neuromuscular activation, and build strength through compound movement patterns.
Seniors Over 50 Save 25% on their Starter Pack. Coupon Code: “Senior Discount”
This articles highlights some of our older adult clients and includes their comments on what they had to say about their custom, one-on-one personal training programs.
Dance Video Workout
8 Dance Video Workouts
Don’t have a kettlebell/dumbbell to do a workout? Here are 8 great dance video workouts to help you get your sweat on and burn some extra calories.
Fabian Row
Corrective Exercises and Biomechanics
Certifications
NASM – Personal Training Certification
NASM – Sports Nutrition Certification
B.S. in Execise Science George Mason
Kettlebell Windmill Technique
The Kettlebell Windmill is an excellent hamstring range of motion exercise, improving mobility through the motion. Here’s How It’s Done.
Transformation Story – Giselle
Most Improved Athlete in March
We wanted to congratulate Giselle on all of her surpassing many of her personal records in our Transformation I program. Her improvement on this workout was about 25% overall in just 4 weeks. Her tenacious efforts and discipline helped edge out her competitors for our March Athlete of the Month. Congratulations Giselle!
Standing Yoga Poses
Standing Yoga Poses
The Standing Yoga Poses from the Crescent family (indudalasana) may be used to mobilize the obliques and lats. Single leg variations are also useful for building balance.
Mobility Training vs Personal Training vs Physical Therapy vs Massage vs Chiropractic Care
Heard about Mobility Training? Not really sure what it is, or whether it’s helpful for you? Maybe you are considering seeing a physical therapist or a personal trainer? This article compares Mobility Training to a number of different body mechanics specialties.
Read moreMobility Training vs Personal Training vs Physical Therapy vs Massage vs Chiropractic Care
TRX Suspension Trainer Exercises
An in-depth review of the TRX Suspension Trainer + access to our full database on TRX Suspension Trainer exercises and techniques (over 30 videos). Full comparison against the Jungle Gym and CrossCore 180. 📺 Exercise videos demonstrating Conditioning, Balance, Core, Strength, and Corrective Exercises for the TRX Suspension Trainer.
VIPR Exercises
Our full database on VIPR exercises and techniques (over 14 videos). Featuring Conditioning, Balance, and Corrective Exercises for the VIPR.
Balancing Pricing and Coverage on Personal Training Insurance
By Paul Roberts
Attorney at Law and Professional Personal Trainer
If you are like most personal trainers I know, you have probably asked yourself — How much do I really need to pay for personal training insurance to cover my liability?
Individual policies run between $79/year on the low end to $250/yr for comprehensive policies there are lots of options. Here are some of the options you should consider.
Read moreBalancing Pricing and Coverage on Personal Training Insurance
Trail Running vs. Street Running
This article compares running surfaces (such as trail running, street/road running, astroturf, grass, etc.) and examines the types of proper footwear to improve running performance. This street running vs trail running article also discusses some of important musculature of the foot, and examines the kinds of injuries you can get from trail running and street running
Mobility, Nutrition, Strength. A Newsletter
Welcome to the Sand & Steel Fitness Newsletter
The Sand & Steel Newsletter is written by Personal Trainers for Personal Trainers. Our articles feature in-depth curated content on Mobility, Nutrition, and Strength. Our Mission is simple: provide the best written, research based articles on personal training and fitness available. Newsletter subscriptions are open to current clients, personal trainers, and those aspiring to improve their health and fitness.
Macro Calculator for Macronutrients
Our Free 🆓 Macronutrient Calculator determines the basal metabolic rate and total daily expenditure using the Harris-Benedict formula. From there, the calculator determines your macros (total calories, carbs, protein, and fat.) To use the calculator, you just need to need to know your height, age, height, and exercise frequency.
Personalized Workout Program
Personalized Workout Programs FAQ
25 Strategies for developing a personalized workout program. You asked, we answered… everything you want to know about our personalized workout plans.
Top 50 List Fitness Equipment, Food, and Supplements
Top 50 Accessories and Foods We Recommend for New Clients
Whether you are starting a home fitness regime or working out at Sand & Steel, you’ll find a wide variety of health and fitness products to choose from. Here are the top 50 products we recommend to our clients. Sand & Steel tested and approved.
Read moreTop 50 List Fitness Equipment, Food, and Supplements
Jesse Williams
Prenatal and Postnatal
Certifications
NPTI – National Personal Trainer Institute
TRX – Suspension Trainer
NPTI – Prenatal and Post-natal
NASM – Certified Personal Trainer
Functional Strength Training Alexandria VA 22314
What is Functional Strength Training?
