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Coach Tips · Expert FAQ

Pro tips, not gym myths.

The questions I get asked most – answered the way I coach them in real sessions. With the methods of the coaches behind LeBron James, Steph Curry and MLB pitchers.

Shoulder · Push-upsKnee · Squats & lungesLower back · CoreProgress at homeRecovery like the prosTrain your brain
Shoulder · Push-ups

My shoulder hurts during push-ups – what can I do?

Most push-up shoulder pain is not a “weak shoulder” – it’s a position problem. Elbows flare out to 90°, the shoulder blades get stuck pinched together and the head drops forward. The shoulder blade then tilts forward, narrowing the space the rotator cuff tendons run through. Change the position and the pain usually changes too.

  1. Train elevated first. Put your hands on a bench, a box or the kitchen counter (incline push-up). This doesn’t just take weight off – it changes the angle of your arm to your body, so the shoulder rotates and loads differently at the bottom of the movement. Find the height where it’s pain-free, then lower it step by step over the weeks.
  2. Elbows at 45°, not 90°. From above, your body and arms should look like an arrow, not a “T”. Eric Cressey – who works with MLB pitchers – names flared elbows as one of the main causes of painful push-ups.
  3. Screw your hands into the floor. Without moving them, try to turn your hands outward (right hand clockwise, left hand counter-clockwise). This creates external rotation in the shoulder and makes the joint stable – a classic cue from physical therapist Kelly Starrett.
  4. Let the shoulder blades move. At the top, push the floor away until your upper back rounds slightly (“push-up plus”). That trains the serratus anterior, the muscle that holds the shoulder blade on the rib cage. Once you’re pain-free, Cressey uses feet-elevated push-ups, which research by Lear & Gross shows activate the serratus even more.
  5. Slow down. 3 seconds down, 1 second pause just above the floor. If it hurts, you’ve found the range you need to build up – not the range you need to push through.
Coach’s tipIn my sessions I start shoulder-sensitive clients at kitchen-counter height and lower it step by step – only as fast as the shoulder stays pain-free.
Knee · Squats & lunges

My knees hurt when I squat or lunge – what helps?

Strength coach Mike Boyle and physical therapist Gray Cook describe the body “joint by joint”: the hip and the ankle need mobility, the knee needs stability. When the hip doesn’t control the leg, the knee caves inward (knee valgus) and takes stress that doesn’t belong there. So the fix usually starts at the hip – and a mini band is the perfect tool to train the axis of your leg.

  1. The mini band axis drill. Put a light mini band just above your knees. Stand hip-width, feet rooted like a tripod (heel, big toe, little toe). Squat slowly to a chair and keep your knees pointing over your 2nd–3rd toe – push gently against the band the whole time. The band pulls the knees in, your hips learn to hold them in line.
  2. Choose a light band. A 2023 research review (Forman et al., International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy) found that bands can increase hip muscle activity – but very strong bands can actually increase knee valgus. Light band, perfect control.
  3. Lateral band walks. Band above the knees or around the ankles, slight squat, 10–15 small steps to each side. This strengthens the gluteus medius, the muscle that keeps your knee from collapsing inward.
  4. Reverse instead of forward lunges. Stepping back keeps the shin more vertical and makes the movement easier to control – a favourite of celebrity trainer Ben Bruno, whose clients include Hollywood actors.
  5. Calm sore knees with isometrics. Physiotherapists use the “Spanish squat” for front-of-the-knee pain: a long band anchored in front of you loops behind both knees, you sit back and hold for 30–45 seconds. A study by Rio et al. (British Journal of Sports Medicine, 2015) showed that isometric holds reduced patellar tendon pain immediately.
  6. Walk backwards. Backward walking and backward sled drags – popularised by Ben Patrick (“Knees Over Toes Guy”) – load the knee gently and build the quads. Always in a pain-free range, increase gradually.
Coach’s tipThink of the knee as the messenger, not the culprit. When we fix how the hip and foot control the leg, the knee usually calms down.
Lower back · Core

My lower back hurts during planks and ab exercises – what am I doing wrong?

If you feel planks or leg raises in your lower back, your core has lost the position and your back is holding the load. The goal is not more crunches – it’s learning to keep the ribs and pelvis stacked while your arms and legs move.

  1. Ribs down, pelvis slightly tucked. In the plank, gently squeeze your glutes and pull your belly button toward your ribs. Your lower back should stay neutral – not sagging.
  2. Exhale on the effort. Breathe out fully as if blowing out candles – this switches on the deep abdominal muscles.
  3. Learn the dead bug. On your back, arms up, knees at 90°. Press your lower back lightly into the floor and slowly lower the opposite arm and leg. If your back lifts, shorten the range.
  4. Short holds beat long holds. 5 × 10–20 seconds with perfect tension does more than one shaky 2-minute plank.
Coach’s tipQuality first: a plank is only as good as the position you hold it in.
Progress at home

How do I keep progressing at home without heavy weights?

Muscles grow when the challenge keeps rising – the principle of progressive overload. You don’t need a gym for that, you need to change one variable at a time.

  1. Tempo: 3–4 seconds lowering makes every rep harder without adding weight.
  2. Pauses: hold 2 seconds at the hardest point (bottom of the squat, push-up just above the floor).
  3. 1½ reps: go down, come halfway up, go down again, then all the way up – one rep.
  4. Single-leg and single-arm: a split squat or single-leg hip thrust doubles the load on one side.
  5. Track it: write down reps and variations. If last week’s workout feels easy, change one variable.
Coach’s tipThis is how all FIT NATION ONLINE programs are built: same movement, smarter challenge.
Recovery like the pros

How do top athletes recover – and what can I copy?

Mike Mancias, longtime trainer of NBA star LeBron James, sums it up as: recovery never stops. LeBron’s longevity isn’t built on one secret tool, but on doing the basics every single day.

  1. Sleep is training. Mancias tracks LeBron’s sleep and recovery data because it shows how ready the body is the next day. For you: regular bedtimes and 7–9 hours.
  2. Refuel right after training. A protein-rich meal or shake after your workout supports recovery.
  3. Hydrate smart. Water with electrolytes after sweaty sessions.
  4. Short naps. 20 minutes can reset low energy – longer naps make many people groggy.
  5. Consistency over hype. Mobility, core and recovery are done all year, not only when something hurts.
Coach’s tipRecovery is the part of training most people skip – and the reason pros stay on the court for 20 years.
Train your brain

What can I learn from how Steph Curry trains?

Brandon Payne, Steph Curry’s personal trainer, built his method around “neurocognitive efficiency”: he deliberately overloads Curry’s perception – with vision-blocking goggles, light signals and multitasking drills – so that game situations feel easy. You can use the same principle at home, without a lab.

  1. Add a thinking task: during balance work, count backwards in threes or name colours on a card your partner holds up.
  2. Close your eyes: single-leg stand with eyes closed – start with 10 seconds.
  3. React: partner calls “left” or “right” and you lunge in that direction as fast as you can control.
  4. Keep it short: 5 minutes at the start of a workout, when you’re fresh.
Coach’s tipCoordination is the most underrated quality in fitness – and it keeps you sharp and safe in everyday life.

These tips are general training advice, not a medical diagnosis. If pain is sharp, gets worse, comes with swelling or lasts for more than a couple of weeks, please have it checked by a doctor or physiotherapist.

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