Strength Training

Apr 06 2023

Success Is a Decision

People love to repeat the phrase, “Success is a journey, not a destination.” It’s true, but it’s incomplete. Success is also something much more immediate, much more personal: a decision.

This truth applies across every dimension of life—whether you’re working to correct a postural issue, build lifelong mobility, improve athletic performance, get out of chronic pain, advance your career, or strengthen your relationships.

In my decades of coaching, from Santa Fe locals in group classes to online clients around the world, I’ve seen it hundreds of times: the real turning point isn’t when a program starts or when the big results arrive. It’s when someone finally decides—deep down—that they are going to make this happen.

What “Success Is a Decision” Does NOT Mean

Before we dig into what this mindset looks like, let’s turn over a few myths:

You don’t get what you want by waiting for it to happen.
You don’t get what you want by hoping someone else gives it to you.
You don’t get what you want by quitting when things get difficult or progress is slower than you’d like.

Those approaches are passive. They depend on luck, external motivation, or flashes of inspiration that can disappear the moment stress or doubt show up.

Real success is active, owned, and deliberate.

The Three Commitments That Create Success

In health and fitness—especially in the fascia- and osteopathy-based programs we run—success tends to follow a very specific pattern of commitment.

1. Understand Your Motivations

Surface goals aren’t enough. “I want to lose weight” or “I want to feel better” might get you started, but deep, lasting motivation comes from knowing why these goals matter.

Maybe it’s:

Being able to hike with your spouse without pain
Staying strong and mobile enough to travel in retirement
Avoiding the limitations a parent or grandparent experienced

When the “why” is strong, it becomes fuel for every decision that follows—whether it’s drinking water instead of soda, showing up to a class, or doing your home program before bed.

2. Set Aligned, Informed Goals

Successful people do their research. They know the difference between flashy trends and time-tested methods. They ask for help from professionals, and they choose a plan that fits their body’s needs.

That might mean:

Choosing corrective exercise before high-impact training
Prioritizing posture and mobility before loading more weight
Following a progressive structure like the [HOLISTIC EXERCISE AND FITNESS PROGRAM], which integrates fascia care, strength, flexibility, and recovery

By aligning goals with reality—and with your body’s readiness—you remove major sources of frustration and injury.

3. Commit—And Keep Committing

Here’s the part most people misunderstand: Decision isn’t a one-time event. It’s something you continually reaffirm.

On days when you’re tired, busy, or unmotivated, you’ll be tempted to let the decision slide. That’s when you quietly repeat it to yourself: I’ve chosen this. I own this. I’m still doing this.

From a coaching standpoint, this repeated commitment is where transformation happens. Your fascia doesn’t remodel in a week. Strength, mobility, and postural corrections take consistent, repeated inputs. Every “yes” you say to your plan stacks, layer by layer, into the results you want.

Why Talent, Luck, and Hope Aren’t Enough

Sure, they help. But talent without hard work leads to inconsistency. Luck without preparation fizzles. Hope without action is just a feeling.

Even the rare individuals who seem “naturally” gifted succeed because they combine their advantages with planning, persistence, and discipline.

They:

Create systems for training and recovery
Track their progress and make adjustments when needed
Accept that discomfort and mistakes are part of the process
Stay “above” their emotions—using them for awareness, not as a reason to quit

The Champion’s Mindset

A champion’s mindset isn’t about arrogance or perfection. It’s about perspective. Champions know:

Doubt will show up, and it doesn’t mean stop.
Small, consistent improvements matter more than one big breakthrough.
Process goals—like completing three movement sessions a week—often matter more than outcome goals, especially at the start.
Emotions are feedback to manage, not commands to obey.

This mindset is essential for the kind of deep physical change we work on at SolCore—like reversing chronic movement patterns or opening tissues that have been tight for decades.

Success in Health Means Playing the Long Game

Biotensegrity, fascia remodeling, and neuromuscular re-education all require time. Sometimes weeks, sometimes months. In this way, health is like nature: you can’t rush a plant to grow faster by yanking at it. You give it the right conditions, over time, and let the process work.