Functional Strength Training involves exercise techniques that mimic movements performed in everyday life, outdoor activities, or in a sport. This training technique involves the use of numerous tools to build the movement patterns such as: Kettle Bells, Viprs, TRX, Barbell, Dumbbell, Sandbags, Sleds, Ropes, Medicine Balls.
Client of the Month- Brad Berkley
Brad wins our Transformation Story of the month. Losing over 20 pounds of fat lost in just 2.5 months. Brad began his journey with our Strength and Conditioning program which allowed to lose this weight. Having the lost this weight, Brad wrestled with the difficult decision of rebuilding an entire wardrobe of clothes (he now wears a slimfit medium shirt. 🙂 Now 20 pounds lighter, we started preparing Brad for his ultimate goal, the Ring Muscle-up.
Online Workouts for Home 🏠 and Travel ✈️
Looking for the best home and travel workouts? Workouts that you can do at home or in a hotel while you are traveling? What about workouts in a commercial gym like Planet Fitness or Gold’s Gym? Welcome aboard — you’ve reached the right place.
Personal Trainer Job
Build Your Personal Trainer Career
We are passionate about helping people lose weight and move better. We help clients improve strength through focused programs in power lifting and hypertrophy. We improve clients balance and range of motion with our mobility programming. And we have state of the art programming in weight loss and transformation style workouts.
What we need is you … Sand & Steel is helping more clients than ever, and we need more people on our team.
A Look at Sand & Steel from 5 Years Ago
Aside: while doing some routine maintenance on our website, I found this old post in our 2013 archives. It was the first article we published on our website. I thought it might interesting to discuss Sand & Steel then and now. Did we do accomplish what we set out to do 5 years ago? Or did market forces and new competition like Orange Theory and Fit45 force us to change?
Social Media For Personal Trainers
Deciphering Social Media Channels for Personal Trainers
Social Media can be tough to master for Personal Trainers. That almost sounds like I am joking, but many of the coaches I have hired don’t even have a Facebook page! So rather than providing a “technical” description of how to post on each channel … I’ve broken it down into a language any personal trainer can understand 🙂 Social Media in the language of the Burpee.
The Definitive Guide to Calorie Quality vs Calorie Quantity
Tip #5: How to Analyze Calorie Quality
Losing weight is about eating the good calories, not limiting how many you eat.
This breaking new article (link below) from the New York Times summarizes research that losing weight is more about eating good calories than limiting total calories. Well, duh … we’ve only known that for the past decade. While it’s great that the New York Times is helping the public come to this understanding, the article doesn’t really explain how to analyze what is a good calorie and what’s not. Here’s how you make that determination…
Read moreThe Definitive Guide to Calorie Quality vs Calorie Quantity
Personal Trainer Resources
Overview. The following article and linked resources are useful for a personal trainer or someone looking to hire a personal trainer. I’ve been a coach and personal trainer for over 10 years. I’ve seen amazing personal trainers, and I’ve seen coaches that have no business training anyone.
Declaring yourself a personal trainer and having knowledge and experience to be successful are two different things. Here’s the formula I use, and some of the best articles on personal training I have written. I hope they are helpful for you:
2 Secret Tips to Rapid Weight Loss
Tip #4: Rapid Weight Loss
Paul, when your clients need to lose weight quickly, what are some of your best tips?
When my clients need to lose weight quickly, I have them implement two eating rules: the 10AM Rule and 52 Hour Weekend Fast. Here’s how they work.
Mobility vs Flexibility vs Yoga vs Stretching
I am assuming you are already convinced on the importance of exercise. And if you scroll down a bit, I will break down the differences between mobility, flexibility, yoga, and stretching in careful detail. Without sufficient mobility you cannot be all that you wish to be. This applies whether your chosen craft is golf, strength training, CrossFit, or endurance running. You are not as efficient as a runner, you are more likely to get injured as a golfer, you are slower in CrossFit than you ought to be, and as a power lifter your recovery times are slower.
Mobility is critical for all sports and physical activities. Period.
Mobility Flexibility and Partner Stretching
How to Improve Mobility and Flexibility through Partner Stretching, PNF Stretching, M|WOD, and Yoga
Mobility helps improve range of motion of tight joints and muscles, and it helps stabilize and strength areas that have too much range. This article demonstrates provides two example exercise routines for people needing additional range of motion in the hips, ankles, and thorasic spine. Plus you’ll find numerous linked articles at the bottom covering all topics associated with stretching, stabilization, yoga, and mobility.
Lookout Below Workout
A strength and conditioning workout that focuses on thorasic spine mobility. Lookout below workout uses the barbell jerk, dumbbell press, and the bosu in a challenging sequence.
