Send us a text if you want to be on the Podcast & explain why!

Your knee pain might not be a “weak glute” problem or a fancy gadget problem. It might be one missing piece of motion: full knee extension. When the knee can’t straighten, the quad stays inhibited, your gait gets weird, and every step becomes practice at not using the muscle that’s supposed to protect the joint. That’s why we brought on Dr. Justin Farnsworth, physical therapist and founder of Rebuilt Strength Method and Pro App, to give coaches and lifters a clear plan they can actually run on the gym floor.

We dig into a simple terminal knee extension screen you can do in minutes, why a low load long duration stretch can be the test and the fix, and how to decide whether you should refer out. Then we shift into anterior knee pain and patellofemoral pain syndrome, why soft tissue work can turn down symptoms briefly, and why the real long-term answer is building tissue capacity with smart loading.

Dr. Farnsworth breaks down his go-to isometrics for knee pain relief, including the Spanish squat isometric and how to adjust depth so sensitive knees can still train. We also talk progressions back to squats, split squats, step ups, and step downs, plus a straightforward routine to keep extension once you get it. If you coach clients with knee discomfort, want better knee rehab outcomes, or you just want stronger quads without fear, this one is packed with tools.

If this helped, subscribe, share it with a coach who trains people in pain, and leave a quick review so more listeners can find the show.

Want to become a SUCCESSFUL personal trainer? SUF-CPT is the FASTEST growing personal training certification in the world!

Want to ask us a question? Email info@showupfitness.com with the subject line PODCAST QUESTION to get your question answered live on the show!

Website: https://www.showupfitness.com/
Become a Successful Personal Trainer Book Vol. 2 (Amazon): https://a.co/d/1aoRnqA
NASM / ACE / ISSA study guide: https://www.showupfitness.com

Send us a text if you want to be on the Podcast & explain why!

Push the house gym (Pinellas Ultimate Strength House) in Tampa, FL will be hosting Show Up Fitness and our level 2 seminar May 30/31st Saturday 12-5, Sunday 9-1.

General Manager Javi Fraga IG-jfragatraining

You can have an exercise science degree, know every muscle action, and still fail as a coach if you can’t run a session that makes a real person feel seen, safe, and confident. That gap between knowing and doing is where most personal trainers stall and where great gyms quietly separate themselves from the pack.

We talk with Fraga, the 26-year-old general manager of Push The House (Pinellas Ultimate Strength House) in Largo near Tampa, about what it takes to build trainers who can actually coach. He shares how he went from a track background and early “pain-free performance” interests to leading a strength gym day to day after the owners moved out of state. We unpack what college does well, where it often misses, and why a gym’s onboarding process matters as much as its equipment list.

From hiring and internship design to baseline testing, templates for programming, and the reality that clients don’t care about “sciencey” terms, we get practical about communication, cueing, and integrity. We also dig into gym management choices that shape retention and culture: paying interns, hiring trainers as employees, building marketing funnels that support coaches, and using a mission and vision as real operating principles rather than slogans.

If you care about personal trainer certification, strength and conditioning education, gym culture, or building a career that lasts, you’ll leave with a clearer standard and a few concrete ideas you can apply immediately. Subscribe, share this with a trainer who wants to level up, and leave a rating and review so more coaches can find the show.

Want to become a SUCCESSFUL personal trainer? SUF-CPT is the FASTEST growing personal training certification in the world!

Want to ask us a question? Email info@showupfitness.com with the subject line PODCAST QUESTION to get your question answered live on the show!

Website: https://www.showupfitness.com/
Become a Successful Personal Trainer Book Vol. 2 (Amazon): https://a.co/d/1aoRnqA
NASM / ACE / ISSA study guide: https://www.showupfitness.com

Send us a text if you want to be on the Podcast & explain why!

