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The blog is updated Monday-Friday. Tune in for posts and discussion about health, fitness, nutrition, training experiments and reflection. We share articles, videos and more. We post the link to our Instagram story every day, make sure to follow along there to never miss a post.
Friday Thoughts 107
Welcome to this week’s edition of Friday Thoughts, where I share what’s been on my mind over the past seven days. Enjoy!
GAIN Basket
Our Holiday Collection basket is officially live, and we’re collecting food, shoes, clothing, and household items for Operation Blessing.
They’re an incredible local organization supporting neighbors in need with food, clothing, showers, and a warm, welcoming space.
The basket will be out for the next few weeks. Thank you!
GAIN BASELINE
There’s been a lot of hype around the Baseline Test this week, and I love it.
A quick refresher: it’s a series of 6 tests, each a strong correlate or predictor of long-term strength and longevity. This is the antidote to feeling bored or burnt out in the gym. When you have clear numbers to track throughout the year, you can zoom out and see the big picture.
The Tests:
Grip Strength
Hanging from a Bar
Farmer’s Carry – heavy for 1–2 minutes
SOLEC Balance Test (Standing on One Leg, Eyes Closed)
Goblet Squat – 20-rep max
AirBike – 20-second sprint for calories
You don’t need to complete them all in one day—they’re designed to chip away at gradually. I’ve taken on four so far.
My Results This Week:
Grip Strength: 147 lb avg (would love to get this above 150)
Farmer’s Carry: 2:00 with 106 lb per hand (hit my goal)
SOLEC: 9 seconds right leg, 30 seconds left (my left has always been the more reliable side)
AirBike Sprint: 24.5 calories
And let me tell you… I am SORE from that carry. Middle and upper back are absolutely smoked. I spent half the day wondering why I felt wrecked until I remembered I did the thing. Let this be your warning!
Outside Shoes
It’s that time of year when I put on my official Shoe Police hat.
With winter weather here, please bring (or leave) a clean pair of shoes at the gym. Wet soles make the rubber slippery, and the salt from the parking lot chews up the flooring. We appreciate your help keeping the gym in good shape.
The 2-Mile Test
Our last monthly challenge was the 2-mile Assault Bike test, stolen from Mike Boyle and the crew at MBSC.
Mike is in his sixties and threw down a 4:51 the other day. Absolutely legit.
The test is brutal—there’s nowhere to hide and no way to fake being good at it. It’s just you versus the clock, and it’s a beautiful kind of miserable.
Stay warm out there today and see you at the gym!
—Justin Miner
Holiday Giving at GAIN
This month, we’re putting out our collecting basket to help support our neighbors in need during the holiday season.
We’re proud to partner with Operation Blessing, a local organization providing food, clothing, household essentials, warm showers, and a safe, welcoming place for individuals and families in difficult circumstances.
From their website:
“At Operation Blessing, we’re more than a resource—we’re a community of compassion, hope, and dignity. Serving our neighbors in need, we offer nourishing food through a unique shopping-style pantry, clothing and household essentials, warm showers, and a safe place to gather.
Every program we offer, from our weekend café to our warming center, is designed to restore not just physical needs, but also the sense of connection and care every person deserves. Together, with the help of volunteers, donors, and friends like you, we’re building a place where everyone feels seen, supported, and loved.”
How You Can Help
We’re collecting:
Non-perishable food
Clothing
Shoes
Household items
You can learn more about what Operation Blessing accepts on their website.
The basket will be out at the gym for most of December.
Thank you!
— Justin Miner
November by the numbers
Welcome to this month’s edition of By The Numbers, where I break down the data from my watch and training log to reflect on the past month. I track simple metrics like average sleep, daily steps, and total workouts. After doing this monthly for two years, it’s become one of my most valuable tools for spotting trends, holding myself accountable, and fine-tuning habits.
If you don’t have a reflection habit like this, I highly recommend starting.
Let’s get into it.
STEPS
Total: 280,211
Daily Average: 9,340
This was my lowest monthly total of 2025, which makes sense—I didn’t run at all this month. After the 5K at the end of October, I planned to shut things down for a few weeks, which I typically do this time of year. Steps take a hit without runs, but the break was intentional and needed.
