Updates

Seattle Strength & Performance has been making headlines! These features highlight everything that makes SSP unique: Chris’s inspiring transition from corporate life to fitness entrepreneurship, our innovative approach to training, and our coaches dedication to building a welcoming space for people of all backgrounds and experience levels. It’s a testament to our belief that strength is for everyone. Here’s a look at the latest stories:

From Corporate to Community: Seattle Magazine
Seattle Magazine featured Chris and the journey to SSP, capturing his leap from Amazon product manager to fitness entrepreneur. “I didn’t want to be 80 years old and look back and be like, ‘I wish I would have tried this out,’” Chris shares. It’s this boldness, combined with a deep commitment to making strength training accessible, that has fueled SSP’s growth from a small studio to three thriving locations across Seattle. You can read his story in the most recent issue of Seattle Magazine!

Leading by Example: Business for Unicorns Podcast episode 370Chris’s passion for continuous learning extends beyond the gym floor. Many of you may not know, but Chris is also a business coach for Business for Unicorns, where he works with other gym owners across the country to help them create more impact and build their gym businesses. 
In his recent feature on the Business for Unicorns Podcast, Chris talks about the challenges and triumphs of opening three SSP locations in four years. “It’s not just about opening gyms—it’s about creating spaces where everyone feels welcome and empowered to reach their goals.” His experience mentoring other gym owners nationwide reflects his dedication to sharing knowledge and lifting the fitness community.

Strong from the Inside Out: Well+Good FeatureOur Chief of Staff and Coach, Natalie, was featured in Well+Good, where she emphasized the importance of core strength. “Your core is the control center for every movement,” she explains. “Engaging it improves performance and helps prevent injury.” Whether deadlifting or simply reaching for a high shelf, understanding how to activate your core is critical to moving well and staying strong.

Innovating Fitness: Athletech News FeatureIn a recent feature by Athletech News, Chris shared how SSP has become a staple in Seattle’s fitness community despite the odds. Leaving behind a stable career at Amazon to pursue his passion, Chris took a leap of faith, opening SSP’s first location in 2020—just as the pandemic hit. “I wanted to follow my passion, but I didn’t go in blind,” he says. “It was a calculated risk, driven by the desire to make strength training accessible to everyone.”
SSP’s success wasn’t easy but was built on Chris’s unique entrepreneurial boldness and business fundamentals. As Athletech notes, “Travis honed two important but often opposing skill sets: an entrepreneurial boldness and willingness to take chances, tempered by an adherence to sound business fundamentals.” This strategic balance helped SSP thrive, where many boutique fitness studios struggled.
Today, with over 600 members and three locations, SSP continues to grow while staying true to its core mission: creating an inclusive environment where everybody can do strength training. From strategic studio locations to offering career opportunities for coaches, SSP is redefining what it means to be a fitness brand. “We have more work to do in Seattle,” Chris says, “but I’m excited to keep expanding this community in a way that truly supports our members and coaches.”

Creating Community: Small Business Show Podcast In a recent Small Business Show Podcast interview, Chris discussed SSP’s unique approach to fitness and community. “It’s about more than just lifting weights; it’s about creating a space where every member feels they belong and can succeed.” From the 10-year-old athlete to the 80-year-old who wants to stay active, our diverse community makes SSP special.

These features are more than just a spotlight on our brand—they celebrate our community and shared commitment to learning and growth.

Check out the links if you’d like to dive deeper into these stories. As always, we’d love to hear from you! Whether it’s a question about training or a story about your fitness journey, we’re here to support you.

At SSP, we like to wrap up our sessions with an optional last section called a workout finisher. It’s a quick, targeted section tailored to your goals—whether you want to boost your conditioning or work on specific muscle groups, we want you to leave feeling good! In this email, we’ll break down how finishers work, why and when we do them.

What Are Finishers?

Finishers are a fun way to wrap up your workout with an added challenge. They’re not part of the main progressive program, so they don’t follow the same structure as the rest of your session. Instead, think of them as a little extra spice—something to push you just a bit further, depending on your goals.

Why We Add Finishers

As Coach Sam says: “First and foremost, finish your main workout! Finishers are meant to be fun and extra on top of the main portion. They’re generally not progressive (unless we’re working on something specific).”

