Updates

We’ve got an old-school favorite to highlight this week, which is one of those classic movements that looks easy but tends to humble everyone in practice.

We’re talking about the step-up.

At SSP, we love this deceptively simple movement for a bunch of reasons:

✅ It builds great quad and glute strength
✅ It challenges balance and single-leg stability
✅ It scales easily depending on your abilities and starting point and is a great exercise for both those rehabbing from an injury as well as competitive athletes
✅ And it’s one of the best bang-for-your-buck moves for hikers, runners, and just about everyone looking to move better

You’ll see step-ups programmed consistently at SSP. But here’s the thing: step-ups are also really easy to mess up.

A super common mistake?
Letting the back leg do most of the work. It’s easy to unknowingly launch off the bottom leg, especially when the box is too high or when you’re just trying to get through the reps.

So how do you make sure you’re getting the most out of it?

We made a quick video breaking down a smart coaching cue that keeps the focus exactly where it should be: driving through the top leg and making every rep count.

👉 Watch this video from Coach Natalie Whether you’re training for your next trail race, rehabbing an injury, or just working on stability and building strength that helps you feel great in your body, we’re big believers that this movement deserves a permanent place in your program… coached right of course 😉

At SSP, one of our core values is Continuous Learning Is in Our DNA and it’s a mindset we live by every single day.

We believe great coaching doesn’t happen by accident. It takes reps, feedback, mentorship, and a commitment to getting better. That’s why we consistently invest in our team’s development so they can deliver the highest possible standard to our members. 

This past weekend, we sent a group of coaches to FRC (Functional Range Conditioning) in Montana to deepen their understanding of mobility, joint health, and movement control which are tools they’re already bringing into their sessions.

And later this month, we’re sending more of our team to the Perform Better Summit, one of the top conferences in the country for fitness professionals. They’ll learn from some of the best minds in the industry and come back even better equipped to support our members’ goals.

But here’s what really makes SSP different:

We don’t hire part-time side hustlers. We build full-time careers.

In an industry where it’s common to patch together gigs at multiple gyms just to make ends meet, we’ve done things differently.

Your SSP coaches are full-time. That means:

• 100% of their health insurance premiums are covered
• They receive paid time off and holidays
• They’re enrolled in a 401(k) with employer match
• They’re on salary; not chasing sessions or commissions
• And they’re deeply involved in the business from operations to community leadership

We’ve built a system that attracts great talent and allows them to grow with us. 

Truth is, when I first started building SSP, people told me I was crazy for trying to create full-time, stable careers for coaches. But I believed then (and I know now) that treating fitness like a real profession is exactly how you build gyms that actually change lives.

And now? I spend part of my time speaking and coaching other gym owners on how to do exactly that through a group called Business for Unicorns. Because this model works and our members are living proof.

Thanks for being part of this incredible community. Our members aren’t just training at SSP; they’re helping us change the game.

At SSP, we believe strength isn’t just built in the gym. It’s built through community.

That’s why we show up outside our four walls, too.

This year we’ve really doubled down on our commitment to being more than just a gym in our neighborhoods:

• In West Seattle, we’re a proud sponsor of both the West Seattle Junction FC and Rhodies FC, supporting their athletes in our gym as well as local soccer in the community (buy a jersey and you might find the logo of your favorite gym on the back!)
• In Queen Anne, we’re hosting a free strength class for Coe Elementary parents to help close out the school year feeling strong. (Know someone who’d love something like this? Email us—we’d love to include them!)
• In Phinney Ridge, we’re supporting the local community by sponsoring Bingo Nights, Rainbow Hop, and more through the Phinney Neighborhood Association.

We’re not here just to blend in. We’re here to make a positive impact in every community we call home, and we bring that same spirit into the gym every day.

Because when you join SSP, you’re not just getting expert coaching and personalized programming.

You’re becoming part of something bigger. Community is everything. And we’re proud to keep building it with you.