SLEEP
Average Sleep: 6 hours 56 minutes
Average Sleep Score: 80
December brought a noticeable improvement in sleep. I’ve been getting to bed earlier and logging consistent, restful nights. My HRV stayed within normal range, and even while traveling—sharing a room, staying up later than usual—I still slept well.
One thing I found interesting: this “good” month of sleep was only two points better than my “bad” month back in September.
WORKOUTS
Total Workouts: 12
Definitely my lowest count of the year, but that was by design. My training split for the month looked like this:
Day 1: Deadlifts, dips, split squats, ring rows
Day 2: AirBike conditioning with pull-ups or push-ups
Day 3: Bench press and sled
It was fun to take a break from running and get back into lifting weights. These sessions were fast, simple, and usually around 20–30 minutes—though a few stretched closer to an hour. It felt good to switch gears.
Thanks for reading along. As always, I encourage you to try a monthly reflection practice of your own. It’s one of the simplest ways to keep your health, fitness, and daily habits pointed in the right direction.
— Justin Miner
December Challenge/GAIN Baseline
One of my favorite things I do each month is come up with the Monthly Challenge Workout.
Ever since taking over the challenge earlier this year, I’ve been set on getting more people involved. Lately, about 15–20 members have been showing up for it each month, which is great, but I know we can do better.
As someone who likes training, the challenge is fun because I love strategizing, pacing, taking a risk, and seeing if it pays off. But as a coach, it’s hard to write. How do you challenge a wide range of people, while keeping it approachable and “just the right amount” of hard?
The value of these tests is simple: they give us something to revisit. They set a marker. They show progress over time.
That’s why I’ve spent the last couple of months putting together the GAIN December Challenge—also known as the GAIN Baseline.
It’s a collection of six tests designed to gauge your overall strength and physical capability. These tests pull inspiration from books like Outlive (Peter Attia), Built to Move (Kelly & Juliette Starrett), and the strength standards of legendary coach Dan John.
Tests like grip strength, hanging, and the farmer’s carry are all strongly correlated with total-body strength and long-term longevity. The bike sprint tests your ability to express power and intensity. And the goblet squat helps us nail the right “reps in reserve” for future training.
Most importantly, everything is easily replicable. Anyone can do these tests now, collect the data, and then retest in the summer to see what’s changed.
For a lot of you, this is a chance to have a “guiding star.” When your goals feel vague, or you’re bored, or you think your training is stalling but you can’t tell—your baseline numbers will give you clarity.
Below are all the details on each test and how to perform them. You can do them all in one session or chip away at a few each day. I’ll warn you now: I got humbled on the balance test.
Let me know if you have questions and I’ll see you in the gym.
—Justin
GAIN Baseline / December Challenge Tests
1. Grip Strength
Elbow bent to 90°
Two attempts per hand
Score: average of your best attempt from each hand (in pounds)
2. Hanging
Passive hang from the bar
Elbows locked, feet off the ground
One attempt
Score: total time
Standards:
10–20 sec: Baseline
60 sec: Solid
90 sec: Excellent
2+ min: Elite
3. Balance – SOLEC (Standing on One Leg, Eyes Closed)
Barefoot, eyes closed
Test starts when your foot leaves the floor
Test ends when your foot touches down or your eyes open
Score: time in seconds on each leg
Standards:
Level 1 — Baseline: 10–15 sec per leg
Level 2 — Solid: 20 sec per leg
Level 3 — Optimal: 30 sec per leg
4. Strength Endurance – Goblet Squat 20-Rep Test
Choose a weight you believe you can squat for 20 reps
If you easily hit 20, increase the weight—even if you won’t reach all 20 next time
Score:
The weight you completed all 20 reps with OR
The number of reps you reached on a heavier weight
5. Power Output – AirBike 20-Second Sprint
Max calories in 20 seconds
One attempt
Assault Bike or Echo Bike
Score: total calories
6. Farmer’s Carry Challenge
Carry the correct load for 60 seconds
Score: load relative to bodyweight
Standards:
Level 1 — Baseline: 25% BW per hand
Level 2 — Solid: 35% BW per hand
Level 3 — Strong: 50% BW per hand
Level 4 — Athlete: 75–100% BW per hand
Monday Check In
A new month and a new week both starting today? How exciting!