Coach Nat adds: “I like to think of finishers as the cherry on top—a way to send you out the door on a high note. It’s a chance to add a little more of what you want or need.”

So, while finishers aren’t 100% necessary, they are a great way to challenge yourself or focus on something specific that ties into your goals. Plus, they can be a fun way to finish your training for the day!

Should You Do the Finishers?

Before jumping into the finisher, it’s crucial that you complete the main part of your workout first. The main workout is where the real progress happens—it’s structured, personalized, and programmed to help you reach your goals. So, finishers should always be an add-on, not a substitute. If you’re feeling good and have the energy to take on that final challenge, go for it! But if you’ve already given it your all, don’t feel bad about skipping the finisher—it’s entirely optional.

Remember, finishers are just the bonus round. It’s all about listening to your body and doing what feels right for you.

We talk a lot about the physical benefits of strength training, but what about the cognitive benefits? Particularly as we age, strength training actually plays a critical role in boosting our brain health as well! 

Sharper Memory, Quicker Thinking

Strength training isn’t just about building muscle—it’s about building a sharper mind, too. Research shows that regular weightlifting can significantly enhance memory and focus. For instance, older adults who lifted weights twice a week for six months experienced noticeable improvements in these areas (Liu-Ambrose et al., 2017). Plus, strength training has been linked to faster mental processing, with participants outperforming non-lifters on tasks requiring quick thinking (Nagamatsu et al., 2012).

Building a Stronger Brain

Your brain benefits from strength training in profound ways. Studies suggest that it can actually increase the volume of key brain areas like the hippocampus, which plays a critical role in memory. Even more exciting, research indicates that lifting weights may stimulate the growth of new brain cells, helping you stay mentally strong as the years go by (Northey et al., 2018). Strength training also boosts neuroplasticity—your brain’s ability to adapt and learn—by increasing the production of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) (Nagamatsu et al., 2012).

Guarding Against Cognitive Decline

Perhaps most compelling is the role strength training plays in protecting against cognitive decline. Engaging in regular resistance exercises may lower your risk of developing diseases like Alzheimer’s. A study published in The Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease found that those who strength train regularly enjoy better cognitive health and a reduced risk of dementia (Forbes et al., 2016). And let’s not forget the mood boost—strength training helps reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression, which is essential for maintaining overall brain health.

Our WHY has always been centered around helping as many people engage in strength training as we can in an environment that is safe and inclusive for all. We know incorporating strength training is a no brainer, and we love creating personalized programs that fit all populations, experience levels, and goals. 

See you at the gym!

References:

• Liu-Ambrose, T., Nagamatsu, L. S., Voss, M. W., Khan, K. M., & Handy, T. C. (2017). Resistance training and executive functions: A 12-month randomized controlled trial. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 58(10), 1918-1925. doi:10.1111/j.1532-5415.2010.03010.x
• Nagamatsu, L. S., Handy, T. C., Hsu, C. L., Voss, M., Liu-Ambrose, T. (2012). Resistance training promotes cognitive and functional brain plasticity in seniors with probable mild cognitive impairment. Neurobiology of Aging, 33(8), 1690-1698. doi:10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2011.05.010
• Northey, J. M., Cherbuin, N., Pumpa, K. L., Smee, D. J., & Rattray, B. (2018). Exercise interventions for cognitive function in adults older than 50: A systematic review with meta-analysis. Frontiers in Psychology, 8, 1832. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01832
• Forbes, D., Forbes, S. C., Blake, C. M., Thiessen, E. J., & Forbes, S. (2016). Exercise programs for people with dementia. The Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, 53(2), 497-515. doi:10.3233/JAD-160019

A couple of the first exercises you’ll typically encounter in your first sessions at SSP are a dumbbell single arm bench press and a split squat. These are both unilateral movements that primarily focus on and load one side of your body. But why do we do this? What is the purpose? Here are a few reasons why we emphasize unilateral training at SSP:

Better Balance and Stability: Working one side of your body at a time helps improve your balance and stability. When you have a dumbbell on one side in a bench press and nothing on the other side, it creates an “offset” situation where the side with the weight is going to naturally throw you off balance and challenge your stability. You have to fight to create tension on the other side of your body to prevent this. That’s a great example of creating and training for stability.

