Zachary Ovall

Zachary Ovall Hey, I'm Zach, and this is where you can learn about the fitness and nutrition work that I do.

When I start with a new client, one of the first things we discuss is what they want to get out of their fitness experie...
02/02/2022

When I start with a new client, one of the first things we discuss is what they want to get out of their fitness experience. Sometimes that's easy - "I want to be able to pick up my kids without hurting my back," or "I want to feel strong again."

Other times it's more of a shrug - "I just want to feel good," and that takes a bit of conversation to nail down what we should do.

The three levels of fitness are a great way to conceptualize the different kinds of goals.

Level One: Trust
This level is about developing a relationship with your body, learning what it likes and doesn't like and how to stay in harmony.

Level Two: Develop
This level is about growth - expanding your abilities, building strength and endurance and capacity.

Level Three: Explore
This level is about living in the joy that your body can provide - exploring physical hobbies, using your physical abilities to interact with the world in new ways.

Now these levels aren't a strict progression - we can inhabit more than one at the same time - learning to trust that shoulder again after an injury, while developing your lower body strength and exploring a new hiking hobby. They're more like domains for contextualizing your fitness journey.

Which levels are you living in right now?

Our big-rock movements for the lower body are the squat and the hinge. If you're not familiar with the difference, read...
02/02/2022

Our big-rock movements for the lower body are the squat and the hinge. If you're not familiar with the difference, read up!

The squat (bodyweight squat, goblet squat, barbell squat) is going to build up the front of your lower body and core.

The hinge (deadlift, romanian deadlift, pullthrough) is going to build up the back of your lower body and hips.

They're both great movements that show up in every program I write, and they're one of the first things we coach form on to make sure you're getting the most out of your workout. Snag a look in the mirror or take a video on your phone to see if yours match the form!

See you next time!

Getting your stance right on the goblet squat can be kind of tricky, which is a bummer because this is a staple strength...
02/01/2022

Getting your stance right on the goblet squat can be kind of tricky, which is a bummer because this is a staple strength exercise.

If you're experiencing a lot of pressure or even pain in your knees in this or another kind of squat, you might want to check your stance!

I generally cue folks to set up a width such that if you dropped a plumbline from the middle of your shoulder joint, it should land just barely inside your feet.

We also want to keep the knees pushed outward, so that your knees are reaching toward your toes, not dropping inside.

That should help keep your knees feeling strong and safe in the squat.

See you next time!

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1969 NE 42nd Avenue
Portland, OR
97239

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