Cluster sets are a technique used in strength training where you break up a set into smaller "clusters" with short rest intervals between each cluster. This allows you to handle heavier weights for more total repetitions compared to traditional straight sets, leading to greater strength gains and muscle growth. Examples: Cluster Sets for Squats: Choose a weight you can normally squat for about 3-5 reps. Perform 3 clusters of 3 reps each, with 20 seconds of rest between clusters. Rest for 2-3 minutes between sets. Aim for 3-5 sets total. Cluster Sets for Bench Press: Select a weight you can bench press for about 2-4 reps. Perform 4 clusters of 2 reps each, with 15 seconds of rest between clusters. Rest for 2-3 minutes between sets. Complete 4-6 sets in total. Cluster Sets for Deadlifts: Choose a weight you can deadlift for approximately 4-6 reps. Perform 3 clusters of 4 reps each, with 25 seconds of rest between clusters. Rest for 2-3 minutes between sets. Aim for 3-4 sets in total. Cluster sets for Pull ups: Select weight or choose body weight for 1-3 reps. Perform 4 clusters, but our first cluster will be 3 reps, second-fifth cluster will be 1 rep, so 5 clusters total, with 15 seconds in between. Rest for 2-3 minutes between sets. Aim for 3-4 sets in total.

Everybody wants to know about motivation: how to get it? and how to keep it? There are two types of motivation: Intrinsic motivation and extrinsic motivation. Intrinsic motivation is focused on participating in something because of the satisfaction or joy someone may receive from it, while extrinsic motivation is focused on the outcome or reward from participating in such an activity. While intrinsic motivation reaps long term success, both are necessary to get motivation and keep it! Use these two type of motivation to help you become an athlete in every season of life!

Heard that HIIT is the one way to burn fat? Me too. I am here to tell you about the science behind why that is wrong. Interval Training/HIIT was designed for athletes to provide them with these high-intensity workouts that improve certain energy systems without causing lots of physical stress on the body. There are 5 things you need to look at/answer to perform Interval Training properly: 1) Understand the context of why you are using interval Training. 2) What physiological response are you trying to elicit? 3) Which of the 5 forms of Intervals will help you reach that physiological response? 4) What variables you need within a session. 5) The training load and its effect. We go through each of the 5 things and get into the details of them. Give this podcast a listen to learn the correct way to do interval training.

Join us in this episode of The Everyday Athlete's Podcast as we dive into the world of creatine, a powerhouse supplement that has been making waves in the fitness and health communities. Whether you're a seasoned athlete or just starting your fitness journey, understanding creatine can significantly impact your performance and overall well-being. 🔍 Why Creatine? Uncover the mysteries behind creatine as we explore its origins, what it is, and why our bodies need it. We break down the science to give you a clear understanding of the role creatine plays in our muscle cells and energy production. 💪 The Benefits of Taking Creatine Discover the incredible benefits of incorporating creatine into your diet. From increased strength and enhanced muscle recovery to improved cognitive function, we'll explore how creatine can elevate your performance. ⚠️ Contraindications: What You Need to Know In this segment, we shed light on the contraindications and potential side effects of taking creatine. It's essential to know the facts and understand if creatine is the right fit for you. 🛒 How to Choose the Right Creatine Navigating the supplement aisle can be overwhelming. Provided in this episode are tips on how to choose the right creatine for your needs. From different forms to dosages, we've got you covered on making informed decisions. Tune in to The Everday Athlete's Podcast for a comprehensive guide to creatine that goes beyond the surface. Empower yourself with knowledge and take your fitness journey to the next level and become an Athlete in Every Season of Life!