We’re officially between Thanksgiving and the end of year—which is usually a whirlwind of social events, travel, shopping and trying to cram your workouts in. Try to keep it steady. Stay on track when you can, but forgive yourself when you can’t.
We have a fun December Challenge this month: 6 short tests to establish a baseline. Think grip strength, lower body endurance, power output and carrying strength.
They’ll be up on the board later this morning. Try it out any time this month.
Over the summer, we’ll revisit these test to see how you’re progressing.
Have a good start to the week and the month!
—Justin Miner
Thanksgiving Health and fitness Guide
Consider this your Health and Fitness Thanksgiving guide. Use these concepts to introduce discussion around health and fitness with family and friends. Some of these make a good on the spot test for any hot shot relatives who think they’re fit (even though they don’t train).
Sit and Rise Test:
The Sit/Rise test challenges balance, coordination, mobility and strength. If you get down and up without using your hands, you get 10 points. Minus one point for each time you use a knee, hand, or forearm to lean on. No hands is the only way to get a perfect score.
Grip Strength:
Wow your relatives with this fact: grip strength, much like the Sit/Rise Test, is an excellent predictor of overall health. In fact, grip strength is inversely associated with all-cause mortality. This is because grip strength is a pretty good indicator of total body strength. While you might not have a hand dynamometer at the ready, opening a jar or the ability to hang from a bar is a good starting place.
SOLEC:
Standing on One Leg Eyes Closed Balance Test. One leg on the ground, one in the air. How long can you last? 30 seconds is a solid score, or 10 seconds if you’re over 70.
Walk:
All the benefits from walking more show up around 7000 steps per day (even though we’re infatuated with getting 10k). Take your relatives on a 6000 step walk, or about 3 miles. Daily walkers seem to be super human, and it’s because of all their extra outside movement they’re getting. Cardio, mobility, stamina, good vibes from the outside - walking has it all.
Better yet, test and compare your VO2 Max with the Rockport Walk Test.
Breath Hold:
What we call the Big Breath Drill is a great way to introduce someone to focused breathing. Improved breathing can lead to better posture, less stress and improved performance.
Take big inhales through your nose
Exhale lightly through your mouth or nose
Repeat for 90 seconds-2 minutes—At the end of the time period, exhale all your air and hold
When your desire to breath comes, start again on a big inhale
Repeat 2-3 rounds
A minute breath hold is good here, and will be easy on the second round. Can anyone get 90 seconds?
The big breath drill will improve breathing mechanics, without even having to talk about the diaphragm, the Bohr Effect, CO2 or the like. It will leave them feeling energized and and not bored from talking about CO2 tolerance.
Box Squat:
The number one movement people need to learn to get into strength training is the box squat. It’s just sitting down on something and standing up. Teach your grandparents how to squat using a chair or coffee table and they’ll be grateful the next time they get out of a car or a low couch. Find some coaching points in the video below.
There you have it. Your GAIN Thanksgiving Holiday Guide. Enjoy!
—Justin Miner
Thanksgiving Hours
Reminder: we are closed on Thursday and Friday for Thanksgiving.
Regular hours Today and Wednesday. The schedule is looking extra stuffed—be sure to cancel your session if you can’t make it, and do it early enough to help someone else out on the waitlist.
—Justin Miner
Monday Check In
GAIN will be closed for Thanksgiving on Thursday and Friday.
It’s going to be a short week.
Get in the gym when you can, and safe travels to anyone on the move this week.
See you in the gym!
—Justin Miner
Friday Thoughts 106
Happy Friday. Welcome to this week’s edition of Friday Thoughts, where I share what’s been on my mind and in my feed this week. Enjoy!
Hollow Body Hanging
Love this breakdown from Meg about how the hollow body hang is a great skill to master if you want to nail some pull ups.
Effective
Eric Cressey has been doing this since before social media was big. This message actually bears some weight coming from him, and is a reminder that many of the real trainers are too busy coaching clients to spend their days making Reels for engagement.
Skills
This is impressive! Clem would be too scared to be up that high.
America’s Most Climbing Mountain
Still haven’t climbed it!
Back in the gym on Monday, see you then!