Core Strength: To the above point regarding balance and stability, in situations where you are having to control your body, you are developing greater core strength. Think about doing things like a single leg deadlift, a half kneeling overhead press, or even a suitcase carry. All of these movements require a greater amount of core stability and body control in order to execute them effectively and with good form.

Everyday Strength: Unilateral training mimics real-life movements. Whether it’s carrying your suitcase through the airport, playing sports where you’re changing direction quickly, or going up a staircase one foot at a time, all of these movements are supported and improved through unilateral training.

Greater Overall Strength: Sometimes when we are doing bilateral exercises (think regular squats, barbell bench press, etc.), it’s easier to compensate for muscle imbalances or weakness on any given side of your body. While there’s certainly a great case for doing bilateral exercises (and we do a lot of them at SSP!), with unilateral movements, it’s really hard to compensate when you’re training a single side. This ultimately allows you to identify and work on potential areas of compensation while also building greater strength that will translate better bilaterally.

Trust me when I say, all of us coaches are also doing a TON of unilateral training in our own programs because, well, it works. 🙂

Check out our recent Instagram post where you can see examples of various unilateral movements we do here at SSP.

See you in the gym!
Coach Chris

P.S. Are you ready to feel the difference of training at SSP? Sign up for our free introductory assessment here.

When you think of “core training”, what do you think of? Generally, the fitness industry associates core training with sit-ups, crunches, and getting a six pack (BTW more sit ups and crunches don’t give you a six pack!). Here at SSP, we tend to focus on training for the core that functionally helps you do more activities better and pain-free. This involves training the core to resist movement and stabilize (vs create movement). We call this “anti-core training”, and we use a bunch of fancy terms like anti-lateral flexion, anti-extension, and anti-rotation. 

At its core (pun intended), the goal of training this way is to build strength and stiffness. We want to train your core muscles to brace and stabilize the trunk by resisting movement. We do this to help keep the spine safe and stable while your extremities are moving and to transfer energy from the lower body to the upper body. 

Research from Stuart McGrill, a renowned researcher in low back disorders, has shown that the compressive force on the spine when bent in flexion (such as in a crunch or situp) can be the equivalent of 700+ pounds! Over time, due to these high compressive forces, the likelihood of injury increases. 

Exercises like deadbugs, pallof presses, planks, side planks, farmer carry, suitcase carry, and body saw are all examples of anti-core training and are all staples in our SSP programming. 

Think about doing your day to day activities, things like carrying bags of grocery, picking up your kids from the ground, gardening, and loading your dishwasher. Anti-core training helps you do all of these activities a little bit easier. Also, if you play sports, you may have noticed that training at SSP has improved your athleticism – jumping, changing direction, and running. A big piece of this is building stiffness and stabilization through your core. 

You can see some of our favorite anti-core exercises demonstrated by Coach Natalie here! 

So while you may not be repping out crunches at SSP, rest easy and know that whenever you come in for a workout, you’ll be getting a bit of functional core training every single time. 

Happy training! 

Check out this article on Very Well Fit which featured expert advice from SSP coaches about building a strong core using standing exercises! SSP staples such as the Goblet March, Farmers Carry, Pallof Press, and Chop are all featured.

Let’s talk about deadlifting form.

Deadlift Form Mistakes & How to Correct Them

Mistake #1: Yanking the bar off the ground.
When nervous about a new weight, we often lose patience and try to yank the bar up quickly. This can cause us to lose upper body positioning and core tightness, which are crucial for preventing injury.

How to fix it: Brace hard, tighten up, and be patient. You’ve got this!

Mistake #2: The bar is too far out in front of you.

How to fix it: Set up with the bar over your shoelaces and keep it in contact with your legs on the way up. This keeps your weight centered on your midfoot for a stronger lift!

Mistake #3: Squatting your deadlift.
Starting with your hips too low means the bar has to swerve around your knees, creating an inefficient bar path.

How to fix it: The position of your hips should be slightly above your knees and below your shoulders in the set up. If your hips are parallel with your knees, you are in more of a squat pattern versus a deadlift (or hinge) pattern.

Mistake #4: Losing tension through the lats and shoulders.
Tension in your lats and shoulders helps maintain a neutral spine during the deadlift.