Powerlifting Alexandria VA
Powerlifting is a strength based program focused on the Bench, Squat and Deadlift. In a powerlifting program, the athlete is focused on gaining strength using the prime moves of Deadlift, Bench, and Squat. By adding in variations on the main lifts (Sumo Deadlift, Romanian, or Front Squat, Incline Bench etc) and adding accessory moves (Dumbell press, Pull ups, Tate Press etc), you quickly and consistently gain overall strength. This article discuss several powerlifting programs in detail as well as how to perform several of key powerlifting exercises.
Knee Injury Physical Therapy
4 Workouts with Video
Got a Knee Injury? Here are 4 complete workouts with videos that you can do while you are recovering. These workouts are focused on conditioning to help maintain a healthy body weight.
Physical Therapy & Correctional Exercises Alexandria VA
Physical Therapy is the study and practice of helping patients restore lost motor function after an injury. Physical Therapy includes techniques like dry needling, scraping (e.g. Grastin), electrostimulation, and ultrasonics. Correctional Exercises are special exercises designed to strengthen weakened muscle groups, mobilize tight joints, and improve balance. This article highlights many of the correctional exercises and assessment techniques that both personal trainers and physical therapists use.
Read morePhysical Therapy & Correctional Exercises Alexandria VA
Before and After Weight Loss Transformation Photos
Welcome to our post about body transformation! I am going to outline the 7 most important aspects to efficiently complete a weight loss transformation. You’ll find training tips, programming tips, nutrition tips, and a complete list of all the supplements and foods I recommend. – Paul Roberts | Strength, Weight Loss and Mobility Coach
Glutes Core Mobility Workout Zero2Fit
Glutes and Core Mobility WOD:
Brand new fascia release and strength WOD for our Zero2Fit Program. Zero2Fit is our Mobility and Weight Loss Program that is designed for people that haven’t worked out in a while who need to lose weight and build range of motion.
Low Carb? Good Carbs vs Bad Carbs Explained
Tip #3: Removing Bad Carbs From Your Diet
Is Low Carb the Right Way to Go?
Some carbs are good, some are bad, some are just plain evil when it comes to weight loss. America’s food companies take advantage of people’s lack of knowledge with products like: diet soda, bean pasta, and “low carb” bread. Are these reengineered carbs goods for weight loss?
Paul explains how to analyze whether a carb is good, careful, or bad with 7 simple rules.
Detox FAQ Removing Toxins From Your Diet
Tip #2: What Are Toxins and How Should We Remove Them?
Have you ever wondered whether detox diets work for weight loss? Do they even work at all? This FAQ covers some of the seminal aspects behind these so called detox diets and helps you make smarter decisions about removing toxins from your body.
Multivitamins and Weight Loss
Tip #1: Multivitamins For Weight Loss
Multivitamins Help Improve Weight Loss
Your metabolism will slow down if you are missing essential vitamins or minerals from your diet. In addition, Vitamin and Mineral deficiencies can increase inflammation levels, and decrease the body’s ability to repair tissue. Taking a multi-vitamin is easy, and it adds some insurance against missing an essential vitamin or mineral. Please keep in mind that taking a multivitamin is no substitute for getting your nutrition from whole food sources. Absorption from multivitamins can vary significantly.
Paul generally recommends the following 3 multivitamins for clients interested in weight loss or hypertrophy…
Tips For Succeeding as a Personal Trainer
How to Be Financially Successful as a Personal Trainer
Paul discusses the 10 key traits that successful personal trainers have in common, plus common pitfalls that can sink their career before it starts.
🍰 Weight Loss Tips and Strategies for Diet and Nutrition Alexandria VA
Sand & Steel’s latest nutrition tips and strategies. This blog post is dynamically updated as we discuss new nutrition tips and strategies based on the nutrition consultations our clients have at Sand & Steel (so bookmark it with CTRL D). We cover topics like how much soy is too much? Is artificial sugar really that bad? Does the kind of tea I drink affect weight loss? How to balance macros for improving body composition, etc. With over 8 years of nutrition and weight loss in Alexandria VA, you’ll this is a very long post.
Read more🍰 Weight Loss Tips and Strategies for Diet and Nutrition Alexandria VA
Functional Power Workout
Functional Power Workout. Features a challenging sequence of kettlebell and medicine ball exercises. This Online Workout is an intermediate level conditioning workout.
Walking vs Running — Building safe biomechanics to run safely
How Good is your Running Pattern and Biomechanics?
When it comes to burning calories and improving muscle tone, running is better than walking. Running creates a superior metabolic effect burns more calories per hour and per mile. Running versus walking is more effective at building strength and generating EPOC (Exercise Post Oxygen Consumption).
But running safely requires careful attention to your biomechanics and running pattern. Is your form robust enough to run safely?
Join us as we examine some of the common running patterns that can result in injury.
Read moreWalking vs Running — Building safe biomechanics to run safely