—Justin Miner
Reasonable/Tough Matrix
I was recently reminded of Dan John’s Reasonable vs. Tough Matrix. It’s a simple idea from one of my favorite strength coaches, and it’s a great tool for auditing your own efforts—especially around training and nutrition.
Dan John’s point is that pairing a tough diet with a tough training program creates a huge amount of stress. If you choose to do it, it should be something you “lock down” for a short, intentional window a few times each year—not a lifestyle. Living in a permanent cycle of starving yourself and trying to train hard is unsustainable, and honestly, unreasonable.
When you break the matrix down, you get four combinations. Each can play a role at different points in your year:
Reasonable Training + Reasonable Nutrition
This is the foundation. This is where long-term consistency happens.
Reasonable Training + Tough Nutrition
A season of tightening things up while still keeping training manageable.
Tough Training + Reasonable Nutrition
Where most athletes live. They’re pushing hard and need proper fuel to support it.
Tough Training + Tough Nutrition
A short, focused sprint. Useful at times—but absolutely not sustainable year-round.
At the end of the day, this is about honestly assessing what your body needs and where you can realistically be strict. Most of us try to be strict in all areas, all the time, and it backfires. Instead, build flexibility into your system. If you’re going to crank both the training and nutrition dials to “tough,” treat it as a temporary phase—not your default.
—Justin Miner
use RIR to get really strong
If you want to get stronger you’ve got to pay attention to your reps in reserve or RIR.
RIR is a way to identify how many more reps could you do AFTER completing your prescribed reps.
When chasing strength, your reps in reserve should be low.
Here’s a scenario:
You’re goblet squatting 4 sets of 10 reps.
You pick the blue kettlebell because that’s what you always use. You do your 10 reps concentrating on excellent form, breathing and everything else. Suddenly, I run up to you and offer you $300 for 10 more reps. You grind them out and eventually complete the 10 additional reps for a total of 20.
The last 3 reps took everything you had. You have no reps in reserve.
If you finished that set at the prescribed 10 reps, you left a lot on the table. You had 10 reps in reserve!
The sweet spot of getting strong, and not trashing your body, is leaving 2-3 quality reps in the tank. In this scenario, the kettlebell weight was too light for the rep scheme of 10. You should never be able to double the reps with the selected weight. That’s a clear indication you won’t create the stimulus required to make strength adaptations.
The general goal with strength training is to create stress that our bodies will adapt to. Make sure you’re hitting the right stimulus by checking in and seeing how many reps you have in reserve.
Justin Miner
How to Start
Potential members start with our 3-session trial. This serves as an opportunity to meet the coaches and see how we do things at GAIN. Our individualized, feels sort-of-like a group, but isn’t really a group, vibe is different, and unlike any other gym you’ve been to.
On your first visit you work closely with a coach doing our Intro Workout. This gives us an opportunity to go over some finer details like getting organized and breathing and seeing how much range of motion and stability your body has. We talk about injuries, training history and what you want to get out of your gym time.
Regardless of your fitness level and experience, we want you leaving the gym after that first session feeling as though you could have done more. Our saying is, we can write hard workouts, but need to prove that one day 1. We want you to build a new habit you can stick with, easing in is key. With our consistency over intensity mindset, many self identifying “not a gym person” has turned into a dedicated member who have been with us for nearly a decade.
You’ll learn a whole bunch of new movements and lingo, if you’re a newbie to the gym it can be a bit overwhelming. Just know that we’re aware of this, and try to take it slow and not overload you with gym jargon. On the first day we primarily focus on learning and breaking down the squat pattern, the push up and ring row and some of our core training drills.
By the second workout, we’re ready to introduce some more movements and will do some conditioning (cardio) and get introduced to some of our favorite cool-down mobility drills. This workout focuses on pressing and pulling with the upper body, along with some single leg movements.
On the last workout of the trial, you’re learning and working on the hinge pattern. This can be a tricky one, but is important for everyone to learn. We revisit some movements from the previous two workouts here if needed. This will feel like a bigger workout for most, because we usually give you more to do on the third day as your body is starting to adapt to some new movements.
All in all, the 3-Session Trial is a crash course in all things GAIN. Learn our favorite exercises, get your movement broken down by an experienced coach and learn how to move better, feel more connected and get a plan that’s tailored to what you need and want to accomplish.
