Meagan Sbat
Author Archives: Meagan Sbat

Trap Bar Deadlift

Trap bar deadlifts trains almost the entire body. This form of deadlift causes you to have more quad activation due to the handles being on either side of you verses in front of you. For this same reason, it can also reduce the risk of low back injuries due to having more of an upright torso.

How to get set up:

  1. Feet about hip width apart maybe slightly wider. Feet are glued to the floor, pushing down hard.
  2. Drive the hips back, reach for the handle bars. Squeeze as if you are trying to push the handle bars together to help engage the lats. Set your shoulders down and back as if you are bringing your shoulder blades together.
  3. Push feet through the ground, exhale, lock hips and squeeze the glutes hard at the top.
  4. Inhale, unlock the hips, push the hips back and lower the trap bar until plates hit the ground, then repeat.

Watch the video below for a visual on how to get set up and for additional information on what you can expect!

Common Mistakes:

  • Toes or heels come up off the floor
  • Feet are too close together
  • Hips come up first
  • Back rounds during pull (lose tension)

Modifications for trap bar deadlifts can be elevating the bar, giving you less range of motion. If in need for further modification, a kettlebell deadlift would be the next best thing! 

Bulgarian Split Squats

A bulgarian split squat is a lower body exercise with a focus on the glutes. This exercise challenges your core and balance at the same time. Given the split stance position of this movement, it largely removes the lower back from the equation, putting more emphasis on the legs. 

How to get set up:

  1. Put laces of shoe onto the bench. Get yourself in a comfortable half kneeling position with foot still on the bench. This will ensure you have proper stance throughout the entire movement.
  2. Lean chest slightly forward to put a focus on the glutes.
  3. Exhale and drive through the front foot. Squeeze glutes hard at the top.
  4. Inhale, drop back knee down toward the ground until comfortable, then repeat.

Check out the video below for a visual on how to get set up!

Common mistakes:

  • Foot positioning is too far in or out
  • Heel gets lifted off ground during movement

If having your rear foot elevated on a bench, then you can complete a loaded split squat with both feet on the ground. To further modify, you could either do a bodyweight split squat or assisted split squat. All movements will have the same benefits regardless of which variation is performed. 

November Pop Up Workout

Our  pop up workouts have been a HUGE hit and TONS of fun! We are excited to do it again. We are toying around with the whole idea of Saturday workouts, but we are using these pop ups to gauge interest and attendance. So far, we are blown away by the turn out!

 Here are the deets and rules:

  • This will require signing up to reserve a spot.
  • The cost to attend will be $10. If you plan to pay on the day of then it will be $15.
  • We will require a minimum of 10 people to be signed up 24 hours BEFORE the scheduled class in order to run it. If we do not meet the threshold then you will be refunded.
  • We will notify you by text and email 24 hours before to let you know if it is cancelled. If you hear nothing, then it is ON!
  • This is open to the Get Fit NH clients as well as the general public. We encourage clients to bring a friend along. 
  • This cannot count as a make up class for Get Fit NH clients. The cost is $10.
  • No shows will not be refunded or credited for future pop ups.
  • Each time you attend a pop up class we will ask you to put the name of a non-profit organization on a paper and stick it in a jar.
  • At the end of the year, we will draw a non profit organization from the jar and donate 20% of our profits from the pop up workouts. 

Join Coach Meagan for her super fun training 

  • Saturday, November  25th 8-9 am
  • *Out of town guests are expected and acceptable, just make sure they get signed up! I program the training based around how many people are signed up
  • 41 Terrill Park Drive, Concord, NH 03301

Youth Strength & Conditioning Program

We are starting a strength & conditioning program with Game Plan Sports for student athletes! We are  looking to add classes for grades 5-8, and classes for 9-12!

If you play sports, this is a great program to help you or if you are a coach and want your team to excel then this is a fantastic opportunity.

In this program athletes will:

  • Build Strength
  • Generate More Power
  • Accelerate Faster
  • Learn to decelerate
  • Learn control
  • Jump Higher
  • Become More Resilient to Injury

If you are interested, check out the link below to get more details and sign up!

Join us THIS Saturday October 14th at GetFitNH @ 9 am for a free session! No sign up required

For specific questions about age, grade or team specific opportunities contact Dylan and Jessica. 