How to fix it: Keep your shoulders down and back, or think of squeezing your armpits to engage your lats. Another tip is to imagine reaching your lats towards your back pockets.

Keep Working at Your Deadlift Form!

Remember, if you are working up to a heavier weight, don’t skip the warm up! Your body needs time to warm up the pattern and adapt to heavier loads. Please don’t go straight to your working weight. 1 or 2 warm up sets (sometimes more) are usually appropriate depending on how heavy you are lifting on any given day. Your SSP coaches are here to help you 🙂

Like I said at the beginning, we love deadlifts and think they are fantastic. They are a true full-body exercise that engages multiple muscle groups, including your hamstrings, glutes, back, core, and also builds your grip strength. The movement itself trains an important pattern (the hinge) which mimics real-life lifting scenarios when you are picking things up off the ground, and the stronger you are in that pattern, the stronger you are in everyday life! 

Happy training!

Want to learn how to deadlift with great form (or maybe get stronger with your current deadlift)? Click here to join us!

We often get the question: should we do Yoga? Does it mix well with Strength Training? 

We know how popular the practice of yoga has become and we can understand why! We should say, we think Yoga is great! If you enjoy it, you should 100% do it and there are zero downsides to mixing Yoga with Strength Training. We don’t, however, believe Yoga can replace Strength Training, especially as we think about the benefits of strength for longevity as it pertains to increased muscle mass and bone density. While yoga has its benefits, it does not proactively increase muscle mass like strength training does. Let’s break it down:  

The Benefits of Strength Training

Strength training provides vital benefits for long-term health, and at SSP, that’s our primary focus. We want to help you live a stronger, longer, and healthier life. Our programming specifically targets changes through progressive overload, which involves gradually increasing resistance and driving new adaptations for muscle growth. This method is essential for building and maintaining muscle mass. Additionally, strength training reduces the risk of osteoporosis by putting healthy stress on bones, stimulating bone formation and increasing bone density. Furthermore, research shows that strength training is crucial for long-term health and reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease and total mortality (Srikanthan, Horwhich & Tseng, 2016). Consistent strength training will overall improve metabolic health, enhance functional mobility, and contribute to overall quality of life by ensuring better physical performance and reducing the risk of injuries.

How to Supplement Strength Training with Yoga

Yoga can be a valuable supplement to your strength training program. Here’s how:

• Flexibility: Yoga can have a marked impact and improvement in your overall flexibility. This can have positive effects on your range of motion and mobility during strength training.  
• Stress Reduction and Mental Well-being: Yoga incorporates mindfulness, meditation, and deep breathing techniques that help reduce stress, anxiety, and depression. In overly stressful periods, strength training can sometimes be counterproductive by adding more stress to your body.
• Balance and Stability: Yoga improves balance and stability through various poses and holds. This can enhance proprioception and coordination, beneficial for performing strength training exercises safely and effectively.
• Complementary to Strength Training: It can serve as a low-intensity exercise on rest days, keeping you active without overloading or overtraining your muscles.

Ready to add some strength training to your routine? Sign up for a no-cost assessment with us!

References:

Srikanthan P, Horwich TB, Tseng CH. Relation of Muscle Mass and Fat Mass to Cardiovascular Disease Mortality. Am J Cardiol. 2016 Apr 15;117(8):1355-60. doi: 10.1016/j.amjcard.2016.01.033. Epub 2016 Feb 2. PMID: 26949037.

Thanks to Well + Good for featuring SSP! Read it here. Excerpt below!

Is It Really *That* Bad to Never Strength Train? Fitness Pros Weigh In

Here’s why strength training is, frankly, worth everyone’s time, and how to get it done.

“Strength training is when we train our muscles to produce force against resistance,” explains certified personal trainer and functional strength coach Chris Travis, CPT, CFSC, owner of Seattle Strength & Performance. “That resistance can come from bodyweight, resistance bands, weights, or machines.”

That means even bodyweight activities like Pilates are considered strength training because they focus on not just stretching but also strengthening muscles, adds Gregory Rubin, DO, primary sports medicine physician at the Hospital for Special Surgery at Naples Comprehensive Health.

Thanks so much to Seattle Refined for writing this feature on SSP. You can read it here.

This article does a great job of talking about the culture and inclusivity we want to create within our gyms as well as the effectiveness of our coaching and programming!