Justin Miner
@justinminergain
Monday Check in
Happy Monday!
Motivation around the gym has been high lately. New people are starting, new goals are forming, and some of you already have your eyes on what to do in 2026.
And 2026 is right around the corner.
If you’re feeling motivated and productive - ride the wave. On the flip side, if you’re not feeling super motivated, that’s okay too.
With just 6 weeks remaining in the year, we all know it’s about to get busy with holidays, traveling, parties and everything else that pulls you out of your routine.
That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t start something new, but if you do, you need to build in some flexibility to navigate these busy times.
The thing to avoid: starting something new and biting off more than you can chew. You’ll fizzle out in early December only to, “start over,” in the New Year.
Keep this James Clear quote in mind:
“When determining the size or complexity of a new habit ask yourself, “What can I stick to—even on my worst day?”
Start small and stay consistent!
—Justin Miner
Friday Thoughts 105
Welcome to this week’s edition of Friday Thoughts. Let’s get in to it.
Ankles
Mobile ankles are happy ankles. Our ankle joints help us with squatting, running, walking, and of course, going up and down the stairs. If you catch yourself walking down the stairs sideways, or turning your feet out every time you squat - your ankles might need some love. If your ankles are stiff, something else is going to take the bear the brunt like your quads your knees.
Easiest drill to do any time, any where:
vo2
vo2 max, or your maximum oxygen consumption is all over the internet these days. It’s a cool metric and we all suddenly have access to it with our fitness watches, Whoops, etc. However, as Steve explains here, it doesn’t tell the whole picture, and sometimes a simple performance test can be a better indicator of progress.
Ovi
Twenty seasons in insane! Talk about playing the long game. Ovechkin started playing my freshman year of college…
Huh?
This is kind of like when people complain about parking far away and walking to the gym. If you’re going to lift some 45 pound plates on a barbell, loading and unloading it can be a pain, but should never feel so hard you think this is a better option.
That’s it for this week, see you next time!
—Justin Miner
Sore? Do This
Soreness isn’t the best indicator of progress in the gym, but it is something all of us experience. Whether you’re chasing PRs, learning new movements, or getting into strength training for the first time, muscle soreness will show up eventually. We don’t want to chase it, but experienced lifters should know how to manage it.
Get Moving
The best thing you can do for sore muscles is simple: walk.
Movement gets your joints working, increases blood flow, and jump-starts your lymphatic system to clear out the “gunk.” Even if you feel stiff at first, give it five minutes — you’ll almost always feel better.
Roll It (and Breathe)
Your foam roller has a way of telling you when you need it. When an area feels extra tender, that’s a good sign you should spend some time there. What seems unbearable at the start usually gives way after a minute or two.
Gentle pressure plus slow breathing and contract/relax work increases blood flow and helps everything calm down and cooperate.
Mobility Circuit
Set a 10-minute timer and rotate through 3–5 of your favorite mobility drills:
90/90 hip switches
Plank to downward dog
Rotational arm swings
Side Lying Book openers
Squat holds
A few minutes of intentional movement goes a long way toward reducing soreness.
When you’re feeling sore and unsure what to do, move!
—Justin Miner
Slow and STeady
This quote sometimes pops up when I log into TrueCoach:
Excellence is the gradual result of always striving to do better. - Pat Riley
The quick fix crowd doesn’t understand that getting stronger, creating a healthier lifestyle, getting lean or more conditioned takes time. Often, a lot more than you think.
Playing the long game is about staying committed to the process and getting a little bit better here and there. This slow progress can be frustrating, but it’s the way to build long-term commitment and therefore, long-term progress.
Play the long game!
Justin Miner
tempo for strength gains
A sneaky, long-term, and often overlooked way to get really strong is controlling the tempo when lifting.
Tempo is how fast you move. Sometimes we want a fast tempo; speed work, explosive exercises for power development, sprinting and conditioning. When building strength and learning how to move though, nothing beats a slow tempo.
Slowing down makes things feel harder, forces you to breath better and gives your muscles a big dose of strength building stimuli.
There’s also the paradox of strength training to be aware of. The paradox of strength training is that you keep lifting heavier and heavier every week, except there’s one problem, this doesn’t actually work forever - or else we’d all have 1000 pound deadlifts.