Dylan@getfitnh.com

jessica.susan@gameplansportsnh.org

Bulk prep your protein!

The number one thing we hear clients struggle with is getting in enough protein. How can you prepare better?

Pick a protein source or two and buy it in bulk. Prep it, make your meals and freeze the rest for the following week. It will ensure you are getting in your protein and save you time for the week to come. Win-win!

Check out the video below for an example on how Coach Ashley bulk preps her protein!

Want more tips and tricks on meal prepping? Click the button below to find out more about our upcoming meal prep workshop with Coach Meagan and Coach Ashley!

3 Ways to Avoid the Holiday 10 lbs

Tis' the season to feel temptation and pressure! Studies have shown time and time again that many people gain 10 pounds between Halloween and Christmas.

The candy, the treats, the gatherings, the pot lucks, the office parties, the comfort food...the list goes on and on. You don't have to fall into the trap. In fact, you can still enjoy those things and get results at the same time. 

1.) Plan for the fun. You can still get EXCELLENT results with 80% compliance to nutrition so let's break that down. Let's pretend you eat 4 meals per day. That is 28 meals per week. 80% compliance would mean that 22 out of 28 meals are on track. That leaves 6 times during the week where you are not spot on. That sounds pretty doable to me! It is crucial to your results that you don't leave yourself in that downward spiral. No food guilt , just a quick recovery at your very next meal. 

2.) Keep moving! When the cooler weather comes that often means we slow down. It is darker earlier, it is harder to get out of bed, outdoor activities die down. You have to stay in the mental game. You have proved to yourself over and over that you can do hard things. Practice encouraging yourself rather than making excuses OR grab an accountability buddy to help you keep your promise to yourself. 

3.) Exchange  your excuses for actions. Instead of constantly telling yourself you're too busy, work is too crazy, the end of year stress, the kids, etc, etc....find a way! The best results happen when you make the time and shift your priorities. Set boundaries for yourself, your body and your health. This takes practice! 

This is all very easy to write and easy to read, but taking action and being present in these steps takes practice, consistency and mindfulness. You got this!

4 Ways to guarantee NO results

I have to share this video from one of my favorite coaches in the industry. It feels very timely as we head into the end of the year. He puts a spin on his content and share 4 ways to guarantee no results.  Definitely take a quick listen to his words, but I will add my two cents as well here.

1.) Inconsistency. This is the number one way to guarantee no results. We live in a world where we seek instant gratification. When we don't see immediate results or we don't ride the wave of life challenges and hiccups, we quit. Consistency is the key to results.

2.) Ignoring nutrition. I can't tell you how many times clients have told me, "I eat healthy" but never see results. Take a deep, honest dive into your nutrition and i guarantee you will find somewhere that could be reigned in and lead you closer to results. Spoiler alert: I often find clients are not eating nearly enough to fuel their hard work in the gym. 1200 calories diets are not the answer.

3.) Staying in your comfort zone. If you do the exact same exercise for the same amount of reps at the same weight day after day, week after week, does your body need to adapt to the training stressor? No. 

4.) Ignoring recovery. Lifting and training like an animal is cool and stuff, but if you are not able to recover and you are often hurt and unable to train at your capacity, because you put little thought into sleep, stress management and nutrition then you will struggle to get great results. . 

Which area do you need help with?

20 Reasons to Strength Train that have NOTHING to do with Changing Your Body Shape

When people exercise it is often assumed that they are trying to lose weight or change their body in some fashion. This is not the case for a lot of people. In a moment, I am going to rattle off 20 reasons to exercise that have absolutely nothing to do with changing the shape of your body and I am going to niche some of  it down to specific to strength training. Please note these reasons are specifically targeted toward any human who is getting older each year 😉

  1. Improve/maintain bone density
  2. Improve/maintain muscle tissue
  3. Decrease risk of injury 
  4. Decrease risk of falling
  5. Maintain/Improve balance
  6. Maintain/Improve full body strength
  7. Maintain/improve ability to get up and down off floor
  8. Improve/maintain independence longer
  9. Improve mental health
  10. Improve flexibility
  11. Build confidence and self esteem
  12. Improve cardiovascular health
  13. Build muscle
  14. Enjoy a more spontaneous retirement
  15. Enjoy a more spontaneous lifestyle
  16. Confidence to try new things with age
  17. Ability to keep up with kids/grandchildren
  18. Develop better and safer body mechanics
  19. Boosts energy/mood
  20. Improve sleep

If you have a goal to change the shape of your body then you can certainly add that to the already very lengthy list of reasons to add strength training to your life. 