The decision to succeed is what keeps you showing up for those conditions—even when you can’t see the results yet.

Client Story: Maria’s Turning Point

Maria came to me with years of hip and lower back discomfort. She’d tried workouts before but always dropped off after a month or two. This time, she decided it would be different.

Her “decision moment” came after we talked about her real motivation—being able to play with her grandkids without fearing pain or stiffness. Armed with that why, she chose to follow my program fully: showing up to semi-private sessions twice a week, hydrating daily, and practicing her home stretches.

There were setbacks, weeks when progress felt slow. But she kept reaffirming her choice to succeed. Six months later, not only was she pain-free, but she was hiking again for the first time in years.

Turning Decision Into Daily Action

Here’s how you can apply this same principle:

Write your goal and your “why” — put it where you see it every day.
Choose one or two specific behaviors that directly support that goal.
Decide to do them—and do them, even on low-motivation days.
Track your wins weekly, not just your setbacks.
Get coaching and accountability to help you stay on course during inevitable dips.

Remember: Success Is Many Decisions

While there’s a first “line in the sand” moment where you commit, success is sustained by countless small choices afterward. Drink water instead of soda. Do your stretches before bed instead of skipping them. Go to your class even if it’s raining.

Each decision reinforces the identity of someone who follows through. And that identity creates results.

If you’re ready to stop waiting and start deciding, we can help. The HOLISTIC EXERCISE AND FITNESS PROGRAM is designed to support that decision—with expert assessment, a progressive plan, and ongoing guidance to make every next “yes” easier.

It’s not just working out, it’s building a foundation for a better life.

Find out more @

Mar 31 2023

What’s Your Big, Unrealized Dream?

I believe in dreams.
And here’s the thing—they’re not just about the dreaming. They’re about the doing.

If you’ve carried a big, unaccomplished dream around for years—maybe even decades—what’s really been holding you back? Is it time? Confidence? Fear? Not knowing where to start?

The truth is, the gap between where you are now and living that dream is made up of a million small decisions, consistent actions, and a deep willingness to keep going when it gets uncomfortable.

So, here’s the challenge: decide that your dream is not only possible, but inevitable.
From this moment forward, treat it not as a “what if” but as a “when.”

In my work coaching people to move without pain, build real strength, and regain vitality they thought was gone forever, I’ve seen that the turning point is almost always the same. It’s when they stop toying with the dream and start actively pursuing it.

Here’s how to do that for yourself in five powerful steps.

1. Dream Big – REALLY Big

Give yourself permission to think without limits. Put aside the voice in your head that tries to calculate what’s “realistic” before you’ve even dared to imagine it.

Daydream without judgment.
Write in your journal.
Meditate or pray.
Let your thoughts wander during a long walk or while sitting in the sunshine.

This stage is about possibility, not practicality. Don’t shrink the dream because it scares you. In fact, if it feels a little scary, you might be on the right track.

In fitness, I’ve had clients start by thinking their goal was simply to “feel a little better.” After some open dreaming, that small goal transformed into “hike the Inca Trail” or “compete in masters swimming” or “travel the world without fearing physical limitations.”

Let yourself imagine without restriction.

2. Get Real – Ground the Vision

Dreaming is the spark, but if you leave it there, you’re just holding an unlit firework. The next step is to anchor your vision in reality—your values, your current life, and the steps actually required.

This doesn’t mean lowering your standards. It means turning vague ideas into achievable, strategic targets.

Ask yourself:

Why does this matter to me?
How will my life be different if I achieve it?
Does it align with my core values?
What constraints (time, resources, health) do I have to work with—and how will I navigate them?

Without that grounding, the dream stays an airy “someday.” With it, you now have a compass.

3. Make a Plan – One Bite at a Time

The old joke asks, “How do you eat an elephant?” One bite at a time.