Do you struggle with knowing what exercises to do to help you reach your goals? If so, then listen to this podcast as Jennifer goes through how to know which exercises to program for yourself. To start, you need to have defined goals and be able to be honest with yourself about your current fitness level. Then, you need to know what your training split is, and make sure that it fits your lifestyle. You also need to understand movement patterns. The main movement patterns are Squat, Hinge, Push, Pull, Carry, but we break them down even further. For the Upper body: Horizontal Push, Vertical Push, Horizontal Pull, Vertical Pull. For the lower body: Knee Dominant, hip dominant. Then, for the trunk/core: flexion, extension, anti-rotation, and rotation. These can be bilateral (using both appendages) or unilateral (using one). The example break down in the podcast is as followed: Day 1: Squat + Push Focus A1) Bilateral knee dominant - Front Squat A2) Unilateral Knee Dominant - Reverse Lunge B1) Bilateral Horizontal Push - Bench Press B2) Unilateral Vertical Push - Single-arm Overhead Press C1) Anti-Rotation - Front Plank C2) Flexion - Bicycle Crunch Day 2: Hinge + Pull Focus A1) Bilateral Hip dominant - Deadlift A2) Unilateral Hip Dominant - Single-leg RDL B1) Vertical Pull - Pull up B2) Horizontal Pull - Bent Over Row C1) Rotation - Low to high Chop C2) Extension - Superman Day 3: Full Body A1) Bilateral Hip Dominant - Hip Thrust A2) Bilateral Vertical Push - Strict Overhead Press B1) Unilateral Knee Dominant - Step up B2) Unilateral Horizontal Pull - Single-arm Row C1) Carry (ant-rotation) - Farmer's Carry C2) Anti-rotation - Static Bear Crawl Holds Please like and leave a review!

Setting goals for your fitness journey is incredibly important and has many benefits. Join us as we go over those benefits, how to create a plan to help you achieve those goals, and even hear my own personal goals and how I plan to get there. At the end of this episode, I challenge you to set goals that scare you and challenge you to be better every year. Find that one overarching goal and then get specific and use SMART goals to make your plan. Remember to not give yourself limits, but realize that with a thought-out program, you can push past those limits and become an athlete in every season of life!

Time under tension is a concept used in exercise physiology that refers to the total amount of time a muscle is under load during a set of exercise. It is used to control the tempo/speed at which you perform a set of repetitions and increase the time your muscles spend working against the load provided to stimulate greater muscle growth. It is calculated by multiplying the # of reps by the amount of time it takes to complete a rep. (Example: 8reps x 3sec = 24seconds) To program Tempo to utilize time under tension, it would be written out as @X-X-X-X (Example: @3-1-1-0 The first number represents the eccentric phase, the second number represents the isometric phase at the bottom of the lift, the third number represents the concentric phase which is the actually lifting portion of the exercise, and the fourth number is the pause before the start of the nest repetition. Give time under tension a try in your training program to see how it can help with muscle growth! Don't forget to leave a review and share this podcast!

In this episode I go over the top 6 excuses people give themselves as a reason to not exercise. We go over way people make these excuses, and I provide solutions to each excuse so that you can overcome them. #1 - Lack of Motivation #2 - Time Constraints #3 - Fatigue or Low Energy #4 - Fear of Judgement #5 - Procrastination #6 - Lack of Accountability (aka no one will know I didn't get my workout in) I challenged you at the end of the podcast to stop allowing yourself to give these excuses and use the solutions I have provided you to push past and get your workout in. Please leave a review if you enjoyed this podcast, and Always strive to be an Athlete in Every Season of Life!

Have you ever been told that to know you got in a good workout you need to be sore? If so, this episode is for you! We first go through why muscle soreness occurs in the body. Then, we go over the myth of Lactic Acid and what it actually does in the body (which is not cause muscle soreness). Lastly, we talk about 7 reasons why Soreness is not a good indicator of a quality workout. Give this episode a listen to be enlightened on muscle soreness.

Have you ever wanted to participate in a spartan race, but you have no idea where to start? Well in this podcast we go into the details on how to train for a spartan race! We break down how to train for the different distances (5k, 10k, or 21k) and general guideline that you need to know while training and before race day. Get 20% your Spartan or Though Mudder race today with my code: SAP-Q2HMVUS8 Also to get coaching for your Spartan race or Tough Mudder, go to my website gravesathletics.com and fill out the coaching application to set up a game planning call and figure out if we are good fit for each other!