The alarm goes off early, but I don’t mind. Especially not today. It’s a rare morning when my wife and I can work out together, and I’m not going to pass that up. At 6:00am, we’re in the gym, moving weight, building strength—getting in the kind of training that doesn’t just stay in the gym but carries over into everything we do. With our schedules, these sessions don’t happen as often as we’d like, but when they do, we make them count.
After a quick trip home to feed animals, I’m back at the gym for my 8:30am appointment—a new client recovering from knee replacement surgery. She’s in her early 70s, working hard to rebuild strength, balance, and confidence. This is her first day with me, and every movement is intentional. We focus on what she can do, finding ways to progressively build her up while avoiding setbacks. Progress isn’t about pushing to failure; it’s about moving forward in a way that makes tomorrow better than today.
At 9:30am, I have a standing appointment with a long-time client. Two years in, his sessions are all about building strength, improving movement quality, and maintaining capacity. He’s also in his 70s, and keeping him strong and resilient is the priority. Too many people his age have been told they should slow down, do less, avoid lifting. He’s proof that the opposite is true—train smart, keep moving, and stay capable.
The morning wraps up, and it’s time to shift gears. 2 of our (almost year old) calves have a vet appointment at 1pm, so we’re loading up the calves with an early lunch sitting fresh in our stomachs (the vet is over 45 minutes from us). Homesteading means handling whatever the land and livestock throw at you—hauling feed, fixing fences, and, in this case, making sure the animals get the care they need. Strength training pays off when you’re doing a bit of “physical negotiations” to get an uncooperative bull-calf into a trailer.
My schedule showed a 5pm appointment but she had to cancel, so instead of heading back to the gym, I head out to check on a potential stud pig for one of our kunekune females.
This is a fairly typical day—part gym owner, part homesteader, part coach, and always on the move. But there’s one consistent thread through it all: a life of movement & capability. Training should make your life better. Your workouts should build you up, not tear you down. If you’re too sore or exhausted to handle your daily responsibilities—whether that’s working your land, chasing your kids, or just enjoying life—then you’re missing the point.
The goal isn’t to destroy yourself in the gym. The goal is to build a body that works for you, so you can keep doing the things that matter. Because at the end of the day, if your strength doesn’t help you live your life, what’s the point?