We get it, side planks don’t always look like the most exciting movement. But believe it or not, we program the side plank for many reasons as it’s such an underrated exercise that gives you a huge return on your investment!

Why we love the side plank:

💡Stability training!
Most people train their core using a lot of flexion (think crunches!). The side plank trains anti-lateral movement — resisting side-to-side bending. This kind of stability is crucial for protecting your back and building better posture.

💡 Improves shoulder and scapular control
Supporting yourself through one arm challenges your shoulder in a way that’s both safe and functional. It forces smaller stabilizing muscles to engage, making your joints more resilient.

💡 Glute medius strengthening!
The glute medius gets overlooked, but it’s essential for stabilizing your hips and knees! A strong glute medius muscle means better control in everything from squats to running to simply walking up stairs pain-free!

Watch this video from Coach Natalie about how to perform the side plank and some great cues we use at SSP! 

Now that you know how much bang for your buck you get with side planks, hopefully you’ll appreciate them as much as we do 😋

And if you’re ever unsure whether you’re getting the most out of the movement? Ask an SSP coach. We’re here to help you move and feel better.

There’s a reason SSP frequently shows up at the top when you search “strength training” in Seattle.

It’s not just because we’ve been doing this a long time. It’s because we’re really good at helping people get stronger.

Unfortunately not all training is created equal. We’re not here to knock other fitness approaches because movement is movement, and we love seeing more people get active. (Heck, it’s the reason I created Seattle Fitness Week to support the entire industry!) 

But when we’re talking about strength training, and specifically, real, measurable progress in how you move and how strong you feel, there’s a reason why Seattle Strength & Performance is different from other gyms. 

Here’s why:
There are three things we never compromise on…

1️⃣ We teach you how to strength train—safely and effectively.
Whether you’re brand new to the gym or you’ve been training for years, we focus on movement quality first. You’ll learn how to lift with confidence, build real strength, and stay injury-free while doing it.

2️⃣ Your program is built just for you.
There’s no cookie-cutter plan here. Every member at SSP gets a custom program designed around your goals, training history, preferences, and schedule. You get the benefits of personal training with the energy of a small group setting.

3️⃣ We track your progress—because results matter.
We don’t just guess whether it’s working. We measure it. So whether your goal is to get stronger, move better, feel better, or all of the above, we track your individual data and you’ll feel the difference over time.

And here’s the crazy part:
Our members who train just 2x/week have gotten up to 114% stronger in only 6 months.
We’re not just making that up—we’ve got the numbers to prove it.

This isn’t just a gym. It’s a training experience that’s both highly personal and community-driven. You’ll work alongside an amazing group of people and coaches who are all in your corner.

💥 Over 700 of your fellow Seattleites already train with us consistently. 

Ready to see what all the hype is about?

We can’t wait to meet you.

If you’ve ever felt unsure about deadlifts or wanted to make sure you’re doing them right, this one’s for you. At SSP, we love starting with the kettlebell deadlift because we believe it is one of the best exercises to help you:

✅ Learn the foundational deadlift pattern
✅ Build serious lower body and lower back strength
✅ Perfect your hip hinge—a movement that shows up in a LOT of training

But we know learning the KB deadlift can be tricky at first, which is why we are specific in our coaching of the set up, your body position, and the cues we use when pulling the kettlebell from the floor. 

To help you out, Coach Nat put together a quick coaching breakdown to walk you through the movement and share some helpful cues we use at SSP every day.

👉 Watch the short video here

Whether you’re brand new to strength training or want a little technique reminder, this is a great reminder of how to stay strong, safe, and effective in your deadlift.

Let’s talk about the kettlebell goblet squat, one of our favorite knee dominant exercises for MANY reasons!

And you might wonder… is this really necessary?

Short answer: YES. Long answer: also YES.

The goblet squat is a foundational movement we program often (and also one we all do frequently as coaches too, we pinky swear). We love exercises that train multiple areas all in one go and the goblet squat is one of the best bang-for-your-buck exercises out there, hitting strength, stability, and mobility all in one. 