Tempo affords us another variable to control. By slowing down, we’re increasing the difficulty of a weight, or a bodyweight movement like a push up, without moving up in weights.
If you’re starting to feel good at a weight, or a certain number of push ups or pull ups, add a tempo to your next bout and feel the difference!
—Justin Miner
Monday Check In
Weekends have been rest days for me lately. There’s just too much to do—kids to play with, leaves to pick up, wood to stack, you name it. Recently, a friend told me he’s been doing the opposite: getting all his workouts in on the weekend because his weekdays are too busy.
He said training on the weekends helps keep him on track—and I get it.
Yesterday around 3 p.m., I was feeling a little grumpy and realized I’d skipped lunch. That’s unusual for me. How did I forget a meal? I usually plan food around training to make sure I’m fueled for a workout. Except this time, I didn’t train.
I feel my best when I’m fueled properly, and that’s easiest during the week. There’s structure—work, routines, training times—and that structure helps me stick to my system. The weekend, on the other hand, is looser. And I think a lot of us feel that.
But five days on and two days off your lifestyle won’t lead to lasting change.
Today, ask yourself: Do you feel better on the weekdays or the weekends? And how can you make one feel more like the other?
For me, it starts with something simple—planning breakfast and lunch on Saturday and Sunday just like I do during the week.
Have a good week!
—Justin Miner
Friday Thoughts 104
Welcome to this week’s edition of Friday Thoughts, where I share what’s been on my mind and in my feed throughout the week. Enjoy.
November Challenge
This month we’ve got a tough challenge: 2-mile AirBike for time.
This one is a burner. It’ll be over quickly, but will linger with you.
If I’m feeling brave later today I might give it a whirl.
Supplement Routine
Why is it so hard to take supplements consistently? I never seem to be able to stick with it, and it’s something that I have heard others struggle with too—especially with the growing popularity of creatine. I was locked in on my creatine for years, and then I stopped eating my oatmeal bowl as regularly, which is what I always mixed the creatine into.
After experimenting for a while, I’ve nailed my new supplement routine 30/30 days. I’ve settle on a drink in the morning; salt, creatine and fiber, usually mixed up with a Topo Chico. In the evening, after the kids go down, I take magnesium and vitamin D in pill form.
This seems sustainable—so far. I experimented with a drink at night too, after reading magnesium glycinate is most effective in powder form. It tasted terrible though, and pounding down more liquid seemed counterintuitive to the purpose of taking it, which was winding down. I realized even if the powder is more effective than the pill, I’ll be way more likely to stick with the pill, making it the most effective option.
I added the vitamin D on for some basic habit stacking. Taking this pill already? Take this one too.
Race Tee
I discovered my love for classic race tee’s last year at the Wasatch Front 100 Mile Endurance Run. While it might be a huge faux pas on my part, I love wearing the shirt even though I didn’t run the race. It’s has a great design and no sponsors clogging the back. The Great Bay 5k this year had great race tees. Long sleeves with an awesome design, and something not made to wear while running. I knew it was good when Hannah stole it.
Have a good weekend, see you next time!
-Justin Miner
Bored? Congratulations
If your training has felt tedious lately — congratulations.
You’ve made it to a part of the process that most people never reach. You’ve trained long enough, and consistently enough, that you’ve grown bored with your routine.
If you see boredom as a bad thing, I’d like to convince you it’s not. In fact, it’s often a signal that you’re doing the right things.
James Clear said it best:
Now, to be fair, sometimes boredom is a cue for change. But in the gym, the real work happens after the excitement fades. For training to have a lasting impact, you need to stick with.
I know — a gym owner telling you to “never quit the gym” doesn’t sound unbiased. But at least I want you to show up, unlike the big box method of hoping you’ll pay and never show.
If you’ve built a routine, belong to a group that notices when you’re gone, and have stayed consistent for years, boredom is simply part of the process. Get through it, and you keep all the upside you’ve already earned. Chase novelty, and you start over.
Good training is often boring training. Whether your goals are big, small, or vague, at some point your workouts will feel repetitive. That’s how effective programs are written.
So the next time you feel bored, don’t panic. Investigate it. It might just be proof that you’re doing everything right.
—Justin Miner