Break your dream into digestible, measurable milestones. If your dream is to run the Boston Marathon, start by researching qualification standards and building a sustainable training schedule. If your dream is to be pain-free and active again, start by identifying and correcting the obstacles—maybe it’s posture, fascia tension, nutritional support, or daily habits.

We do this exact process in the [HOLISTIC EXERCISE AND FITNESS PROGRAM]:

First, evaluate where you are now.
Then, structure small, logical steps that build on each other.
Each step is clear and measurable, so you can check off wins along the way.

The plan turns “someday” into “starting now.”

4. Do Your Research – Learn, Adapt, and Anticipate

Often, once you start exploring your dream, you’ll discover helpful variations or adjustments that make it even more powerful—and more achievable.

Research might include:

Talking with people who’ve already done what you want to do.
Learning what pitfalls or roadblocks they faced (so you can navigate around them).
Understanding the rules of the game—whether it’s a sport’s qualification standards, the requirements of a license, or the prerequisites for a career shift.

And here are two critical pieces most people avoid:
💥 Acknowledge fear. It will show up—fear of failure, fear of success, fear of looking foolish. Naming it reduces its power.
💥 Anticipate setbacks. No dream worth having is a straight-line climb. Mentally rehearsing how you’ll respond to struggles builds resilience.

5. Put in the Work – Consistently

Dreams don’t materialize just because you “really want it” or you’re “thinking positively.” They require effort—often long-term, often unglamorous effort.

This is where most people drop off, because it’s not about inspiration anymore; it’s about execution.

Commit to:

Showing up for your plan even when motivation is low.
Repeating foundational movements, habits, or practices until they become automatic.
Tracking your progress to stay motivated and make adjustments.

Remember, fascia doesn’t remodel overnight. Endurance doesn’t build in a week. Mobility, strength, and resilience are the product of many small, consistent inputs over time.

6. Enlist Support – Build Your Dream Team

Every major dream benefits from community. Surround yourself with people who believe in your vision, encourage your progress, and—importantly—hold you accountable.

That might include:

Family and friends who genuinely want you to succeed
Mentors or role models who’ve already walked the path
Coaches who can shorten your learning curve and prevent costly mistakes
A peer group with similar goals to share the wins and the struggles

In our programs, I’ve seen clients multiply their progress just by being around others who are also committed to change. Energy and momentum are contagious.

Real-World Example

Take Lisa, one of our members. Her dream was to return to long-distance hiking after years of recurring knee pain. At first, she saw this as unlikely—”I’m too far gone,” she said. But by daring to dream, grounding it in a real-world plan, breaking it into smaller movement-based goals, doing the necessary fascia and posture work, and staying consistent, she’s now booked a hiking trip through Patagonia next year.

Her comment to me last week summed it up: “The dream was always there. The difference was deciding it would happen.”

The Dream Cycle: From Vision to Reality

Think of achieving your dream like the training cycle we use at SolCore:

Envision → 2. Assess → 3. Plan → 4. Execute → 5. Adapt → 6. Maintain → 7. Evolve

Each loop through the cycle takes you higher. Whether you’re restoring movement, mastering a skill, or aiming for something grand in your personal life, the cycle is the same.

Call to Action

So, what’s your big, unrealized dream?
Are you ready to stop only dreaming and start doing?

Let’s create the conditions for success—just like we do for your body with the [HOLISTIC EXERCISE AND FITNESS PROGRAM]. I’ll help you map the steps, stay on course, and turn your dream from “someday” into reality.

The moment you decide, the path begins.

It’s not just working out, it’s building a foundation for a better life.

Find out more @

Mar 25 2023

Your Best Investment Is … YOU!

Growing up, most of us were told to value generosity, to put others first, to give freely. And for good reason kindness, empathy, and thoughtfulness shape healthy families and strong communities.

But what about the lesson no one really taught us: that investing in yourself isn’t selfish? In fact, it’s a requirement for a healthy, meaningful, and energized life.

Are You “Over-Taught” to Give?