Here’s why: 

 ✅ The position of the kettlebell makes this an anterior loaded squat (meaning, in the front of your body!). This emphasizes greater core engagement while also being a safe variation for those with back pain since there’s no added load to your spine! 

✅ The squat pattern we’re training transfers directly into real-life movements (like lifting things safely or getting in and out of a chair or seated position)

✅ The isometric hold of the kettlebell can improve your upper body and grip strength too, making this a total body exercise! 

Our Pro Tip:
Hold the kettlebell close to your chest, not down at your belly. Tuck your elbows in to create a stable shelf, and create tension in your upper back by squeezing the KB horns tightly and squeezing your armpits down to your side. This keeps your chest proud and your core engaged, allowing your legs to do the real heavy lifting! 

Check out Coach Nat here giving a quick demo if you want a visual of how to nail this movement! 

So next time you see goblet squats pop up in your workout, know they’re not just there to make your legs wobbly, they’re building an overall stronger you.

Let’s talk about the split squat. A humbling exercise that you may love to hate, and we definitely love to program. It’s that deceptively simple move that has you questioning your life choices halfway through the set. 

And you ask… but WHY?

Ok, maybe we’re being a little dramatic. We do know many people, including many of our members, who enjoy split squats. Just know I’m definitely NOT one of them! 

But, here’s why we’re team split squat at SSP (and yes, I still do them too!) — when it comes to functional strength, the split squat is the unsung hero. Unlike flashy gym moves that look cool on Instagram but don’t translate to real-world strength, split squats train your body the way it actually moves in everyday life (and sports, if you’re an athlete).

Here’s what split squats bring to the table:

✅ Single-leg strength and balance
✅ Improved core and hip stability
✅ Better joint health for knees and hips
✅ A stronger backside (yep, glutes on 🔥)
✅ Reduce risk of injury (aka keep you moving pain-free)

Having unilateral strength work (meaning, training one side of the body at time—single leg or single arm) is a must-have in your program from our perspective. 

Whether you’re picking up your kids, venturing on a hike, or chasing a PR — the split squat has your back (and glutes, quads, and hamstrings).

Our Pro Tip:
We’re very particular about how we set these up. We always start our split squats from the bottom — not the top. Why? Because it helps you find the perfect foot placement and keeps your base stable. Check out Coach Natalie here giving a great breakdown of the best positioning for your split squat. 

So if you’re a member, next time they pop up in your program… just know they’re there out of love. 😄

Best,
Coach Chris

The kettlebell swing is an incredible exercise when done well – it builds power, strength, and stability. But it can also be one of the more complex exercises to master, but once you do, that’s where the magic happens. 

Let me back up first though. If you are generally searching “kettlebell swing” on the world wide web, you are bound to come across A LOT of different stuff. At SSP, we do a form of kettlebell swing that’s most similarly linked to a variation called “hardstyle.” This means we are emphasizing hip power and full body tension during the movement. Not all styles are like that (but we’ll leave that for a different email!). 

That said, let’s walk through everything you need to know to start kettlebell swinging like a pro. 

Like I mentioned above, we emphasize utilizing explosive hip power in our kettlebell swings. What does that mean? The first step is to master the hip hinge correctly—essentially, driving your hips back and using the power of your glutes, hamstrings, and core to propel the kettlebell forward. As you swing the kettlebell, the power from your hips, as you hinge back and explode into extension (standing tall), will float the kettlebell forward. In fact, we want to think very little about using our arms–they’re just an instrument here to assist in the movement. The entire exercise is focused on engaging your posterior chain (the muscles along the back of your body) to develop strength and power in the hips and lower back.

How to Perform A Kettlebell Swing Like we do at SSP! 