You can take classes six days a week, sweat through your clothes, and still feel stuck when you want bigger glutes, a tighter waist, and that athletic “trained” look. We’re talking about the classic cardio bunny: the ClassPass regular who does Pilates, yoga, and body pump style workouts, yet never gets the overload needed for real muscle growth. The fix is not more exhaustion. The fix is a better assessment and a plan that matches the goal.

We walk through how we run the initial consultation like pros: PAR-Q basics, training history, and the most important part, finding the real “why” behind the goal. We also cover SMART goals that are specific, measurable, realistic, and tied to a timeline that makes sense. If the client says they want to lose weight and build glutes, we explain how body recomposition actually works, why the scale can lie, and what to track instead, including measurements and strength standards.

Then we take it to the gym floor with a clear assessment workout blueprint built around the movements that drive glute hypertrophy and total-body strength: loaded reverse lunges, RDL hinge work, chin-up progressions, and hip thrust or goblet options depending on skill and equipment. Finally, we get real about the business side of personal training: presenting packages calmly, handling “too expensive,” and navigating “I need to talk to my husband” with a human conversation rooted in value, emotion, and results. Subscribe for more coaching and training strategy, share this with a trainer or gym friend, and leave a review with your biggest fitness plateau right now.

Want to become a SUCCESSFUL personal trainer? SUF-CPT is the FASTEST growing personal training certification in the world!

Want to ask us a question? Email info@showupfitness.com with the subject line PODCAST QUESTION to get your question answered live on the show!

Website: https://www.showupfitness.com/
Become a Successful Personal Trainer Book Vol. 2 (Amazon): https://a.co/d/1aoRnqA
NASM / ACE / ISSA study guide: https://www.showupfitness.com

Send us a text if you want to be on the Podcast & explain why!

Meathead_rehab = DPT breakdown of the FMS.

A movement screen can feel like a truth serum, but what if it’s really just a narrow test that gets mistaken for a diagnosis? We sit down with Dr Motley (DPT) to talk through the Functional Movement Screen (FMS), why it often fails great athletes, and how it gets misused by trainers and clinicians who turn scores into scary predictions. If you’ve ever heard “you’re a 1 here, so you’re going to get hurt,” we unpack why that claim doesn’t hold up and what to do instead.

We dig into the real-world difference between screening and coaching: using simple observations to guide training versus letting a system dictate every “corrective” choice. We also get honest about the incentives that push fear-based messaging in fitness and insurance-based physical therapy, and why movement optimism matters more than posture perfection. Along the way, we hit evidence-based practice as it’s meant to be used: balancing research, client preferences, and professional experience so you can make better decisions with real humans.

Then we go after a classic hot button: foam rolling, fascia talk, and the myth of “breaking up adhesions.” We’re not here to ban tools that help people feel better, but we are here to stop wasting half a session on rituals that replace strength work and confidence-building training. If you want a practical, common-sense approach to assessment, rehab, and performance that keeps people lifting and moving, you’ll get a ton from this conversation. Subscribe, share with a coach friend, and leave a review. What’s the worst movement screen take you’ve heard?

Want to become a SUCCESSFUL personal trainer? SUF-CPT is the FASTEST growing personal training certification in the world!

Want to ask us a question? Email info@showupfitness.com with the subject line PODCAST QUESTION to get your question answered live on the show!

Website: https://www.showupfitness.com/
Become a Successful Personal Trainer Book Vol. 2 (Amazon): https://a.co/d/1aoRnqA
NASM / ACE / ISSA study guide: https://www.showupfitness.com

Send us a text if you want to be on the Podcast & explain why!

A client tells you they have diabetes, hands you their card, signs up for training and then refuses to get medical clearance. Do you keep the money and train them anyway, or do you draw a hard line and risk the refund? We walk through the real decision personal trainers face when safety, ethics, and liability collide, including why “it depends” really means “it depends on your documentation and your preparedness.”