There’s a fine line between thoughtful giving and self-neglect. Many high-achievers, parents, business leaders, and caregivers wake up one day and realize that the very habits that made them “good people”—always giving, always serving—have left little left for themselves.

You rush to meet every need for family and friends but leave your own exercise, nutrition, or sleep for “when there’s time.” You pay for music lessons or gym memberships for others, then scrimp on your own growth and health. Eventually, the tank empties—physically, emotionally, and even spiritually.

Truth bomb: You can’t give from an empty cup.

Self-Care Is Not Selfish It’s Adulting

Caring for yourself is not self-indulgence; it’s self-respect and adult responsibility. The body and mind are adaptive systems—if you neglect their needs, eventually something will break down.

What does self-investment look like?

Scheduling (and protecting) time for your [HOLISTIC EXERCISE AND FITNESS PROGRAM], even when work is busy.
Spending real money on expert coaching, therapy, or quality food that restores you, not just “making do” with leftovers or whatever’s on sale.
Saying “no” to non-essential commitments so you have “yes” available for your needs.
Setting aside moments for rest, spiritual practices, movement—without guilt or apology.

Remember, you are not being selfish when you prioritize your health. You are honoring your primary responsibility: to steward your own body, mind, and capacity for living.

Every Dollar (and Minute) Spent on Health Is Multiplied

Let’s get practical. We’ve all been taught to value investments—real estate, retirement plans, education for our kids, experiences for our families. All worthwhile.

But here’s the catch: those investments pay dividends only if you’re healthy enough to enjoy them.

The cost of neglecting your health—skipped checkups, unused gym memberships, years of sedentary living—shows up later with high interest:

Chronic pain and inflammation
Diminished mobility or energy
High healthcare bills
Regret over missed memories or adventures

Conversely, every dollar you invest in quality coaching, movement, fascia-focused therapy, or nutritious food is returned tenfold in energy, reduced pain, stress resilience, and years added to your “prime time”.

Your Daily Actions Build Your “Life Account”

It’s not just about money, either. Every positive action is a deposit in your “life account”—and negative choices are a withdrawal.

Choosing water over soda
Stretching instead of scrolling
Investing thirty minutes in movement, even when busy
Opting for an hour of quality rest instead of more to-do’s

Over time, these micro-decisions add massive compound interest.

What Are You Really Valuing?

Look at your calendar and bank statement. Where your money and time go tells the truth about your priorities. If your future health and happiness aren’t making the cut, it’s time to reorder—even (and especially) if you’ve been over-giving to others.

Trick question: What could possibly be more valuable than your health?
Correct answer: Nothing. Your health is the root of everything else—your ability to give to others, to chase dreams, to recover from setbacks, to enjoy the life you’re building.

Real Client Story: Jenny’s Turnaround

Jenny, a longtime client at SolCore, spent years putting everyone else’s needs first. She drove her kids to activities, led PTA projects, managed family finances, and worked part time—leaving her own health “for later.” It took a persistent back pain and a close friend’s illness to push her finally to invest in a [HOLISTIC EXERCISE AND FITNESS PROGRAM].

Within weeks, as she carved out real time (and yes, money) for herself, Jenny noticed not only better movement and less pain, but improvements in her energy, mood, and ability to be present for her family. Her only regret? “I wish I had learned to see myself as worthy years ago. Everything else is better when I put myself on the priority list.”

How to Shift from Self-Neglect to Self-Investment

Audit your current investments: What are you spending time and money on? What does it actually deliver in terms of well-being and energy?
Reframe self-care as stewardship: You are the only person who can build, protect, and enjoy your body. No one else can do it for you.
Block out time and budget for YOU: Schedule your movement, therapy, meal prep—just like you’d schedule a doctor’s visit or kids’ lessons.
Ignore the guilt: The urge to people-please is powerful but misplaced. Remind yourself: better you = better for everyone around you.
Track small wins: Every healthy action is a deposit. Watch your “life balance” grow.

