Lou Miller - Gold's Gym Fit Coach

02/05/2026

Talk about inspiration! Living proof that age is just a number. Key takeaways: 1)You're never too old to start. 2) Start slowly. 3) VO2 max and cardio is important. 4) The Mediterranean diet is simple and extremely effective. 5)Almost overlooked in this article, as it is mentioned briefly, STRENGTH TRAIN!

As a model of successful aging, you can’t beat 82-year-old Juan López García. Really, you can’t beat him.Subscribe to The Post Most newsletter for the most important and interesting stories from The Washington Post. Sixteen years ago, at age 66, López García first tried running a mile. He’...

10/26/2023

Yours truly with some quick advice on "bulking."

10/11/2023

A little motivation for the day. Got a PR on my Conventional deadlift at 404 lbs (sorry-no video)! The last time I hit that weight was April 8th, 2021, so about 2 1/2 years ago-and it was Sumo with straps. Been feeling strong recently, and, even though I wasn't planning a max lift today, felt great when I did a triple at 384 lbs. Something told me to go for it. My first attempt, I barely budged the bar. I was satisfied with the workout so far, so I almost called it a day. But this little voice told me to try again. After re-setting, I tightened my core, removed the slack, and pushed through. The point being, sometimes you have to listen to that little voice. Give yourself grace if you fail, but make yourself believe that you WILL succeed as well. I feel awesome, especially at 50 years old! May you all have a reason to feel awesome as well!

09/25/2023

A quick read for anyone struggling with a little extra inspiration or taking that first step. “This, to me, is the most important part of the journey, consistency in understanding caloric intake, and consistency in activity,” he said. “You cannot out-exercise a bad diet.”

“I was amazed at how many calories I was likely taking in per day.”

07/24/2023

Exercise was 1st place on this list of healthy habits. How about that.

Adopt one of eight lifestyle habits at age 40, and you could add 4.5 years to your life, a new study found. Add all eight, and you might live up to 24 years longer.

07/22/2023

"My normals have now become my special occasions," Chris Terrell said. He still eats fast food, just in smaller portions and less often.

04/12/2023

LEG DAY!!!!!
Warm-up first with some hip bridges, bodyweight reverse lunges, and bodyweight squats at a minimum.

1) Barbell Back Squat: 15, 5, 5, 5, 3-5, 10 reps*

2) a) Dumbbell Reverse Lunge: 3 sets, 6-8 reps, superset with
b) Banded core rotation, standing: 3 sets, 10 reps per side

3) a) Barbell Romanian Deadlift: 3 sets, 8-12 reps, superset with
b) Single Leg Standing Dumbbell Calf Raises: 3 sets, 10-15 reps
per side

4) a) Slider Leg Curls: 3 sets, 10-15 reps, superset with
b) Seated Calf Raises: 3 sets, 10-15 reps
c) Standing Toe Raises

5) Your choice: choose one of the following depending on how you feel and equipment available, to finish with some conditioning. Do both back to back as 3 supersets if you’re feeling really aggressive:
-Suspension Trainer/TRX Split Squat Jumps: 5 explosive reps per side, making sure your feet leave the ground on each rep
-Sled Push: Load it up with enough weight to do 20 steps on each leg for 3 sets

*For the squats, start with a slightly challenging working warm-up after doing just the bar for a few sets. Increase the weight on the next 3 sets so that by set 4 it is challenging but you feel you could do a couple of more. On set 5, go to near failure, where you can maybe do 1 more. Then drop the weight for set 6 to a weight you can only handle for 10-12 reps.

For the standing calf raises, set up somewhere near where you just did the RDL’s, and make sure you have a weight plate or small platform, such as the edge of a deadlift platform, to put the ball of your foot on. This works great if you can balance yourself by grabbing the post of a squat rack or upright part of a machine. Grab the dumbbell in your other hand, and the leg on that side should be the one working. Switch hands and legs on the next set.

If you don’t have sliders available for the leg curls, you can use a Swiss-ball or suspension trainer set at a low level nearby. You can use a machine as well, but it’s rude to take up 2 popular machines to superset in a crowded gym. For the standing toe raises, it’s the reverse of a calf raise, focusing on your shins by having your heels on a platform or weight plate, and dorsi-flexing your feet toward your shins.

As always, cool down and stretch so your legs thank you. You may even want to do about 10 minutes on a bike or elliptical afterwards. And don’t forget: Enjoy yourself-you’ve just gotten stronger!

03/28/2023

Try this Back Routine to blast your lower, middle, and upper back from all angles!

High Pull: 4 sets of 5 reps, adding weight each set until you can only achieve 5 reps on your last set.

Dead Row: 3 sets of 8-10 reps.

Chin-Up: 3 sets to failure.

Single Arm, Neutral Grip, High-to-Low Row: 3 sets of 12-15 reps.

Barbell Shrug: 4 sets, 20, 15, 10 reps. (superset with)

Cable Face-Pull: 3 sets, 12-15 reps.

-For the Dead-Row, set up in an overhand deadlift stance, begin to perform a deadlift, but stop just at or above the knees and row the weight from there to your stomach. This is an explosive lift, which will allow you to lift more than you would in a standard row.

-For the Chin-ups, if you can’t perform at least 6, do a Reverse Grip Cable Pulldown. If you can easily do 15, try to add weigh with either a vest, belt with a chain, or dangling a dumbbell between your feet.

