Some of my hardest-working clients have needed me to tell them to do less.

That sounds backwards coming from a bodybuilder and coach. But more isn’t always better.

Sound familiar?

  • You’re working 50+ hours.
  • Sleeping five or six hours.
  • Your stress is high.
  • You’re training hard.
  • Adding cardio.
  • Trying to hit 10,000+ steps.
  • Maybe squeezing in HIIT because you think you should be doing more.

And when your body doesn’t respond? You add more.

Your body keeps one stress account

At some point, we have to look at recovery.

Training is a stressor. Work is a stressor. Poor sleep is a stressor. Life is a stressor.

Your body doesn’t separate your stressful board meeting from your hard leg workout as neatly as your calendar does.

This is especially important for the professionals I coach and for women navigating their 40s and beyond.

The breakthrough might be less

Sometimes the breakthrough isn’t another workout. It might be:

  • Better sleep.
  • Better training structure.
  • More recovery between sessions.
  • Better nutrition.
  • Lower unnecessary training volume.
  • Or simply removing things that aren’t producing a return.

Your program should account for the life you’re actually living.

That’s why I don’t coach everyone the same.

— Coach Shaw, Powered By Shaw Fitness