Typical Training Session at GAIN
At GAIN, strength training is the main event. Around it, we build accessory work, direct core training, and usually some conditioning. Of course, this is a generalization—each individual member follows a training plan designed specifically for their abilities and goals.
These categories provide the framework we use to build out a training session and, eventually, a long-term program.
Warm Up
Every session starts with a warm up. The goal is to raise your body temperature, open up your ranges of motion, and get your blood pumping. We love including medicine ball throws for power development and working on balance and stability right out of the gate.
A. The Main Event — Strength Training
The first exercises of the day are where we focus on building strength. These are the movements where we track progress—weight lifted, reps completed, or another measurable marker. Progress is gamified here, allowing you to inch forward at a pace your body is ready for. Slow and steady always wins—just because you could doesn’t mean you should.
The main lifts typically include squats, split squats, deadlifts, and the bench press. These compound movements use multiple joints and muscles, expose you to healthy ranges of motion, and build total-body strength. The rep schemes, sets, and formats change for variety, but these foundations always remain.
B. Accessory Work — Eat Your Veggies
Accessory movements don’t rely on big numbers or max weights to be effective. Their value comes from consistent exposure to good movement. Here you’ll see pulling and rowing variations, single-leg work like step-ups and lunges, and single-arm dumbbell exercises.
Accessory work builds strength, coordination, and healthy tissues. We load it in three tiers:
Bodyweight: Push ups, ring rows, lunges, split squats—perfect when you’re not feeling 100% but want to stay consistent.
Standard Load: Your “usual” weights—8–12 reps you can do reliably. Tracking this helps you measure progress over time.
Push It: When form is crisp and confidence is high, go heavier than normal. This helps level up what eventually becomes your new “standard load.”
C. Core
We finish with direct trunk training—rigid holds, rotational drills, or loaded carries across the gym. Think planks, band-resisted work, and carrying heavy kettlebells (a.k.a. grocery bags). Core training reinforces stability and transfers strength to everything else you do.
D. Conditioning
We cap most sessions with 10–15 minutes of conditioning. These short, high-effort cardio bouts are tough to replicate on your own and come with big benefits: improving aerobic capacity, speeding recovery, and priming your lungs for action outside the gym.
Cool Down
Training doesn’t stop when the lifting does. Cooling down resets the system—massaging tight tissues, holding stretches, and taking a few deep breaths helps the body shift into recovery mode.
This breakdown gives a clear picture of the GAIN session flow while reinforcing the idea that it’s not one-size-fits-all. Each member has a plan tailored to their abilities, but the framework—warm up, strength, accessory, core, conditioning, cool down—keeps everyone progressing.
—Justin Miner