-For the High-to-Low Row, perform them kneeling in front of a cable with the pulley set high. You should be at least 1-2 feet from the tower so you are pulling at approximately a 45 degree angle.

-Superset the Shrugs with the Face-Pulls. On the shrugs, keep increasing the weight. You should have a couple of reps-in-reserve on the first 2 sets, then go close to failure on the 3rd.

03/07/2023

Try out this Upper Body Press routine, which starts with a shoulder focus. You'll get a mix of power, strength, hypertrophy, and muscular endurance in one routine.

UPPER BODY PRESS ROUTINE:
1) Barbell Push-Press: 4 sets, 8-12 reps*

2) A. Dumbbell Bench Press: 4 sets: 3, 7, 11, 15 reps**

B. Dumbbell Pullover: 3 sets, 10-15 reps

3) A. Cable Incline Press: 3 sets, 12-15 reps

B. Tuck Crunch: 3 sets, 15 reps

4) A. Dumbbell Lateral Raise: 3 sets, 12-15 reps

B. Cable Tricep Rope Extension: 3 sets, 12-15 reps

C. Single Arm External Rotation (for rotator cuff): 2 sets, 12-15 reps

Make sure to warm up your shoulders and lower back.

*For the Push-Presses, leave a couple of reps in reserve for each set, especially the first 2. We are “laddering up.” Start with 12 reps, then add some weight to do 10 on the next set, then add a little more so that 9-10 reps are difficult but you’re not going to failure. Make sure to add a little more before the final set, which should be close to failure.

**On the Dumbbell Bench Presses, we are “laddering down.” Do a light warm-up set to make sure form is good. Then choose a weight you can only do for 3-4 reps on your first set, 7-8 on your second set, 11-12 on your third set, and 15-16 on your third set, so every set is close to failure. After each set, lie across the bench and perform a dumbbell pullover with one of the dumbbells you just used. You’ll do 1 more set of presses than you will pullovers, so you’ll start and end with presses.

Rest about 90 seconds between sets of push-presses. Groups 2, 3, and 4 should be performed as supersets, with minimal to no rest between exercises, and 60-90 seconds rest between each superset, depending on how fast you feel you've recovered.

Enjoy!

02/14/2023

Next time you’re looking to switch up your back routine, try this Posterior Chain Workout. It will hit your entire back from all angles, and incorporate power, strength, hypertrophy, and muscular endurance. Leave one or two reps in reserve (RIR) on each of the first few sets of each exercise, then go to failure on the last set of each one. Perform exercise blocks 5 and 6 as supersets. Rest no more than 90 seconds except for on the heavier sets of deadlifts, where you can take up to 3-4 minutes.

POSTERIOR CHAIN WORKOUT:
1) Hang Cleans: 4 sets of 5 reps, increasing weight each set until you are close to 5 rep max on last set.

2) Deadlifts: 5 sets of 3-5 reps, increasing weight on each set until you are only able to perform 3 safely on last set.

3) Barbell Bent-Over Row, Overhand Grip: 3 sets of 8-12 reps.

4) Reverse-Grip Pulldown: 3 sets of 10-15 reps.

5) A) Single Arm High-to-Low Row, Neutral Grip: 3 sets of 12-15 reps.
B) Dumbbell Rear Delt Flyes: 3 sets of 15 reps.

6) A) Barbell Arm Curl: 3 sets of 10-15 reps.
B) Cable Face Pull: 3 sets of 12-15 reps.

08/19/2022

Nice Posterior Chain workout for you today, starting with Power, transitioning to Hypertrophy, and ending with Muscular Endurance.

First: make sure to warm-up with some dynamic stretches. Do a few reps of lying leg cross-overs and lying hip bridges. Then warm your shoulders up by grabbing a broomstick or resistance band and lifting it over and behind your head, returning to start, for 10 reps.

Exercise 1: Barbell High Pull, 4 sets, 5 reps.

-Start light then increase weight on each set until your last, when 5 reps should be hard. Explosiveness is key on this movement.

Exercise 2: Chin-up or Reverse Grip Pull-down, superset with Med Ball Slams

-If you’re doing Pull-downs, do 4 sets of 8-15 reps, starting light then increasing the weight on each set until 8 reps on the fourth set is hard. Immediately move into 10 Med Ball slams after each set

Exercise 3: Neutral Grip Dumbbell Incline Rows, superset with Rear-Delt Flyes

-Set a bench to a 35-45 degree incline, grab a couple of dumbbells, and lay face-down on the bench, using it to support your chest. Using a Neutral Grip, row them to your rib cage simultaneously, then return slowly to starting position. Do 10-15 reps on each set, for 3 total sets, and then grab lighter dumbbells to immediately perform Rear-Delt Flyes for 12-15 reps on the same bench.

Exercise 3: Straight-arm Pull-down, superset with Face-pulls

-Make sure your hands are slightly wider than shoulder width on the Straight-arm Pull-downs. Do 12-15 reps for 3 sets, and transition into the Face-pulls, using a rope-attachment, and making sure the cable is set at eye level, also going for 12-15 reps.

If you’re feeling peckish, finish with a 5 minutes of HIIT on the rower, alternating between 30 sec. at an intense pace and 30 sec. at a low to moderate pace.

-Tip: Leave at least a rep or 2 in the tank on each set except for the last on each exercise, making that last one your hardest and most intense.

Any questions, message me or call me at the gym!