Your Legacy Is Your Health

No investment pays off like the ability to live, move, give, and love—pain-free, with all your energy, for as long as possible. Want to support your loved ones in the future? Show up as your best self, now.

Call to Action

What’s one way today you can invest in your health?
What would your life (and family) look like if you started treating health as Priority #1?
Let us help you start: the [HOLISTIC EXERCISE AND FITNESS PROGRAM] is designed to support your growth, longevity, and most valuable ambitions—because nothing is more precious than you.

It’s not just working out, it’s building a foundation for a better life.

Find out more @

Mar 11 2023

You Get Out What You Put In: The Real Path to Your Health and Fitness Goals

In all my years of coaching, there’s one truth that applies across the board—whether in fitness, career, relationships, or life: you get out what you put in.

It sounds obvious, but it’s where most people get stuck. They have a genuine desire for change—better health, less pain, more strength, more mobility—but they treat that desire like it’s enough on its own. They dabble in random workouts. They jump from fad diet to fad diet. They hope for transformation but never take the steps to make it truly possible.

The result? Frustration, stagnation, and often, regret.

Let’s talk about what it really means to get out what you put in—and how to apply this philosophy so your health and fitness ambitions finally move beyond wishful thinking.

Step 1: Flesh Out Your Desire

The first step is knowing what you really want—not just “I want to be healthier” or “I should work out more.” Those are vague ideas.

Instead, get specific:

“I want to hike without knee pain by summer.”
“I want my posture to improve so I’m not rounding my shoulders at my desk.”
“I want to build enough core strength to support my lower back for daily activity.”

Why? Because without clarity, you can’t create an effective plan—and your brain lacks the focus to stay on course.

In the [HOLISTIC EXERCISE AND FITNESS PROGRAM], we start every client with this kind of goal clarification. It’s the difference between wandering around the gym trying machines and doing targeted fascia-based exercises with a purpose.

Step 2: Choose the Right Actions for Your Goal

Once you know what you want, you need to choose the appropriate steps to get there.

Too many people try to skip this step or fill it with random activity:

They want spinal mobility but spend most of their workouts on stationary cardio
They want to fix joint pain but ignore the fascia and postural pattern causing it
They want strength but focus on high-intensity work their tissues can’t yet support

The truth is, the right actions are rarely random. They are precise, structured, and non-negotiable.

Think of it like gardening. If you want tomatoes, you don’t plant whatever seeds you find in the shed and hope. You plant the right seeds, in the right place, at the right time—and care for them with consistency.

Step 3: Avoid the “Randomness Trap”

Without a plan, you’re leaving your results up to chance—whatever the “universe” throws your way, as I like to say. And in fitness, “random” usually leads to:

Lack of progress because inputs don’t match your goals
Overuse or injury from applying too much stress in the wrong way
Growing frustration from “working hard” with nothing to show for it

This is why hopping between viral TikTok workouts or YouTube routines can be dangerous. They’re not bad in themselves—but they’re not built for you.

Step 4: Understand the Frustration Cycle

Here’s what often happens:

You feel a strong desire to change—maybe stronger than ever before.
You try to act, but without a focused plan.
Progress is slow or nonexistent.
You get frustrated because the desire is still there but you’re no closer to the goal.

This mismatch between wanting and achieving doesn’t just make you impatient—it can sour your whole experience of health and fitness.

In my coaching, I emphasize that this frustration isn’t proof you can’t succeed—it’s a signal you need better direction and consistency.

Step 5: Frame the Work Properly

You should never see your training, nutritional discipline, or mobility work as “torture.” That mindset will kill your commitment and enthusiasm.

Instead, view your plan as:

The vehicle to your goal
A system that removes guesswork
An investment that’s for you, not against you

Even the challenging parts become easier to handle when you connect them directly to your deeper goal. A corrective posture exercise might be uncomfortable, but if you know it’s the key to hiking without back pain, it feels meaningful.

Step 6: Commit to the Program

Once you know what you want and have the right plan, the rest comes down to this: work your program.

