Karl Leavey Coaching

Karl Leavey Coaching PT Certified Online Coach

03/09/2026

I’ve noticed recently how little body dysmorphia and body image issues are rarely discussed in the fitness space lately

And it’s certainly not because it doesn’t exist anymore

Wanting to improve your physique isn’t inherently a problem. Training hard, tracking your progress and caring about how you look aren’t inherently problems either.

But there’s a point where constantly chasing the next improvement can make it very difficult to ever actually see what’s already there.

You can make objectively significant progress and still look in the mirror and feel like nothing has changed.

So the focus should be on accepting and loving yourself and your body first and foremost and let the improvements come as a byproduct of that process

02/09/2026

Here’s how I’d structure a complete back & biceps day

1. Wide-grip T-bar row — upper back
2. Neutral-grip chest-supported row — lats
3. Vertical pulldown — lats
4. Iliac/angled pulldown — lats
5. Preacher curl — biceps
6. Hammer curl — biceps + brachialis

You don’t need endless variations.

Cover the main functions, choose exercises you can progress consistently, and make sure you actually know what you’re trying to target with each one.

01/09/2026

Some of today’s leg session

Attempted a few reps of 140 on Squat today but everything after the first rep was not up to scratch so the plan is to build back up to that

Been really enjoying these sessions back since my lower back injury. Already looking forward to the next one in a few days. Yes I’m a sad bastard really

DM for coaching enquiries though

31/08/2026

Will I ever stop being such a trailblazer? Probably not

But this is an ode to one of the most unsung foodstuffs out there.

WeetAbix may seem like the most bland, and depressing of foods, but the key is in what you add to it.

If it was just milk, yeah it would probably make me question how I’ve gotten to this place in life

But by adding the right stuff, you elevate it to a level never before seen

And when it comes to weight loss, you want to be choosing voluminous food, high in fibre (and protein) that’s gonna keep you full for longer. And this s**t hits the spot every time

Feel free to thank me aggressively in the comments

29/08/2026

People who say they’re “not gym people” remind me of people who say they’re “not cat people”.

Usually, they just haven’t found the right one yet.

Pixel strongly objected to being used to make this point.

27/08/2026

Want to grow your quads?

Exercise selection matters, but it’s only one part of the equation.

Here are three things I’d focus on if building bigger quads is the goal.

And the last one has nothing to do with exercise selection

26/08/2026

Embracing uncertainty doesn’t mean you stop caring about what happens.

It means you stop demanding certainty before you allow yourself to move forward.

We can spend so much time trying to predict outcomes, control what happens next, or prepare ourselves for every possible scenario.

But life has never worked that way.

Sometimes the healthiest response is simply:

“I don’t know what’s going to happen — but I know I’ll be alright.”

You don’t build that belief by thinking your way into it.

You build it by living. By taking chances. By getting things wrong. By going through difficult periods and eventually realising that you handled far more than you thought you could.

You can’t control what’s around the corner.

You can learn to trust yourself with whatever is.

24/08/2026

Latest Leg Session - First and Last reps

2nd leg sesh since bouncing back from injury. Was comfortable getting a hinge pattern back in today, but played it pretty safe. Strength is back up a bit from last time too, work capacity back up since picking the cardio back up (and getting consistent with training again) so this was not nearly as much of a slog as the last one thankfullly.

I dare say I even enjoyed it. And enjoyment is the key to adherence. Good to be back smashing these poxy chicken legs, it’s what they deserve and crave.

If you are interested in upping your training, locking-in with your diet and nutrition and just working on being the best version of you possible, don’t hesitate to drop me a line

22/08/2026

Hanging leg raises are one of my favourite ways to train the abs — provided you’re actually controlling the movement rather than swinging your way through it.

Done properly, they’re great for:

• Training the abs through a large range of motion
• Building strength and control through the trunk
• Training the abs to actively control the position of the pelvis
• Challenging the hip flexors alongside the core
• Developing grip strength simply from maintaining the hang
• Building better body control and stability
• Progressing easily from bent-knee raises → straighter-leg raises → more advanced variations

The big one though, is control.

If momentum is doing most of the work, you’re making the exercise easier in exactly the place you’re trying to make it harder.

Slow it down, control the pelvis, and make your abs actually earn the reps.

And if you can’t do that from a free hang yet, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with using a more stable variation and building up to it.

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