We break down the types of diabetes (type 1, type 2, and gestational) and what personal trainers are most likely to see in the gym. From there we get practical about diabetes and exercise: how full body strength training can drive glucose into working muscles, how blood glucose can drop into a hypoglycemic state, and what the warning signs can look like in real time. We also cover what actually helps in an emergency, why fast sugar wins, and why solid foods can create a choking risk when someone is woozy or fading.

Then we zoom out to the professional standard of care: medical clearance, assessment, ACSM style risk stratification, and why a history like a prior heart attack changes everything. We also talk trainer insurance, what happens when things go to court, and how to turn clearance into a networking advantage by building a real relationship with a client’s doctor.

If you care about being a qualified personal trainer and protecting your clients, listen now, share this with a coach who needs it, and subscribe, rate, and leave a review so more trainers learn to do this the right way.

Want to become a SUCCESSFUL personal trainer? SUF-CPT is the FASTEST growing personal training certification in the world!

Want to ask us a question? Email info@showupfitness.com with the subject line PODCAST QUESTION to get your question answered live on the show!

Website: https://www.showupfitness.com/
Become a Successful Personal Trainer Book Vol. 2 (Amazon): https://a.co/d/1aoRnqA
NASM / ACE / ISSA study guide: https://www.showupfitness.com

Send us a text if you want to be on the Podcast & explain why!

Life Time DPT: IG Donovan_will_

Running is easy to start and hard to master, and that gap is where most people get stuck. I’m talking with Donovan, a coach at Lifetime Dumbo in downtown Brooklyn, about what actually makes runners improve: a clean foundation, the right intensity, and a mindset that doesn’t crumble when things get uncomfortable. He’s also training for the New York Marathon, so this isn’t theory, it’s lived experience.

We dig into how he builds a run clinic and a free run club with real pace support, plus the overlooked details that keep people consistent: cadence, breathing, core and stability, and choosing shoes that help your ankles move naturally. Donovan shares his personal story of multiple eye surgeries and why running is one of the few times he feels relief, which turns “motivation” into something deeper than hype.

Then we get practical with performance and health: VO2 max testing, metabolic testing, and how personalized heart rate zones can replace guesswork from generic formulas and wearables. We talk Zone 2 training you can actually sustain, smarter interval training in Zone 4 and Zone 5, and what the pain cave looks like both mentally and physiologically when your body hits a limit.

If you want to run faster, build aerobic fitness, lose weight without living in redline, or simply enjoy running again, this conversation gives you a clear playbook. Subscribe, share this with a friend who “always goes too hard,” and leave a review with your biggest running question so we can tackle it next.

Want to become a SUCCESSFUL personal trainer? SUF-CPT is the FASTEST growing personal training certification in the world!

Want to ask us a question? Email info@showupfitness.com with the subject line PODCAST QUESTION to get your question answered live on the show!

Website: https://www.showupfitness.com/
Become a Successful Personal Trainer Book Vol. 2 (Amazon): https://a.co/d/1aoRnqA
NASM / ACE / ISSA study guide: https://www.showupfitness.com

Send us a text if you want to be on the Podcast & explain why!

“Get certified and start making $100K” sounds great until you are standing on a gym floor with five clients back to back and no real plan. We get blunt about why the personal training industry chews up new coaches, and why the biggest problem is not motivation, it is the lack of supervised experience, real systems, and honest expectations. If you are thinking about becoming a personal trainer, or you are already certified but feel stuck, this conversation is your reset.

We talk about the trap of choosing a fitness certification like a fast-food combo meal, then trying to coach using only a textbook and confidence. We lay out what actually builds a sustainable personal training career: hands-on learning seminars, internships, shadowing, and mentorship that forces you to explain your choices. Assessment and program design are not buzzwords here. We dig into how to think through exercise selection, how to handle clients who show up with knee pain or shoulder issues, and why “I like this exercise” is not a coaching process.