Show up. Put in the reps. Keep the promises to yourself even when you’re tired, busy, or not “feeling it.”

This doesn’t mean going to extremes—it means showing consistent respect for the process. Skipping corrective exercises for weeks and then expecting your fascia to remodel is unrealistic; the tissue learns only from repeated, intentional input.

Step 7: Responsibility is Power

In the end, it’s your responsibility. If you invest the time, money, attention, and energy into your health, you’ll see the return. If you don’t, you’ll get whatever default outcome a lack of action delivers—and those are rarely the results you want.

Owning that truth isn’t about guilt—it’s about freedom. Because if you’re in control of what you put in, you’re also in control of what you get out.

Real Client Example: Brian’s Breakthrough

Brian came to SolCore with chronic neck and hip stiffness. He was committed, but his approach before working with us was scattered—some gym machines, the occasional yoga class, whatever sounded good that week.

Once we clarified his goals and gave him a fascia-based corrective sequence, Brian stuck to it for twelve straight weeks. Not once did he skip a session—even when the exercises felt awkward. Within three months, his pain dropped dramatically, his posture improved, and his flexibility returned.

The difference? Clarity, the right actions, and showing up—every time.

Key Takeaways: How to Get Out What You Put In

Be crystal clear on your goals—make them specific and meaningful to you.
Choose appropriate, not random, actions that directly align with those goals.
See frustration as feedback to adjust, not a reason to quit.
Commit long enough for your body—and especially your fascia—to adapt.
Remember: responsibility for your results is yours alone.

Call to Action

Your health and fitness results are never an accident—they’re the compound interest of what you put in every day.

If you want help clarifying your goals, building the right actions, and staying accountable, the [HOLISTIC EXERCISE AND FITNESS PROGRAM] is designed to give you structure, progression, and measurable change.

Start putting in what it takes, and watch what comes back to you.

It’s not just working out, it’s building a foundation for a better life.

Find out more @

Feb 26 2021

Why Workouts Are Always Hard The Truth About Progressive Resistance

Why do your workouts never seem to get easier, no matter how long you’ve been training? The answer lies in the science and psychology of progressive resistance training, one of the most essential concepts in fitness.

Progressive resistance means you’re always working against a challenge that matches your current capacity. As you get stronger or more skilled, the stimulus must also increase, so your body can keep adapting, building muscle, and improving fitness. Just as a child’s early reading materials eventually give way to advanced texts, each workout’s “difficulty” is simply a necessary step on a lifelong staircase of growth.

People often feel disheartened when workouts stay hard, expecting them to magically become effortless after a few weeks or months. But if your routine isn’t challenging, it’s not provoking any adaptation. True progress is a gradual process, and the discomfort, effort, and even frustration you feel are positive signals that you’re moving forward—not failing. Biology demands “overload”—putting stress on your muscles, bones, and mind so the body responds by getting stronger.

Segmental Muscle Strengthening

If the struggle feels constant, it means you’re doing what you’re supposed to. Real fitness improvement never comes overnight, and clever marketing promising easy, quick results only fuels disappointment. Instead, embrace the definitions:

Progressive: developing step by step, improvement that is incremental but consistent.
Resistance: intentional refusal to stay at current capacity; a willingness to meet challenge head-on.

The solution isn’t to “fight” the challenge or get down on yourself. Instead, accept your starting point. Practice mindfulness during workouts, so you notice your progress and accept the natural struggle that comes with growth. This openness allows for better awareness, and better adaptation, and helps you recognize and celebrate every small win.

There is no stasis—each workout is a new opportunity to move forward. Continuous progressive resistance strengthens not just the body but the mind and spirit as well. With acceptance, resilience, and patience, what was once impossible becomes your new baseline.

Ready to Embrace Real Progress?

For individualized guidance in progressive resistance training and the mindset strategies to thrive on the path, Book a free consult. Get the support and smart programming needed to master the journey.

it’s not just working out, it’s building a foundation for a better life.

Find out more @

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