7 Ways To Improve Results For $25 or Less

Do you ever get frustrated, because you put so much effort into feeling better and getting healthier and just feel like you can never move the needle? Pair that with feeling like you're spending hundreds of dollars on supplements, programs, various health coaches, treatments, etc, etc and just not getting anywhere.

You're in good company.That is why I want to share 7 ways Get Fit NH could help you for $25 or less. 

1.) FREE to follow us on social media. We share recipes, ideas, inspiration and exercise advice all the time! If you re not following us then get over there and learn some stuff!

Follow Get Fit NH on Instagram

Follow Meagan on instagram

Follow Get Fit NH on Facebook

2.) FREE to join us for two weeks. Come learn a few exercises, get some coaching and form tips and either take it or leave it. It costs your $0 to learn a few things! You can claim that here. It comes with ZERO salesy push or pitch at the end. 

3.) FREE for clients: Milestone weigh in and habit tracking. This is included with training. You get a monthly weigh in and together we will set a nutrition or health habit that makes sense for YOU and then halfway through the month a coach checks in with you to see how that is going and will help you work through challenges on an individual basis. The people who take most advantage of this lose 3-7 pounds per month!!! ACCOUNTABILITY WINS!

4.) For $10, you can join a pop up workout! We host these monthly. It is extra movement and for those of you who are not clients, you could get in here and learn a few things to take home! Make sure you are following us to get in on the next one!

5.)  Got pain? So do most people! That is why we have put together three different programs to help with aches and pains and get you moving again. These are the most common pains we hear about. Check them out here.

6.) Styku Bodyfat Scan: This is FREE for clients and $25 for non-clients. This is an opportunity to get a baseline and/or do a check in to see where you are at and what changes we could help you with to get you on track with your goals. You can book on here

7.) Learn how to meal prep effectively and efficiently at our upcoming meal prep workshop with Coach Meagan and Coach Ashley. Learn more here  

I hope you found these ideas useful! My inbox is always open to you to help you problem solve! 

Coach Meagan

Why Programming Matters

Raise your hand if you have ever been this person (my hand is up high to the sky!)

  • Walked into the gym with no idea what you are going to train for the day?
  • Felt unsure about what to train or how to train it so just did the elliptical for 30 minutes, followed by some ab work and then left the gym.
  • Been afraid to try to exercises because you don't want to get hurt
  • Repeated the exact same exercises for same reps and sets day after day, week after week.
  • Avoided exercises that make you really sore.

Did I catch you on any of these?

I caught myself on a couple of these too and that is exactly why I work with  a coach. That's right, your coaches work with coaches. I will be the first to tell you that if it were up to me, I would never do another split squat as long as I live, because I hate them and they burn my quads lol. BUT I know they are a really important exercise to improve my strength therefore they are in my program almost every week thanks to my coach.

Whether your goal is to change your body composition, lose fat, gain muscle, improve strength, improve performance, etc you should be following a program not just winging it in the gym with the exercises you like or feel comfortable with. Results don't live in your comfort zone with your safety blanket. You gotta step outside of that and learn how to make training adaptations. if you are always doing 3 sets of 10 of the same exercises at the same comfortable weight, you're not getting stronger and your body already knows it can do that, therefore it does not need to change.

On another note, there is nothing wrong with doing the same exercises week after week for a training phase. Training phases can last anywhere for 4-12 weeks! We actually encourage this because it builds confidence in the lift. The catch is, that the reps and sets change throughout the training phase in order to build muscle, improve strength and improve performance. 

At Get Fit NH, we take our programming very seriously and it is not thrown together all willy nilly. It is created to make YOU better. 

If you want to get stronger and stop wandering around the gym wondering what to do then click that button below to get started on your free trial.

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