1. Set up: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, and place the kettlebell a few inches in front of you. Keep your chest tall, and engage your core.
2. Hip Hinge: Push your hips back while keeping a flat back (think of it as closing a car door with your hips). Your knees should be bent slightly, but your primary movement comes from your hips moving backward.
3. Swing the Kettlebell: Grab the kettlebell with both hands, tip it slightly on its side, and swing it back between your legs. Then, drive your hips forward to stand up powerfully, using the power of your hip drive to swing the kettlebell to chest level. The kettlebell should feel weightless at the top of the movement!
4. Controlled Descent: Let the kettlebell swing back down naturally, guiding it through your legs while maintaining that hip hinge motion. Your wrists should end by your inner thighs before standing up to swing again. Keep your back straight and your core tight throughout the movement. 

Take a look at this video we posted for a step-by-step! 

Remember, it takes practice, but the more you do it, the more you’ll be swinging like a pro in no time. A beautiful kettlebell swing is actually one of our favorite things to see in the gym as coaches. 🙂 

If you have any questions or want to work on your kettlebell swing more, feel free to reply back here! I’d love to help. 

Getting your first bodyweight pull up or chin up can be deceptively tricky–and take much longer than you might think! Oftentimes at SSP, our members’ feedback on this exercise is either “these are terrible” or “my goal is to get better and I want to do more.” Very rarely is a pull up or chin up met with apathy! 😉 

First, you may be asking what is the difference between a pull up and a chin up? It’s in the grip! A pull up is overhand on a straight bar (pronated) while a chin up is underhand (supinated). For most people, a chin up is usually a little bit easier and is where we start the majority of our members at SSP. 

So, how do you train to get your first bodyweight chin up? 

First thing to know, the amount of time it will take depends on your starting point, but it’s important to know that most of the time it’s going to take a lot of reps and a lot of patience. I’ve trained some people where it’s taken a few months, and I’ve trained some where it’s taken a few years. Everyone is different and your progress will be different than someone else’s. 

Coach Natalie and Coach Dalton put together a great video here which goes through our main progression for chin ups at SSP. 

That progression looks like this: 

#1 Seated Chin Up ISO Hold

#2 Cross leg TRX Chin Up

#3 Band assisted – horizontal band on feet

#4 Band assisted – vertical band on knee

#5 Bodyweight Chin Up

#6 Weighted Chin Up

Using this framework, SSP coaches will work with you to make progress. Believe it or not, a big part of getting your first bodyweight chin up is also believing that you can move your body through space without any assistance, especially after you’ve been training the pattern with assistance for a long period of time. 

I’ve told the story of your fellow member, Sarah, before, but it’s a great case study –

When Sarah started adding chin up volume (which we trained each personal training session one time a week!), we started on the thick black band. Every week for a few weeks, we just focused on adding volume and overload which slowly reduced band color. We then started to add in different variations and resistance to create new adaptations and work through “sticking points”. We began doing eccentrics with a lighter band which involve a slow controlled release from the top of the chin up to the bottom. We also worked in isometrics where we focused on holding the top position for 3-5 seconds before slowly releasing while, in addition, trying to hold and pull specifically from the 3/4 position at the top. This also helped to create internal belief and neural activation (which is important) that she was able to work through that point in the exercise. This was all done with a mix of bands and no bands at different intensities week over week for many weeks. 

On top of working through specific chin up progressions, volumes, intensities, isometrics, and eccentrics, we also worked on A LOT of complementary exercises and accessories including many row and pulling variations, upper body isolation exercises, and carries to support grip strength and total body tension. 

After working down to the thin black band for a few reps at a time, we continued to try a bodyweight rep. She was SO close for a few weeks so we kept working. Then, the day came. I didn’t film the rep because I didn’t want to add extra pressure but she finally made it all the way! This was a long journey that required consistency and persistence on Sarah’s part, and to her credit, she continued to show up and trust the progress she was making! 

If you have a similar goal (or are actively working on a similar goal) of a bodyweight chin up, your journey may look a little bit different. I’ve found that each person’s sticking points and challenges occur at different points, which is why having a coach with you to evaluate those challenges and try new things to break through is so important. I will say my favorite thing as a coach is being able to take someone’s goal and train them over a period of time to be successful in achieving it, no matter what it is.