We also get practical about money, marketing, and longevity. We walk through the real math behind making $100,000 as a trainer, how gym splits change the equation, and why your schedule can burn you out long before your passion does. We share how to pick the right gym environment, what questions to ask managers, and why people skills and communication often beat another weekend certificate. If this helps, subscribe, share it with a trainer who needs the truth, and leave a review with the skill you think every new coach should master first.

How to Become A Successful Personal Trainer Vol. 2: Becoming a personal trainer in 2026 takes more than just a certification—it requires real-world skills, business awareness, and the ability to avoid the mistakes that hold most new trainers back. In this episode, we break down exactly how to get started in the fitness industry and what it really takes to succeed early on.

We cover the step-by-step path to becoming a certified trainer, how to gain experience, and how to build confidence on the gym floor. Most importantly, we dive into the most common mistakes new trainers make—like poor client communication, lack of programming structure, and neglecting the business side of fitness—and how to avoid them.

If you want to fast-track your success and stand out in a competitive industry, this episode will give you the clarity and direction you need.

Want to become a SUCCESSFUL personal trainer? SUF-CPT is the FASTEST growing personal training certification in the world!

Want to ask us a question? Email info@showupfitness.com with the subject line PODCAST QUESTION to get your question answered live on the show!

Website: https://www.showupfitness.com/
Become a Successful Personal Trainer Book Vol. 2 (Amazon): https://a.co/d/1aoRnqA
NASM / ACE / ISSA study guide: https://www.showupfitness.com

Send us a text if you want to be on the Podcast & explain why!

Most trainers think the “assessment” is where you prove how smart you are. We think it’s where you prove you’re safe, clear, and worth paying. We break down a client assessment process that changes based on context, whether you’re stuck doing a required movement screen at a big gym or you’re an independent personal trainer building your own system. The through-line is simple: it depends on the person, but your standards stay high.

We start with what too many coaches ignore: professionalism and expectation setting. How you show up, how the space looks, how you greet someone, and how you explain the plan for the hour all impact trust. From there we move into the discovery process that makes the rest of the session easier, including PAR-Q screening, goal setting, and the kinds of questions that uncover real motivation and make a client feel heard. If you want better retention, better referrals, and a smoother sales process, you need this part to be intentional.

We also get practical on assessments that add real value, like grip strength and blood pressure. We talk about why blood pressure is a frontline metric for personal training safety, what “red flags” look like, and when you need to send someone to a doctor. Then we map out a first workout that is simple, beginner-friendly, and built around core movement patterns with smart accessories so clients feel a win without getting crushed. We close with how to present training packages confidently, avoid backtracking on price, and guide the conversation toward a clear next step.

If you found this helpful, subscribe for more coaching, programming, and business tactics for personal trainers, share this with a trainer who needs a better assessment flow, and leave a quick review with your biggest takeaway.

No overhead assessments at Show Up Fitness like NASM or FMS, just results while trainers build a career: Assessing a new client is one of the most important skills a personal trainer can master—especially when working with a beginner. In this episode, we walk through a complete step-by-step approach to assessing a beginner male client, from initial consultation to movement screening and goal setting.

You’ll learn how to ask the right questions, evaluate posture and mobility, identify limitations, and build a safe, effective starting program. We also cover common mistakes trainers make during assessments and how to create a strong first impression that builds trust and long-term client success.

Whether you’re just getting started or looking to sharpen your coaching skills, this episode will give you the tools to confidently assess and train new clients.

Want to become a SUCCESSFUL personal trainer? SUF-CPT is the FASTEST growing personal training certification in the world!

Want to ask us a question? Email info@showupfitness.com with the subject line PODCAST QUESTION to get your question answered live on the show!

Website: https://www.showupfitness.com/
Become a Successful Personal Trainer Book Vol. 2 (Amazon): https://a.co/d/1aoRnqA
NASM / ACE / ISSA study guide: https://www.showupfitness.com